SECURITY GUARDS AND 39 CCTV CAMERAS TO MAKE TOWN SAFER
‘Much needed ressurance’ for traders and shoppers
PRIVATE security guards are to patrol a town centre in an attempt to reassure shoppers and traders.
The ‘Welcome Back Marshals’ have been recruited to try to make people in Newcastle feel safer and encourage more visitors to the town.
Newcastle Borough Council has also added an extra 39 cameras to its CCTV system.
Now the authority is aiming to provide ‘much-needed reassurance’ following a number of recent breakins at town centre businesses.
The council is working on the new measures with organisations including Staffordshire
Police and Newcastleunder-lyme Business Improvement District (BID).
The two town centre marshals, who hold Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences, will patrol the town as part of a six-month pilot scheme funded by the council.
Employed by Kingdom Services Group, the uniformed guards will give advice, guidance and assistance to town centre users. They will also target people failing to comply with Covid-19 guidance and those engaging in anti-social behaviour.
New signs are being installed in various places to inform people about the extra CCTV. Some of the new cameras – which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and are monitored live – cover each of the five refurbished subways at the Grosvenor sunken roundabout as part of improvements to make them more welcoming, attractive and safer.
Council leader Simon Tagg said: “The council has received more than £35 million of Government investment to help achieve its vision to regenerate Newcastle town centre and encourage ongoing economic development for the benefit of residents and businesses.
“We want to reassure everyone that the town centre is open for business and that there is a very warm and safe welcome for those who want to support their local traders.
“The use of marshals for the first time – as well as the further upgrades to CCTV – are positive additions to our robust community safety arrangements. Not only will they help to reduce some doubts and fears, they’ll send out a strong message that crime and antisocial behaviour is not tolerated in Newcastle.”
Detective Sergeant Kramer Caldwell, from Staffordshire Police, said: “Officers will be working with the marshals to help address issues of concern within the town centre.
“Both police officers and police community support officers continue to work closely with the borough council to tackle anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder and seek innovative ways to improve the safety and security of our town centre.”
Newcastle BID manager Alex Taylor, above, added: “As a BID we’re working behind the scenes to deliver a number of initiatives to increase visitor numbers.
“At the forefront of those plans is to create a safe and welcoming town for our public to shop and socialise comfortably.
“Investment and upgrades to the CCTV system, daily patrols of our BID ambassadors and the implementation of the new marshals shows that as a partnership, we’re listening to our local businesses and prioritising both theirs and the public’s safety and that we take anti-social behaviour seriously.”