Street wardens mean business

Five new faces will be seen on the streets of the Victoria Lane and Hillock estates to offer help to residents from 8am to 10pm.

The uniformed task force have been brought in to help tackle crime, reduce the fear of crime, identify incidents of anti-social behaviour and improve environmental problems.

The two estates were chosen to receive the street wardens following a successful bid by Bury Council and Rivers Housing Association for Government funding.

And after intensive training the group began pounding the pavements this week.

The wardens will patrol the area in pairs and wear a distinctive uniform similar to the one worn by Community Safety wardens in Bury town centre and the Neighbourhood Wardens in East Bury.

Their job will include daily foot patrols, tackling environmental hot-spots, liaison with the police and security services and with tenants and residents associations in the area and helping vulnerable residents.

Bury Council's executive member for regeneration and housing, Coun Ray Watts, said: "They will also work closely with the Tenants and Residents Associations in the area as well as other agencies engaged in activities on Victoria Lane and Hillock estates. We hope that the very presence of the street wardens will help to further develop a sense of community safety and improve the environmental appearance of the two estates.

"Our neighbourhood wardens in East Bury and the community safety wardens, who have a borough-wide role to play, have all had a big impact. I feel sure the same will prove to be the case with Whitefield's street wardens."