Highly valued street marshals to scheme to expand to Ilfracombe

A street marshal scheme which is said to have contributed toward a fall in anti social behaviour by a third in Barnstaple over the last 12 months will continue.

North Devon District Council will fund it for another six months.

The council, which describes the project as 'an unprecedented success' with almost 400 fewer crimes in the town than the year before, will use £50,000 from its reserves to keep street marshals in Barnstaple while partnership funding is sought to keep it going. The scheme will also be extended to Ilfracombe.

Council chairman Ian Roome (Lib Dem, Barnstaple North) said at this week’s strategy and resources committee that Barnstaple is a much nicer place to visit as crime had gone down.

“The shopkeepers are telling me that it really works and what an advantage it is,” he said. “People in Ilfracombe will see that too. It’s a really good thing that it is there for the businesses as it they attract people in.”

Councillors heard that the marshals were highly valued by the police and other emergency services as well as council staff, businesses, residents and visitors. They were funded after a successful bid to the government’s Safer Streets programme, which gave the council £350,000 in July last year to tackle anti-social behaviour, and violence against women and girls.

North Devon District Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner provided £179,000 of match funding. A raft of measures were carried out including graffiti removal, improved street lighting, additional CCTV cameras and training for children and hospitality workers on staying safe.

Since then reported crime has decreased by 18 per cent, a reduction of 382 incidents and incidents of ASB are down by 34 per cent, a reduction of 145 incidents.

In a letter to the council, police said the two street marshals were 'a great asset' and the feedback had been 'really positive'. Any anti-social behaviour could be dealt with earlier and they had 'a reassuring presence in the town centre'.

Police said the quality of life had improved in the town centre and they would be looking at 'sustainable funding options' when the cash runs out at the end of this month.

The concept of providing a reassuring visible presence in town centres was introduced during the pandemic in December 2020. Known locally as ‘place makers’ and nationally as ‘covid marshals,’ the role was was primarily to provide a friendly welcome to residents and visitors and to provide assistance to both residents and businesses on covid regulations.

The role was extended to de-escalate situations that could lead to ASB in Barnstaple and Ilfracombe. When the scheme ended, ASB increased.

A bid was made to the Home Office for Safer Streets funding after a survey found an increased presence by uniformed officers made people feel safer.

As well as providing reassurance to the community and dealing with early signs of ASB, street marshals help police and the council with their daily duties, gather intelligence, enforce the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPOs), provide first aid and a link to council and police teams by using the existing town centre radio network call Shopnet.

Barnstaple’s street marshals have dealt with 427 incidents since July 2022, with street drinking the most common complaint. Police were only called in 14 per cent of incidents, councillors heard.

They have helped with 63 medical situations, with ambulance called to 25 per cent of those. This was estimated to have saved the NHS more than £10,000.

A recent survey showed that 87 per cent of businesses had seen a reduction in ASB, 81 per cent a reduction in violence and 83 per cent a reduction in criminal damage.

Ilfracombe has been included in the scheme after complaints of increased drinking in Runnymede Gardens and the sea front.