Pictured Above: Community Safety Projects Officer Deb Beasley, Community Wardens Peter Murkin and Clive Dent, Councillor Simon Werner, Councillor Jack Douglas, Councillor Gurch Singh, Community Wardens Abid Khan and Carlos Dissegna and Community Safety Manager Andy Aldridge

The Leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead joined its Community Wardens for an afternoon to see first-hand some of their vital work protecting communities and supporting neighbourhoods.

Councillor Simon Werner, who is also Cabinet member for Community Partnerships, Public Protection and Maidenhead, joined the wardens in Maidenhead town centre yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 27 September). He was joined by ward members, Councillor Gurch Singh and Councillor Jack Douglas.

They started with a litter pick in Kidwells Park before continuing on foot to the West Street car park, identifying any issues that needed addressing on the way, such as graffiti and litter.

Councillor Werner then met Maidenhead Town Manager Robyn Bunyan for a walk through the town centre, identifying any other issues on the way.

Pictured Above: Councillor Werner cleans graffiti in St Mary’s Walk

The wardens focus on deterring anti-social behaviour, promoting crime prevention, enforcement operations and community engagement. Over the year from June 2022 to June 2023 they engaged with almost 500 vulnerable residents, offering advice, mentoring and support, dispersed on 186 occasions groups or individuals causing ASB and conducted 158 targeted operations in the borough to help reduce crime and ASB.

Councillor Werner said: “It was great to go out with the Community Wardens in Maidenhead. I started the Community Warden scheme 20 years ago and so it was particularly exciting to be joining them again and see that they continue to make our borough a safer and more pleasant place to live, work and visit.

“I know how dedicated they are to our borough and its communities, and we should all be extremely proud that we have them working for us.

“We know how much our residents value our wardens. They provide a high profile, reassuring presence year-round, linking together all parts of the community. They visit schools, day centres, businesses and liaise closely with other agencies and departments within the borough to try to solve issues in the community as quickly and efficiently as possible, support community safety and engage with residents to listen to their concerns.

“I am also keen on getting them back to dealing with environmental crime as well – things like graffiti and fly tipping. I am a great believer in the “broken window” principle. Litter just encourages more litter, and then graffiti and then more anti-social behaviour and then crime. We need to break the cycle, deal with the litter and the Community Wardens are part of that – giving people back their pride in their town, village and borough.”

The wardens can be contacted via email at wardens@rbwm.gov.uk or by calling 01628 685636.

Residents can report graffiti and littering on the council’s website at https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/apply-pay-report/report-it