Business Wardens operate under a public/private partnership and cover Eastbourne, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Haywards Heath. Eight wardens employed by SWL Security Services have been trained and accredited with the new powers, including the ability to deal with begging, requiring names and addresses for anti-social behaviour, and requiring underage drinkers to surrender any alcohol. The initiative is being supported by Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne and The Southern Co-operative. Mrs Bourne said: “Business crime matters and is not victimless. This scheme is supporting business by tackling anti-social behaviour and helping to cultivate a vibrant economy. “Anti-social behaviour such as aggressive begging can blight shopping areas in cities so this is about increased visibility and reassurance for our high streets and all our residents.” The Community Safety Accredited Scheme (CSAS) allows organisations and their employees working in community safety to be given targeted police powers by Sussex Police’s Chief Constable. These powers can help them become more effective in their role and contribute to community safety and security, as well as combat crime and disorder, public nuisance, and anti-social behaviour. The new powers are: - Power to deal with begging - Power to require persons drinking in a designated places to surrender alcohol - Power to require persons aged under 18 to surrender alcohol - Power to require name and address for ASB - Power to require the name and address of a person whom an accredited person has reason to believe has committed a relevant offence. Two of the key responsibilities of the wardens are to: - Support a business reporting a crime, so that the full report can be completed online (using third party platform Facewatch) and submitted directly to the Police Contact Centre - Provide visible reassurance and crime prevention advice to the local business community and support police to reduce and prevent criminality, anti-social behaviour, and violence in and around businesses. Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live. Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on. 1) Make our website your homepage at www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/ 2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LittlehamptonGazette 3) Follow us on Twitter @LhamptonGazette 4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here. And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out! The Littlehampton Gazette - always the first with your local news. Be part of it