COUNCILLORS have praised an innovative scheme to put a town's neighbourhood wardens on patrol at a supermarket.

The Asda store, in Whinfield, Darlington, has joined forces with Darlington's Neighbourhood Warden Scheme as part of a pilot scheme.

The wardens are paid for by Asda and are on patrol to tackle problems of nuisance and anti-social behaviour on the supermarket's land.

It is thought to be the first time in the country that a private firm has joined forces with a community warden scheme to tackle crime.

Managers at the supermarket decided to set up the scheme after visitors to the store and local residents complained that the behaviour of some youngsters had been causing problems.

This included young people skateboarding and throwing things at parked cars.

Under the scheme, neighbourhood wardens will be patrolling the store and nearby Oban Court area several nights each week.

The aim is to provide reassurance to shoppers and local residents and get the wardens to work with young people in the area to find them better places to meet.

Bill Dixon, Darlington council's cabinet member for social services said, "We already have the most advanced neighbourhood warden scheme in the country.

"We are now able to set up a ground-breaking scheme, with a private sector organization, that will benefit people visiting the store and people living in the area.

"Asda recognises that our wardens are respected by the police officers they work with. They are well trained, experienced and they have enforcement powers. Thanks to Asda, we can now extend our successful warden scheme to a new area of the town."

The warden scheme started in Darlington 19 months ago with one uniformed person, but there are now ten patrolling the streets.

The wardens train with the police but do not have the same powers. They are meant to play more of a deterrent role and to become well-known in the community.

To contact the Wardens Service to report incidents, or for general information, call (01325) 346831.

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