Barnstaple street marshal scheme gets £25k boost

The funding will help with the cost of the street marshal scheme, which has led to a reduction in anti-social behaviour over the last two years

Barnstaple’s street marshal scheme has been given a £25,000 boost from the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez.

Anti-social behaviour has dropped by a third in Barnstaple since the street marshals were introduced in 2022.

Councillors said the street marshals, who work in pairs, had made Barnstaple safer, particularly for women and elderly people.

They said it was now a popular place to visit, with shops also reaping the benefits.

North Devon Council is currently funding the scheme after cash from the government’s Safer Streets programme ran out in October 2023, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It has already put £50,000 into the street marshals initiative, with a further £27,000 agreed until the end of June and £200,000 earmarked to finance the scheme over the next two years.

Parish and town councils are being asked if they want their areas to be included in the scheme and to contribute towards the cost.

The council is currently carrying out a review of the service and is considering running it itself rather than employing a security firm.