Additional enforcement officers appointed

The additional full-time staff are being funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) administered by Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Hartlepool Borough Council has joined forces with Kingdom Local Authority Support, a specialist supplier of environmental enforcement staff, who are providing the additional personnel.

The UKSPF funding criteria requires money received by the Council to be spent in the town centre, and the additional enforcement officers are working predominantly in areas covered by Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

They offer a visible, uniformed presence designed to provide reassurance to residents, businesses and visitors alike.

Councillor Karen Oliver with Kevin Burton from Kingdom LAS (front, left), Phil Hepburn, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Community Safety Operations Manager, (front, right), some of the Council’s existing enforcement staff and the additional officers.

Councillor Karen Oliver, Chair of the Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, said: “The additional officers provide us with an opportunity to really kickstart the clean-up of the town centre area and to tackle some of the issues that residents and businesses tell us most concern them.

“As an authority, we are pleased to be working with Kingdom and I’m sure the extra staff will really help to make a difference.

“However, we can’t do this on our own and I would urge local people to support us in helping to keep the town clean and tidy. This is our town, let’s take pride in it. By pulling together, we can enable our town to thrive. Every small positive action we take can help to make a BIG difference. Let’s build a town we can all be proud of, let’s love Hartlepool.”

Kevin Burton from Kingdom added: “We are delighted to be working with Hartlepool Borough Council to offer a stronger, more robust service for the community, backing up the authority’s existing team and building on the excellent work they already carry out.”

This is one of a number of UKSPF-funded projects currently targeting Hartlepool town centre, with others including a deep clean of the area, measures to improve safety in the local night-time economy, additional mobile CCTV and an initiative to reduce retail crime.