Plans to expand the work of Town Centre Managers beyond the eight town centres and into villages and rural areas on the Isle of Wight is to be put into action on Monday 1st December.

The ten existing Town Centre Managers and four Community Support Officers will be known as Environment and Neighbourhoods Officers under this scheme and will work in small teams to provide a community safety service to both towns and rural areas.

Training is being provided to equip the Community Support Officers with the additional skills needed to carry out their new role.

Zoryna O’Donnell, Head of Community Safety Service at the Isle of Wight Council said:

“We are really pleased with the work carried out by the Town Centre Managers and Community Support Officers over the last year and are delighted to be in a position to offer the service to people who live outside the town centres and in villages and rural areas.

“We are confident that the new extended scheme will have a positive impact on communities across the Island, help to improve the quality of life and foster a sense of ownership and pride in our neighbourhoods.”

The Environment and Neighbourhood Officers (ENOs) will work as part of the Community Safety Service which aims to improve the quality of life on the Isle of Wight with the development of safer and stronger communities through effective partnership working.

Villages and rural areas, as well as wider areas in the towns will benefit from the service that town centres have received over the last year.

Officers will provide a uniformed presence in their designated patrol areas on the Isle of Wight and liaise closely with the Isle of Wight Police / Hampshire Constabulary, Directorates and Services of Isle of Wight Council, elected members, parish and town councils, businesses, voluntary and community sector organisations and other key stakeholders.

The Island has been divided into five patrol areas which were designed in consultation with the police to have the same boundaries as areas covered by Police Community Support Officers and Police Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

The areas also take into account forthcoming changes to electoral wards and resulting changes in ward boundaries. Each patrol area will be covered by a team of two, three or four who will carry out their patrols by foot, bicycle or vehicle as appropriate.

Continuing the work carried out by officers in town centres, the Environment and Neighbourhoods Officers will be providing a wide range of front line services. These will include contributing to the ongoing improvement of street cleanliness; the reporting, monitoring and rectifying of defects, faults and hazards; involvement in and creation of projects to benefit and enhance the community; and working with partner organisations to make sure that the Island is safe and well kept.

Environment and Neighbourhoods Officers will also attend parish and town council meetings, when invited, and report on work being carried out by the team in the local area.

Cllr Diana Tuson, Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for safer communities said:

“Feedback received from residents, partner agencies, town and parish councils indicated that the Island would benefit from the expansion of the Town Centre Manager Scheme to cover the whole Island.

The new Environment and Neighbourhoods Officers will work in partnership with a wide range of organisations to improve and maintain the areas in which they serve while listening to the needs of residents.”