SIX lucky individuals could soon be paid more than £28,000 a year to patrol Bridgwater town centre in a bid to cut down on antisocial behaviour.

Bridgwater is one of 101 towns across the UK to benefit from the government’s towns fund, being awarded £22.6m for 11 projects designed to “boost businesses, improve infrastructure, encourage enterprise and bring communities together.”

One of the projects involves funding town wardens or ambassadors who can provide a “visible community support presence” and “build confidence for visitors” to the local area.

Sedgemoor District Council has now agreed to allocate up to £1million of the town deal funding towards these ambassadors, who could be in post as early as this summer.

Bridgwater town centre has seen numerous incidents of anti-social behaviour in recent years; in 2019, the Cornhill section saw the most reports for anti-social behaviour in the entire Avon and Somerset Constabulary operational area.

The new town ambassadors will help to “encourage safe use of the town centre and its amenities”, providing advice and support for both visitors and regular shoppers in the town centre.

They will also work with other partners and agencies, being their “eyes and ears” during the day and night to prevent antisocial behaviour and help individuals who are vulnerable or otherwise at risk.

Further details of the town ambassador project were published ahead of a meeting of the council’s executive committee in Bridgwater on Wednesday morning (March 16).

Nathaniel Lucas, the district council’s service manager for economic development, said in his written report: “A key priority for the town deal is to re-energise the town centre and support local economic recovery following the covid-19 pandemic.

“Establishing a visible town centre presence through employment of town wardens and ambassadors will provide reassurance to local residents and businesses in the town centre and further support event organisers to encourage and promote activity in the town centre.

“Critical to the role of the town wardens and ambassadors will be to engage with people on the streets, to identify reasons for behaviour and ascertain potential risks.

“The engagement role is vital for them to refer situations to other appropriate organisations and agencies, whether that is tackling homelessness, drug dependency or support for vulnerable people.

“Where necessary, the town wardens and ambassadors will be empowered to issue fixed penalty notices or excess charge notices, in accordance with appropriate legislation and with council policies and local by-laws. Enforcement, however, is considered a last resort action.”

A total of £1million of the town deal funding will be used to fund six ambassadors (four full-time and two part-time) – one of which will serve as a “senior warden”, liaising directly between the other ambassadors and council officers.

The regular ambassadors will be paid £28,130 a year, while the senior warden will receive £31,680 a year – both of which are in line with pay levels for existing council officers.

The funding for each of the six posts (along with the other town deal projects) is guaranteed until 2026 – though the administration of the funding will be transferred to the new unitary Somerset Council once it formally takes charge in April 2023.

A formal business case for the town ambassadors has been submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). If approved, the council hopes the new ambassadors will be on the street by mid-summer.