COUNCILLORS meeting in Keighley have demanded a review of Bradford Council’s warden service.

The Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee, despite calling for the review, emphasised their support for the wardens patrolling Keighley’s streets.

Committee chairman Cllr Adrian Farley, who represents Keighley West ward on Bradford Council, said his members simply wanted to learn how the warden service’s duties had changed in recent years.

He said: “The committee welcomed the role of the wardens and saw them as a very useful asset to the council.

“They were asking about the roles they do and whether any changes should be made, now that the officers are taking on more of the traffic wardens’ role.”

The committee were told that at least two council wardens were deployed each day to Keighley town centre, mostly to enforce parking restrictions, but also with a host of other duties.

Wardens often take part in Litter Action days, handing £75 fines to people seen dropping litter.

They take part in other environmental duties including issues such as trade waste, litter enforcement and fly tipping, or dealing with anti-social behaviour from beggars, street traders, rough sleepers and those taking legal highs.

Wardens have been working with the council’s Benefits Fraud Team to clamp down on the illegal use of Blue Badge disabled parking permits.

The team has the highest number of successful referrals for prosecution in the North of England and is second best in the UK, after London, for Blue Badge fraud detection.

Wardens carry smart phones, allowing them to log issues such as rubbish in gardens and fly tipping on patrol. This cuts down on administration and avoids wardens returning to their office to send emails.

The smart phones can also record anti-social behaviour, allowing better collaboration with police, and improve identification of unlicensed skips at the roadside.