Cornwall Council Seeks Traffic Wardens Amid Recruitment Challenges: A Look at the Role

Cornwall Council is experiencing difficulties in recruiting traffic wardens, with 10 of its 35 positions currently vacant. To attract potential applicants, the council is inviting individuals to participate in patrol sessions. Andy Hawke, a full-time enforcement officer in Newquay, extended an invitation, stating: “Come along and give it a go.” During his initial patrol of the day in the seaside town, Mr. Hawke observed three vehicles parked in a loading bay designated for a maximum five-minute waiting period. He explained, “We have time limited bays and we try to keep them free flowing so customers can use the local businesses.” Mr. Hawke subsequently issued a notice for a motorcycle found parked unlawfully on the pavement. After the five-minute grace period elapsed, two of the cars departed, but one remained, prompting him to issue a parking ticket. As he carried out these duties, a passer-by confronted him, suggesting he should “get a proper job”. Mr. Hawke commented on such encounters, stating: “You do get to hear that quite a lot.” He added, “It’s not nice at all but we are here working and we’ve got a job to do.” Shortly thereafter, a large truck entered one of the loading bays, its driver having observed the preceding events. The truck driver expressed appreciation for the traffic warden’s actions. He remarked, “It’s really handy because they’re normally blocked by cars which makes our job a little bit difficult.” He further asserted, “Everybody has a job to do and there needs to be a bit of law and order otherwise it would be absolute chaos.” While Mr. Hawke’s main responsibility involves enforcing traffic regulations in Newquay, his duties extend beyond issuing parking citations. He elaborated, “We do some community patrols and checking for dogs on beaches when they’re banned.” He continued, “We give advice to make sure people pick up after their dogs and if we see people littering we have the ability to issue fixed penalty notices, so the role is extremely varied.” Martin Alvey, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for environment, highlighted the remuneration and career prospects. He stated, “The starting salary is around £25k a year and there are opportunities to earn up to more than £30k. “They get training and earn a City and Guilds qualification and they can progress to their career to other roles within the council in public protection.” When questioned about the council’s recruitment difficulties for the position, he responded, “Maybe people think they get grief from the public but these days we see it much more as an engagement exercise.” He added, “I want them to be seen as the friendly face of the council not to be seen as Mr Nasty or Mr Jobsworth.” The council expressed optimism that individuals would be motivated to apply for these positions. The council further stated: “Civil enforcement officers work in some of Cornwall’s most beautiful locations, from bustling towns to scenic beaches, and play a crucial role in keeping their local communities safe.” It emphasized, “The job is more varied than many people think, and no two days will ever be the same. There’s also the opportunity for real career progression.” These introductory sessions are open to anyone interested in gaining further insight into the role. For updates, BBC Cornwall can be followed on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Story ideas may be submitted to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Details regarding its external linking policy are available.