With their high-visibility vests and jackets, the wardens pound the streets of Falkirk six days a week tackling problems such as vandalism, graffiti, fly tipping and noise nuisance in local communities.

Set up in 2004, the service is a Falkirk Council initiative to make our streets safer and more attractive places to live, work and visit.

Falkirk has 12 wardens, who are out and about in all weather, forging bonds in Camelon, Denny, Grangemouth, Hallglen, Stenhousemuir and Bo'ness.

Working in pairs they patrol the streets between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. and provide a vital link between local people, council services and the police.

With no enforcement powers the wardens' role is one of crime prevention.

They work closely with schools, helping educate children about the different types of anti-social behaviour, as well as developing links with local youths.

Funding for the service, which comes from the Scottish Executive, ends in March, but those in charge of the scheme hope it will continue beyond that date.

Priority areas were picked after a council survey highlighted parts of town most in need of regeneration.

Community warden manager Franca Cianni said: "The wardens give people in a community a sense of belonging — it shows them that someone is interested in their local area.

"Feeling safe is a big part of it. People often have a fear of crime and think things are happening, when really they are not."

The wardens have also recently moved into the Dawson area of Bainsford, and if funding is continued this in an area which would be developed. A mobile team which could respond to incidents in areas outwith their current remit is also on the cards.

Wardens Steven Bennett and Paul Hamilton monitor the Dawson beat. After spending a morning with them in lashing hail and rain, the dedication of this pair is all too apparent.

Steven and Paul spend each morning, afternoon or evening monitoring the streets, making sure abandoned buildings have not been broken into and reporting on new graffiti and dangerous rubbish such as discarded syringes. They stop to chat to members of the public, offer advice and even give out directions.

Steven said: "The only power we have is the power of presence.

''This means people don't feel threatened by us and are more likely to speak to us. We get asked all sorts of things – people even expect us to change the weather!

"Not long ago there was some bad graffiti in Camelon. We spotted it and it was away within 24 hours. We're often people's first point of contact, especially if their problem is not serious enough for the police to deal with."

In the Falkirk area, dog fouling is the biggest day-time complaint, while in the evenings most calls relate to anti-social behaviour.

The wardens work with local police officers on a daily basis. Community Safety Sergeant Andy McIntyre said: "We have established close links with the community wardens team. They work in specific areas within
Falkirk area command, particularly locations which have been identified as Regeneration Priority Areas.

"If they come across youths gathering or acting in an anti-social manner they let us know. If they come across ongoing incidents they also inform us.

''They are a valuable working partnership. The wardens engage with their communities and exchange information with us."

For Steven it is this engagement that makes their service so necessary.

He said: "We're there to give advice to everyone.

''Kids feel we're more approachable than the police, and for older people speaking to us makes them feel safer and makes them realise that for smaller incidents there is someone there for them."

s.hart@falkirkherald.co.uk