Case Studies

CSAS at recycling centres

by Mark Rowe

A traffic management, stewarding and security company put together plans at short notice for the reopening of six waste and recycling centres in North London following the Government’s easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions – before deploying its own staff with specialist police powers to manage the queues and ensure the flow of through-traffic.

Commissioned by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA), The Combined Services Provider Limited (CSP), a Watford-based company, had one week from initial enquiry to live operations to plan for the reopening of sites in Barnet, Chingford, Haringey, Islington, Leyton and Walthamstow. Each council had to approve the plans, as did the Metropolitan Police. Besides, traffic management signage and manufacture of 20 Covid-19 signs had to be arranged.

Meanwhile, CSP were also approached by Surrey Police – also with about a week’s notice – to assist with the re-opening of eight waste sites, with four of them at Earlswood, Guildford, Leatherhead and Woking requiring staff with police powers. Their staff were accredited with some police powers in London by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and in Surrey by the Chief Constable under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS).

CSP’s CSAS responsibilities include managing safe vehicle movements in the queues to the sites and at key junctions and roundabouts near the sites while minimising impact on local residents and through traffic. The NLWA centres are allowing residents to pre-book online to dispose of any household or garden waste that would put them at risk of harm in their home. There CSP carried out a total of 80 CSAS shifts at the six sites from May 13 to 19.

At the Surrey centres, which originated from a request by the Surrey Police CSAS Liaison Officer, CSP’s focus was on providing CSAS staff to assist as Surrey County Council had designed traffic plans, signage and equipment. From Monday, May 11, CSP was initially contracted for 167 CSAS shifts at the four sites, which were allowing cars only and only one black bag of waste and garden waste. CSP’s role at Guildford was extended from 15 May to the end of May.

CSP also received a referral to assist with the Recycling Centre in the west London borough of Richmond where CSAS shifts began on Monday, May 18 and are due to run until the end of June.

Tony Nikolic, Managing Director, CSP, said the NLWA had been passing on CSP’s details to other councils facing traffic problems at their recycling centres. Feedback in Surrey had been positive too, he said. “We have several sites looking to extend our presence onsite and rebook our services in the future when the sites are allowed to ease their restrictions further.”

Since May 12, CSP has also provided CSAS staff to assist with the launch of the drive-through NHS Coronavirus Test Centre at North Greenwich in the shadow of the Millennium Dome.

Tony added: “We have found our police contacts in the Metropolitan Police and Surrey Police to be extremely helpful and supportive and we like to feel that after ten years of working with the police we are very much trusted to deploy CSAS accredited staff. Given the pressures that the police and local authorities are under currently, we believe that our work at the recycling centres has been vital in allowing these critical services to be reopened and well managed.”

Likewise, Paramount Stewarding and Security have been deployed at two of the Household Waste Recycling Centres – Old Swan and Otterspool in Liverpool, and at the centres in Bootle and Southport in Sefton council area.

About CSAS

A voluntary scheme in England and Wales, it began under Section 40 of the Police Reform Act 2002. Assessing of private sector companies seeking approval to run a CSAS scheme is carried out on behalf of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (PCPI), a police-owned company that delivers crime prevention work.

PCPI carries out checks to see whether companies are ‘fit and proper’ to exercise CSAS powers and then makes recommendations to Chief Constables in the area the scheme will operate. Chief Constables decide whether to accredit employed people already working in roles that contribute to maintaining and improving community safety with limited but targeted powers, such as issue of fines for litterers or owners of fouling dogs.

PCPI has assessed more than 120 private sector companies seeking to run a CSAS. The scheme adds to those number able to deliver services that reduce low-level crime and disorder whilst assisting police by easing demands on their time and resources.

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