A NEWLY appointed street marshal will start his patrols tomorrow (Tuesday, August 13) to help residents, visitors, and businesses in Taunton.

Taunton Town Council’s street marshal, Nick Barber, will start his role following on from his comprehensive training.

Instantly recognisable in his distinctive purple uniform, emblazoned with the town council logo, he will patrol the town centre, from Priory Bridge Road, along Station Road, through Goodland Gardens and East Reach.

The town council said the marshal’s role will vary from helping residents or visitors to the town with queries or concerns, to engaging with local businesses to understand what issues they have faced that day.

Chair of the community and place committee, councillor Bev Fernandes, said: “Since the formation of the town council, we have been conscious of the part we can play to support our residents, visitors and local businesses in the town centre.

“Whilst Taunton is a safe and welcoming place, there is no getting away from the reality that there is an element of anti-social behaviour which affects us all.

“Our business community have been telling us that they would appreciate support on this front, and we are confident that the street marshal patrol is going to be a great way to meet that need.

“I am delighted to see Nick take up this role and look forward to working with him in the future to understand his experiences and hear his feedback.”

The marshal will log incidents and concerns on a central database, in a bid to identify trends and hotspots for anti-social behaviour and crime.

With a wealth of experience in previous similar public facing roles he will also be able to advise business owners on deterrent measures, the town council also said.

The intelligence he gathers will be reviewed and considered monthly in collaboration with local police officers.

This information will inform what steps we at Taunton Town Council can take to help reduce anti-social behaviour and support our vision for a prosperous town.

Nick will also link up with Arc as well as the town centre liaison manager to build relationships with these key partners.

Richard Holt, president of the Taunton Chamber of Commerce, said: “We see this as a very welcome initiative by Taunton Town Council which will add to the ongoing partnership with our members in welcoming and assisting visitors, as well as combating anti-social behaviour in our town.

“We look forward to meeting with the new Marshal and to continue our regular conversations with the council to look at how we can maximise the impact of this partnership.”