NCP Services, Lancaster Council, and Lancashire Police today signed up to a groundbreaking co-operation agreement aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the city. The new scheme, called Partnership Plus was officially launched when executives from the three organisations signed a new agreement to work together.

It means Lancashire Police will provide increased support to parking attendants, to help reduce the level of assaults and intimidation they suffer while at work.

Police officers will patrol the streets jointly with parking attendants in areas where there is thought to be a greater risk of attacks to the PAs.

They will also ensure that all assaults or abuse of parking attendants are investigated and where appropriate the offenders prosecuted.

And Parking Attendants will also assist police with their operations when there is a need to enforce against illegally parked vehicles. They will also benefit from more training by police to make them more skilled at reporting street crime swiftly and effectively.

PA’s will be encouraged by NCP Services to report street crime and disorder incidents seen while carrying out their duties in Lancaster, and the information will be passed to Lancashire Police.

The PAs will also benefit from the use of DNA testing kits (Spit Kits) which have been successfully used on other NCP Services contracts to prosecute members of the public who spit at attendants whilst on duty.

Councillor John Gilbert, cabinet member with responsibility for parking policy and its implementation, said: "The Council recognises the benefits of partnership working and is looking forward to enhancing its already successful informal arrangements with Lancashire Constabulary and NCP Services. The partnership provides an ideal opportunity to help the Police to reduce crime and the fear of crime, to work on various joint initiatives and to offer greater protection for Parking Attendants who have a difficult job".

Nigel Coltman, Head of On Street Operations of NCP Services said: “We already have terrific support from Lancashire Police across the whole force area - but this agreement specifies several useful ways we can help each other.

"It will help us to further reduce the level of assaults and abuse our parking wardens receive while carrying out their duties - and we hope that we will be able to give something back to the police by providing more formal support in terms of observing and recording street crime and disorder.

"We hope the police in Lancaster will come to see the Parking Attendants as an extra set of eyes and ears who are able and willing to help them we are delighted our clients in Lancaster have supported us in this initiative."

Chief Superintendent, Gary Stephenson, from Lancashire Police said: "I fully support this joint initiative. Parking attendants are providing a valuable service and we will not tolerate and abuse of them.

"They are a valued asset in terms of community intelligence and a close working relationship will benefit our communities."

For further details contact James Pritchard, NCP Services Communications: 020 7290 6218.