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Neighbourhood Wardens

Neighbourhood Wardens Scheme Implementation Plan Guidance

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Although this guidance refers to previous schemes, it remains good practice for reference purposes.

5. ACTION PLANS

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 Successful neighbourhood warden schemes require detailed planning in order to achieve the desired outcomes and meet objectives. All schemes will therefore need to develop action plans, which describe how they are going to meet their objectives. Action plans should be reviewed annually, with quarterly monitoring of outputs and milestones.

5.1.2 An action plan for meeting each objective should be developed (Section 5 of the SIP), specifying:

  • outcome targets and outcome performance indicators

  • inputs

  • output targets with output performance indicators, and

  • Milestones.

5.2 Target Setting

5.2.1 The setting of challenging outcome and output targets helps to make sure that action plans turn into reality. Setting targets gives a clear understanding of what is needed to achieve objectives and allows accountability in a transparent and objective way. An effective target setting process can give direction and focus to the scheme, elicit agencies' ownership of the scheme, and allow for assessment of achievement and exercising accountability.

5.2.2 Setting targets is not an exact science but requires the consideration of a number of factors, including:

  • the level of the problem and trends over recent years

  • what the partnership/management would like to see as the result of its actions

  • What is possible given the available resources, time, etc.

5.2.3 All outcome and output targets should be challenging and meet the SMART criteria, that is they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, with a Timetable attached.

5.3 Outcomes

5.3.1 All schemes should be outcome-focused. Outcomes are the results or consequences of the activity of the scheme (eg reduced burglary, improved community cohesion, etc) and should relate to the objectives of the scheme. Outcome targets should be set which indicate what the scheme aims to achieve over a specified time period. Target setting is described below.

5.3.2 Typical outcome targets may include:

  • Reduce burglary of dwellings by X per 1000 households compared to the baseline figure by end of Year 2001

  • Increase satisfaction with living in area by 10% compared to the baseline figure by end of 2003

  • Reduce the overall level of crime in the target area to the Borough average by the end of 2002

  • Fear of crime reduced by 5% compared to baseline survey figure by end of 2002

5.3.3 The outcomes of a scheme will be measured against the baseline. Schemes must ensure that appropriate baseline data for the scheme are recorded in Section 2.3. Schemes must define the statistics that will be used to measure performance against outcome targets: outcome performance indicators.

5.3.4 Typical outcome performance indicators may include:

  • Number of residents' reporting to survey that they avoid going out alone after dark

  • Number of reported incidents of racial harassment

  • Number of void properties

  • Number of complaints about young people causing a nuisance

  • Number of people using local facilities in evenings

5.4 Inputs

5.4.1 Project planning requires consideration of the resources that need to be put into the scheme to achieve the desired outcomes and outputs. These are commonly referred to as inputs and may include workers' time, skills and equipment as well as money. Wherever possible inputs should be quantified in terms of cost and the source of the inputs should be identified (eg inputs from the Steering Group, management team, wardens or any external inputs required to ensure the success of the scheme).

5.4.2 Typical inputs may include:

  • 500 fire safety leaflets from Fire Service

  • 10 days liaison with residents to identify environmental/maintenance problems

  • 1.5 days police input into induction training

  • 25 visits by police crime prevention officer

5.5 Outputs

5.5.1 Outputs are the products of the scheme activities. They describe what must be produced or undertaken to achieve the desired outcomes. Output targets should be set that show how many of each output the scheme intends to produce or undertake within a specified time period

5.5.2 Typical output targets may include:

  • Employ 3 wardens from targeted ethnic minority groups by end of May 2000

  • Hold 10 public meetings to discuss residents concerns by end of 2001/2002

  • Distribute 100 advice packs to tenants by April 2001

  • Conduct 5 visits to homes of vulnerable tenants per week

  • Removing graffiti within 48 hours of initial report

  • Responding to fly-tipping within 48 hours of initial report

5.5.3 Schemes must also set output performance indicators - statistics that allow performance against output targets to be measured.

5.5.4 Typical output performance indicators may include.

  • Number of wardens from targeted minority groups who are employed in scheme

  • Number of wardens trained to specified standard

  • Number of empty dwellings brought back into use

  • Number of advice packs distributed

  • Number of graffiti clearing operations per month

  • Number of graffiti clearing operations carried out within 48 hours of initial report

  • Number of discarded needles and syringes collected

5.6 Milestones

5.6.1 Milestones must be set to indicate when key elements or tasks will be achieved. They can also be used to set intermediate 'check points' against which performance towards output targets can be assessed. Milestones can be used to break larger tasks into more manageable chunks. Milestones should specify what the key activity is, who has responsibility for completing the task and a deadline for completion. Progress can then be measured against the milestones to ensure that the scheme remains on track. They are especially important where one stage of scheme development is dependent upon another stage being in place.

5.6.2 Typical milestones may include:

  • a date for establishment of the Steering Group;

  • a date for completion of induction training for wardens and management staff;

  • individual elements within a recruitment timetable (posts advertised, short listing completed, interviews held, etc);

  • a date for the commencement of patrols;

  • A date by which crime prevention packs distributed to vulnerable groups.

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Last update: 27/08/03

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