Street marshals are to be deployed to reduce rowdy thugs and tackle crime in town centres.

Swale council has secured funding from the government’s Safer Streets Fund having worked with Kent Police and the county’s Crime Commissioner through their Community Safety Partnership.

The marshals will wear body cameras and have radios connected to the council’s CCTV centre which they can contact when issues arise.

The two towns where the scheme is being implemented are Sheerness and Sittingbourne.

Members of the council will also be promoting being the Active Bystander campaign as part of the project after visiting licensed premises in Sittingbourne to speak with staff and the public.

The money will be invested into the town centres to help tackle crime, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls.

It will also go towards more lighting, new security cameras and three rapid deployment CCTV cameras, plus additional monitoring of empty premises like Sheerness Library.

The measures, which will see the marshals active only during school holidays, have started and will continue to run until March 2025.

Chairman of the community committee, Cllr Richard Palmer, said: “We are incredibly proud to have successfully bid for this funding from the government’s Safer Streets fund through our Community Safety Partnership.

“We have set out a detailed plan of what we want to achieve with this money, and it is amazing to see the first steps we are taking.

“The ultimate goal is to reduce anti-social behaviour, and, in particular, combat violence against women and girls."

Meanwhile, vice chairman of the community committee, Cllr Elliott Jayes, added: “I would like to commend the officers involved who worked hard to secure this funding and have now begun implementing our ambitious plans.

“The safety of our community is important to us, and we want the borough to be a safe place to live in and visit.

“I look forward to seeing the rest of our measures implemented, if we work together, we can help make the borough a safer place for all.”

The marshals will be active again in the February half-term break.