Chaperone service launched to help escort council staff at night in Wolverhampton
A chaperone service has been launched in Wolverhampton to escort staff to their cars, the bus station or railway station to help workers feel safe at night.
Security officers at the Civic Centre offer the service from 8pm due to some meetings at the authority’s base running well into the evening and even later.
Council bosses said the scheme, which was launched in July, is in response to a national debate over issues including women’s safety, and they added it had not been driven by any incidents relating to staff.
Tim Johnson, chief executive of Wolverhampton Council, said: “The tragic murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa in London last year prompted a national debate about the safety of women.
“Led by a staff forum, we conducted a survey of staff and, as a result, the chaperone service was developed as a measure that may help our workforce feel safe, particularly when working late or after dark.
“It has not been driven by any incidents relating to staff and it’s important to stress that Wolverhampton is generally a very safe place to live and work.
“As a responsible employer we take the health and wellbeing of our staff very seriously and pride ourselves on listening to their views and supporting their suggestions.
“The chaperone service builds on an informal arrangement which was already in place and is one of a number of measures the council has introduced in recent years to enhance the health and wellbeing of our workforce.
“While there were isolated cases of youth violence in the city centre earlier this year, co-ordinated multi-agency activity led by the police has resulted in a significant reduction in these in recent months.”
