BROOKES University is to recruit a band of student community wardens to bring peace to the streets of East Oxford.

Aimed at curbing rowdy student behaviour, the wardens are being introduced after councillors raised residents’ concerns with Brookes’s vice-chancellor Prof Janet Beer.

A meeting was called earlier this week after residents complained about worsening levels of antisocial behaviour, with families being kept awake by noise until 4am.

Brookes set out plans to create student community wardens, to advise students living in private rented accommodation on improving relations with their neighbours.

The 11 councillors at the meeting said they hoped student wardens would soon be undertaking patrols with representatives of residents’ groups.

Brookes spokesman George O’Neill said: “Selected students, employed by Brookes as student community wardens, will engage with local residents’ groups and work with students living in privately-rented homes to give them advice on living in the community.

“This initiative builds on the wider work we’re doing – our Pcsos started patrolling in September.

“The policing rota has been extended to increase cover on the busier nights past midnight. It has recently been agreed that this will now on occasion include Brookes-funded Pcsos.

“We’re also increasing the number of managed halls and our student union is doing further work to advise students living in the city.”

Dr Graham Jones, a city councillor for St Clement’s ward, said: “We left Prof Beer in no doubt about the strength of public anger in our wards, but we were heartened that she shares our concerns.

“I’m relieved that the university-funded Pcsos now allow police to be on duty until 4am, and I’m very keen that the planned appointment of student community wardens should go ahead as soon as possible.

“The other plus point with the wardens is that they will work with representatives of residents, perhaps even undertaking joint patrols.”

But Elizabeth Mills, chairman of the Divinity Road Area Residents’ Association, said; “It has been an unprecedentedly violent start to the Brookes term.

“The measures which the university has now proposed to tackle these issues, such as hiring two Pcsos and proposing to engage student wardens to patrol problem areas, are just tinkering.

“Only a drastic reduction in the number of students living in our communities would help to restore the balance in our neighbourhoods.

“The Oxford Local Plan says that Brookes’ students should be housed in purpose-built accommodation located in areas not suitable for residential housing, and that there should be a reduction in the number of students living in housing that is suitable for families.”

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