'We want police out on the beat' (From Penarth Times)

'We want police out on the beat'

MORE POLICE on the beat is the top priority Vale residents, according to results from the South Wales Police Authority.

Feedback from a consultation event held in Penarth Leisure Centre show the visibility of the police needs to be increased, including more police on the beat.

The event, held on September 30, allowed members of the public to spend token police authority money on their policing priorities.

Chairman of the Police Authority, Councillor Ray Thomas, explained: "This year we wanted to try a different way of consulting with the public, in order to move away from the normal questionnaires.

"We gave the public £120 of token money to be spent on policing priorities, which were represented by boxes. Participants could then put as much or as little money into each priority as they saw fit."

The seven policing priorities were anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, drug related crime, gun crime, terrorism, vehicle crime and the visibility of police.

Visibility of police was the top priority with 25% of the total money. This was followed by anti social behaviour with 18% and drug related crime with 16% of the total money spent.

Terrorism was the next priority, with 12%, and domestic violence on 11%. Vehicle crime and gun crime were the lowest priorities on 8%.

Chief Executive and Clerk to the Police Authority, Mr Alan Fry, said: "We have had a great reaction from the public with the new method of consulting. People seemed to be much more open to spend our 'money' rather than filling in questionnaires, and we are very pleased with the numbers of taking part."

Councillor Thomas concluded: "Everyone that took part in the exercise will now have an effect on the police, as the results will now be used during the budget setting for next year."

South Wales Police Authority is responsible for setting the budget for the police, which this year stands at £217.7million.

Full results for the Vale of Glamorgan were as follows:

lVisibility of police - 25%

lAnti-social behaviour - 18%

lDrug related crime - 16%

lTerrorism - 12%

lDomestic violence - 11%

lGun crime - 8%

lVehicle crime - 8%