MORE visible policing, with officers walking or cycling around town, is on the cards for Upton-upon-Severn.

"Bobbies who traditionally have worked out of Malvern, but live in Upton, will have part of the working month when they walk from their homes and work in Upton," said Insp Neville Sheldrick, at the annual town meeting.

"We have to concentrate on visible policing.

"I'm sure you will all say, 'Yes, we want to see more officers walking and cycling and dealing with the public'."

Beat management had been enhanced since last year and Upton now had PC Mark Taylor, with PC Alan Naulls recently appointed to cover Upton, Kempsey and the outlying villages, he said.

"Also, we'll soon have a pro-active beat officer for Malvern and Upton and you will see him one or two days a week," added Insp Sheldrick.

"I want him to interact with the business community and with young people around school opening and closing hours."

The West Mercia force is looking to recruit 300 extra officers, but Insp Sheldrick could not say how many of these would come to the Upton area.

The fact that the Malvern Hills district was a low crime area, the second safest place in the country, could be a disadvantage when it came to getting extra money for policing.

"There are others with a more pressing need and it's a bit of a frustrating problem," said Insp Sheldrick.

He said the position in the district had remained unchanged for 25 years, with a crime rate of 15.6 crimes per thousand population.

Malvern Hills had the lowest crime rate in a "family" of 39 districts, compared with 46.5 crimes per thousand in the district with the highest rate.

Sgt Bob Werner de Sondberg said dealing with anti-social behaviour was high on the list of priorities.

He explained some of the strengths and weaknesses of the new acceptable behaviour contracts and anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs).

"They are a very important arrow in our quiver, but they are not a panacea for all ills," he said.

"One of the strengths of the process is that behaviour is very often diverted before you get to the ASBO stage."