REDDITCH police say they are disappointed with the apathy shown by residents invited to meet and discuss problems they have in their communities.

Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings have been held as part of a new government-led initiative called Local Policing. It involves teams of officers dedicated to a particular area tackling local issues at a local level, working with the community. But despite the police advertising the individual area meetings and encouraging people to come and have their say, many are not taking the opportunity. Insp Tony Love said: "There have been several PACT meetings across Redditch where the attendance has been lower than we'd ideally like.

"The whole idea is that people can influence what happens in their community and so we'd really like to see numbers improving at future meetings.

"This is particularly important in Redditch where we have a diverse community with different needs and expectations, so the more people who attend, the wider the range of issues raised.

"The feedback we've had from people going along has been very positive. They've had a chance to have their say, to meet their local beat manager face-to-face and to vote on priority issues for the coming month. They've found the meetings interesting and informative and enjoyed contact with other local people.

He added: "We'd encourage everyone to look out for posters advertising the meetings in their area and make the effort to attend.

"These meetings are for you, so make the most of them. Tell us what your concerns are and we can work together to make a real difference."