A NEW Community Support Officer (CS0) has joined the beat in Wythall and Alvechurch.

Halesowen-born Wayne Turley, 46, who started last Tuesday, said 70 per cent of his time will be spent in the community, getting to know residents.

And Pc Lucy Thornton said he would also be helping to tackle issues raised in recent community policing meetings, including antisocial behaviour and a lack of police presence.

"It's the public's perception that because they do not see a police officer it seems there aren't any but if they see someone it makes them feel safer," she said.

She said the new Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings were popular in both Wythall and Alvechurch, and had so far been well attended and positive.

Issues raised had included a greater police presence in The Square in Alvechurch and antisocial behaviour and speeding on the Redditch Road.

In Wythall, residents named speeding on Silver Street and Shawhurst Lane as a priority, as well as a better police presence.

"We're going to try to do PACT in the schools, maybe in September," she added.

"We could do with younger people to come to the meetings and put their point of view across."

Pc Thornton said if they could encourage youngsters to voice their opinions they could also look at ways of providing activities for young people in the villages.

She added: "PACT is in its early stages, I hope the public do not think it's a fad and stop coming to the meetings.

"To make local policing work, to help their community and to help where they live they need to make their issues known."