POLICE response times in north Warwickshire could be reduced if a plan to replicate a similar scheme in the south of the county is given the green light.

At a meeting of Warwickshire’s Police and Crime Panel, Cllr Dave Parsons (Lab Polesworth) asked for action to be taken.

Addressing the county’s police and crime commissioner Philip Seccombe he said: “I note that you have increased deployment to Stratford and Alcester police stations in order to cut down response times and that’s very, very good.

“But I’d like to ask what’s happening in the north in this respect because I have huge concerns regarding response times on my patch with is Polesworth and District.”

Mr Seccombe said he was aware of the problems having been to a number of parish councils in the area.

He added: “I want to see, in the foreseeable future, a patrol 999 response based in Coleshill which will be the only patrol response in North Warwickshire.

"I’m pushing for that and there’s a feasibility study being done at the moment. It shouldn’t cost too much more, it’s the same resource just being moved from another location.

“I am well aware that the response times in the north of the county are not good enough and that’s partly because you don’t have a patrol or a patrol base.

“We are also looking at scoping one at Atherstone as well because that has quite a high rate of crime and there are quite a few areas around there where we need better coverage and response times. I can’t promise both although I’d like to see both.”

He also added that the introduction of the Stratford and Alcester patrols had been welcomed by those living in those areas with response times having been reduced.

He said: “Alcester was on the border with West Mercia so it was important to make sure that end of a very rural part of our county was covered. It has been through a pilot and it’s now permanent.

“This will assist in addressing some of the key concerns that have been raised with me by local communities in south Warwickshire and demonstrates that both the force and I are willing to listen constructively and act on public feedback.”