Community leader to go walkabout to canvass youth on policing (From Warrington Guardian)

Community leader to go walkabout to canvass youth on policing

COMMUNITY group leader Ernie Clarke is seeking young people's support for a crime-busting initiative.

Congleton Police are due to launch Community Action Meetings in the Buglawton area of the town.

The aim will be to give local people the chance to have their say on policing and their concerns about crime.

They will vote for the issue they feel is the most pressing.

The issue which comes out on top will become the policing priority for the Buglawton area for the following eight weeks.

The initiative is to be launched on Thursday April 6, but before that police will be proactively trying to seek the views of local residents on crime.

They will be dropping questionnaires through letter boxes, and walking around Buglawton to talk to a cross-section of the community.

Officers will be accompanied on their walking tour of the area by members of Buglawton Community Group, including chairman Ernie Clarke.

"We are 100 per cent behind the Community Action Meetings if they will improve the situation," said Mr Clarke.

"I would like to see local people come along to the meetings, because unless we get their support we're not going to get anywhere.

"We would also like young people to join us on our walk around Buglawton, as we want to know what their views are.

"One of the problems in Buglawton is vandalism, and we also have youths racing round at night on mini-motorbikes with no lights on."

The Community Action Meetings are due to be held every nine weeks.