POLICE jargon needs cutting back, a Runcorn councillor has told Halton's top officers.

Cllr Dave Thompson told a public meeting at Runcorn Town Hall that the new monthly Participation and Delivery Meetings (PAD) were badly named.

He told Supt Dave Booth and Ch Insp Dougie Shaw that: "You are in a police world and people come along and hear about PADs, CATs and CSO's, all these acronyms that mean not a jot."

"People understand words like policing and community. If you look at changing the name PAD, I think that would be a good idea."

Both officers agreed the name wasn't ideal, and could do with changing.