RESIDENTS were given the chance to air their views and concerns about the future direction of community safety priorities in their town.

About 70 people attended the Safer Hartlepool Partnership’s ‘Face the Public’ event, where they were able to quiz council bosses as well as Chief Superintendent Gordon Laing of Cleveland Police, Steve McCarten of Cleveland Fire Brigade and Barry Coppinger, Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, the leader of Hartlepool Council and chair of the Safer Hartlepool Partnership, talked about achievements over the last twelve months before a short film was shown depicting some of the partnership’s work.

A presentation was also given by Community Payback, an initiative which involves criminals doing unpaid work at the request of the courts.

Speaking at the meeting at Hartlepool College of Further Education, Cllr Christopher Akers-Belcher said: “We have an obligation to consult with the people of our town to make sure that the work we do to make Hartlepool a safer place resonates with what people want.

“It is really important to listen to local people and we can then shape our future plans to meet people’s priorities.”

The council leader told residents that much had been done over the last twelve months to reduce crime despite the enormous financial pressures facing all organisations.

He also referred to several examples following the Face the Public event last year where the partnership had acted on suggestions and priorities put forward by the public.

Partnership representatives faced a number of wide-ranging questions from the public including neighbourhood policing, anti-social behaviour, hate crime, ambulance response times, police response times, late night drinking and inconsiderate parking.

He added: “I would like to thank everyone for attending and contributing to the debate to make Hartlepool a safer place. There were some excellent questions and I can assure everyone that all of the comments and ideas put forward will be considered by the various Partnership organisations represented.”

The Safer Hartlepool Partnership, consisting of the council, police and a range of other public and voluntary agencies, aims to build strong, cohesive and safe communities by reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, tackling the harm caused by substance misuse and reducing offending in the area.

Anyone wanting further information about the partnership should visit www.saferhartlepool.co.uk