MORE community-spirited people are coming together to tackle issues in their neighbourhoods with the creation of a Brierley Hill Street Watch group.

Working in partnership with West Midlands Police, the newly formed group are calling for more people from the town to volunteer their time to help on patrols.

The new group’s co-ordinator, Richard Colley, of Moor Street, said he set up the group as less people now attend local PACT (Police and Communities Together) meetings.

He said: “Unfortunately very few people turn up and I have been using social media to pass on information from the local police.

“At the last meeting I asked if there was anything else I could do to help and they explained to me about street watch, which seems especially important now as the number of PCSOs has been cut.

“I put the message out on Facebook and streetlife.com last week as I need local volunteers.

“I have been in conversations with the police, and they have confirmed that the funding will be in place for the group to be up in running in March, so it would be great to have volunteers contact me before then.”

Street watch members patrol the community in pairs, wearing high visibility jackets, to provide a visible presence, as well as promoting safety, citizenship and strong relations between locals, the scheme and police.

A street watch group has been running in Wordsley for a number of years, while another group in the High Acres area was formed in the last few months.

Richard added: “By being part of street watch we can help the police tackle the low level issues that impact most on our community and quality of life.

“Volunteering involves a minimum of two hours patrol each month to highlight problems such as anti-social behaviour, graffiti and environmental problems. We will have regular contact with the local police team to keep the team aware of current local issues and concerns.

“The police will provide insurance before the scheme begins and members will also be given a short presentation before the scheme starts, outlining our role, expectations and ensuring we all fully understand the ethos behind the scheme.”

To volunteer and become part of the Brierley Hill Street Watch group, email Richard on richcolley@hotmail.com