A WORDSLEY councillor is stepping up his drive to get members of the community to work together with police to tackle ever increasing anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Derrick Hemingsley is inviting the communities of Wordsley and High Acres to an open meeting to discuss the work of his street and speed watch groups alongside representatives from West Midlands Police.

Cllr Hemingsley hopes the public will join him in his quest to rid the area of graffiti and crime after he said he was shown police crime figures that indicate a 17 per cent rise in crime across the area in recent months.

At a recent area committee meeting, Wordsley residents expressed their concern about public safety, damage and burglary, against a backdrop of reductions in police and community support officers in the ward.

Cllr Hemingsley said: “There has been some disturbing news about increases in burglaries at houses, sheds and garages in Wordsley and it is very important for the public to report incidents and suspicious activity to the police and to ensure what police patrols are available go to the right areas and priorities.

“As police resources continue to dwindle, I am very concerned to do everything I can with members of the local community to provide public reassurance and feelings of safety and security.

“We have lost some excellent community police officers and as that will only get worse in the coming years I am keen to do whatever can be done to support the public.”

Cllr Hemingsley recently set up a community street watch group following the success of his speed watch initiative – which earlier this month saw more than 20 children and helpers from the Woodcraft group based at the Dingle Primary School, as well as fellow ward Councillor Paul Brothwood, use a speed gun to take note of speeding motorists.

He added: “I am keen to develop groups of public residents who can help with the street watch and speed watch schemes so that they can spread across the ward and address the sorts of issues being raised increasingly by the public at meetings, surgeries and community forums.”

He will host two open meetings at The High Acres pub, in Madeley Road, on Wednesday October 7 and October 28, for local residents to find out what they can do to help support his campaigns.

For more information on the meetings, which will run between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, call Cllr Hemingsley on 07771 977746.