WHILE it must always be welcomed when more information is made available to the public, especially when the public are able to make positive comments on the information being made available, the intention of delivering to every household a copy of the report on the Crime and Disorder Audit will cost Greater Manchester millions at a time when cost cutting exercises are seeing the majority of smaller police stations closed, and some of the larger ones downgraded to part time police boxes.

The public need and want better policing on the ground, more bobbies on the beat, more community police stations centred in the local communities, not distant fortresses that take forever for police to arrive at the scene of crime, in most cases after the criminals are safely tucked up in bed, assured of an easy stroll home un-bothered by the total lack of local police.

So let us see the publication of these figures, placed in public libraries for all to see, and not waste desperately needed resources delivering glossy reports to the vast majority who will never read them. And let us count that saving in the number of additional officers on the beat, and a reversal of the proposed closure of police stations, with an end to glossy paper mountains, and the funds reclaimed from the saving of natural resources used for local needs.

This shows yet again that the Labour dominated Police Authority is totally out of touch with the real needs of the local community, or how effectively to target resources to real needs. Let us hope that message is clearly passed back through the consultation process, thereby, I hope, saving funds in future years.

Chris Maile

Leigh Green Party

43 Swan Meadow Road, Poolstock, Wigan, WN3 5BJ

Tel. 01942 513792

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.