8th June 2011

LYME REGIS: Call for PACT meetings to be held in public

COUNCILLORS have called for the police-run Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meetings to be opened to the public again.

The meetings, where local problems are discussed and assigned to relevant organisations to deal with, were originally open to local residents, who were invited to raise any issues they had. However, the past two meetings have been held behind closed doors, with only representatives of organisations being invited.

The issue was raised by former councillor, Stan Williams, in the public forum of last week’s Community Development Partnership Committee meeting.

Councillor Michaela Ellis later said that the police had consulted with schools, residents of Halletts Court and other organisations before the PACT meeting. However, she didn’t feel that holding it in private was the “right way forward”.

“I feel it needs to be held in public to deal with the issues,” she added.

Councillor Mark Gage said that the whole point of the meetings was for the community and police to work together.

Councillor Anita Williams suggested making a formal request to the police to hold the meetings publically again, which was agreed.