TOWN councillors and representatives from Okehampton police have resolved to work together more closely to tackle issues affecting residents.

A selection of four or five town councillors will meet representatives from the police and Louisa Ward, community safety officer with West Devon Borough Council, every two to three months to discuss smaller policing issues raised by residents.

These can range from anti-social behaviour, speeding, littering and other small issues that affect the lives of local people.

The town council decided at a meeting last week to extend an invitation to Okehampton Hamlets Council for representatives to join the forum. The meetings will be held in a relaxed forum-style in an effort actively to improve the lives of constituents in a small but tangible way.

Similar schemes have been used in Totnes and Ivybridge, and have been shown to have a positive effect.

Cllr Mike Davies supported the move: 'I think this forum is a very good idea. If the smaller issues that affect the town are not dealt with, they often become bigger.

'These issues are the sort of things that have come in front of the council on a regular basis, such as dog fouling and anti-social behaviour. This is a way of discussing and tacking those issues.'

Cllr Kay Bickley was more hesitant to support the idea: 'The small issues are important but people are more concerned by the bigger pictures.

'Issues such as drugs being dealt and those slightly larger issues are more likely those that people would want to raise and discuss with the police and see addressed.'

The council will now decide which of its members will join the forum.