Police looking at how to better engage with New Milton public after front counter plan hits ‘red tape’

POLICE are looking at a “work-around” amid “red tape” preventing efforts to open a public desk at their New Milton base.

The update from New Forest West neighbourhood policing team Insp. Darren Ord came after this month’s full town council meeting heard officers needed to find alternative ways to engage with residents.

Lymington Sgt Leigh Brown, who is currently providing cover in New Milton, told councillors a recent evening beat surgery at Arnewood School failed to draw any attendees.

This was not the first time such meetings have had poor turnouts. Last September the A&T reported just one resident attended a beat surgery at New Milton Community Centre.

Over the next few months, only up to around half a dozen locals attended further meetings at the Ashley youth hub building.

Reflecting on these, Sgt Brown said: “We’re working on how we can better engage with the community and get them on board.”

In a bid to boost attendance he had suggested to Arnewood another meeting be held immediately after a parents evening.

“We could also look at doing something online as people often don’t want to leave the home on winter evenings,” Sgt Brown added.

This prompted Cllr David Hawkins to ask for an update on the prospect of a police front counter at the town hall.

Stressing the council had been pursuing the matter for over two years, he said: “We’ve been told by the inspector [Darren Ord] and the police and crime commissioner [Donna Jones], ‘That’s a good idea, we’ll sort it out’, but we’re still waiting.”

Cllr Judith Baker said it was unfair that Lymington had a face-to-face facility, while New Milton didn’t, despite its larger population.

Officers have been based at the town hall since the Old Milton Road police station was sold off for redevelopment in 2013.

Responding after the meeting, Insp. Ord said: “I know you are aware of the issues we have encountered with red tape and costing for us to be able to use the front counter.

“We are currently looking at a work-around with the re-configuring of our own office space so that we have a room members of the public will be able to access from the main council lobby.”

Although this would not be staffed every day, he explained it could be a site for regular beat surgeries as well as face-to-face public enquiries.

Sgt Brown told the meeting New Milton continued to see “a lot” of shopliftings.

“There’s at least 10 a week, if not more,” he said.

“Our shoplifting officer has got 50 that he’s looking at, at the moment.

But councillors were pleased to hear of a 73.3% detection rate, ranging from prosecutions and convictions to community resolutions for first-time offenders.

Sgt Brown largely attributed this to work by New Milton neighbourhood policing team’s PC Tom Jelly.

Thefts of, and from, vehicles also increased, mainly in residential areas but he warned more were expected in public car parks in the summer.

With Sgt Brown covering for Sgt Arron Wood – who’s working in Southampton – while also serving Lymington, Cllr Valya Schooling asked if New Milton was understaffed.

Insp. Ord later replied he hoped to get a sergeant instated as soon as possible to support Sgt Brown and the local team.

But he added: “When I look at numbers of crimes per officer, I am happy to say that New Milton is staffed in line with demand and other comparable areas.”