ANTI-social behaviour was top of the list of concerns for local councillors, when they met with Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys, Christopher Salmon, recently.

Mr Salmon opened the debate by explaining what his role was within Dyfed Powys Police and how police services were funded. He added that he also set the priorities for the police force to work to and employed the people to deliver these services.

When asked about the anti-social problems that were particular to Neyland and what he could do about it, Mr Salmon pointed to a partnership he had set up with the Gwalia Housing Association which was helping to manage anti-social behaviour problems in other areas and which he said could work in Pembrokeshire.

Mr Salmon said he realised that ‘one size does not fit all’ and said the community was benefiting from local officers now being able to make decisions and be more flexible depending on the situation.

Members also asked about the Dispersal Order currently in place at Brunel Quay car park and asked if this could be extended as the anti-social behaviour there with young car drivers has been going on for 11 years with no let-up despite dozens of calls to the police to report it.

Mr Salmon offered to find out how many incidents had been reported recently and suggested that a joint approach with the police and the county council would probably be necessary to resolve this issue.

When asked about having more police officers on the beat, Mr Salmon said he had cut the police precept by 5 per cent, but that due to new information technology in communications, there were 30 more police officers in the force area which is equivalent to 100,000 more police hours.

At present, the cost of policing the town of Neyland is a little over £276,000, which equates to just over five officers, but councillors said that since the police station had closed it did not seem there was much of a police presence in the town.

Asked about the 101 line, which councillors said was inefficient, Mr Salmon said the force was looking into a better computer system to manage calls.