WHITEHILL and Bordon county and district councillor Adam Carew said this week he would welcome a "return" to a policing system with "more direct participation" from councillors.

His comments followed a "radical" set of reforms, outlined in a report by the Independent Commission on the Future of Policing - headed by Lord John Stevens - published at the end of last year.

The report outlines some 37 recommendations that will ensure police forces will "contribute to the creation of a safer, more cohesive and more just society".

In the document, Lord Stevens heavily criticised the introduction of police and crime commissioners, describing the scheme as a "failed experiment".

He also said relentless cuts amounted to a "threat to neighbourhood policing" and the "danger of retreating to reactive crime control".

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.