People are like sitting ducks’

A BUNTINGFORD councillor fears that police response times to incidents are leaving residents as "sitting ducks".

Response policing was discussed at last Thursday's Buntingford Town Council meeting, after residents were disturbed by noise made by people standing outside the Brambles pub, in the High Street, last week.

Cllr Brian Austin said: "There was an incident outside the Brambles which was not dealt with effectively by the police, despite several phone calls.

"I was told that response teams come from Hertford or Bishop's Stortford, so by the time they get there it is too late to do anything anyway."

Cllr Surjit Basra said: "More could be done, at the moment people are like sitting ducks."

Neighbourhood Sergeant Duncan Wallace, who was at the meeting, admitted that response policing was "not perfect", but he said the situation had got better since a second officer was added to the Buntingford Neighbourhood team.

He said: "I and the rest of the team are doing the best we can, and things have improved since the appointment of Pc Paul Scott last year.

"But we simply do not have enough resources.

"Unfortunately I can't offer an explanation for the incident near the Brambles, as I have no control over response policing during the evenings.

"But I will keep fighting the corner for improvements in Buntingford."

The council now plans to invite Neighbourhood Inspector Andrew Piper to its next meeting, in a bid to improve the situation further.

Cllr Stan Bull said: "We have only been talking to our local chap here, who is doing an excellent job by all accounts. but we need to get Mr Piper involved as well.