Lyme Regis Police have defended the decision to close the next Pact (Partners and Communities Together) meeting to the public.

Town councillors claimed that closing the meetings to the public was ‘making a mockery’ out of the process.

Residents can raise issues and concerns at the meetings, but the last one held in March was attended only by members of the panel, which is made up of key members of the community.

Police said the decision to also close the next meeting to residents was due to low attendance.

Community beat manager PC Richard Winward said officers were also communicating with the community in other ways.

He said: “When Pact was ‘invented’, most areas did not hold public Pact meetings. I decided that I would hold two public meetings every year.

“After the initial one, the numbers attending reduced. I put this down to the fact that most people are generally happy with their way of life in Lyme.

“It was also clear that around March, there are several public meetings held, notably the annual town voters meeting. There was meeting overkill, and attendees went down.

“The fact of the matter is that we do not need a public meeting in order to ascertain the complaints, concerns or issues that the public want to tell us about.

“This is because we have made it easier than ever to contact one of the Safer Neighbourhood Team.

“We have advertised our mobile phone number, email addresses, postal address, our website, and our names.”

PC Winward said officers gather issues people want to tell them throughout the year, and not just at the public meetings.

They have regular Pact surgeries, which are advertised on the website and in the local press.

“We are also visible in the street and approachable more than ever before,” he added.

“We do not need a public meeting to give updates about what we and our partners have done about issues, as the press always give a good update.

“Most importantly, the police are only an equal partner of Pact. The town council is another equal partner, so Lyme Regis Town Council can organise a public meeting if they wish, and I will gladly attend.

“Please note that Pact is not a police thing, it is multi-agency. I have organised the meetings in the past just because no other agency has taken the lead.”