PADIHAM'S new Community Policing Team will be seen pounding the beat next week in a bid to reassure residents.

From Monday, November 4, the town will have it's own team of four dedicated Community Beat Managers, supervised by a Sergeant and Inspector, in addition to a dedicated mobile patrol providing 24-hour response cover.

This is an addition to the three existing Community Beat Managers in South West Burnley who cover Barclay/Griffin, Stoops/Hargher Clough and Rosegove.

The new team of Community Beat Officers has been introduced to help improve the service the Constabulary provides to local residents.

Their appointment follows feedback from local people concerned about policing cover as well as successful changes to policing in Earby and Barnoldswick earlier this year.

The four new officers - PCs Derek Mitchell, Mark Jenkinson, Tony Himcyz and Lisa Hodgkinson will patrol largely on foot or by bike and work closely with local residents to resolve local crime and disorder issues.

Chief Inspector Richard Morgan, said: "The changes have been introduced following feedback from local residents and consultation with local Borough and Parish Councillors.

"The new structure will allow us to continue our vital response work throughout the Borough of Burnley and at the same time, enhance the level of community policing undertaken, particularly in Padiham.

"The appointment of CBMs in other communities in the Division, particularly Earby and Barnoldswick, has met with huge public support and having spoken at length to local community leaders, we are confident that the new Padiham will see real benefits too."

He added: "Our problem has always been balancing the need to respond swiftly to emergencies -- which means cars -- and providing a better level of community policing, which means identifiable foot patrols that have time to spend talking with people.

"By refocusing our resources, we believe that we can provide both and in doing so, strike a better balance between the need for response policing and community policing."

He continued: "All four officers are first class officers with extensive knowledge of the local area.

"They have all spent a significant amount of their career to-date working in the Padiham area and they are all looking forward to working closely with the local community to help address crime and disorder issues on their beats."

Speaking about the restructure shortly after it was announced, Mayor of Padiham, Councillor Granville Lord, said: "The move to improve policing in Padiham is good news for local residents. The changes will give us an enhanced level of policing including officers who are highly visible and accessible; police officers who we can get to know and trust. I personally am delighted that Padiham has now not only got its own identity and it's own council, but also it's own dedicated police officers."

Padiham Councillor Adele Scott said: "I think local people will be pleased to see officers back on the beat. It will make contacting local officers much easier and help to break down some of the barriers between the police and local residents."