Second online PACT a success

More than 70 people logged on for the second online Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meeting in Rochdale last month - significantly more than the average attendance at a PACT meeting.

73 residents followed the chat as the Rochdale South Police team and council enforcement officers went direct into people’s living rooms to let them know the latest news from their area and take questions.

A total of 113 people also viewed the content of the web chat after the meeting had closed by going to the Rochdale South page on the Greater Manchester Police website and replaying the content.

Issues covered during the meeting included fly tipping in Lowerplace and an operation to combat drunken behaviour and drug use around the Kingsway canal.

Residents were given information on how to get their car number plates secured for free to prevent theft and how to get free light timers to reduce the chances of being burgled when they are out.

The officers also responded to one viewer’s concerns about motorists driving the wrong way up the one way street she lives on by agreeing to send Traffic Police Community Support Officers to the area and the request was passed onto the relevant officers while the meeting continued.

On a lighter note, one viewer gave the police their team name for the Kingsway Run – The Rochdale South Go Getters.

Rochdale is only the second of the 12 divisions in Greater Manchester to have online PACT meetings, with Oldham being the other.

Michelle Hughes, the neighbourhood Inspector for Rochdale South, which covers Kingsway, Castleton, Balderstone, Kirkholt, Milkstone and Deeplish, said: “We’re really pleased by the way people have embraced these online meetings. Being at the heart of the community and keeping our residents safe is what we’re about and this is just another way of letting them connect with us and share their concerns with minimal effort on their part.

“Both the police and the council have already picked up some really useful intelligence from our last two meetings and we’d love even more residents to get involved in future because we are already acting on what residents have told us.”

The next online pact covering the Rochdale South area will take place on 24 October at 6.30pm. Residents can visit the Rochdale South page in the neighbourhood section of the Greater Manchester Police website to find out more.