Chairman of area’s PCSP outlines plans for greater co-operation

Councillor Scott Carson, the new Chairman of the Lisburn & Castlereagh PCSP, pictured with Mrs Carmel Connolly, Head of Central Support Services at Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Superintendent Sean Wright from the PSNI.

The PCSP will be the leading body on policing and safety within the Council area which includes its towns and villages and urban and rural communities.

Councillor Carson said: “I would like to thank everyone from the former Lisburn and Castlereagh PCSPs for all the valuable work they carried out; which will be essential building blocks for the new PCSP.

“The PCSP needs to hear directly from all communities in the Council area be they rural or urban on matters concerning policing. The purpose of the PCSP is to ensure that a holistic approach is taken on issues concerning local people in an inclusive forum so that partnerships between this legally constituted body and the local community can be developed.

He added: “I am also keen to integrate our work in order to work with Superintendent Wright and his team of police officers and look to jointly delivering local solutions to local issues.

“The new Council has responsibility for Community Planning and I see the integration between the two areas as being extremely positive, so that knowledge and resources can be shared and targeted where needed.”

PSNI Lisburn and Castlereagh City District Commander Superintendent Sean Wright said: “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Cllr Carson as the new Chairman of Lisburn and Castlereagh PCSP. With decreasing budgets collaborative working with all statutory bodies becomes increasingly important.

“What is clear is that we need to continue to work closely with the local PCSP to help improve policing in local areas. Going forward we need to be placing greater focus on these structures to deliver more for our communities and I very much look forward to working with Cllr Carson and his colleagues to help keep the people of Lisburn and Castlereagh safe.”

The first meeting of the new Lisburn & Castlereagh PCSP will take place in early autumn.

Public Meetings will be advertised in the local press and online.

Information will be made available on what you need to know if you wish to attend a meeting or ask a question on an issue affecting you or your community.

The PCSP would encourage local people to attend the meetings and engage with the PCSP directly on matters affecting them.