ALISON Hernandez, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly was the guest speaker at the Crediton Conservative Ladies Group "Autumn Lunch" held on Tuesday, October 15, at Fingle Glen Golf Hotel, Tedburn St Mary, where she shared an insight into her role.

The lunch, organised by Christina Findell, was attended by around 30 people.

During her speech Alison said: “Crediton is one of the most welcoming and safest towns I represent.

"There is a proactive community effort to tackle problems as they arise.

"A lack of tolerance of anti-social behaviour is clear and dealt with through lots of organised activity to educate and support young people in particular. And a newspaper editor who garners community effort to tackle hate and has received nominations for national awards which is unheard of elsewhere."

While Alison shared her experiences over the past few years she focused on the Police Officer uplift locally that she has prioritised with the Chief Constable of 126 new officers by March next year, plus the promise of 141 more from the Conservative Government.

However, her determination to stop reoffending was clear with the need to better help prisons get things right.

Alison added: “I believe the lack of transparency and local accountability for our prisons affects their success to turn the lives of offenders around.

"My office is involved in helping find purposeful activity while inside, better connecting employers and helping fund accommodation for those who leave with no family support and nowhere to go. We must do all we can to ensure they don’t commit offences again to protect our community.”

Local businessman Daniel Webb, from the Crediton Coffee Company, who attended the event said: "We work hard to keep our community safe and I’m keen to see CCTV in our high street as part of our efforts to ensure drug dealing and anti-social behaviour doesn’t take a hold here.

"It was interesting to hear the Commissioner has a CCTV fund of which I will be seeing how we can make this happen.”