CRIME in Bourton has dropped by a fifth over the last year, according to latest figures.

The information was revealed at a recent parish council meeting which showed there were 112 crimes in Bourton from November 1 last year to October 1 this year, compared with 141 in the same period from 2009 to 2010.

Of those crimes that have occurred, the police have achieved a 30 per cent detection rate with 37 people convicted for offences. The figures also showed criminal damage was down by 40 per cent.

PC Gary Brewer said the latest figures were good news. He said: “That’s where we’re aiming to be. Criminal damage is a good indicator of how effective policing is in the area.

To see a reduction of 40 per cent is a very gratifying figure to see.”

Overall there has been a five per cent reduction in burglaries in the area and a 60 per cent reduction in violence.

The police are also investigating the problem of speeding along the Rissington Road which runs through Little Rissington and into Upper Rissington.

“We will be paying attention to that over the next four months,”

PC Brewer added. “The layout of the road or poor signage means that people travel at excess speed. We are not about needless punishment of the public for travelling one mile over the speed limit.”

Parish council chairman Bryan Sumner said: “We are very pleased to see the figures again have reduced. Bourton is a very safe place to live. We hope with the attention that the police are giving us these levels will remain low or drop even lower.”