TACKLING the fear of crime and improving communication with residents must be priorities for Redditch Council, officers have been told by councillors.

A meeting between elected members and officers was held on Thursday to hammer out a plan following an Audit Commission's recent Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) report which rated the council as "fair".

Areas which need improvement include:

l Introducing a structured and reliable housing maintenance appointments system so residents' repairs are done when they expect it.

l Tackling the fear of crime and residents' perceptions about the town.

l A review of council sickness absence and measures to decrease the high absence rate.

l Establishing a clear "service standard" setting out what level of service residents should expect from the council in any particular area.

l Improving communication between both councillors, council officers and residents. This could include communications training for councillors, a review of neighbourhood groups and improved publicity.

But Conservative group leader Carole Gandy slammed the Labour group leadership, Council Leader Dave Cartwright and Deputy Leader Phil Mould, for not attending the meeting.

Mrs Gandy said: "It sends off the wrong message to the officers and the external auditors. It suggests the controlling group don't care.

"That may not be the case - but that's the impression it gives."

But Mr Cartwright said he had already held meetings with officers and both they and the auditors were aware he could not make the meeting because he was tending to his sick mother.

"They were happy with that," said Mr Cartwright.

He added: "Plans are in place for the improvements and we will be presenting them to full council."