Police have “disengaged from the public” after scrapping neighbourhood meetings, claim councillors.

Essex police announced that Neighbourhood Action Panels, which were a regular opportunity for police to explain their actions to residents, would be replaced due to “shrinking resources” and poor public attendance.

They will now host just one ‘Local Community Meeting’ in the Epping district until December next year.

However, police community support officers will hold weekly informal "street meets” in public to speak to residents about their concerns.

Essex Police Chief Stephen Kavanagh said: “With shrinking resources I need to make sure my officers can realistically deliver on the important promises we make to local communities.”

Cllr Stephen Murray, of Loughton Roding ward, said lack of advertising led to poor public attendance which police then used to justify the scrapping of the panels.

He said: "The police have disengaged from the public. These meetings should have interested the police as much as it interests residents.

"It concerns me that they will no longer be sending any police to Loughton town council meetings. I know we are not the most important people in the world but we represent 30,000 people."

Cllr Helen Kane, of Waltham Abbey South West ward, was sad to see the “essential” panels go.

She said: “People are frightened to report crime which ends up in police having no records. These panels offered people advice and had direct, tangible results.

“Without police involvement it was impossible for these panels to exist.”

Cllr Jon Whitehouse, of Epping & Theydon Bois ward, said that police needed to work with the public.

He said:"The police deserve the support of all of us; in return they should be prepared to enter into dialogue and work in partnership with local people.

“I appreciate officers are often stretched but one person for an hour every eight weeks does not seem too much to ask."

The new system will start on October 1, and is expected to be fully operational across the county by November 1.

The first of the new meetings will be held at Epping Forest College, in Borders Lane, Loughton on October 22 at 6.30pm.