CIVIC chiefs have met with members of a city community group to discuss ongoing problems with crime in the community.

Last Saturday, Deputy Leader of Southampton City Council and cabinet member for growth, Cllr Jeremy Moulton, and Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Heritage, Cllr Spiros Vassiliou met with representatives from the Millbrook Matters Community Group.

This comes after residents in the area said they feel "neglected" and want to see more visible policing after a reported spike in community incidents.

Over the hour and a half meeting, the two councillors spoke to the group, which was set up by two local women following a spate of van break-ins, on what was being done to combat and reduce crime in the area.

Cllr Jeremy Moulton told the Echo: "It was quite a wide ranging discussion on things we can do to improve the wider area, plus the specific issue of crime and anti social behaviour.

We are putting forward a range of initiatives to help deal with anti social behaviour city wide but also in Millbrook.

In July we've allocated half a million pounds for the community fund to support community groups, charities, sports groups, in offering diversionary positive activities for young people but also that fund will be there to support any physical changes that need to be made things like bollards, barriers and gates if that's needed.

"The police have got their own fund as well, which has been established under the police and crime commissioner's new ASB Taskforce. Donna Jones has set aside I believe £600,000 which local police areas can draw upon for support."

Now councillors are planning to set up a meeting with the police commander for Southampton to find a way of working together with the new funds to target specific issues.

This comes as the council put £100,000 into additional CCTV recources to support police with their work and also target fly tipping hot spots.

Cllr Moulton said that the Millbrook Matters group are "very keen to establish a base in the area".

He added: "We're quite keen to find a solution for them there. They're looking to do a lot of positive activities in the area.

"The ladies that run Millbrook matters are extremely positive people. They're real can do people and its a pleasure to work with them."