A significant reduction in crime over recent months has left Helston as the top performing police sector in Cornwall, the new local chief of police has told town councillors.

Chief Inspector Jon Wotton, who is in charge of policing in West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said there had been a 22 per cent reduction in crime in Helston over the past three months, compared with the same period last year.

Mr Wotton paid tribute to Inspector Rachel Tills, based at Helston police station, who is overseeing the introduction of a new policing system aimed at getting more bobbies back on the beat.

"You have a good inspector, a new dynamic team and you are getting more new officers," he said. "These figures are down to the leadership, to the officers and to working in co-operation with partners such as the town council. We can't achieve results without you working with us, and vice-versa."

Seven new neighbourhood beat managers will be covering the Helston sector under a force-wide reorganisation aimed at making officers more visible in their designated communities.

Helston will not, however, be enjoying the presence of new police community support officers, who are to be introduced in parts of north Kerrier and Penwith thanks to funding from the Home Office and the Neighbourhood Renewal fund.

At Thursday's council meeting, Helston representative Sue Swift said she was "very disappointed" the town was missing out.

"We also have problems like Camborne, Pool and Redruth," she said. "I did wonder why Helston had been left out and whether we were going to be included at a later date."

Mr Wotton said under the terms of the Neighbourhood Renewal funding the officers could only work in designated "deprived" areas, and Helston did not come into that category. But Helston would not be losing out, he added, because when the officers started work, hopefully by September, their presence would release other personnel who could be redeployed to areas such as Helston.