THE new style of police report delivered to community councils in the Scottish Borders has been “dumbed-down” according to community leaders in Innerleithen.

The lack of police presence at Innerleithen Community Council was deemed a “missing piece of the community jigsaw” at a meeting last month.

And the new Police Scotland report isn’t winning favour either with community councils in both Peebles and Innerleithen, with members criticising the lack of information.

Although quarterly attendance from a police officer was promised, members of Innerleithen Community Council say they have not had the presence of an officer since October last year.

Members say it is difficult for the community council to build a meaningful working relationship with their community officer with such “scant attendances”.

Community councillor Jackie Couchman said: “I think the dumb-downed police report is all but meaningless. The police miss a valuable face to face contact opportunity by giving no priority to community police officer attendance at local community council meetings.

“We need to know who our local police officer is, and need to build a good working relationship for the good of all.”

Meanwhile Peebles Community Council has dubbed the report “out of date and missing vital information”.

Chairman Les Turnbull said incidents that had happened in Peebles that were not captured in the report.