Potentially the last Neighbourhood Action Panel meeting will be held tomorrow after police announced they would no longer be attending.

Essex police announced last week that the panels, which were a regular opportunity for police to explain their actions to residents and councillors, would no longer have a police presence due to 'shrinking resources' and poor public attendance.

Mike Compton Chairman of the Epping Forest panel, said they now have an ‘important’ decision to make: “These meetings were in fact started by the police, they chaired them, ran them and were a successful three way communication between residents, police and the council.

“But gradually over time they let the community organise them, and now we will have to make the important decision as to whether we should continue at all.

Mr Compton added: "We haven’t yet received details from the police as to what exact form of communication we will have."

The meeting takes place tomorrow at 8pm at Epping Hall in St John's Road.