Saddleworth's new police sergeant has set out his priorities for the area, including tackling speeding and improving safety around Dove Stone Reservoir.

Andy Holian took up the role earlier this year and met councillors at Saddleworth Parish Council to discuss his work and plans for the community. He is a 22-year police veteran who has spent his entire career in Oldham.

"It was the area I'd most enjoyed when I was working, so I really threw myself at the role," he said.

His visit came as reported crime across Saddleworth showed a significant improvement, with figures for the latest month around a third lower than in previous months.

One of his first priorities has been making greater use of the police facilities and teams already operating in the area. He moved the community speed watch team, which had been operating out of a shed, into the police station. Speeding is the most reported crime locally and he said the team is important in showing people that police take it seriously.

He has also opened up Saddleworth police station to teams working across the area and encouraged road policing training teams to use the area for practice, with the aim of increasing the visibility of officers and giving residents greater confidence that police are present in their communities.

Councillors questioned him about the possibility of speed cameras at dangerous locations, including the crossroads in Denshaw, and about how information could be shared more effectively with officers.

Dove Stone Reservoir was also highlighted as a key priority. Sergeant Holian said he wanted to see greater involvement from the local community and the RSPB, which now controls the car park and wider area around the reservoir.

He is looking at establishing a public space protection order (PSPO) covering the reservoir itself. A PSPO is a measure a council can use to restrict certain behaviour in a defined area. The existing order only covers the surrounding land, and the aim is to reduce the risk of further fatalities caused by people swimming in the water.

Parish Council Chair Barbara Beeley said: "The Parish Council is really grassroots level politics, where we help to build our communities. That's what good neighbourhood policing does as well, and we're delighted to have seen Sergeant Holian not just at our council meetings, but out at local community groups, being visible and learning about what makes Saddleworth special.

"These relationships are vital to ensuring Saddleworth can continue to see lower levels of crime, and make sure people feel safe in our area."