COUNCILLORS in West Dunbartonshire have heard that there are around 150 people involved in organised crime in the area.

They were also informed that violent crime in the area has risen during the last year.

At a full council meeting last week Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Grant Manders and Chief Inspector Donald Leitch gave a presentation that revealed the level of crimes in the local authority area during the last financial year up to March 31, 2016.

During the presentation Chief Inspector Leitch admitted: "We have serious organised crime groups in our area. They have a significant amount of assets and we have made a number of seizures of their assets."

He put the numbers of those involved in the area at around the 150 mark with serious/organised crime incidents recorded up to 163 from 156.

The total number of all crimes recorded rose from 10,771 the previous year to 10,877.

It was also revealed that crimes of violence, serious/organised crime, domestic abuse and driving offences all increased. The area was the only one in Scotland to witness an increase in the number of domestic abuse cases, rising from 1,217 to 1,355 – that's up 1.1 per cent.

Violent crimes rose by 8.7 per cent, from 149 to 162 recorded incidents but the detection rates for serious assaults were at their highest ever with nine out of 10 being detected by officers.

The number of common assaults in the area rose by 5.5 per cent from 889 to 938.

Driving offences such as drink or drug driving, careless driving and speeding all increased. Serious road injuries were up to 19 from 15. Vehicle crime was down though.

A number of other types of recorded crime were down, these included; crimes of dishonesty, antisocial behaviour and disorder, fire raising, malicious mischief and indecency.

The number of people reported missing dropped from

While robberies remained at the same level as the previous year as did their detection rates.

Chief Inspector Leitch advised the councillors that counter terrorism measures included community police officers out giving presentations to prevent people being radicalised.

It was also pointed out during the presentation that Syrian refugees who had arrived in West Dunbartonshire had successfully integrated and there had been no reported hate crime.

Chief Superintendent Manders summing up said: "Our priorities for the coming year remain the same. There is a financial challenge to find a way of saving money without affecting services. The last few years things have changed quite a bit in policing."