A NEW crackdown on illegal drug use in Colchester could include stations for users to test substances.

A meeting has been organised by councillor Martin Goss in a bid to come up with new ideas for organisations to tackle “worsening” drug abuse and resulting crime.

Hosting the meeting in his capacity as the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Colchester, Mr Goss has invited two representatives from the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, to share how the area’s “inspirational” crackdown on drugs has been achieved.

Mr Goss said: “The Midlands have implemented a different policy to what we have in Essex.

“They are more open to the feeling that if people want to take recreational drugs they have a different approach to it.

“We are asking them to tell us all about that.

“I am keen to see if there is anyone who can help to take this forward and also if there are any tricks and best practices they can share with us around drug issues.

“It has obviously worked because West Midlands are quite proud to talk about it and have lots of statistics.”

Mr Goss said the West Midlands representatives were paying for themselves to attend the meeting at the base of drug recovery charity, Open Road on February 28.

Essex Police recorded 138 drugs offences for Colchester town between January and December last year, making up 2.5 per cent of the total crime recorded for that area.