HOT topics and more accessible venues are among the ways Petersfield’s Community Forums can reach a wider audience, a meeting has agreed.

East Hampshire District Council holds regular Community Forums so residents and councillors can discuss local issues.

The recent Community Forum in the council offices at Penns Place on Tuesday, October 10, looked at ways to make the forums more popular and effective.

Possible improvements included discussing controversial local issues unrelated to the council, choosing venues with better public transport, keeping the meetings informal, using social media to promote the meetings, and changing the name.

Petersfield Community Forum Cllr chairman Ben Bentley said: “They are an important way for residents to have their say about important local issues.

“We want to make sure the meetings work for everyone so we will be looking closely at the suggestions and seeing what we can do to make the meetings more effective.”