PENSIONERS are to sit alongside youths and ethnic minorities to gauge public opinion on policing and they will all be paid £25.

A recruitment agency working on behalf of the Thames Valley Police Authority will soon be going on to the streets to find 20 people who will be offered £25 to sit through a meeting with officials.

The move, the first of its kind within the Thames Valley Authority, was discussed at the community consultative committee on Wednesday.

The committee says the recruitment of focus groups is imminent and its aim is to get the opinion of Joe Public on policing in the area.

Graham Lawson, principal assistant at the authority, explained: "The reason for this is to try to get people from different walks of life to see what they think about police priorities in Thames Valley.

"People have criticised us saying the money could be spent on police officers but it is money set out for consultation in the authority's budget."

The agency, Field Control, have been asked to look for six 18 to 24-years-olds and a mix including elderly, ethnic minorities and unemployed.

"This is a chance for the public to be listened to for a change. These are people that would not normally come along and the £25 is an incentive to do that," Mr Lawson said.

The authority has also been advised by the Government to consult the public under the annual policing plan.

Mr Lawson, said: "We are just trying to be open about the whole thing. We could have hidden the fact we are paying people £25 but we didn't."