A Shirley residents' association has accused senior police officers of hand-picking members for a committee designed to scrutinise neighbourhood policing.

Senior members of the Spring Park Residents' Association (SPRA) claim police ignored its requests to have representatives sitting on the safer neighbourhood team (SNT) panels - which set priorities for neighbourhood policing and also hold police to account.

Croydon Police said it appointed three members from SPRA to the Shirley SNT panel.

But SPRA claim they were not part of the elected executive committee - which formally represents the association. It has now lodged a formal complaint with Croydon's borough commander, Chief Superintendent Mark Gore.

Peter Howard, SPRA's police spokesman, said: "Anyone who lives in Shirley qualifies as a member of SPRA - if they pay £2 to receive a copy of our newsletter. We represent more than 2,800 households in Shirley.

"However, it is very different to being on SPRA's executive committee, we are elected to represent the members. None of the executive committee were consulted on who would represent them on this panel."

SPRA has also raised its concerns with Croydon and Sutton GLA Member Andrew Pelling, who has described SNT panels as "unelected Soviets".

Mr Pelling, who is also MP for Croydon Central, said: "It is a concern, particularly when these self-appointed panels set the priorities for neighbourhood policing in their wards."

A Croydon Police spokeswoman confirmed a letter of complaint had been forwarded to the Borough Commander.