Police hubs are failing rural towns and leaving crime to run amok.

This from the Waipa District Mayor, Jim Mylchreest, who wants 24/7 police in Cambridge and Te Awamutu.

For Cambridge the closest cops are in Hamilton - a half hour drive away.

Mr Mylchreest said calling 111 is pointless because criminal events are over long before police arrive.

He told Mike Hosking it's not good enough.

"There's ram raids going on in our main streets and burglaries happening. The feeling in the community is that crime's on the increase."

LISTEN ABOVE AS JIM MYLCHREEST SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING