Home Office Minister invited to Harrogate to talk about police merger
CONCERNS regarding the possible merger of North Yorkshire Police have led Harrogate Borough Council to demand a meeting with Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears.
The current proposals are a stark choice between North Yorkshire Police force merging with the West Yorkshire Force or amalgamating into a Yorkshire and Humber Regional Police.
Chairman of the Harrogate District Safer Communities Partnership and Leader of Harrogate Borough Council, Councillor Mike Gardner, has told Ms Blears that this is unacceptable and further believes this is regionalisation by the back door.
He said:
"North Yorkshire Police is now one of the best performing forces in the country yet the government has decided that it should be scrapped, with no good reason and with minimum consultation.
Added to which the shortness of the consultation period means that the public won't have a realistic chance to understand what this will mean to them and comment upon the proposals.
This is a disgraceful situation for such a serious issue.
"We have written in no uncertain terms to tell the Minister that we believe North Yorkshire Police should be retained as a separate entity.
We can see absolutely no case for combining it with other forces.
We think one local police force is the only option for such a large rural district like ours.
"The force that would be created under the two options would be far too large. The reality would be that resources would be drawn away from the rural areas of North Yorkshire.
We will tell Ms Blears that we understand the need to strengthen the response to a terrorist threat and other serious crime but feel that this can be achieved by effective joint arrangements with other forces."
The North Yorkshire Police Force and the North Police Authority have only been given until 23 December to decide which one of the government's options they prefer.
Although the council wrote to Ms Blears on 3 November they have not yet heard from the Minister regarding the invitation to attend a summit in Harrogate.
ENDS
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Councillor Mike Gardner is available for comment on 01423 500600 ext 6299 or via Lynne Mee on 01423 556022.