The North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner will be moving to new offices in Harrogate.
Julia Mulligan, whose office is currently located in Melmerby near Ripon, is moving to Harrogate so she is much more accessible for the North Yorkshire public.
Engagement with the community is at the heart of this proposal. The new office provides suitable working accommodation for staff, as well as an informal space to meet with the public and partners, and allows for the Commissioner and her staff to provide a better service for residents of North Yorkshire.
After considering a range of options, and while it is difficult to find one convenient location for all of North Yorkshire residents, Harrogate has been identified as the preferred location. This is because it is reasonably centrally located within the county, is the second largest centre of population and most importantly is easily accessible via the road network and public transport.
The Commissioner also wishes to maintain independence and locate the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in a neutral location in order to effectively discharge her responsibilities.
A key aspect of the Commissioner’s role is to hold the Chief Constable to account, and Julia feels Harrogate demonstrates independence and distinction from the police service headquarters in Newby Wiske.
Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
Moving to Harrogate is the right thing to do. It means anyone concerned about policing in their community can easily come and see me, and for the first time entirely via public transport if needs be.
Being accessible is a fundamental part of my role as Police and Crime Commissioner and so it was an easy decision to move away from our current building in Melmerby. Our new site in Harrogate will be open for business from 29th July.
