North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has won her bid to receive Home Office funding for the additional costs incurred locally for policing the protests over hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, in Kirby Misperton.
Julia Mulligan has been calling for some time for central government to support the substantial additional investment of resources. A detailed analysis has been taking place of North Yorkshire Police’s approach, led by the Home Office and including Her Majesty’s Inspectorate, to assess the operation and its value for money.
It concluded the policing was efficient and effective and Ministers have agreed to cover 85 per cent of the ‘additional costs’ of the operation – amounting to £614,000, the maximum amount possible under the scheme.
Commenting on the decision, Julia Mulligan said:
It is right that the Government has agreed to pay these costs. The police operation had a significant and visible impact on the local community, but it has also had an impact more widely across North Yorkshire given the number of officers involved.
Given that, my thanks go to the Gold Commander for the operation, Assistant Chief Constable Amanda Oliver, for managing a complex and high-profile policing operation very well, a conclusion enforced by the findings of the Home Office’s study.
The hydraulic fracturing may resume later this year and I fully expect that will bring with it the protests. I know plans are already in being put in place for this. It is a contentious issue with passionate views but the police have upheld the law fairly and in conjunction with the Human Rights Act, and I know they will do so again.
Despite the overall success of the operation, there are always lessons to be learned and I am confident they have – from community engagement to a drive to bring further efficiencies and effectiveness.
