North Yorkshire Police is to move into a new home in Pateley Bridge providing a modern base for the local policing team and saving money that can be reinvested in keeping the community safe and feeling safe.
From Monday 22 February, the existing police station on King Street will close and officers will co-locate with Harrogate Borough Council in their offices just across the road. There will be no change to the front counter service which is based separately at the Nidderdale Plus office located centrally in the town.
The decision to move the base and put the current police station up for sale, made in consultation with the Chief Constable, is part of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s commitment to deliver value for money for taxpayers.
Julia Mulligan is committed to working with other public and third sector services to reduce costs and sell underused buildings with proceeds invested in frontline, visible policing. The principle of co-location has already been successfully implemented, including in Ripon, Thirsk, Selby, Bedale and Masham.
Pateley Bridge police station is a large building that is expensive to run at a time when new mobile technology means officers and staff do not need to spend as much time at a desk. The move is ultimately expected to save £19,000 per year.
Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
By co-locating North Yorkshire Police with Harrogate Borough Council in Pateley Bridge we will achieve value for money for the taxpayer with no change to the access available for Nidderdale residents to our policing teams in the area.
Selling the police station will also reduce the amount we have to spend on upkeep of an large and underused property and the proceeds will be reinvested in frontline, visible policing which I know is the priority of most people in and around Pateley Bridge and across North Yorkshire.
Inspector Alex Langley, of the Harrogate Outer Neighbourhood Policing Team, added:
We are delighted to be moving into our new base at Pateley Bridge alongside our Harrogate Borough Council colleagues.
It is just across the road from the old Pateley Bridge Police Station, so it will be very easy for residents to adjust to the change in location.
Importantly, we are also continuing to run our front counter services at the Nidderdale Plus office as before.
Our new facilities ensure an effective, efficient and sustainable neighbourhood policing service is provided to the people of Pateley Bridge for many years to come.
Keith Tordoff said:The announcement that Pateley Bridge Police Station is moving is not unexpected as the present one has not been open to the public in recent years. The Police house attached to the current Police Station has remained unoccupied for in excess of five years.Questions should be asked why this valuable asset, a magnificent stone building centrally based in Pateley Bridge has not been sold some time ago. The Police House was in good condition when the last tenant left so I am surprised that it has not been providing accommodation for a family, also bringing in some revenue. I do know local residents in recent years have questioned with the Police Fire and Crime Commissioners office why the Police house has not been rented out.The Police are moving across the road to what is known locally as Pateley Bridge Town Council Offices where the local council hold meetings and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are based. The existing Police station and Pateley Bridge Council Offices were built around the same time, in the Edwardian or Victorian era.Knowing both the existing Police station and the Pateley Bridge Council Offices very well, the press release by the office of the PFCC saying it is ‘ Providing a modern base ‘ is I would suggest rather gilding the lily.The office of the PFCC would no doubt argue a more modern office inside another old and not particularly well maintained Council office fits the ‘bill’for the local police team. Like the present Police Station the move is to the new ‘ modern base ‘ which still will not be open to the public.If elected Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, a role which should be independent, I pledge to having local Police stations or offices where the public can go and speak with police personnel.
The current station is not open to the public, with the front counter service being provided at the Nidderdale Plus office on Station Square. This service will remain unchanged, meaning it is open to the public on Mondays 10am – 6pm, Tuesdays to Fridays 10am – 4pm, and at weekends from 10am – 1pm.
The Decision Notice confirming the move was issued in December 2020 and is available here – https://www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/decision-notices/dn-14-2020-pateley-bridge-police-estate/
