As part of its wide-ranging estates review, the National Policing Improvement Agency has accepted in principle the need to move away from its Harrogate site. The agency is now exploring the possibility of disposing of the site. It is also looking into the feasibility of moving the training activities to other NPIA sites and finding alternative locations in the area for the other national police work currently done there.
The NPIA provides a critical national services to support frontline policing. It helps the police to save money, operate more efficiently and enables us all to live in a safer society.
However no final decision has been made when to leave the site nor have any firm decisions been taken about alternative sites. The decision in principle follows consultation involving staff at the site and external partners such as police authority chairs, chief constables and Harrogate Council.
The move is part of the ongoing work to phase out the NPIA and to meet the Home Office’s target of reducing the NPIA’s spending on property by 50%. It is also part of the work to help future organisations that succeed the NPIA to operate from a reduced estate and more efficient starting point.
NPIA Chief Executive Nick Gargan said:
It is absolutely critical that the agency looks at how best it can use its resources to serve the police service given the very tough financial situation.
We will now explore the best way that the NPIA and its successor bodies can continue to provide high-quality support to policing whilst giving the best possible value for money to the taxpayer.
