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29 July, 2021

Police and Fire Service come together at joint base in Leyburn

North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are coming together in Leyburn as part of efforts to provide the emergency services with the resources they need to keep the community safe and feeling safe into the future.

Working with the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer, North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner decided to base the Police and Fire and Rescue Service under one roof and now officers and staff from the police station on the High Street have moved to the fire station, less than 100m away.

The police station will now be put up for sale and is expected to provide a capital receipt of approximately £250,000 with an expected annual saving of around £12,000 per year from only having one building to maintain. Some of this has been invested in the refurbishment of the fire station’s facilities.

Co-location enables savings to be reinvested in frontline services, whilst retaining local police teams in local communities, which is particularly important in rural areas where the footfall and use of buildings can be low and therefore inefficient. It has already successfully taken place in other towns and cities across North Yorkshire, including Ripon, Thirsk and Selby.

The volunteer-led front counter is currently closed due to the pandemic, but will resume as soon as possible with times advertised locally.

Philip Allott, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:

“Technology means that our officers, PCSOs and staff do not require buildings in the same way as they once did. As Commissioner for both North Yorkshire Police and Fire & Rescue I am able to ensure that where it makes sense that efficiencies in the operation of our buildings and services are implemented. By bringing together the police and fire and rescue service in Leyburn, we are achieving value for money for the taxpayer, maintaining access to our policing teams in the area and giving officers and staff from both services a fit-for-purpose place to base themselves.

“Selling Leyburn Police Station will reduce the amount we have to spend on upkeep of an underused property and will not result in any change to the current level of access for the residents of Leyburn to front desk services. The proceeds of the sale will be reinvested in refurbishing the Fire Station and boosting frontline, visible policing which I know is the priority of most people in and around Leyburn and across North Yorkshire.”

Pictured above – North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott (centre) with North Yorkshire Police Chief Inspector Andrew Colbourne (left) and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service District Group Manager Thomas Hirst (right) at the new joint base for North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in Leyburn.