Keeping North Yorkshire safe and feeling safe – Commissioner’s plans for policing, crime and fire & rescue are published
Commissioner Zoë’s plans have been developed following extensive consultation within the emergency services, partners and members of the public through a series of events, surveys and engagement sessions over the past year.
This consultation heard from thousands of people with dozens of organisations also having their say and has directly influenced the priorities put forward.
Overall, 87 per cent said they were happy with policing where they lived and 90 per cent said they were satisfied with the fire and rescue service, but the lowest satisfaction for both was regarding their visibility in communities. This element is a key focus for the coming three years.
The plans set out the priorities for the Commissioner’s Office, North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and are based around the principles of caring about the vulnerable, developing ambitious collaboration, realising our potential and enhancing our service for the public.
Within the Police and Crime Plan, this will be achieved by:
- Actively engaging with all communities to improve public trust, confidence and satisfaction in North Yorkshire Police services, and increasing the reporting of crime and incidents, to ensure the force has a holistic understanding of need in all our communities.
- Working jointly as a trusted partner to prevent harm and damage, intervene early and solve problems to reduce the risk to the public and keep communities safe.
- Delivering the “Right People, Right Support” principles every time to ensure North Yorkshire Police has the right resources in the right places to serve the needs of everyone, wherever they are and whatever their needs.
- Maximising efficiencies to make the most effective use of all available resources.
- Enhancing the already positive culture with openness, integrity and public trust at its heart
Within the Fire and Rescue Plan, this will be achieved by:
- Ensuring that North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service understands the risks across our communities and works to protect people and premises.
- Working jointly as a trusted partner to prevent harm and damage, intervene early and solve problems so that the prevention of vulnerability and fire protection services are at the heart of what the service does.
- Delivering the “Right People, Right Support” principles every time so the resource and response models maximise productivity in communities and the efficiency and effectiveness of response to emergencies with a blueprint developed for a new on-call model.
- Maximising efficiencies to make the most effective use of all available resources.
- Enhancing the already positive culture with openness, integrity and public trust at its heart.
The two plans share elements which reflect the increased collaboration between the Services but retain separate objectives that similarly reflect the independence and distinct remits of North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
In Commissioner Zoë’s foreword to the reports, she directly addresses the fact the past 12 months has been challenging, saying:
“As your elected Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, it is my duty to set a Police and Crime Plan and Fire and Rescue Plan for North Yorkshire and York based on your priorities.
“This Plan, for 2022-25, is set in an unusual context, the last election having been delayed by Covid-19 and then having a by-election in North Yorkshire and York in November 2021 at which I was elected. Against this backdrop, I am clear that two things are important.
“First, to provide some degree of continuity so that the police and fire and rescue service can continue to drive progress without too much change in overall direction over a short-term period, and secondly, to ensure that the expectations set out in this Plan are deliverable within the two years left of this term.
“More than this, however, I am acutely conscious of how the last year has shaken your confidence and trust in the role of the Commissioner in North Yorkshire. My personal pledge is to work tirelessly to restore and renew that trust because I truly believe in the value of being your voice to improve and deliver public services that work with you and for you.”
Everyone is invited to read the full plans on the Commissioner’s website at www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/plan.
Commissioner Zoë adds:
“Totalling 20,000 words, these plans are very important documents which my team and I have been working hard on putting together in recent months.
“They give a huge amount of detail about the situation we face today and the challenges we face tomorrow to ensure North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service change and develop to meet those challenges, and keep North Yorkshire and York safe and feeling safe in the years ahead.”