Leader
| NORTH YORKSHIRE |  | | | CLEVELAND | | | | COUNTY DURHAM | | |
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Paying for policing
THE criticism voiced
about a North Yorkshire
Police scheme
whereby parish councils
contribute to policing
costs in their area is understandable.
Nobody wants to
pay twice for a service and
that's clearly what some people
feel is the situation in the
area north of Ripon where an
enterprising police team is
making a pretty good job of
getting local councils to stump
up cash to pay for a patrol car's
petrol.
The important point to note
here is that nobody is suggesting
that parishes that do not
contribute will not be policed.
They will be served as well as
any other rural area in the
county.
But they will not benefit
from the additional patrols
made possible by the generous
donation of a patrol vehicle
by a local motor dealer and
the contributions to running
costs made by the participating
parish councils.
The analogy of the parent
teacher association helping to
fund additional school activities
or facilities seems an appropriate
one here. Just as parents
may decide that the provision
made by the local
education authority is not as
good as they might wish and
therefore take steps to supplement
it, a parish council will
make an assessment of the
policing needs of its area and
decide whether or not to augment
it.
At least under this innovative
scheme, rural areas do
have the opportunity to improve
the service. Under the
usual arrangements, parish
councils have little or no input
into the way a county-wide
force distributes resources.
By buying in the service it
feels is necessary to provide
the level of protection parishioners
demand, they are making
a difference without taking
resources from elsewhere.
The counter-argument, that
it gives the police an excuse to
withdraw more officers from
rural areas unless they are
paid for, loses much of its
power because, across most of
rural Britain, it has already
happened.
12:43pm Friday 21st March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Bill Austin, Thirsk on 6:42pm Sat 22 Mar 08
The current slogan used by North Yorkshire Police on their web site :- ''Delivering Modern Policing in a traditional way '' beggers beleif.
I am appalled that a PCSO has had to appeal toParish Councils for cash donations to provide fuel for a vehicle in order to Police rural communities.
Are the Senior Officers or Executive Officers, too embarrassed to address the Parish Councils or unable to justify the request?
I would be very interested as to how this extra funding is to be administered, given the cost of fuel at approx £5.00 per gallon. A £100 donation will provide some 20 gallons of fuel. What guarantees will be made that all the fuel purchased will be used solely for the use of 1 vehicle to patrol these rural areas? What happens when the £100 donated is all spent, will the patrols cease?
Given all the publicity over the last few years of the spending policy of North Yorkshire Police, eg :- The shower saga. The purchase and supply of executive cars for Superintendents and Chiefd Officers, !st class travel to Canada to attend a nebulous conference and the current on going investigation into the spending of large sums to an outside Training Company owned by the wife of a senior serving officer.
To have the temerity to request additional funding by this means is disgraceful. The NYP budget has risen yearly and yet we see a decline in service every year.
The Police Authority and the Chief Constable should be made to provide explanations and answers as to why these requests for additional costs are being requested.
The current slogan used by North Yorkshire Police on their web site :- ''Delivering Modern Policing in a traditional way '' beggers beleif.
I am appalled that a PCSO has had to appeal toParish Councils for cash donations to provide fuel for a vehicle in order to Police rural communities.
Are the Senior Officers or Executive Officers, too embarrassed to address the Parish Councils or unable to justify the request?
I would be very interested as to how this extra funding is to be administered, given the cost of fuel at approx £5.00 per gallon. A £100 donation will provide some 20 gallons of fuel. What guarantees will be made that all the fuel purchased will be used solely for the use of 1 vehicle to patrol these rural areas? What happens when the £100 donated is all spent, will the patrols cease?
Given all the publicity over the last few years of the spending policy of North Yorkshire Police, eg :- The shower saga. The purchase and supply of executive cars for Superintendents and Chiefd Officers, !st class travel to Canada to attend a nebulous conference and the current on going investigation into the spending of large sums to an outside Training Company owned by the wife of a senior serving officer.
To have the temerity to request additional funding by this means is disgraceful. The NYP budget has risen yearly and yet we see a decline in service every year.
The Police Authority and the Chief Constable should be made to provide explanations and answers as to why these requests for additional costs are being requested.
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