A FORMER police house is to be sold to a community as officers move in to share the local fire station.

Originally the town police constable was based at in the house at Masham, but for 19 years it has been used by the local community with one room kept for police business.

Now the county’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has agreed emergency services should share the fire station.

Ms Metcalfe said this makes efficient and effective use of public assets alongside keeping communities safe and feeling safe.

Since 2003 the building has been leased to Mashamshire Community Office, a charity providing community services and activities such as tourist information, the community library and arts and crafts.

Over this time North Yorkshire Police have used a room in the building as a touchdown place, allowing local officers a space to do general administration tasks and use amenities.

Ms Metcalfe said: “Co-locating services at Masham Fire Station aligns our police and fire service in this area, making effective use of our estate to ultimately maximise investment in frontline services as detailed in my Police and Crime Plan.

“North Yorkshire Police will continue to have a place of touchdown for local officers when needed, and they will continue as usual to work out of Ripon and Pateley Bridge police stations.

“Mashamshire Community Office is a fantastic local asset which has been providing benefit to the public for nearly two decades. I recognise this value on the community and I hope our sale will afford them the opportunity to purchase the property, with a supportive timeline and value agreed for this process.

“North Yorkshire Police will continue to patrol and engage with the local community, as they currently do.”

Paul Theakston, Chair of Trustees at Mashamshire Community Office, said: “We are very grateful for the opportunity to purchase the old police house, from which the Community Office has been delivering an ever-expanding range of services into our community for the past 20 years.

“Actually, owning the building will secure our position literally at the heart of the community and ensure that we will be able to provide community services long into the future”.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Alex Langley added: “From a public perspective, there won’t be any changes to the policing service delivered in Masham.

“We fully support this move and are looking forward to co-locating with our fire service colleagues at Masham Fire Station.”

The aim is that Mashamshire Community Office could have a front desk service for North Yorkshire Police as a point of contact.