City council to make formal complaint about policing in Ripon
by
Mar 8, 2022
Photo of Police van in the Bondgate area
Policing in Ripon came under the city council's spotlight last night.

Ripon councillors have voted unanimously to make a formal complaint against the city’s police amid fears that the force has lost public confidence.

Concerns about the failure to tackle and eradicate the recurring problems of criminal activity in Ripon, combined with a perceived lack of urgency in their response to 101 calls made by the public, were voiced by Independent and Conservative councillors alike.

In a further blow for residents worried about the lack of police resources to deal with violent and anti-social behaviour, members at last night’s Ripon City Council meeting were told that the provision of a custody suite at the Stonebridgegate site that police share with the city’s firefighters will not materialise.

Photo of Ripon Police and Fire station

The promised custody suite will not be added at that site that Ripon Police share with firefighters.

Former North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott, pledged to fund the project and provide two additional cctv cameras, in a two-pronged plan to support enhanced policing in the city.

But Independent council leader Andrew Williams, said:

“The promises he made were nothing more than pie in the sky, there was no way in a million years that he was going to be able to pay for these facilities out of his community budget. The custody suite alone would have cost up to £7 million.”


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Cllr Williams revealed that Zoe Metcalfe, who was elected commissioner in November following Mr Allott’s resignation – in the face of widespread condemnation of remarks he made in a radio interview about the Sarah Everard murder trial – had requested the council to submit a complaint to her about policing in Ripon.

He said:

“When I and three fellow councillors met with her last week, we had a frank discussion and after listening to our concerns, she asked the council to make a formal complaint, so that she can take the necessary official steps to address the matter.

“Resident are being asked to pay more for policing through their council tax and what they are receiving in Ripon at the moment is not fit for purpose.”

Cllr Mike Chambers, who is also cabinet member for housing and safer communities on Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“I have been pressing the commissioner for more warranted police officers on the beat in Ripon, because the PCSOs (police community support officers) have only limited powers to take action when an incident occurs.”

Cllr Pauline McHardy, an independent city and district councillor, added:

“I spoke with a market stallholder who had their cash box stolen early last Thursday morning. They reported it straight away but the police didn’t send anybody  to investigate the theft. This just isn’t good enough.”