North Yorkshire Police ‘not effectively safeguarding children’, say inspectors

Inspectors have found North Yorkshire Police’s investigations of child protection cases are poor and need to improve.

A highly critical report published today by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services found that the force does not prioritise safeguarding and child protection highly enough.

It said standards of investigation in relation to child protection were poor and arrangements were not “consistently providing either the quality of service or a good enough response”.

The report said in some cases “highly vulnerable” children went missing from children’s homes, but officers would record those incidents as “cause for concern” rather than missing — which meant officers did not look for them.

Inspectors, who conducted the assessment from November 1 to 12 last year, examined 73 cases where children had been at risk. The report said:

“We assessed the force’s child protection practice as good in 13 cases, requiring improvement in 34 cases, and as inadequate in 26 cases. This shows the force needs to do more to give a consistently good service for all children.”

‘No specialist training’ for most staff

The report added that staff training and awareness measures had relied on the use of email and online training packages. The report said:

“A large proportion of the officers dealing with child abuse investigations have had no specialist child abuse investigation training. The force has recognised this, and it has booked specialist courses for officers in early 2022.”

Another criticism was that the force doesn’t share information with safeguarding partners early enough.

HMIC made a number of recommendations to the force, which included:

Andy Cooke, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, said:

“North Yorkshire Police’s senior leaders want to protect children and give them better outcomes, and we found some good examples of the force protecting children in need of help.

“But in too many cases, practice is inconsistent. Officers don’t always share information quickly enough with safeguarding partners. We also found that supervisors don’t oversee investigations well enough, mainly because they lack the training, skills and experience.

“The force knows it needs to do more to help its officers better understand how to safeguard children. We have made a series of recommendations which, if acted on, will help improve outcomes for children in North Yorkshire.”

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Police commissioner calls report findings ‘unacceptable’

North Yorkshire Police has 1,562 police officers, 1,214 police staff, 212 police and community support officers and 113 special constables.

Its work is scrutinised by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Conservative Zoe Metcalfe was elected to the role in November after fellow Tory Philip Allott resigned.

The Police and Crime Plan 2017–2021, set by previous commissioners and the current chief constable has four priorities, the first of which relates to safeguarding vulnerable people, including children.

This document is now due to be revised.

Ms Metcalfe said in a statement today that all children deserved to grow up in a safe environment

She added:

“We need to be candid in acknowledging that what this report has found is unacceptable.

“It is clear that sometimes not enough has been done to ensure that North Yorkshire Police can show that vulnerable children are as protected as they should be in North Yorkshire and York, and all too often the failings come despite the best efforts of those who have a policing role to safeguard them.

“As a new commissioner, now responsible for scrutinising the work of the North Yorkshire Police, that is a serious concern. I know that is a view shared by the force’s leadership, and I am sure it will be a concern across the organisation and beyond.

“It is important to note that the report does say there is evidence that improvements were underway in November 2021 when the inspection took place, and I have been assured those have continued at pace, so many of the issues identified are now in the process of being addressed. Measures are in place to ensure there is a robust framework in place to track and review this progress. I and my team will closely monitor and review what happens next.

“I have also met with local authority partners who have offered their full support to North Yorkshire Police in addressing the report’s findings and ensuring that children are kept safe in the city and the county. North Yorkshire Police have also set out their commitment to me to ensure officers and staff are provided with the skills, capability and capacity to do their job well.”

£72 rise in Harrogate district council tax bills set to be confirmed

Final approval is set to be given for a hike in council tax bills this week as North Yorkshire County Council decides how much it will charge.

Total council tax is based on the amount charged by the county council, Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Some villages also charge a small sum too.

The county council will become the last to vote on its budget plans in the days ahead.

County councillors will meet on Wednesday to make a decision on a planned 3.99% hike in the authority’s share of bills, which equates to a £56 increase.

If approved, the move would see total bills for ratepayers in Band D households rise to £2,079 for the year. This would be £72 more than the current £2,007, which represents a 3.58% increase.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of the county council, said previously that the decision to increase council tax was a difficult one.

However, he added that the authority continues to lobby for reform of the council tax system.

He said:

“We continue to feel that residents in North Yorkshire pay too much council tax, particularly in comparison to London, and urge the government to press on with funding reform to create a fairer solution for rural counties.”

Harrogate district council tax hikes 2022/23

Total Band D bill: £2,079.59

Last week, both the borough council and North Yorkshire’s police commissioner signed off on increases in their share of the rate.

For Harrogate, the share of council tax will increase by £5 despite concerns from opposition councillors for the council to use its reserves.

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Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group on Harrogate Borough Council, said the authority should be using more of its cash reserves to ease the pressure on residents.

However, Cllr Graham Swift, the borough council’s cabinet member for economic development, dismissed the idea of not increasing council tax as “nonsense”. He said the authority faced increasing costs and had to keep services running and staff paid.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire Police will see a £10 increase and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s rate will rise to £75.61.

Chief constable says maximum council tax rise will enable crime prevention

North Yorkshire Police’s chief constable has sought to justify the force’s precept increase, saying it will enable officers to avert offences impacting on communities rather than just react to it.

Lisa Winward said the addition of £10 to a Band D property’s council tax bill would enable the force to get on the front foot and interupt what she described as “a conveyor belt” of issues caused by a minority of residents.

Ms Winward was speaking to North Yorkshire’s police, fire and crime panel as it unanimously agreed that the average household should be charged £281.06 for the service for the coming financial year.

Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe had told the meeting if she did not levy the £10 maximum increase in council tax precept for the coming year that money would be lost to the force in future years, adding she was “very mindful” of the financial pressures facing residents.

She said the increased precept would cover the rising costs the force was facing and pay for an additional 78 police officers, some of whom would be deployed to improve public contact, solve issues facing communities, roads policing and tackling violence towards women and online abuse.

Ms Metcalfe said: 

“The precept increase will also allow me to invest in a range of services for victims, and in particular, a new victims’ centre to house the North Yorkshire Sexual Assault Assessment Centre and the child sexual assault assessment services in York.

“I will also hold the chief constable to account to ensure a full return on investment. I will be setting clear performance expectations to the chief constable to make North Yorkshire Police more efficient.”

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However, City of York Council leader Cllr Keith Aspden highlighted the precept increase was higher than crisis-hit social care authorities were being allowed to levy, and questioned whether communities would “notice the difference that really justifies that increase” the new posts.

The meeting heard the increased precept would fund the force’s Early Action Together programme, which is focused on supporting the most vulnerable residents with complex needs to “prevent harm before it happens”.

Ms Winward said policing tended to deal with society’s symptoms and longer term problem-solving had to come from a placed-based bespoke approach.

She said: 

“A lot of the calls that we receive are cyclical. So the same people with the same problems who haven’t had the root causes of their problems solved by any agency.

“Once somebody is hurt or harmed or a community is damaged it takes a lot of time and effort and work among a lot of public services to try and put that thing right. If we can prevent it from happening in the first place that is a much more effective way of our public services supporting those communities.”

Ms Winward said with 6,000 miles of roads across a county which is a popular destination for some motorists, such as motorcyclists, extra resources were needed for preventative measures to tackle road safety and criminals from outside the county targeting North Yorkshire.

Cllr Mike Chambers said while he understood the reasons behind the increase, he was concerned the commissioner was levying the maximum rise given the economic circumstances facing residents.

Calling for more warranted officers to be seen on the beat, he said: 

“I think this time we really do need to see some early and discernible results in what the public are paying for.”

Police commissioner proposes £10 council tax hike

North Yorkshire’s police commissioner has proposed a £10 hike in the force’s share of council tax.

The proposal would see the rate increase to £281.06 from April this year.

Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner, is expected to agree the proposal at a meeting of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on February 7.

A report due before the meeting said the increase would help the force hit targets for officer recruitment and pay as set by government.

It said:

“This will provide sufficient funding to deliver the increased levels of police officers, as required by the government, the expected increase in pay, the unavoidable increase in National Insurance contributions whilst also meeting some significant increases in non-pay inflation.”

Meanwhile, Ms Metcalfe will also propose a 1.98% increase in the fire service council tax precept – which would see bills rise to £75.61.

Planned council tax hikes 2022/23

The service is currently running at a £1 million deficit and can only hike its share of the rate by 1.99%, under government rules.

The commissioner’s office also warned councillors at a meeting earlier this month that the service faces borrowing up to £33 million after ministers abolished its capital grant.

Ms Metcalfe described the funding settlement for the fire service as “very unfair” and pledged to lobby government for more support.

Council tax hikes

Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner have all proposed increasing their share of council tax this year.

It means taxpayers across the district will face a bill of nearly £2,100 this year.

Local precepts for parish and town councils, such as Ripon City Council, will also be included on bills.

Final decisions on council tax rates from all public authorities will be made in February.

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In depth: Why Harrogate district residents can expect council tax rises

Harrogate district residents should brace themselves for another increase in their council tax bills this year.

As local authorities begin to unveil their budget plans, a hike in rates is one of the measures they will take.

Council tax bills are made by adding up the precepts charged by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and parish councils.

Harrogate Borough Council has already announced a proposed £5 increase and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has suggested bills could go up as far as £10 for the police force.

A closer look at the detail gives a glimpse into why those authorities are hiking rates.

How much will my bill go up by?

So far, the only authority which has shown its full hand on council tax is Harrogate Borough Council.

Senior councillors at Harrogate council have backed a £5 increase – which would amount to £255.92 for a band D property.

A final decision on the increase will be made in February.

North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner have yet to confirm their proposals — but have suggested what the rate could be.

North Yorkshire’s police commissioner gave a North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel a presentation on Thursday which outlined a budget based on a £10 increase.

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This would see the police precept on council tax bills increase to £281.06 and give the force an additional £3 million in income.

However, the fire service will only be able to hike its share by 1.99%. This would see the rate charged for fire services rise to £1.46 per week.

North Yorkshire County Council, which makes up the majority of residents’ council tax bills, has yet to suggest an increase.

But it does have the power to hike its share by as much as 4.5%.

Should senior county councillors support such an increase, this would see its share rise from £1,411 for a band D property to £1,474.

Why is my bill going up?

Nearly two years of covid and more than a decade of government cuts has had a drastic affect on local authority finances.

Coronavirus has left both North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council with financial blackholes to fill.

Last month, Cllr Carl Les, leader of the county council, warned that the authority will have to find £19 million in savings this coming year.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, who has ruled himself out of being a future Mayor of North Yorkshire.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council. Picture: North Yorkshire County Council.

A government settlement of £26 million will not be enough for the authority to balance its books in 2022/23.

However, Cllr Les did acknowledge that the council tax system needed to be reformed.

He said:

“We continue to feel that residents in North Yorkshire pay too much council tax, particularly in comparison to London, and urge the government to press on with funding reform to create a fairer solution for rural counties.”

Similarly, Paul Foster, head of finance at Harrogate Borough Council, told senior councillors that its finances were not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels until at least 2023/24.

He said the council was predicting a reduction in income for the next financial year of £150,000.

Mr Foster also said government grant allocations had been reduced by £8.2 million since 2010 and that the council would have to dip into its reserves to fund some major projects.

Michael Porter, director of finance at North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner's office, setting out the bleak financial picture for the fire service earlier this week.

Michael Porter, director of finance at North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office, setting out the bleak financial picture for the fire service earlier this week.

Fire service hit hardest

But perhaps the authority feeling the affects of both covid and cuts most acutely is North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

On Thursday, the Stray Ferret reported that the service has had its capital grant abolished by the government, which means it could have to borrow up to £31 million to fund upkeep of stations and fire kit for crews.

In addition to this, the service is currently running a deficit of £1 million and cannot increase its share of council tax by more than 1.99%.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, described the precept cap set by government as “very unfair” and pledged to continue lobbying ministers for fairer funding.

To illustrate just how bleak the financial situation is, Martin Walker, a former judge and co-opted member of North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel, said he was “horrified” by it.

He told Michael Porter, director of finance at the commissioner’s office, on Thursday:

“I have to say that I’m horrified, if that’s not too strong a word, about where the fire service is going to be.

“It’s in desperate need of capital injection and renewing stations, renewing fire engines and renewing all sorts of infrastructure.

“You’re talking about borrowing and having to borrow £30 million. I hesitate to say this, but god help us. 

“The fire service is fighting so hard to provide the service that the public need and yet you’re telling us as a panel that it’s going to get worse, then it will get worse and after that it will get worse.”

What happens now?

Council officials, including the county council and commissioner’s office, will set out their plans for council tax this month.

After that, councillors will vote on the proposals.

All of the public bodies which set council tax rates will confirm their budgets in February.

From there, residents across the Harrogate district will receive their bill for the next financial year in April. The only certainty is that they will go up again.

‘God help us!’ — fears over need for £31m to fund North Yorks fire service

Concerns have been raised after it was revealed North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service could be forced to borrow up to £31 million to fund new equipment after the government abolished its grant.

Zoe Metcalfe, a Conservative who was elected North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in November, described the funding settlement for the fire service as “very unfair” and pledged to lobby government for more support.

The service is currently running a deficit of £1 million and will require capital funding to pay for vehicles, maintenance of property and fire kit.

At a meeting today of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel, the commissioner’s office set out provisional plans for increasing the precept paid by council tax payers to fund both police and fire services.

Michael Porter, director of finance at the commissioner’s office, told the meeting that the fire precept can only be increased by 1.99% — which would amount to £1.46 per week — because it is not one of the eight lowest charging services in the country.

He added that there will be no capital grant from government, leaving the service requiring £31.1 million to fund its projects over the next five years.

Mr Porter said:

“The problem with this, which we alluded to earlier, is that there is no capital grant from a fire perspective.

“Almost the entirety of that £31 million would need to be borrowed. Borrowing would need to be around about £25 to £26 million to be able to fund that type of level of investment.

“We will probably get to a point where we have to make some really difficult choices around whether or not we can continue to do something or even be able to do something of this nature.”

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Martin Walker, a co-opted member of the panel, said he was “horrified” by the financial situation the service was in.

He said:

“I have to say that I’m horrified, if that’s not too strong a word, about where the fire service is going to be.

“It’s in desperate need of capital injection and renewing stations, renewing fire engines and renewing all sorts of infrastructure.

“You’re talking about borrowing and having to borrow £30 million. I hesitate to say this, but god help us. 

“The fire service is fighting so hard to provide the service that the public need and yet you’re telling us as a panel that it’s going to get worse, then it will get worse and after that it will get worse.”

Ms Metcalfe sought to reassure the panel and said she was “lobbying government and MPs very hard” over funding for the fire service, which she described as unfair.

She said:

“I am questioning the rationale about how they have come to deciding where we are on that chart [precept level], it does seem very unfair.

“I’m fighting very hard for a fairer funding formula for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.”

Meanwhile, Mr Porter added that there was “strong support” from the public for the precept level to be increased higher than 1.99%.

The commissioner’s office will set its budget for the police and fire service in February.

No. 13: The swift downfall of crime commissioner Philip Allott

In this article, which is part of a series on the 15 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2021, we look at the resignation and subsequent fallout of former North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Philip Allott.

The spotlight shone more intensely than ever in 2021 on one of the district’s lesser known political positions.

Elections for North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner are characterised by low turnout, with many voters questioning the value of the role.

The commissioner is paid £74,000 to hold the county’s chief constable and chief fire officer to account, and receives a budget of £1.1 million. But the level of scrutiny towards the role elevated dramatically this year.

It all started routinely enough when Knaresborough man Philip Allott was elected to succeed fellow Conservative Julia Mulligan in May.

Mr Allott made an energetic start, pledging action on issues such as pet theft and antisocial driving. But his downfall would be swift.

In an interview on BBC Radio York in September, he said Sarah Everard, who had been murdered by police officer Wayne Couzens, should not have “submitted” to arrest and that women “need to be streetwise” about arrest powers.

Keir Starmer calls for resignation

Hundreds of complaints were sent to the commissioner’s office, which found itself under more scrutiny than it ever had in its nine-year existence.

On a near daily basis, politicians lined up to condemn Mr Allott, with Labour leader Keir Starmer among those calling for his resignation.

Lucy Arnold, from campaign group Reclaim The Streets, said Mr Allott’s comments were “horrifically offensive”.

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Mr Allott apologised but resigned days later as the storm continued. The time span from his comments on-air to his stepping down was just 13 days.

Mr Allott acknowledged that his position was untenable because of the confidence he lost from both the public and by his fellow politicians.

Weeks later Zoe Metcalfe, a Conservative councillor on Harrogate Borough Council and of North Yorkshire County Council who lives at Aldborough, was elected as the new commissioner. Turnout was just 14%.

Knaresborough’s Zoe Metcalfe pledges to be ‘people’s commissioner’ in £74,000 crime role

The third North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner this year has said on her first day in the £74,000 job that she is confident of being able to handle the intense scrutiny that comes with the role.

Zoe Metcalfe said she wanted to be “very visible” and would use her experience as a North Yorkshire county councillor and as deputy mayor of the Harrogate district to become “the people’s commissioner”.

Both of Ms Metcalfe’s predecessors faced severe criticism over their communications with both their own staff and residents, despite having backgrounds in public relations.

Philip Allott resigned last month after making controversial comments about women. The overwhelming majority of his 32-strong team of staff signed a letter saying they had no confidence in him, accusing him of making “sexist and misogynistic comments” towards female colleagues.

Julia Mulligan, who stepped down from the role in May, accepted a recommendation to regularly survey her staff about bullying and be supported by a mentor in the “challenging and difficult role” after being accused of levelling “constant criticisms” and “humiliating” comments.

Since Ms Metcalfe was elected on Friday, opposition councillors have questioned how she would deal with the pressure of the role, particularly as she had been “almost invisible” at the county council.

Zoe Metcalfe

County council opposition leader Cllr Stuart Parsons said:

“Zoe is an unknown quantity. When I read on an election leaflet that she was a county councillor I had to look her up because I had not heard her in any debates, apart from obeying the party line. She has been in a public forum for a number of years, but nobody knows who she is or what she is.

“She could be one of those people who has hidden her light under many bushels and she may come out and surprise us, but it is quite difficult to understand how she is going to fulfil the role because all her leaflet said was only women matter. I understand the focus on women, but it would appear all men in North Yorkshire don’t fit into her plan.”

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At a media briefing, Ms Metcalfe highlighted how the first appointment had been to meet with victims’ support groups at the force’s Northallerton headquarters, even before meeting with the chief constable and chief fire officer.

She said: 

“I want to be very visible. I will be on the market squares and in the supermarkets, visiting residents and getting their views.”

Top priorities

The Conservative Knaresborough councillor said her first actions would be to bolster victims services, crime prevention work with schools and further action to aid those suffering domestic abuse.

She said:

“I have been a district and county councillor since 2015, I’ve stood for two general elections, I’ve been deputy mayor of Harrogate District for two years and a governor of Harrogate Hospital, so I‘m quite happy with scrutiny. I want to work in a very transparent way and very much have an open-door policy.

“My style is getting out and talking to people. I want people to feel I am very approachable. It’s about embracing the role, taking it forward and making sure people trust in the role to deliver for them.

“I am very firmly here as the people’s commissioner. I am here to represent the residents of North Yorkshire and York when we are having those conversations and will hold the public services to account, but working with them too to achieve their goals is really important.”

Ms Metcalfe said she would be meeting her staff this week and would remain a district and county councillor until the May elections as she did not want public money to be spent on a by-election.

Profile: North Yorkshire’s new police commissioner

Newly elected North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe is set to take the helm this coming week.

Ms Metcalfe will take over the £74,000 a year position from fellow Conservative, Philip Allott, after he resigns last month.

She will take on a position which requires confidence to be restored after Mr Allott made headlines in October when he remarked that Sarah Everard should not have “submitted” to arrest by the police officer who murdered her.

But who is Ms Metcalfe and what was her campaign?

From Harrogate councillor to commissioner

A current Harrogate Borough councillor, Ms Metcalfe represents the Claro ward on the authority.

She sits on various committees, including planning, overview and scrutiny and is chair of the human resources committee.

A Conservative councillor, she also sits on North Yorkshire County Council representing Knaresborough.

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It is unclear if Ms Metcalfe will remain as a councillor on both authorities.

Ms Metcalfe is a project manager for a property company.

Restoring confidence

After launching her campaign in October, Ms Metcalfe said her aim as commissioner would be to protect women and girls and tackle organised crime.

She said the focus of her campaign was “improving safety for women and girls across North Yorkshire, supporting victims of crime and tackling serious and organised crime”.

Ms Metcalfe also pledged to restore confidence by “being visible, transparent and open, working alongside our excellent police officers and firefighters”.

She also made a pledge to “make sure resident’s priorities are put in place to make our streets safer for everyone”.

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On the 101 number, Ms Metcalfe said she would use all the commissioner’s powers to get to grips with what is a “crucial” service.

She said the public money spent updating the service had not resolved the long telephone waits people experience/  If elected, Mrs Metcalfe pledged to “take a forensic look at what the issues are and work alongside the police to resolve them”.

Tackling speeding and inequality

Ms Metcalfe, who is the third Conservative to be elected to the role, said education and more publicity were needed as part of the speeding management strategy.

She said:

“I would like to see an emphasis placed on showing drivers the impacts of their speeding from being an anti-social behaviour, a serious and dangerous activity and how their own lives can be impacted if caught breaking the law.”

Meanwhile, in an effort to tackle inequality, said she would work with the services to ensure the correct recruitment strategies are in place. 

“There can be no room for inequalities in North Yorkshire and I will ensure the commissioner’s office leads the way on equality issues and will work with senior figures within the services so they do likewise.”

All these issues mean Ms Metcalfe has her work cut out as North Yorkshire’s latest Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Philip Allott’s blunder left many feeling it’s a job that hasn’t delivered and should not be politicised. The spotlight of public scrutiny now turns on her.

Conservatives win North Yorkshire Police commissioner election

The Conservatives have held the position of North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Zoe Metcalfe, the Tory candidate who is also a councillor on Harrogate Borough Council, was elected with a vote of 41,760.

The vote went to a second preferences count after no candidate took 50 per cent of the vote.

She replaces Philip Allott, who resigned from the role last month.

The turnout of the election was 13.94% – a significant drop from the 25.3% recorded at the polls in May.

The results on first and second preferences were:

In the first round, James Barker, Liberal Democrat, got 9,499 and Keith Tordoff, Independent, 14,988. Dr Hannah Barham-Brown. Women’s Equality Party, got 8,837.

Simon Dennis, chief executive of the Office of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner said:

“On behalf of the Office, I am delighted to welcome Zoë to the role of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Together with the Chief Constable and the Interim Chief Fire Officer, I look forward to working with her in the years ahead.

“I also want to thank Jenni Newberry for serving as Acting Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for the past few weeks and all the team at the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner who have worked so hard to ensure our work continued without interruption ahead of this by-election.

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