Reduction of Harrogate fire engines based on faulty data, commissioner admits

The decision to reduce Harrogate’s number of nighttime fire engines was based on faulty information, it has been revealed.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe controversially reduced the number of appliances from two to one in her recent three-year fire service blueprint for North Yorkshire.

One of the main concerns during consultation was that if a second fire engine was required to come from Knaresborough in an emergency, it could get held up at Starbeck level crossing.

At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting in September last year, Ms Metcalfe allayed fears by saying firefighters knew the train times and could ring ahead to Network Rail if they needed to cross urgently.

Zoe Metcalfe and Tom Thorp

Ms Metcalfe addresses Harrogate Borough Council in September last year.

But in response to a freedom of information request, Ms Metcalfe’s office has now admitted this was “incorrect”.

Tina James-McGrath, a staff member at the commissioner’s office, said the information was provided by a now-retired “member of the senior leadership team” at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and it was then “relayed in good faith by the commissioner”.

Ms James-McGrath added:

“It has since transpired as a result of investigating your query further, that the information provided to the commissioner was incorrect.”

She said Harrogate and Knaresborough fire stations “have an awareness of train times, but this can be difficult to predict” and the fire stations “will not call Network Rail when working at an incident on or close to a train line where working crews may be put at a safety risk”.

Ms James-McGrath also acknowledged “ad hoc freight trains also use the line and there is no process for emergency services to phone ahead”.

Starbeck signallers, she added, will delay lowering the barriers when possible “if they do see an emergency vehicle approaching reasonably close to the crossing” but “once the barriers are down the signaller must wait for the train to pass before they can raise the barrier”.

The proposed closure of Bogs Lane and Kingsley Road to through traffic would only add to the traffic at the crossing, she said, adding:

“Network Rail also noted that the traffic flow is at saturation point now and appreciates that the closure of the nearby road is not going to help this or the emergency services.”

‘The difference between life and death’

Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat borough and county councillor who raised concerns about Starbeck level crossing with Ms Metcalfe last year, said she was “greatly saddened by the response”, adding:

“I am really worried about the hold-ups that are happening at Starbeck crossing.

“I personally have seen ambulances waiting five minutes for the barriers to lift, this can be the difference between life and death.

“We need everyone round the table ASAP to discuss this very serious issue to ensure the safety of our local residents. People who really know and understand the issues.”

Read more:

Paul Haslam, a Conservative borough and county councillor, said:

“The critical issue for me is that Network Rail update the technology at the Starbeck crossing so that the barriers are down for significantly less time which improves traffic flow, reduces idling and makes access easier should we have the misfortune to need the emergency services.

“I have lobbied together with [Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough] Andrew Jones on this for a number of years. It needs fixing! The more voices shouting for this change the better.”

The Stray Ferret asked Ms Metcalfe’s office whether the information about Starbeck crossing was checked and whether she would consider reviewing her decision or agreeing to Cllr Marsh’s request for an urgent meeting but it did not respond.

Fewer than half of 999 calls in North Yorkshire being answered on time

Just 44% of 999 calls in North Yorkshire are being answered on time, according to figures in a new report.

The report by the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner‘s office said the national target is for 90% of 999 calls to be answered in under 10 seconds.

But between November 2021 and November 2022, only 44% were answered within this time in the county.

The document also revealed that between February and December 2022, the average non-emergency 101 call answer time ranged from 4 minutes and 3 seconds to 10 minutes and 17 seconds. Unlike for 999 calls, nationally there is no imposed target for answering 101 calls.

Police, fire and crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has described the figures as “unacceptable”.

Her office has awarded the force control room  a £1.8 million a year to improve the times.

The report, which will be debated by North Yorkshire County Council‘s police, fire and crime panel on February 6, said:

“This investment will enable the Chief Constable to fund 36 additional communications officers, 12 additional dispatchers, six established trainers and two additional police inspectors.”

Read more:

The document highlights how call volume has increased, saying:

“Nationally there has been a 16% increase in 999 calls to the police, and 2022 saw the highest number of emergency calls to North Yorkshire Police ever in one month (over 10,000 in July and August).”

The report also said the commissioner “wants the force to explore how they could deliver a long-term programme of public education and awareness about when to contact the police, and the most appropriate method for doing so”.

North Yorkshire Police usually receives over 10,000 emergency 999 calls a month.

 

Majority support Harrogate fire station changes, consultation reveals

The majority of people support controversial changes to the number of fire engines based in Harrogate, according to consultation documents.

North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe confirmed yesterday Harrogate fire station will be reduced to one fire engine at night as part of a three-year blueprint for countywide fire services.

However, the station will have two fully operational appliances during the day rather than the current model of just one plus a smaller tactical response vehicle.

Ms Metcalfe’s decision followed a three-month consultation in which concerns were expressed that the loss of a second appliance from 10pm to 9am could put lives at risk.

But her 207-page consultation report, published yesterday, said 46% of respondents to an online survey supported the changes to Harrogate fire station whereas 40% oppose them.

PFCC fire consultation results

The report, however, also said 53% of respondents whose closest fire station is Harrogate disagreed with the changes. Additionally, it highlighted opposition within focus groups held as part of the consultation.

It said:

“Those who supported the proposals did so on the grounds that they are evidence-based and represent a better use of resources in offering better capability during the day when needed.

“However, even if they understood the rationale behind it, most focus group participants ultimately opposed the proposals.

“The main worries were around the ability to provide an adequate nighttime response, especially to incidents requiring two or more appliances. Related to this, many questionnaire comments centred on the potential for more severe incidents at night, including house fires.”

Read more:

Union claims questioned

Ms Metcalfe also rejected claims by the Fire Brigades Union, which opposed the proposals, that overnight fires are more severe.

“I have questioned this with the service previously, and they have provided me with evidence to show that in North Yorkshire, and in particular in Scarborough and Harrogate, over the last five years the more severe fires have almost all happened during the day, as have those fires which could have had a more severe outcome, ie those where a person required rescue.”

Zoe Metcalfe (centre), North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Zoe Metcalfe and fire officials answer questions about her proposals.

Ms Metcalfe also suggested some people over-estimate the number of fires in North Yorkshire. She said:

“There is also some very different views of what and how high is the service’s demand versus the reality.

“The fact is that in North Yorkshire we are lucky that our service’s demand is low by comparison to the rest of the country. Moreover, what they attend has changed significantly, with fires making up a smaller proportion than before.”

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks from May 23, 2022 to August 14, 2022, cost £30,000.

Savings made by the changes will be used to fund fire prevention work and boost on-call fire stations in rural areas.

North Yorkshire Police 999 response time worst in country

New figures show that North Yorkshire Police is now the worst police force for responding to 999 calls.

Forces are expected to meet the Home Office target of answering 90% of emergency calls within 10 seconds.

Home Office data showed that, in July, North Yorkshire only managed this 39.9% of the time.

The best performing force was Nottinghamshire Police, which achieved 87% – still below the 90% target.

North Yorkshire Police has often been close to the foot of the table but this was the second month in a row when it was actually last.

The force’s own statistics show its latest average 999 response time for the month of July was 20 seconds. This was higher than its 36-month average of 18.84 seconds.

The figures will come under the spotlight at the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s monthly public accountability meeting next Tuesday, August 30.

Data published by the commissioner’s office in advance of the meeting revealed the number of 999 calls increased by 8% in July 2022 compared with the same month last year.

Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

‘A huge increase’

The North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s office was approached for comment on the slow response times but a spokesman said the issue would be discussed at next week’s meeting.

Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe told the Stray Ferret in June that she was working to reduce delays in answering 101 and 999 calls in the police control room.

She said there had been a “huge increase” in 999 and non-emergency 101 calls.

Ms Metcalfe has pledged £140,000 to increase the number of staff working in the force control room.

Women’s Equality Party puts forward police commissioner candidate

The Women’s Equality Party (WEP) has put forward a candidate for the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) by-election following the resignation of Philip Allott.

Dr Hannah Barham-Brown, who is well-known for her campaigning work on both women’s and disabled people’s rights, is set to contest the role.

While some candidates for this election stood at the previous election in May when Mr Allott won, this is the first time that Dr Barham-Brown has put herself forward for North Yorkshire’s PFCC.

If elected, she said her first step would be to launch an independent inquiry into misogyny and sexism in North Yorkshire Police.

Dr Barham-Brown, the Women’s Equality Party candidate for the North Yorkshire PFCC by-election said:

“If elected as PFCC I will put ending violence against women and girls at the top of the policing and political agenda.

“Women and girls in North Yorkshire deserve to live their lives free from the fear and the threat of violence, and that is why I am contesting this election.

“We were let down by Philip Allott as our PFCC who proved he didn’t understand the importance of ending violence against women and girls with his disgraceful, victim blaming comments.

“But our community did not accept that and now it’s time to finish the job.”

Read more:

The PFCC is being held following the resignation of Mr Allott, who stepped down after his comments on the murder of Sarah Everard led to hundreds of official complaints and a vote of no confidence.

Voters will head to the polls to elect a new police commissioner on November 25.

Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality Party, added:

“Ending gender-based violence must be at the heart of this election, so we can build a better future for women and girls in North Yorkshire.

“I am delighted that Dr Hannah Barham-Brown is contesting this election for the Women’s Equality Party.

“We need real political leadership that focuses on accountability and preventing violence against women, not just managing it.”

Other candidates for the PFCC role