Knaresborough’s former crime commissioner Philip Allott is leading a new national charity that will support victims of crimes committed by emergency service staff.
Blue Light Whistle Blowers is in the process of being registered as a charitable incorporated organisation by the Charity Commission.
It will support victims of crimes committed by staff in policing, ambulance trusts and fire and rescue services and advise them on pursuing whistleblowing allegations but will not investigate claims itself.
The organisation, which is seeking a chief executive, aims to generate £100,000 a year to fund its work.
Mr Allott, who resigned as the Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in 2021 following comments about the murder of Sarah Everard, said he decided to get involved because emergency services crimes were under-reported.
A telephone hotline and online portal will be set up this year to enable victims to confidentially report wrongdoing.
The organisation said in a statement:
“The charity aims to be the voice of victims and their families and won’t hesitate where necessary to challenge the status quo.
“The charity aim is to hold chief constables, chief fire officers and ambulance trusts to account for these crimes and will produce league tables highlighting the best and worst affected services within the country.”
The service is due to go live in the autumn, initially based on a number of areas including London before it is rolled out nationally.
Bob Blackman (left) and Philip Allott
Mr Allott, chair of the organisation, said:
“Blue Light Whistle Blowers has been set up to be the voice of the voiceless and the silenced. Whistleblowers will support the victims and give them a voice, as for too long they have received little if any support.”
Those involved met MPs and peers, including Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones and Lord Harrogate Timothy Kirkhope at the House of Commons last month, at an event sponsored by Bob Blackman MP, the Conservative MP for Harrow East.
The main picture shows the trustees with Andrew Jones MP. They are (left to right) Tim Cook, Kathy Cox, Guy Phoenix, Philip Allott, Andrew Jones and Adele Winkley.
Harrogate district people asked for views on police 101 and 999 calls
Harrogate district residents are being urged to tell police chiefs about their experiences of the non-emergency 101 and emergency 999 services.
It follows long-running concerns in the district about the length of time it takes to answer the calls.
The police contact survey opened on Wednesday and runs until June 26.
The survey, run by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, will inform police forces, the Home Office and local crime commissioners on any challenges around reporting to the police.
Participants answer questions testing their understanding of emergency and non-emergency reporting systems, as well as newly emerging ways of contacting the police, like web chat, online forms and messaging over social media.
Zoë Metcalfe
Zoë Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
“Reporting to 101 and 999 remains a challenging area of business for police forces across the country. The needs of those making contact must be understood, and we must prioritise those most in need.
“I have expressed my concerns to the Chief Constable regarding poor call handling times. The Chief Constable and I are committed to significantly improving the customer contact experience and call handling times, and will monitor performance closely with the aim to improve the service as a priority. This will also include the call-waiting times for the non-emergency 101 service.”
Ms Metcalfe’s predecessor, Philip Allott, was told by North Yorkshire county councillors last year that the non-emergency line was “not fit for purpose and it hasn’t been fit for purpose for the last eight years” and that “the phone just doesn’t get answered”.
Ms Metcalfe will discuss North Yorkshire’s force control room’s performance in her next public accountability meeting on Tuesday.
Members of the public can submit questions in advance of the meeting via email to info@northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk. They should include their name and address.
You can take part in the public contact survey here.
Knaresborough’s Philip Allott launches marketing book
Knaresborough man and former police commissioner Philip Allott has written a book on marketing.
Integrated Business to Business Marketing provides “a complete blueprint for success in communicating promotional messages in the digital age”.
Mr Allott, who founded PR company Allott and Associates in 1994, said the book builds on his “40 years of practical experience” of marketing.
It is written for business owners, directors and marketing managers in the UK and abroad and covers topics such as how material written for press releases can be used for social media platforms and e-newsletters.
Mr Allott is a former leader of the Conservatives on Harrogate Borough Council and a former Mayor of Knaresborough who stood unsuccessfully in several general elections for the Conservative Party.
He was elected North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in May last year but resigned in October in the wake of comments about the murder of Sarah Everard.
Mr Allott is also the author of The Donkeyman, which was published in 2007. It talks about the life and times of his donkey-breeding father, who was known as Donkey Dave.
His new book, which is distributed by John Hunt Publishing, will be available from next month on Amazon and at Waterstones.
No.9: Persistent crime in Ripon
In this article, which is part of a series on the 15 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2021, we look at the persistent problems on the streets of Ripon.
Stories about violent and anti-social behaviour in Ripon have featured regularly in the news this year.
Among the most disturbing, was our report in August about a terrifying ordeal for a young boy, who was held up by a man and a youth at knifepoint and robbed of this trainers, mobile phone and jewellery.
The thugs, who threatened to ‘shank’ his leg with the knife if he didn’t do as told, were soon arrested by the police and brought to justice.
In February, a Ripon retailer came to the aid of a man who was being set upon by two vicious thugs in broad daylight.
The retailer, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret the attack occurred when the victim remonstrated with youths who had thrown a snowball at him. He said:
“As I came out of the shop, the man was on the ground and one of the youths was kicking him in the head, while another was stamping on his face.
“I thought that they were going to kill him – I shouted at them and they ran off.”
Earlier that month, we reported on a three-hour spate of crime in Ripon on a Sunday evening that included a man carrying a machete, a robbery, thefts and gangs gathering.
The incidents, included a robbery in which a 23-year-old man suffered facial injuries after being attacked by two or three males, who stole his phone and watch.
Following the incidents, Inspector Alex Langley, head of neighbourhood policing for Ripon, tried to reassure people that the events were being taken seriously and that “we will be taking robust action against those responsible”.
Philip Allott, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner at the time, responded by saying he hoped an increased police presence in the city would send a message that “crime will not be tolerated”. He also urged more residents to “break silence” and report anything suspicious.
“Officers know who the perpetrators are, they have made arrests, they have got a grip on the situation, and I am confident of that.
“One of the problems we have in Ripon is sometimes a wall of silence by certain families and that makes it quite difficult to apprehend people.
“The police will still get those people. It just takes a bit longer.
But further violent and anti-social behaviour in August prompted police to step-up patrols and launch investigations into four separate incidents
At the time, detective superintendent Steve Thomas, of North Yorkshire Police, said:
“Following the success of local policing operations to reduce anti-social behaviour in Ripon over recent months these latest incidents are disappointing.
“We are determined that this small group of individuals are held to account for behaviour that harms the quality of life for everyone else.
“Local residents will see an increase in police presence over the coming days and we want to reassure you that we will do everything necessary to tackle this isolated problem.”
This is just a snapshot of some of the incidents that police in Ripon have had to tackle in 2021. They have also run, in conjunction with Operation Spectre, a national campaign to engage with schoolchildren in the city about the dangers of knife crime and taking drugs.
Sergeant Heidi Lewis, of the schools liaison team, said officers were there to build relationships with the children and answer any questions. She said:
“Education at an early stage is crucial to steer children away from falling into a criminal lifestyle and becoming exploited.
“Some young people think it’s safe to carry a knife in case they need it for self-defence – but this could not be further from the truth. Any knife in the hands of anyone can cost lives.”
The city will be hoping to make headlines for more positive reasons in 2022.
No. 13: The swift downfall of crime commissioner Philip AllottIn 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.
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”.
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 roleThe 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.
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.”
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.”
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.
A candidate for the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) by-election has launched her manifesto with a single policy.
Dr Hannah Barham-Brown, on behalf of the Women’s Equality Party (WEP), has written a manifesto with a single policy to end violence against women and girls.
She unveiled her manifesto today at Oatlands community centre in Harrogate before she said she would bring a revolutionary approach to the role of PFCC.
The WEP candidate then said she would work with politicians to urge them to do more for women concerned about the threats they face.
Dr Hannah Barham-Brown said:
“I am contesting this election for one reason and for one reason only: to put ending violence against women and girls front and centre in our policing and political priorities in North Yorkshire, and I challenge all of my fellow candidates to join me in this.
“So far in the campaign, I’ve seen other candidates pay lip-service to ending violence, but offering no clear plan on how they’ll do so. Enough is enough.
“While this doesn’t mean I won’t engage with residents’ concerns on a wide range of topics, it does mean I will be singularly focused on ending violence in my campaign.”
During her speech Dr Barham-Brown added that women and girls had been badly let down by Philip Allott, who stepped down as PFCC after his comments on the Sarah Everard case.
If elected, she has pledged to fund specialist support for those who have reported abuse or sexual violence, introduce an expert scrutiny panel for rape and sexual violence cases.
Her plan also includes rooting out misogyny in the police force, addressing racism in domestic abuse cases and guaranteeing that migrant women have access to specialist support.
She added:
“This violence is not inevitable, but we are at this point because of a total failure of political leadership.
“Politicians of all parties are consistently failing to show up for women, except when it’s already too late.
“Women and girls deserve a PFCC who focuses on ending violence against women – not just managing it – every day and not just when it hits the headlines.
“I promise to deliver that. Women and girls in North Yorkshire deserve to live free from threat and fear of violence, and with the right political leadership we can make that happen.”
The election of North Yorkshire PFCC will be held on November 25.