Councillors have raised concerns over plans to cut the number of fire engines at Harrogate fire station.
North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, has suggested operating just one fire engine at night as opposed to the current two.
Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee discussed the proposals, which were unveiled as part of a consultation into changes at the fire service.
The station would continue to be resourced with two fire engines during the day but it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am, when fewer incidents usually occur.
The move would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county, and a self-rostering staffing system introduced.
Cllr Robert Windass, who spoke at the constituency committee this morning.
Cllr Robert Windass, who is a former fire fighter, said he welcomed the removal of the tactical response unit which he described as a “total waste of time”.
However, he raised concern over the reduction of crews on a night.
He said:
“My worry is at night time. Night time is when most people die in house fires.
“To have one crew going out, there will be another machine coming from another station. But say it was down at the bottom of Woodfield, the next nearest response vehicle is either going to come from Ripon or from Knaresborough.
“Both of them are part-time, what they call “on-call stations”, where they will get a bleeper going off at home and they would have to go down the fire station before that machine turns a wheel.
“So it’s going to take them quite a few minutes to get to the fire. That concerns me.”
Read More:
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
- Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighter
- Fire Brigades Union ‘seriously concerned’ over cuts to Harrogate service
The committee agreed to invite Ms Metcalfe and the chief fire officer to the next meeting to be quizzed by councillors.
Cllr Chris Aldred said the committee had to get it right before it responds to the consultation.
He said:
“It is so important, as Robert has just stated, that we have a second crew.
“Fires may statistically may not happen that often at night, but as Robert has just said, the ones that do lead to deaths.”
The changes are part of Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service will deploy its people, equipment and resources.
Fire officials told a meeting last month that the proposals would help to save £1.5 million a year from 2025.
Jonathan Foster, interim chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said that the proposals were about investing in “protection and prevention”.
He said:
Fire Brigades Union ‘seriously concerned’ over cuts to Harrogate service“I stress this very much so, this is about reinvestment back into the on-call duty system to improve overall availability and then also to reinvest in protection and prevention activities so that we can protect the people of North Yorkshire and City of York in a much more effective manner.”
The North Yorkshire branch of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it’s seriously concerned over proposed cuts to the service in Harrogate and warned public safety will be put at greater risk.
The warning from the FBU comes after the proposals were made public by Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, last month and include halving Harrogate fire station’s overnight capacity.
The station, on Skipton Road, currently operates two fire engines 24 hours a day. But under new plans, it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am when fewer incidents usually occur.
Ms Metcalfe said at the time that she was confident “the right people, right equipment and the right support would continue to be available to everyone”.
Read More:
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
- Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighter
A public consultation was launched last month to gather the community’s views on the proposals.
The union is urging firefighters and the public to have their say, and make their concerns heard over the impact the plans will have on emergency fire cover across the region.
North Yorkshire FBU Brigade Secretary Steve Howley said:
Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighter“Firefighters urge that the public reject these proposals and call on people to visit the PFCC’s website to strongly oppose all cuts to emergency response. The PFCC needs to fight for the correct funding from government, not simply mask underfunding by slashing services and providing the public of North Yorkshire with a second-rate emergency response service that will put lives at risk.”
“North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been promising these IRMP proposals for the past two years, and time after time we have been given delays and excuses. For a chief fire officer to table cuts of this magnitude to emergency fire response in York, Harrogate and Scarborough just weeks before retiring is quite frankly appalling.
“We need Zoe Metcalfe to stand up for her communities and reject these proposals rather than put their safety at risk.”
A former firefighter and now councillor has hit out at proposals to cut the number of night-time fire engines in Harrogate to just one.
Independent councillor Sid Hawke, who worked as a retained firefighter for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in Ripon, said the plans would “put money before lives”.
Harrogate fire station currently has two fire engines operating 24 hours a day, but this could be reduced to just one at night under the proposals out to consultation.
Last night both appliances were summoned to fires in commercial bins in Harrogate town centre — this will not be possible if the proposals go ahead.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe is asking residents for their views on the plans as part of county-wide proposals, which she said would save over £1.5 million a year – yet she insisted they are not cost-cutting measures.
Cllr Hawke, an Independent member of Harrogate Borough Council and newly-elected mayor of Ripon, said:
“You can’t put money before lives.
“It’s a big town is Harrogate. If there were two shouts at one go, what would the fire station do?
“They could call in support, but that would be from Boroughbridge, Thirsk or anywhere, and somebody could lose their life in that time.”
Read more:
- Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
Cllr Hawke left the fire service around 10 years ago and said it does not receive the financial support it needs to respond to emergencies quickly. He has called on Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative, to scrap the proposals and instead increase the number of fire engines and staff.
Cllr Hawke said:
“I don’t care how much could be saved – there is money in budgets elsewhere to be dug into without putting lives at risk.
“I think we need more firefighters – I really do.”
Fire service ‘has changed’
The proposals are detailed within a document which sets out how the fire service will deploy staff and equipment over the next three years.
The Risk and Resource Model has been drawn up based on “extensive risk assessments” looking at the likelihood and severity of emergencies including fires, road traffic collisions and water related incidents.
The document is out to consultation until August 14 and Ms Metcalfe said it reflected a changing role for the fire service.
Ms Metcalfe, who is also a Harrogate borough councillor, said there is higher demand for services during daytime hours in Harrogate and that fire-related incidents now make up a small proportion of what the fire service does.
She said:
Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service“The role of a fire and rescue service has changed and continues to change, with only 26% of our incidents last year relating to a fire emergency.
“We want to ensure we are addressing our current and future challenges and that we have the capacity to prevent and protect to stop incidents happening in the first place and prevent harm before it can take place, while also having the capacity to respond to emergencies when they do take place.
“We are confident these proposals would do that.”
Five Harrogate firefighters could lose their jobs under plans to halve the number of fire engines operating in the town overnight,
The Stray Ferret revealed yesterday proposals for the station on Skipton Road to operate just one fire engine at night, as opposed to the current two.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has suggested the move as part of a three-month consultation on proposed changes to fire and rescue services.
The station would continue to be resourced for two fire engines during the day but it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am, when fewer incidents usually occur.
The move would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county, and a self-rostering staffing system introduced.
At a commissioner public accountability meeting today, Jonathan Foster, interim chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said the reduction in posts would come from either retirements or redeployments.
He said:
“We would look towards the retirement profile, we would look towards redeployment opportunities and we would look also towards the growth opportunities in prevention and protection areas.
“I must also say that this is a progressive approach. There are some really good opportunities for our firefighters to advance into other areas if they chose to. If not, that is fine.
“There are a range of different alternatives there which will help and we will work very closely with representatives bodies to manage this process in the best way that we can.”
Read more:
- Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
- Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night
Mr Foster added that the changes were justified as the service’s modelling showed peak times were between 9am and 10pm.
The changes are part of Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service will deploy its people, equipment and resources.
Fire officials told today’s meeting that the proposals would help to save £1.5 million a year from 2025.
Mr Foster said:
“I stress this very much so, this is about reinvestment back into the on-call duty system to improve overall availability and then also to reinvest in protection and prevention activities so that we can protect the people of North Yorkshire and City of York in a much more effective manner.”
Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night
Harrogate fire station’s overnight capacity looks set to be halved under new proposals.
The station, on Skipton Road, currently operates two fire engines 24 hours a day. But under plans put forward today, it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am when fewer incidents usually occur.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has suggested the move as part of a three-month consultation on proposed changes to fire and rescue services, which she launched today.
Ms Metcalfe wants to get rid of the station’s tactical response vehicle and have two emergency appliances instead. But only one emergency appliance would operate at non-peak hours overnight.
If approved, the move could result in some Harrogate firefighters facing redeployment elsewhere in the county.
Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
Ms Metcalfe’s new Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service would deploy its people, equipment and resource, comes against a worrying financial backdrop.
‘Struggling to buy the basics’
Three months ago the Fire Brigades Union warned North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was “struggling to buy the basics” and in need of a £25 million loan.
Ms Metcalfe, who will discuss her proposals at her monthly public accountability meeting tomorrow, said in a statement:
“The role of a fire and rescue service has changed and continues to change, with only 26% of our incidents last year relating to a fire emergency.
“We want to ensure we are addressing our current and future challenges and that we have the capacity to prevent and protect to stop incidents happening in the first place and prevent harm before it can take place, while also having the capacity to respond to emergencies when they do take place. We are confident these proposals would do that.
“Inevitably, there are some areas where the setup of the service would change but I’m confident the right people, right equipment and the right support would continue to be available to everyone.”
The proposed change in Harrogate.
Ms Metcalfe’s office said in a statement today that there was a higher demand for services during daytime hours than at night, and the proposed change in Harrogate would offer “increased ability to respond during daytime hours, as well as boost resilience more widely”.
Read more:
- Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
- Jennyfields has Harrogate’s noisiest neighbours
However, it declined to answer questions from the Stray Ferret about how many firefighters faced redeployment, saying Ms Metcalfe would address questions in tomorrow’s meeting.
Ms Metcalfe will hold 12 events in North Yorkshire to discuss the proposals, including one in Harrogate, as well as running an online questionnaire.
Chief fire officer Jon Foster said:
“The risk and resource model would support the transformation of our fire and rescue service and enable a greater focus on prevention that is underlined by our assessment of community risk. It would also facilitate increased investment in our on-call service.”
The Stray Ferret has approached the Fire Brigades Union for comment.
Gay man says Harrogate police take women victims of stalking more seriouslyA man who was stalked and harassed by his former partner has accused police of failing to take the case seriously because he was a gay man.
Jack* and his partner of five years, Paul*, who both live in Harrogate, broke up in early 2021.
Although the split was instigated by his partner, and was initially amicable, Jack said Paul soon began to turn up at his house and at places he would usually visit.
Jack said:
“Though there was no physical altercation, he often targeted my home. He tried to gain entry and would often appear in the garden – on one occasion my dog was nearly killed.
“He’d shout at people visiting my home from his car, monitor my friends and families activities. He used to set up dating profiles attempting to send abuse. There were occasions where he used my credit card details for online purchases, turned up at my place of work, approach me in restaurants…
“There were numerous situations like that over the course of five months. He started locating me and rev his car next to me if I was out walking.
“It meant I couldn’t operate a normal life without some kind of obstruction and feeling very unsafe and frightened.”
Eventually, after realising how much Paul’s actions were affecting his social and work life, Jack decided to contact the police last June.
He was initially uncertain whether the situation was something the police would deal with, but was reassured by the call handler.
“Immediately, they said it was stalking and harassment. They said they would send someone out, and he called later that day to organise a visit. He came to take a statement within a couple of days.
“He repeated to me that it was serious and said my ex would be brought in and arrested and they would impose bail conditions to keep him away from me.”
Relieved
Jack said he felt relieved he was being taken seriously and waited to receive an update from the officer.
However, he never received a call.
“A month went by and nothing had happened. I tried to get in contact and had no response.
“Another month went by of the same thing. I heard there was a warrant out for his arrest, but after that a lot of time went by with nothing, no arrest, no feedback.”
Meanwhile, Paul’s behaviour continued to make Jack feel uncomfortable. Jack reported further instances of stalking and harassment, but never heard anything back.
He received a call from a specialist police officer who advised getting new locks, increasing home security and changing his routine. While Jack appreciated the advice, it also served as a reminder that he could be in danger.
Jack was advised by specialist police to change his locks and increase his home security
By mid-September, Jack said he felt frustrated that he had still heard nothing and submitted a complaint to the police by email. It took six weeks for them to respond.
The answer from an inspector in early November was that the PC assigned to his case was inexperienced, and had been given advice about his work.
Paul had now been interviewed, he said, and a file would be submitted to the CPS for advice about charging him.
In an email seen by the Stray Ferret, the inspector added:
“I am sorry that you didn’t receive the service you expected, but this was purely down to [the officer’s] relative inexperience, managing competing pressures of his workload and his thought process in not thinking it appropriate to ring [Paul] or visit his work premises.”
Yet more time passed with no information from the police. Jack emailed again asking for updates, and for a copy of his original statement, but received no response.
Read more:
- Police search of Harrogate’s Pinewoods found nobody with a weapon
- Harrogate district people asked for views on police 101 and 999 calls
He heard no further until February this year, when IDAS – the domestic abuse charity which he had been put in touch with by police after he first called them – told him the case had been dropped five weeks earlier.
The reason was nothing to do with evidence or proof. Rather, Jack said, it was because the officer dealing with the case had only passed the file to the CPS a week before charges had to be made or the case had to be dropped.
Effectively, there was not enough time for the CPS to process it before the six-month deadline for dealing with the case had passed.
While he accepts there is nothing he can do in his case, Jack said he hopes raising the issue publicly will help other victims who might face similar problems.
He believes complaints of stalking and harassment are taken more seriously when made by women about men, but said that shouldn’t be the case.
Jack said:
“I have spoken to women in Harrogate who have been in the same situation and that’s not what happened for them. I have no doubt, if I had been a woman, it would have been very different.
“It’s not about being homophobic. But when it’s a man complaining about a man, it’s treated differently.”
Jack has now taken his complaint to the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe. He is awaiting a response from her.
He said:
“If I had read a story about this situation six or eight months ago, I would have done something sooner. I would have known it was not normal procedure – a lot of people would just assume you can’t complain [about the police] and what they say goes, but it’s not always the case.”
Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire Police, but we were told they could not respond while the case was being investigated by the PFCC.
The PFCC’s office said it could not comment on an individual case because of data protection. A spokesperson declined to comment on the issue of whether gender or sexuality could play a part in officers’ handling of cases, but added:
“If somebody is not happy with anything that the police do, they should contact our office and make a complaint and we will investigate it.
“Let us know about it, because people should be happy. We don’t like it when people are unhappy with the service that’s provided by the police.”
*names changed to protect identities
Harrogate district people asked for views on police 101 and 999 callsHarrogate 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.”
Read more:
- Police commissioner: 101 line deluged by ‘neighbours complaining about each other’
- Commissioner Candidates questioned: the 101 call system ‘not fit for purpose’
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.
Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner looks set to sell Masham Police House as a community asset.
Known locally as “the old police house”, the building was initially used to house the local police constable.
However, since 2003 it has been leased to Mashamshire Community Office, a charity that provides community services, such as tourist information, the community library and arts and crafts.
Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has revealed the plans as part of a move to relocate police to Masham Fire Station.
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.”
Read more:
Mashamshire Community Office will now have the opportunity to raise funds to purchase the police house prior to the building being put up for sale.
The commissioner expects to sell the property next year.
Paul Theakston, chair of trustees at Mashamshire Community Office, said:
Jonathan Dyson set to be North Yorkshire’s new chief fire officer“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 twenty 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.”
North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has selected her preferred candidate to be the county’s chief fire officer.
Zoe Metcalfe has chosen Jonathan Dyson for the role. Mr Dyson is currently the interim deputy chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Jon Foster, who is the current interim chief fire officer, will retire from the service after 38 years.
Mr Dyson started his career in South Yorkshire, where he held roles as head of training and head of service delivery.
He joined the North Yorkshire service in 2020 as director of assurance, leading and delivering organisational change, and was appointed interim deputy chief fire officer last year.
Read more:
Mr Dyson will be recommended to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel for appointment.
Ms Metcalfe said:
“I’m delighted to choose Jonathan Dyson as my preferred candidate for the role of chief fire officer, who I believe will be excellent at leading the service into the future and continue to keep people safe and feeling safe in North Yorkshire and York.
“Having worked within our service for the past two years, and most recently as interim deputy chief fire officer, Jonathan is someone who knows our community, has the respect of his colleagues, and is committed to creating an even stronger and more sustainable service.
“I look forward to Jonathan’s suitability being approved at the upcoming Police, Fire and Crime Panel’s confirmation hearing later this month, and from there working with him to deliver a modern, inclusive, responsive, and respected organisation that protects people and property, and saves lives.”
Mr Dyson said:
Police took child protection report ‘personally’, says deputy chief constable“I feel truly honoured to be the preferred candidate for the role of chief fire officer and privileged to continue serving the public of North Yorkshire and York. I will build on the outstanding contribution Jon Foster has made on behalf of the Service, and I wish him the very best on his next venture.
“I want to ensure North Yorkshire remains one of the safest places in the country to live, work, or visit. My desire is to continue building an inclusive, sustainable organisation by transforming our service delivery. A key priority is to develop our partnerships, ensuring our staff, volunteers and partners feel valued and able to be their very best for our communities.”
North Yorkshire Police’s deputy chief constable has said officers took personally a critical report into the force’s investigation of child protection cases.
Last week, a report 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”.
Mabs Hussain, deputy chief constable of the force, told a Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner public accountability meeting today that police fully accepted the findings and were keen to improve.
When asked by commissioner Zoe Metcalfe how the criticism in the report impacted on officers, Mr Hussain said:
“Firstly, there was a clear disappointment across the organisation when we received the report. Not because HMIC said what they said about us as a force, but because they have highlighted areas for improvement and flagged areas of concern.
“Nobody who comes to work for North Yorkshire Police comes to work to do a bad job. We have got loads of great people in the organisation.
“We take it personally the fact that we may be letting children down. It’s always quite emotional to our staff and I think it is fair to say when the report first landed there was a huge amount of disappointment that we let children down.”
Mr Hussain added that senior leaders and frontline officers “wanted to know what they could do to make things better”.
Read more:
- North Yorkshire Police ‘not effectively safeguarding children’, say inspectors
- North Yorkshire’s chief constable apologises for child protection failings
- North Yorkshire Police pledges to improve dire freedom of information response
Meanwhile, Ms Metcalfe said she had been assured that issues identified in the report are being addressed.
She told the meeting:
“It is important to note that the report does say that there is evidence that improvements were underway in November 2021 when the inspection took place and I have been assured by the chief constable that these are being continued at pace and that many of the issues identified are being addressed.”
Lisa Winward, chief constable at the police, reiterated her apology to those that felt let down by the findings in the report.
Critical report
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.”
HMIC made a number of recommendations to the force, which included:
- speaking to children, recording their behaviour and demeanour, listening to their concerns and views, and using that information to make decisions about their welfare;
- supervising investigations to make sure the force pursues opportunities and avoids delaying cases unnecessarily; and
- promptly sharing information with safeguarding partners.