No quick fix for police costs (From York Press)

No quick fix for police costs

11:00am Monday 29th October 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter

IT WAS interesting to read that Julia Mulligan, the Conservative candidate in the forthcoming Police and Crime Commissioner election, would close North Yorkshire Police’s Newby Wiske base to save the revenue cost of running the building.

However, this is not as easy as it would seem. Perhaps Julia can tell us:

• Who is going to buy the estate?

• How much it would cost the buyer to restore the listed building?

• Where would she build a replacement?

• Where would she find the capital to do so when Newby Wiske is only valued at £1.5m at the most?

• What will she do with the staff who work there?

• What are the timescales for her plan?

This is no quick fix and its wrong to lead people to believe that the revenue cost of running the building can be saved overnight.

Ruth Potter Labour Candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner, Chaucer Street, York.