WORKING with neighbouring police forces is essential, but choosing poorly would be "catastrophic", the Police and Crime Commissioner has said.

Responding to a speech by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper this week, in which the Labour minister promised to keep communities safe and strong, with plans which included the dismantling of the PCC structure, Julia Mulligan, PCC for North Yorkshire, said work is already being done to improve community safety.

Mrs Mulligan said: "We need to look at partners most appropriate for us to work with. We absolutely have to look at how partners in the local area can work more closely together, and we need to get better at working with councils and local authorities and not just look at working with police forces.

"More can be done and more needs to be done but I think the most crucial thing for North Yorkshire and York is not to be forced into a merger that would be wrong for our area. If we were to merge with West Yorkshire it would be catastrophic for North Yorkshire. We would end up subsidising crime in West Yorkshire and resources would end up working more often there."

Under the PCC, North Yorkshire Police has already established an anti-social behaviour hub with City of York Council, to help the organisations work together to tackle the problem in the city, and Mrs Mulligan said closer work could be done with local authorities, including parish councils and volunteer groups.

One such project will include an upcoming community speed watch scheme, which would see volunteers trained to use speed monitoring devices at areas of concern in their villages or towns, which could be up and running by next year.