NORTH Yorkshire Police is to move into a new home in Pateley Bridge providing a modern base for the local policing team and saving money that can be reinvested in keeping the community safe and feeling safe.

From Monday February 22, the existing police station on King Street will close and officers will co-locate with Harrogate Borough Council in their offices just across the road. There will be no change to the front counter service which is based separately at the Nidderdale Plus office located centrally in the town.

The decision to move the base and put the current police station up for sale, made in consultation with the Chief Constable, is part of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan's commitment to deliver value for money for taxpayers.

Julia Mulligan said she is committed to working with other public and third sector services to reduce costs and sell underused buildings with proceeds invested in frontline, visible policing. The principle of co-location has already been successfully implemented, including in Ripon, Thirsk, Selby, Bedale and Masham.

Pateley Bridge police station is a large building that is expensive to run at a time when new mobile technology means officers and staff do not need to spend as much time at a desk. The move is ultimately expected to save £19,000 per year.

Julia Mulligan said: “By co-locating North Yorkshire Police with Harrogate Borough Council in Pateley Bridge we will achieve value for money for the taxpayer with no change to the access available for Nidderdale residents to our policing teams in the area.

 “Selling the police station will also reduce the amount we have to spend on upkeep of an large and underused property and the proceeds will be reinvested in frontline, visible policing which I know is the priority of most people in and around Pateley Bridge and across North Yorkshire.”