Selby police teams move to council base in money-saving move

It was announced today that operations at Selby police station will relocate to the Selby District Council civic centre site at Doncaster Road in a move expected to save £120,000 a year.

The council will lease 230 square metres of space at its civic centre for use by the 63 police officers and staff as part of a 30-year lease, meaning £3.6 million will be saved.

Bosses at North Yorkshire Police have been in discussion for months with Selby District Council about the possibility of occupying part of its building, as they say the current police station is “old, too large for requirements, in need of repair, and expensive to maintain”.

Some refit work on the premises is required, but North Yorkshire Police plans to move in towards the end of 2016. Eggborough and Sherburn police stations, which had been rumoured to be part of the relocation plan, will not be included in the move to the civic centre, and will continue in their current locations.

The move has been given the green light subject to some final details around car parking and planning permission.

It is the latest move by emergency services in the largely rural county to relocate its officers to more modern facilities which they will share with other organisations to save money.

It was revealed last month that police officers in Ripon are to move half a mile away to a new base at the heart of the city.

North Yorkshire Police will share the site at Stonebridgegate with the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, whose base nearby is being demolished. Like the base in Selby, the current Ripon police station is said to be too large, in need of repair and expensive to maintain.

Earlier this year, the force announced plans to move its headquarters to the former Rural Payments Agency offices, in Northallerton, nearly a year after a previous scheme was scrapped. The Alverton Court site will replace its current base at Newby Wiske Hall.

The decision came ten months after Mrs Mulligan announced that controversial plans for the force to build a Northern Base in the village of South Kilvington, near Thirsk, would not go ahead.

She said North Yorkshire Police would instead base some of its facilities and operational staff at neighbouring Cleveland Police’s planned Community Safety Hub at Hemlington, on the North Yorkshire border.

As a result of the latest relocation agreement, Selby police station will be put up for sale, with the proceeds used to cover the cost of relocation.

Mrs Mulligan said: “One question I get asked most often from members of the public is why different organisations can’t share facilities and save money.

“It is therefore very good news to be able to announce Selby police’s move to the district council building.

“This will save £120k per year and mean the police can work more closely with the council to keep people safe. Today’s announcement also quashes some rumours and confirms Eggborough and Sherburn stations are staying put.”

Chief constable Dave Jones said: “We have an Estates Strategy for North Yorkshire Police, which involves disposing of old and expensive properties over time, in favour of cost-effective buildings that fit the needs of a modern police service.”