Mayor David Skaith has published his first police and crime plan since his election last year.
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire says he’s committed to making the region a safer place for each person who lives, works and visits the area.
The plan was published today (Monday), and created in consultation with the public. It outlines the strategic direction for the next four years.
The 2025 – 2029 plan identifies four key priorities:
• Focus on Prevention and Early Intervention
Tackling the root causes of crime in York and North Yorkshire through education, community programmes, and early intervention to prevent crime before it occurs and intervene early when it does.
• Protect the Public
Protecting the public of York and North Yorkshire and improving trust and confidence in policing by focusing on specific crime outcomes/themes that the public said were most important.
• Work with Partners
To enable a collaborative approach to identifying and protecting the most vulnerable people in York and North Yorkshire and to ensure all victims of crime receive appropriate care and support.
• Build Stronger Communities
Focusing on creating safer communities throughout York and North Yorkshire through proactive policing, partnerships with local organisations, and community engagement.
Commitment to the plans
These priorities align with Mayor Skaith’s commitment to tackling issues such as violence against women and girls, anti-social behaviour, retail crime, and rural crime.
For each priority, the plan sets out a range of objectives that will assess how the changes are being delivered.
Progress towards the delivery of the plans will then be reported, openly and transparently, through monthly live streamed Online Public Meetings and an Annual Report.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire said:
“Ensuring York and North Yorkshire is a safe place for everyone who lives, works and visits here is my highest priority. That’s why I’m pleased to introduce my first Police and Crime Plan, setting clear expectations for North Yorkshire Police over the next four years.
“I have already taken action to tackle the causes and impact of crime by committing to at least doubling prevention and early intervention commissioned services. This will support the long-term priority the Deputy Mayor and I share with the government, to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
“Community relationships in York and North Yorkshire will be strengthened via Community Safety Hubs giving the public a local, accessible, and visible policing presence. This will build trust, boost public safety and reduce any community tensions and conflict early and I welcome the recent investment from the government supporting their aims to bolster neighbourhood policing.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our region and these plans put in place the process to ensure York and North Yorkshire is a safe place for all.”
Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime said:
“I am extremely proud to have joined David and to be part of delivering this Police and Crime Plan for York and North Yorkshire.
“More than 1,600 people, partners and businesses shared their views with the Mayor and I on what our priorities should be for policing. They included young people concerned about the lack of facilities available for them, farmers impacted by rural crime, older people scared by levels of anti-social behaviour, shopworkers and businesses exhausted by the injustice of retail crime and women and girls for whom misogyny, abuse and sexual violence have become far too commonplace.
“The Mayor and I are determined to deliver the changes the public wants to see by harnessing the opportunities the new government is providing through devolution and by ensuring additional resources for neighbourhood policing are visible in our communities.
“We are determined to deliver safe places for everyone in our region, reducing violence against women and girls in York and North Yorkshire and doing much more to address the causes of crime by focusing on early intervention and prevention.
“We will do this by working closely and collaboratively with all our partners in everything we do.”
You can read the new plans online here.