A statement from the local Party on the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections says,
Liberal Democrats have long supported the need for greater transparency and accountability within the police. We believe that policing should have the support of the entire community and be responsive to the communities’ priorities and concerns.
We do not believe that in North Yorkshire it is appropriate to make a single politician responsible for a service which currently has delivered the lowest crime rate in the country and which levies an average bill to local taxpayers of around £200 a year.
While we believe that the Police Authority membership could have been subject to refinement, we also believe that the PCC elections are an unnecessary diversion for a service that has been generally successful in promoting safe and secure neighbourhoods.