Funding to remain for community safety work

A COUNCIL responsible for one of the country’s top areas for quality of life looks set to reaffirm its commitment to promoting community safety.

Leaders of the district council for Richmondshire, which was rated seventh in the 2018 Halifax Rural Quality of Life rankings following analysis of factors such as crime rates and education, said they intend to continue funding community safety initiatives despite the reserves it has previously used to fund them running out.

The authority’s deputy leader, Councillor Ian Threlfall, said the £29,000 from taxpayers for schemes ranging from counterterrorism to preventing the sale of high energy drinks to children represented “exceedingly good value for money”.

Coun Thelfall, who is chairman of the Safer Richmondshire Hub, said if the council did not dip into its budget it could no longer coordinate community safety initiatives.

He said: “We have a legal duty, but also a moral responsibility to maintain community safety for our residents.

“It is not a vast sum of money, but it is very important that we bring our partners, such as Citizens Advice, Trading Standards, the police and fire services, together.

“It gives an opportunity work through current issues.”

Coun Threlfall said the rise of threats such as credit card fraud meant all residents were potential beneficiaries of the authority’s community safety work.

Recent community safety initiatives include shop owners signing up to the Responsible Retailer scheme to agree to refuse the sale of energy drinks to under-16s. to