PLANS for the Police and Crime Commissioner to take control of the Fire Authority in North Yorkshire have suffered a blow, after the county council formally announced it would not support Julia Mulligan’s preferred option.

Following legislation, PCCs can take over local Fire Authorities where the public and local authorities agree and support the idea.

Julia Mulligan said she wanted to adopt a new model which would allow her to oversee both North Yorkshire Police and the Fire and Rescue Service, in a move she claimed would save £6.6m over the next decade.

However, North Yorkshire County Council’s Executive has now said it would not support the proposal, and has recommended the representation model, which will see Mrs Mulligan become the 17th member of the fire authority.

Leader of NYCC Councillor Carl Les said he wanted to see a more gradual approach to changes and collaboration between the fire authority and the PCC.

He said: “The reason we support the representation model is that is it a stepped approach. ”

Mrs Mulligan said her proposals “were designed to try and speed up the pace and scale of change”, so it was very disappointing that the council had preferred an alternative option. She said: “I think the county council should have waited to hear the response of the public and the workforce. I’d like to reassure the public today that I will listen to what they have to say and I will take their views very seriously and any future decisions I make on this business case will take their views into consideration, unlike the county council.”

Consultation on the proposals is open until September 22. A video and more information is available at telljulia.co.uk