Conservative elected Councillors will   press the Labour Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner to  spend a greater share of the his  budget in policing  the Ribble Valley  reopen the Cltheroe Police station front office and provide greater protection for local residents. 

Ged Mirfin Ribble Valley representative on the Police and Crime Panel and Whalley Painterwood Conservative candidate commented ''Clive Grunshaw has increased the council tax payable to the police so that the average home (band D) in the Ribble Valley pays £150 for Borough Council services and £203 for the police. The council tax for 2019 -20 was increased by the Police Commissioner by the maximum. Households in Ribble Valley paid an extra £579,000 in council tax to the police very little of which we can see has benefited the Borough.”  

''The Police Commissioner has closed the front desks at Longridge and Clitheroe Police stations. Despite being the largest geographical authority in Lancashire there is no point of contact for the public to request help from  police.Resident's have to go to Accrington Blackburn or Preston for assistance. Police responding to crime  incidents in Ribble Valley come from Blackburn or Colne. The call out time is  too long and the officers too  far away to deal with problems in Clitheroe or Longridge.”

'' The Leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council, offered to help reopen the front desk at Clitheroe Police Station, proposing  among other things  to d move it to the Council offices. All proposals were discussed with the council deputy leader and were rejected by the Commissioner.”

''Ribble Valley has 2 representatives on the Police and Crime Commisioners Panel but no statutory role in policing .It is only through our  council representatives arguments that we can press for improvements and stem the retreat from rural policing being carried out  by this Commissioner.”

''The provision of Police and Crime Support Officers (PCSOs) is the responsibility of the Crime Commissioner not local authorities so do not be misled on this issue. PCSOs have very limited powers.  In order to assist policing in the Ribble Valley the Conservative controlled Borough has  supported and paid for PCSOs to improve the standard of policing for residents but it is not strictly a council responsibility which are many and diverse. ''