New North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to remain as councillor until May elections

Conservative Zoe Metcalfe was elected as the new North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner last month.

The new North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has announced she will remain in her other roles as county and borough councillor until the next election in May.

Conservative Zoe Metcalfe said she would not quit North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council in a move which would trigger a by-election, but would begin "standing down" from most of her responsibilities.

A spokesperson for her office said: “Commissioner Metcalfe intends to devote herself full time to the role of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

“She is standing down from - or, as far as possible, arranging substitutes for - her other roles and activities, including any committee and sub-committee responsibilities connected with her roles as an elected member of Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

“As she has already made clear, commissioner Metcalfe will be relinquishing her council seats at the next election in 2022 – avoiding the need for by-elections in the meantime."

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Commissioner Metcalfe is the third Conservative to take on the £74,000-salary role since it was created in 2012, and won with 41,760 of the first and second-preference votes in a by-election last month.