A NEW partnership arrangement will give people easier access to the police.

The police and Kirkbymoorside and District Community Office have joined forces to provide a police inquiry counter service for people in the area.

The police office in Kirkbymoorside closed more than a year ago.

Local officers set up a station on the first floor of the community office in Crown Square.

Ryedale district commander Inspector Neil Burnett said: "People took pot-luck on the officers being in the station at Kirkbymoorside because, obviously, our priority is to have officers on patrol.

"People would have to go to Pickering or Malton for their nearest manned police station."

But now the police, in exchange for a financial contribution to the trust that runs the community office, have trained staff to provide a police inquiry counter service.

People will be able to speak to the duty staff member at the community office, who will either deal directly with the inquiry, or arrange for it to be dealt with by a police officer.

As the training progresses, visitors will be able to produce driving documents, report crimes and hand in lost property to staff.