Labour's David Skaith says that police numbers have been cut since 2010 and it would "take time to build up again".

Kevin Foster, for the Green Party, says: "I hear from the public, 'we don't see the police'."

He highlights the need to tackle tourism crime and bike thefts, as well as burglaries.

Paul Haslam, an Independent, says with the police numbers North Yorkshire has, "prevention and neighbourhood policing" is key.

Richard Edwards
BBC Political Reporter, North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is regularly described as one of the safest places to live in the country – and this is backed up by the statistics.

Image source, Rui Vieira/PA Wire

In 2023, North Yorkshire had 60 recorded crimes per 1,000 people – the national average was 93.6 – while neighbouring Cleveland Police, a much smaller force area, had 147 per 1,000 people.

Despite this, North Yorkshire Police faces significant challenges.

County Lines drugs gangs – based in large towns or cities but operating in smaller towns or rural areas – remain a priority for the force.

In 2019, Harrogate was named an “area of concern” by the National Crime Agency because of problems with the gangs.

Elsewhere, rural crime is a huge problem – either gangs stealing valuable farming equipment, or those involved in wildlife crime like hare coursing, which was banned in 2004.

York shop owner Jordan Thomson is worried about crime after his business in York was burgled three times in a fortnight earlier this year.

He says: “It's a great place to work but unfortunately we've been burgled three times in a fortnight. Everyone's on edge, everyone's a little bit panicked by everything.”

The Labour candidate, David Skaith, says buses and trains should be integrated to allow people to get around more easily.

He adds that North Yorkshire should join up with South and West Yorkshire to improve connections for those travelling out of the area.

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

Paul Haslam, an Independent candidate, says the A64 is a "key artery" and his instinct is to dual it.

However, he agreeds better public transport is also needed.

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

Conservative candidate Keane Duncan says he strongly supports dualling the A64 as it is "holding us back" and the region needs to upgrade its roads.

He says it will cost at least £300m to upgrade, but he "will make that investment".

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

Kevin Foster, the Green Party candidate, says with more traffic on the A64 through dualling means "chokepoints" will be created elsewhere.

He champions better public transport to solve the issue.

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

On the issue of the A64, Labour candidate David Skaith says an integrated public transport system would reduce congestion on the highway.

He says it isn't necessarily about cars, it is "how we move people around".

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

Meanwhile, Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, the Lib Dem candidate, adds she thinks it is "counter-intuitive to be building roads in a climate crisis, but this is one of the projects I would support".

She says: "Congestion creates emissions and also holds back growth and development, if we have flowing and non-standing traffic, buses will flow better and people will use the bus and help economic growth."

The first topic the candidates are asked by the audience is about the A64 and whether they have plans to upgrade the roads.

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

Keith Tordoff, an Independent candidate, says: "I don't want more roads being built as I want to look at more viable forms of transport being built."

He adds that being the owner of a sweet shop, he is aware of how small businesses can be affected.

"The A64 is an exception, we need to look at what roads need work on and be widened," he added.

Richard Edwards
BBC Political Reporter, North Yorkshire

Public transport – and especially York and North Yorkshire’s bus routes – will be at the top of the new mayor’s in-tray.

Image source, J Thomas/Geograph

There will be a huge conversation about whether the new mayor uses their power to bring buses back under public control with the bus firms bidding to the mayor’s office to run routes.

But that is a long process, and before it begins people living in areas – mostly rural communities – where there are few, if any, buses, will be looking to the mayor for answers.

The bus shortage is hitting the local economy. Employers and potential employees are both saying they can’t find staff – or take a job – because there is no public transport to get them to work.

Finding a solution to that problem is an essential part of the mayor’s job to grow the local economy, bringing in more secure, better paid jobs.

There is also the seemingly never-ending problem of the A64 – and whether a stretch of it into and out of York will ever become dual carriageway.

The mayor’s budget won’t come anywhere near to paying for it, so they’ll need to use the role to put even more pressure on ministers and civil servants to dip deeply into the public purse.

Clara Challoner Walker runs the Cosy Cottage Soap in Malton.

She says she's worried about how the region's roads affect small business, particularly the A64.

"I'd like to ask the candidates whether they have plans to upgrade the roads on which we rely so significantly?"

James Vincent
Political Editor, BBC Yorkshire

Things are about to get under way here at Selby Town Hall...

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

This is the first of the BBC's three mayoral debates in Yorkshire – and North Yorkshire gets to kick us off because they’ve never elected a mayor before.

The person who gets the job with be in charge of spending £18m a year – the idea of having one is that more decisions are made up here – rather than by the government in London.

We’ll be in West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire later in the month – but they’ve got experience of having a mayor before - so today will be fascinating to see what the first-timers think.

All our questions for the six candidates come from the audience...

Richard Edwards
BBC Political Reporter, North Yorkshire

Image source, Josh Cook/BBC

A few nerves among the six candidates as they get their 30-second warning before we’re live on air.

Six candidates are to stand in the election for York and North Yorkshire's first elected mayor, with voters going to the polls on Thursday 2 May.

Image source, Phil Coomes/BBC

The candidates are:

• Felicity Cunliffe-Lister - Liberal Democrats
• Keane Duncan - The Conservative Party
• Kevin Foster- The Green Party
• Paul Haslam – Independent
• David Skaith - Labour and Co-operative Party
• Keith Tordoff - Independent

Richard Edwards
BBC Political Reporter, North Yorkshire

This mayoral election - York and North Yorkshire’s first - will bring the biggest change to the region’s local government in 50 years.

Image source, Jeff Overs/BBC

From 3 May, one politician will have been elected to represent a huge area – stretching 116 miles from the Lancashire border to the North Yorkshire coast – given a 30-year budget of more than half-a-billion pounds, and significant powers.

In reality, it is change that’s been under way for some time.

In April 2023, one huge North Yorkshire Council took on all major local services – and the seven district and borough councils went into the history books.

The scrapping of the smaller councils – and the mayoral election – was one of the government’s main conditions before it agreed to devolve money and power to the North from Westminster.

Critics of the devolution deal say £18m a year over 30 years is – in government spending terms – small change. Supporters say it is a start – and some eyes are already looking towards “devo 2” or even “devo 3".

Before the new mayor can think about more devolution, they will need to get to grips with the role – its responsibilities – and show they can demonstrate change in a four-year term that will go by in a flash.

The newly elected York and North Yorkshire mayor will be given powers by central government to make decisions locally on issues including:

• Public transport
• Improving supply and quality of housing
• Securing land development
• Adult education

They will also take responsibility for community safety, and will be able to appoint a deputy mayor who will carry out many duties currently held by the North Yorkshire police, fire and crime commissioner.

The mayoral combined authority does not replace the existing councils, which will continue to deliver services to residents.

The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority launched on 1 February after a devolution deal was agreed in 2022 between City of York Council, the ex-North Yorkshire County Council and the government.

Image source, Getty Images

The deal will see more than £750m in funding devolved to the combined authority from central government over 30 years.

At the head of the combined authority will be an elected mayor - just like those in West and South Yorkshire, Manchester, Liverpool and Teesside.

The mayor will act as a figurehead for York and North Yorkshire, lobbying the government for support on regional issues.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of BBC Yorkshire’s first live mayoral debate.

This morning we’ll be hearing from all the candidates who are hoping to become North Yorkshire’s first ever elected mayor.

We’ll bring you all the latest live updates and analysis right here as it happens.

And, of course, you can also hear the debate live on BBCRadio York.

The debate itself begins at about 11:15 BST.