There are 17 members of the Authority, comprising 3 Magistrates, 5 Independent members, 2 City of York Councillors and 7 North Yorkshire County Councillors.
It is served by a small Support Unit comprising 4 staff (including the Clerk to the Authority). This Unit is currently based at County Hall, Northallerton and is supplied to the Authority under contract from North Yorkshire County Council.
The Authority currently meets together 4 times per year to transact business. Its meetings are open to the public and almost all of its business is dealt with in public session. The only exception to this is if the Authority decides to exclude the public from an item of business in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act. This, however is used only rarely; the Authority is keen to demonstrate that its decision making process is as transparent as possible to the people it serves. To enable people, regardless of where they live, a chance to see it in action, the Authority holds its meetings at different locations throughout the area and tries to visit each district at regular intervals.
The Authority could, if it wished, exercise all of its powers and duties at its full Authority meetings. It is allowed by law, however, to delegate some or all those powers to Committees or to Officers to act on its behalf. NYPA has
The way in which the Authority carries out its functions is regulated by the Authority's Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
The Authority's members are entitled to allowances for the work they carry out.
The Authority has also adopted a Code of Conduct setting out standards for the way in which they carry out their duties.
'Job description' for Police Authority members