North Yorkshire Council
Skipton and Ripon Area Committee
Officers present: Timothy Johns, Senior Policy Officer; Fiona Protheroe, Climate Emergency Officer; Jon Holden, Head of Strategic Planning (CYPS); Louise Wilson, Head of School Improvement and Interim Assistant Director for Education and Skills; Julie Bunn, Interim Head of Alternative Provision and Virtual School Head; and David Smith, Senior Democratic Services Officer.
In attendance: Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP; David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire; James Farrar, Chief Executive of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority; Councillor Carl Les OBE.
|
Copies of all documents considered are in the Minute Book
|
|
166 |
Apologies for absence
An apology for absence was received from Councillor Simon Myers.
|
|
167 |
Minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2024
The minutes of the meeting of the Skipton and Ripon Area Committee held on 12 December 2024 were considered.
Resolved
a) That the Minutes of the meeting of the Skipton and Ripon Area Committee held on 12 December 2024 be taken as read and confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
|
|
168 |
Declarations of interest
There were none.
|
|
169 |
Update from Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP
The Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP provided an update on the work that is currently being undertaken. This included information on school transport, the new fire station in Ripon, the withdrawal of the Ripon Cathedral planning application, the changes to inheritance tax for farms, the increase in national insurance paid by employers, the requirement for an increase in SEND provision, the upcoming Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, legislation to improve the education of children, discussions regarding flooding, the Sandylands extension and the approved ‘Studley Revealed’ improvements.
Members raised the following points during the discussion. · The closure of businesses in rural villages such as Grassington Post Office and Arla in Settle. Sir Julian confirmed that he was working to understand why the decisions to close have been made. · The cost of heating oil where properties have no gas heating and vehicle fuel is higher than in other areas. Sir Julian confirmed that he would continue to lobby for those affected by this. · Home to school transport and the impact that the new policy has on catchment schools. Sir Julian confirmed that he has had discussions with concerned parents and discussed the importance of having reliable data for the time of the policy review with Members. The use of taxis to transport children to school was also discussed. · The level of litter and the condition of towpaths within the area. Sir Julian confirmed that he would be happy to raise concerns with the Canal and River Trust but raised that canals have limited funding. · Concerns regarding limited smart meter connectivity. Sir Julian informed Members that he would raise this and provide a response in writing. · Concerns regarding mobile phone signals in rural North Yorkshire. Sir Julian informed Members that some companies are investigating the use of satellite signals and highlighted that they may wish to use areas within Skipton and Ripon as a trial. · Concerns that information received into RAF Menwith Hill may not be shared with the allies of the United Kingdom.
Resolved
a) That the update is noted.
|
|
170 |
Annual update from David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and James Farrar, Chief Executive of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, provided Members with an update on the work of the Combined Authority. The update included context to the establishment of the Combined Authority, the roles and aims of the Combined Authority as well as the below information.
· Following the previous item, Mayor Skaith informed Members that the Combined Authority are also looking at phone connectivity across York and North Yorkshire. · Members were made aware that Mayor Skaith and the Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP were meeting with other stakeholders to discuss the closure for the Arla site in Settle. · Mayor Skaith thanked Sir Julian for his support of the FEAST project in North Yorkshire. · The significance of collaboration between the Area Committee and the Combined Authority was emphasised. · Details on the initial devolution deal funding were provided. The Skipton and Ripon area benefitted from improvements to EV charging infrastructure, Ripon Connectivity and the Skipton Wyvern Link Road. · Great Place Funding will allow every town to develop a plan using information provided by the community. · A pipeline of projects is being produced to prepare for when funding becomes available. · Information was provided on the funding that is available to develop housing on brownfield sites. · Net zero projects have received significant funding and there is an aim for the region to reach net zero by 2034. · Details on the opportunities that have been secured since the establishment of the Combined Authority were provided. This included funding for energy infrastructure, natural capital and adult skills. · Information on the Mayoral Investment Fund was provided. This included the Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund, the Carbon Negative Challenge Fund, the Skills Innovation Fund, and the Business Innovation Fund. · Information on the engagement that the region gets with national government was provided. · The importance of working with neighbouring Mayors was highlighted. · The Combined Authority is in the process of commissioning a strategic review of transport. · The Strategic Place Partnership with Homes England has been launched. · A full review of the future of farming has been commissioned. · The case for an AI growth zone is being put together. · The Police and Fire & Rescue Plans will be available soon and work is being done to make sure that the services are developed to meet future demand. · The Combined Authority is looking at how it can improve the situation with housing.
Following the update, Mayor Skaith answered several questions from Members. These related to the following topics.
· Accelerating economic growth. · Working with neighbouring Combined Authorities. · Development of connected integrated transport. · Support that is available for small businesses. · A tourism levy for North Yorkshire. · The development of Town Plans and how the Area Committee can be involved with those. · Support to the farming industry. · The development of affordable housing. · Road safety and fixed speed cameras. · Increasing funding that the Mayor can offer. · Adult skills and access to colleges.
Resolved
a) That the update is noted.
|
|
171 |
Public participation
Simon Peach, Chair of Governors at Settle College said the following.
“I am here to represent Settle College as the Chair of Governors and I am asking this question because we are wrestling with out midterm financial planning and needing to understand the impact of changes to school transport. I apologise for bringing it to you – I wrote to Officers in December, but I haven’t had a reply.
We have been told that there will be a review of the new Home to School Transport Policy in 2026 and it is important for schools in the Ripon and Skipton area to understand how that review will be conducted,
We were also told at the Executive meeting on July 16 2024 that “...savings can only be realised if the expected reduction in the number of eligible pupils translates to a reduction in the sizes or number of vehicles …”
We have the following question regarding the 2026 review; will the review: · be based on actual, reduced contract costs due to specific changes in the size or number of vehicles and not simply a theoretical saving based on the number of newly ineligible pupils multiplied by a notional cost per pupil, · take into account the cost of additional vehicles made necessary by the new policy, lost income to North Yorkshire schools and additional costs incurred by families when reaching a balanced conclusion, and · be concluded in time to make changes to the Home to School Transport policy that will be in force for 2027 starters?”
The following response was read out on behalf of Officers.
“You correctly note that the Council has committed to undertaking a review of the implementation of the policy during the summer of 2026.
That review will consider a range of issues that are applicable to the Council’s provision of home to school travel including, but not limited to: · the extent to which savings have been achieved · the extent to which further savings are expected to be achieved during the course of the phased implementation of the policy · pupil cohort information relating to admissions and transport
Legislation requires that home to school travel policies are agreed by the end of July in any given year to be effective from September of that year. This is so that parents who are applying for a school place for their child for the subsequent academic year can make informed decisions about where to apply.
The review will take place at the end of the academic year 2025-2026 and the review findings are likely to be presented in the autumn term of 2026-27.”
Rachael Berry said the following.
“The purpose of me coming today was to outline the practicality of what is happening in Skipton due to the Home to School Transport Policy. You’ll be aware that the three secondary schools are on Gargrave Road. What that means in practice for my family, who lives West of Skipton within the catchment for Skipton Academy and the grammar schools, is that because of the policy, we can no longer expect transport to the grammar schools because the nearest school is Skipton Academy. In September when I rang up to ask whether my child, if they pass the test for the grammar school, can get off the bus at Skipton Academy and walk along the pavement to Skipton Girls’ High School next door, we were told absolutely not and that the transport will be removed. So I’ve concluded therefore that in order to access the grammar school provision from where I live five miles from Skipton, we have to forfeit home to school transport provision.
That really matters to me because I live remote rural, so I don’t live near a bus stop. I live two miles from the nearest bus stop, so if my child goes to the Skipton Academy they can access shared transport provision to the bus stop and the bus the rest of the way. If I would like them to take up the place at the grammar in the town, I can’t have any of that and I’m left with potentially applying for bus pass either from the a59 or the a65 – reviewed year to year, no certainty, doesn’t take them all of the way, changes to family working patterns and all sorts of things if my child is deposited two miles from where I live in the afternoon. So it’s difficult if we want my child, who has passed for Skipton Girls to access that place.
It’s only a slice of Skipton that’s affected by it. I’ve drawn a map and it’s West and Northwest, roughly 3 miles from the town – Bank Newton, Gargrave, Coniston Cold and Bell Busk. They all, by footpath (which is how it is calculated), hit the academy first which means none of those children now can have home to school provision to the grammars. I just want to reflect on the fact that about 60% of secondary school places are in the two grammars with about 40% in the academy.
Children coming from the other end of town that are told their nearest school is one of the grammars effectively have a choice. If they pass for the grammar and want to go, they will go there, but if not, it would be the next nearest school – they therefore have the choice to have transport to Skipton Academy.
I have had unanswered letters from October and December asking for two policy adjustments and they were.
1) If schools in Skipton are a child’s closest, can children have the choice to go to any of them please? 2) Can you think about how Lancashire County Council calculate the distance as they do it as three miles by the nearest road whereas North Yorkshire is calculating it by footpath. That is creating anomalies across the county so there’s situations where children on the other side of Sharp Haw that are told that um the grammars are nearest but in practice they would come the same route by road.”
The following response was read out on behalf of Officers.
“The Home to School Travel Policy that was adopted by the Council in July 2024 aligned the Council’s arrangements to the Department for Educations guidance in respect of the main eligibility criteria for home to school travel which is that transport will be provided to the nearest suitable school with available places. The comments made in respect of access to the grammar schools in Skipton are noted.
It should be noted that the policy relates to the arrangements for home to school travel only, and not to those for admissions. Parents can continue to express a preference for a number of schools when applying for a school place for their child. The council continues to ensure there are sufficient places within schools for children resident in the county to attend a school in the county.
The Home to School Travel Policy does include provisions to provide extended rights for children from low-income families to support the principle of parental choice for school places.
During the 2024-25 admissions round (for starters in September 2025) parents were encouraged to consider the implications of the revised Home to School Travel Policy, and to take these into account if they were likely to require assistance to be provided with home to school travel.
To support this the Council provided an online tool which enabled parents to identify their nearest schools.
In considering the policy the Council did undertake an equalities impact assessment, including the potential impact upon families who live in rural areas, and noted that assistance with home to school travel will continue to be provided for pupils with eligibility and there is extended eligibility for those from low-income households.
Assistance with travel, either in the form of paid-for transport or a parental allowance, will be made available to all pupils who are assessed as being eligible.
The Council has committed to undertaking a review of the home to school travel policy during the summer of 2026 and will consider a range of issues during that review including cost savings (as per the response to the previous speaker).”
Resolved
a) Members requested that investigations be made as to why no response was received to the letters sent by the public speakers.
|
|
172 |
Update on the North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS)
Timothy Johns provided a verbal update and a presentation, and a discussion followed, that included the following information.
· The nature recovery priorities and approach to mapping nature recovery have been established. Officers are in the process of finalising the documentation and building the online nature recovery map. · There has been engagement with landowners and farmers, as well as many others. · The Strategy will need to be signed off by the four supporting authorities and then the relevant Executive Member. It will then go out to statutory public consultation at the end of May. · The importance of using land multiple times for food production, energy production and nature recovery was highlighted. · The importance of maintaining the identity of a place was highlighted and Members were reassured that ecologists and that national parks were involved with the Strategy.
Resolved
a) That the update is noted.
Councillor Philip Barrett left the meeting at 12.08pm.
|
|
173 |
Climate Change Activity in the Skipton and Ripon Area
Fiona Protheroe presented the report and in the discussion, the following points were made.
· Three retrofitting projects have started and are providing opportunities for local apprentices to be involved with projects. It was highlighted that retrofitting traditional properties was difficult. Members were interested to find out more about funding opportunities for properties within their divisions. · Information on some of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund grants was provided. · Members were advised to get interested parties to sign up to the NYC Climate Change Newsletter to find funding opportunities. Members raised frustrations at the inconsistency of funding streams.
Resolved
a) That the update is noted.
Councillor Andy Brown left the meeting at 12.18pm.
|
|
174 |
Annual Schools Update Report
Jon Holden, Louise Wilson and Julie Bunn presented the report and a discussion followed. The following points were raised.
· The school forecast numbers are calculated using the current number of pupils at schools and the birth rate. The forecasts have not taken into account the Home to School Transport Policy as the impact of this policy is not known. · Some Members queried the numbers of pupils at specific schools and some information on this was provided. · Information on the training provided to identify and assist with Autism was provided. · Members were informed that there has been an improvement in NYC’s response to EHC plan requests. · Members were reassured that Officers are observing and reviewing the surplus capacity figures of schools. · Members asked that they are informed of any struggling schools at an early stage.
Resolved
a) That the update is noted.
|
|
175 |
Work programme
Members reviewed the work programme and suggested the following additions.
· An item on the Grassington Postal Sorting Office closure. This would be an opportunity for Royal Mail to attend a meeting, explain their business plan and highlight the reasons behind their closure. · Members queried whether to have an item on the closure of the Arla site in Settle but agreed not to bring this to Committee yet. · Information on the Home to School Transport Policy and how the Skipton and Ripon area is affected. Specifically how the Policy works with selective schools and with towns that have multiple schools within close proximity. Members asked for information on the scope, depth and timing of the review. Members also requested that the ACs are involved with the review when it takes place. · Biannual visits from the Mayor were suggested. · Members asked for an item on smart meter connectivity with the Data Communications Company.
Resolved
a) That the above additions be made to the work programme.
Councillor David Ireton left the meeting at 12.40pm
Councillor Andrew Williams left the meeting at 12.48pm.
|
|
176 |
Any other items
|
|
177 |
Date of next meeting
Thursday, 22 May 2025 at 10.00am.
|
The meeting concluded at 12.53 pm.