Thirsk and Malton Area Committee
Annual report 2024/25
13 June 2025
Membership
Councillors Nigel Knapton (Chair), Caroline Goodrick (Vice Chair), Joy Andrews, Alyson Baker, Lindsay Burr MBE, Sam Cross, Dan Sladden, Gareth Dadd, Keane Duncan, Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, George Jabbour, Steve Mason, Janet Sanderson, Malcolm Taylor, Greg White
Introduction
Area Committees (ACs) are a forum for visible local democracy and accountability, where members of the public and local groups can raise specific issues which affect the local area. ACs can also act as consultees for the development of plans and policies which affect the area and monitor performance data to ensure services are being delivered effectively and efficiently. ACs can provide meaningful scrutiny of local issues within their area, complementing the strategic work undertaken by the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
The Annual Report 2024/25 provides a summary of the committee’s activity over the last year and an overview of what has been achieved.
The work of the committee
There were four formal meetings of the committee in 2024/25. The key issues that were addressed are as summarised below:
· Malton and Norton Neighbourhood Plan - Decision Statement and Referendum
· Howardian Hills Joint Advisory Committee
· Maintenance and repair of Thirsk Market Place
· Malton, Norton and Old Malton flooding update
· Update on projects on broadband/mobile phone/coverage and vaping in schools
· Parish sector liaison
· Mayor of Yorks and North Yorkshire annual update
· Economic, Regeneration, Tourism and Transport Project Development Fund (ERT&T Fund)
· Receipt of a number of annual reports, for example Community Safety update and North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Notable achievements by the committee include:
· A commitment to endorse the proposals put forward by officers that could meet the objectives ERT&T Fund and be completed within the required timescales. An update report will be presented to the meeting of the Committee on 13 June 2025.
· Building a relationship with Yorkshire Water to ensure local matters and concerns are addressed.
· Maintaining an overview of the support available for town and parish councils.
· Maintaining an overview of mobile and WiFi coverage in the area.
Mid-cycle briefings enable the committee chair, vice chair and group spokespersons to develop the committee work programme, review issues to see whether they are appropriate for a discussion at the committee and agree the agenda for the next meeting.
Several informal briefings (typically held remotely via MS teams) helped to inform the work of the committee by providing context and background on issues in the area. A number of information items were also included on formal agendas for members awareness and information. These included:
· Annual budget briefing
· Let’s Talk Rubbish
· Let’s Talk Food
· Local economic and regeneration informal briefing prior to the mayor’s visit
· Schools, educational achievement and finance report
· Delivery of the Climate Change Strategy across the committee area
Public participation
A key element of the work of the committee is engagement with local people and organisations and listening to concerns raised. In 2024/25, there were 7 public questions and statements. These covered issues including:
· Customer contact with the Council.
· Local highway issues.
· Coastal matters for Filey and Hunmanby.
· Air quality in Malton.
The meetings of the committee are recorded and uploaded to the Council’s YouTube channel and have had 533 views, an average of 133 per meeting.
Engagement with the local MP
Kevin Hollinrake MP and Sir Alec Holbrooke MP have attended the committee during 2024/25 in person or submitted written updates when unable to attend.
This engagement with the local MPs and their office has enabled the committee to be briefed on matters at Westminster that may impact upon the area and also enabled the committee members to highlight local concerns and issues that the MPs can then raise at Westminster, as summarised below:
· The potential local impacts of the changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance.
· The impact of increased numbers of bank closures in the area.
· A64 – the continued campaign to dual the A64.
· The provision of a town bus service in Filey and the work with partners to identify a solution.
· Issues with the planning process, particularly with reference to retrospective applications by the traveller community.
· Concerns regarding some locally provided medical procedures and dentistry.
· Housing targets for the area.
· Solar farms on agricultural land with reference to a local application.
· Proposed changes in workplace regulations and their impacts on business.
· Support for local businesses and farmers.
· Written updates from both MPs were provided to the March 2025 meeting of the committee and are available on our website.
Work Programme for 2025/26
The committee work programme is a live document that is owned by the committee. Members are able to suggest items for inclusion in the work programme, both as part of discussions and debate at meetings of the committee as well as between meetings. Any item identified for inclusion with the work programme will be reviewed by the supporting officer and at the MCB to determine:
1) whether it is within the scope of the committee
2) what the expected outcome of the debate and discussions would be
3) whether it is being reviewed by another committee of the Council; and
4) whether it could be considered as part of an informal briefing rather than a formal committee meeting.
Some of the key areas of investigation currently included in the draft work programme for 2025/26 are:
· Air quality
· Yorkshire Water services in the area
· Local Development Plan
· Annual reports from Council services
Contact Information.
Chair - Councillor Nigel Knapton cllr.nigel.knapton@northyorks.gov.uk
Vice Chair - Councillor Caroline Goodrick cllr.caroline.goodrick@northyorks.gov.uk
Senior Democratic Services Support Officer - Nicki Lishman nicki.lishman@northyorks.gov.uk