North Yorkshire Council
Executive
15 July 2025
Area Committee Feedback Report
Report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
To bring to the attention of the Executive key issues considered at recent meetings of the Area Committees (ACs). |
2.0 HARROGATE AND KNARESBOROUGH AC – 5 JUNE 2025
2.1 The committee appointed Cllr Peter Lacey as Chair and Cllr Hannah Gostlow as Vice-Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year.
2.2 Tom Gordon MP addressed the committee, highlighting his work on local health services, cost of living, and environmental issues, including sewage in rivers and infrastructure investment by water companies. He also discussed his activities in relation to transport, education, and local economic support for the Harrogate and Knaresborough area.
2.3 The Community Safety Annual Report was presented, focusing on anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, and community engagement initiatives such as Project Spotlight and the knife bin scheme. North Yorkshire Police (NYP) updated members on neighbourhood policing and ongoing crime prevention efforts. Members provided a range of feedback on specific issues of local concern in relation to crime and anti-social behaviour, which were noted by NYP.
2.4 An update from the Localities Service summarised activity over the past year in relation to community funding, digital inclusion, and support for refugees and asylum seekers.
2.5 The committee also received a housing update from Cllr Simon Myers, seeking Area Committee feedback on a forthcoming Executive Member decision regarding the future development of sites granted planning permission for housing by the former Harrogate Borough Council, but which now faced significantly higher development costs.
2.6 The committee approved its work programme and noted its annual report for 2024/25, with thanks extended to outgoing Chair Cllr Monika Slater. The next meeting is scheduled for 25 September 2025.
2.7 Further information about the meeting can be found here –
3.0 SKIPTON AND RIPON AC – 29 MAY 2025
3.1 Councillor Ricard Foster was appointed Chair and Councillor Andy Solloway Vice-Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year.
3.2 The Rt Hon Sir Julian Smith MP addressed the Committee. Issues discussed included information on the EU and associated Government updates, Government Policy changes, trade issues, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill including its potential impact on social care, the potential for a review of social care, the promotion of local businesses, the closure of the ARLA plant and the sorting office at Grassington and funding issues for the Council following the Government’s review.
3.3 The Committee were provided with the Annual Localities Update for 2024/25. Issues discussed included details of the various community projects undertaken, community partnership work, assistance with local devolution and the Community Anchor schemes. Members highlighted issues in respect of the town regeneration programme and the ownership and maintenance of public toilets.
3.4 The Committee received the Community Safety and CCTV Service Annual Update. Issues discussed included the work of the local Community Safety Working Groups, the structures for the Police teams in the area, the development of Community Safety Hubs, partnership working, the development and use of CCTV schemes, details of crimes and how these are being addressed, various initiatives and operations that have been taking place to address crime matters and the set up. Members discussed the following issues – co-ordinated working between the various emergency services deployment of policing resources in the area, policing roads and the impact of RTAs on local routes, child exploitation and how that is being addressed, issues relating to the large number of motorcycles travelling through the area, community engagement events, the importance of Neighbourhood Policing, engagement with the Area Committee and the use of PCSOs as first responders.
3.5 Members received an update on the impact of tourism in the Craven Area which had previously been considered by Craven District Council. A late response to the issues raised by the report from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority had been received and circulated prior to the meeting. The major issues related to car parking, congestion, litter and anti-social behaviour. It was noted that since the matter had been considered a Destination Management Plan had been developed and adopted which addressed many of the issues raised. It was suggested that further liaison with the National Park Authority was required to further address some of the concerns. A multi-agency approach was required to ensure that the impact of tourism was minimised while maximising the welcome given to those visiting the area.
3.6 Members were provided with a presentation on a review of the Countryside Access Service. Members highlighted issues relating to how PRoWs were defined and how appeals in relation to those were determined, the legislation relating to PRoWs, the maintenance of PRoWs and the use of volunteers, where the responsibility for the maintenance of related infrastructure lay and how routes were developed.
3.7 An information report on the work of Natural England was provided. It was suggested that representatives be invited to a future meeting to consider aspects of the report.
4.0 SCARBOROUGH AND WHITBY AC – 6 JUNE 2025
4.1 The committee appointed Cllr Liz Colling as Chair and Cllr David Chance as Vice-Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year.
4.2 Public questions submitted to the committee concerned rising levels of theft in Scarborough and the link to organised crime, traffic congestion in Whitby, the future of Whitby Cliff Lift, and the impact of the Home to School Travel policy on Whitby School.
4.3 The committee welcomed the council’s commitment in respect of the failed community football pitch at Scarborough Sports Village to deliver a timely solution, to minimise the income loss and to reduce the impact on all users, including Scarborough Athletic Football Club. Whilst the dialogue with contractors continued and all appropriate legal remedies would be pursued, the recommendation to the Executive would be to adopt a backstop position if agreement could not be reached in a timely manner for the council to undertake the work to remedy the defects and resurface up to a potential cost of £3.2m. Members also supported the petition received at the meeting for the council to take action to restore the pitch.
4.4 In the annual community safety reports of the Police and the council’s Community Safety Team, the committee was advised that locally crime had followed the national trend for the last financial year, with reductions in recorded crime across most categories with some exceptions such as shoplifting and possession of weapons. The Police were commended for their work in several areas including the excellent work of the dedicated retail crime officer. Among other issues highlighted were the positive impact of the Public Spaces Protection Order in Scarborough town centre, the Clear Hold Build initiative in Barrowcliff to tackle serious organised crime, and the continuing success of CCTV operations in Scarborough.
4.5 The committee received an update on the work of the Scarborough Cross-Council Task Force which had initially focused on actions to improve the ‘look and feel’ of the town centre. This translated into £250K allocated to help improve the street cleaning resource in the town centre, tackle run down areas and undertake a series of public realm improvements. More widely, there was regular cross-service input and engagement with various operations in the town, working in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, to address anti-social behaviour and other community safety issues.
4.6 The committee was updated on progress and incidents impacting emergency planning and community resilience within the local area and across North Yorkshire. During 2024-25 the council had responded to range of major incidents including storms, floods and fires and an avian influenza outbreak. Good practices such as publicly accessible sandbag sites and an enhanced out of hours command structure had been identified because of these incidents. The Resilience and Emergencies team had been working with a range of councils and organisations to help develop community emergency plans and build resilience in local communities, although it was acknowledged that more work needed to be done in this regard and that a consistent approach was required across the county.
4.7 The committee received an update on the delivery of projects and programmes by the Localities service (which consisted of the Communities Team, Parish Liaison & Local Devolution Team and Migrant Programmes Team) in the Scarborough and Whitby area during 2024/25.
4.8 Members commended the three final reports arising from the committee’s Project Development Fund programme on (i) the feasibility of a safe sea swimming space in Scarborough, (ii) the feasibility of an artificial nesting site for seabirds (kittiwakes) and (iii) a comprehensive study of offshore economic opportunities which provided a strong evidence base for future council strategies.
4.9 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
5.0 THIRSK AND MALTON AC – 13 JUNE 2025
5.1 The committee appointed Councillor Nigel Knapton as Chair and Councillor Caroline Goodrick as Vice Chair.
5.2 Yorkshire Water (YW) gave a presentation which addressed a number of concerns across the area namely:
· Schemes and issues in a number of villages
· Bathing water quality
· Growth and planning
· Combined sewer overflow programme
· Wastewater tankering
· Road works and traffic management
· Malton and Norton flood risk
5.3 A key concern was the capacity of local facilities to cope with the additional development planned due to ambitious housing targets. As a result, YW agreed to arrange a meeting with all Councillors and appropriate officers to explain their development management process and how they work with local authorities.
5.4 Officers gave an update on the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in Malton and the weight restriction on County Bridge, Malton.
5.5 The Area Manager, Highways attended to answer Members questions on a number of highway matters.
5.6 A double devolution proposal to transfer the public conveniences in Malton Market Place to Malton Town Council was noted.
5.7 The committee approved its work programme and noted its annual report for 2024/25. The next meeting is scheduled for 26 September 2025.
5.8 The MPs updates, an update on the outcomes of the ERT&T project development fund and the Localities annual update were noted.
5.9 Further information about the meeting can be found here.
6.0 RICHMOND (YORKS) AC – 30 JUNE 2025
6.1 The committee appointed Councillor Yvonne Peacock as Chair and Councillor Caroline Dickinson as Vice Chair.
6.2 The committee received the Community Safety & CCTV annual report presented by officers and representatives of North Yorkshire Police. A key outcome had been the ending of the Public Space Protection Order at Richmond Falls and the successful work that had been undertaken to address anti-social behaviour in the area.
6.3 Officers gave a verbal update on traffic management and diversions in the committee area and explained the process for works by utility companies.
6.4 An update on the outcomes of the ERT&T project development fund focussed on Members comments and questions on the Transport to Work and Study Review. It was agreed that this report would be shared with the office of the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
6.5 The Principal Regeneration Officer updated the committee on the latest work towards the Richmond Town Investment Plan. Consultation with partners and stakeholders was ongoing.
6.6 Members were asked to provide topics for a presentation by Yorkshire Water at the meeting of the committee to be held on 15 September 2025.
6.7 The committee approved its work programme and noted its annual report for 2024/25. The next meeting is scheduled for 15 September 2025.
6.8 The Let’s Talk Active consultation outcomes were noted.
6.9 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
7.0 SELBY AND AINSTY AC – 25 APRIL 2025
7.1 In relation to the Home to School Transport Policy, a public statement was made regarding the process of the Appeals (Home to School Transport) Committee. In their supplementary statement, the individual requested that clear cost savings are shown throughout the process. The Chair allowed a short discussion following the statement.
7.2 The two MPs covering the AC’s area provided written updates as they were unable to attend the meeting.
7.3 The Committee requested information on SEND provision within the area and raised several queries with Amanda Fielding, Assistant Director – Inclusion. These focused on the closure of Holy Family School; the number of specialist places available and the development of the new SEND school.
7.4 A report providing Members with an update on the local educational landscape was presented. Members raised queries relating to home educated children; the number of academies and the process for their closure; and surplus capacities in specific areas.
7.5 A verbal update from the environmental enforcement team included information on waste offences, fly tipping, unauthorised encampments and graffiti. Members raised queries regarding the number of people prosecuted for fly tipping; the appropriate channels for raising issues; litter and graffiti in towns; and the use of Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Regular updates on enforcement were requested.
7.6 A written update on parking enforcement was provided and Members raised location specific questions and queried how to request that parking enforcement go to rural areas.
7.7 Members noted a report on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
7.8 A report on climate change activity in the area was received and Members suggested that more work should be done to improve EV infrastructure, improve the environmental efficiency of NYC owned buildings and interact with local Members to take advantage of their knowledge. Members requested information on the community transport services and whether their desired outcomes where being met. Members also raised concerns regarding funding that had been ringfenced for projects within the Selby area, but now no longer seemed to be ringfenced. More information on this was requested for the 26 June 2025 meeting.
7.9 Further information about the meeting can be found here –
8.0 SELBY AND AINSTY AC – 26 JUNE 2025
8.1 The Committee appointed Councillor Kirsty Poskitt as Chair and Councillor Arnold Warneken as Vice-Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year.
8.2 Verbal updates were received from David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and the Office Manager for Keir Mather MP, as well as a written update provided by Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP. The Mayor’s discussion covered potential funding opportunities, progress on local projects, housing targets, transport infrastructure improvements, skills development, climate initiatives, high street regeneration, and community safety. The MP updates addressed the new SEND school in Osgodby, mobile connectivity, flood defences, road safety, public transport investment, and the development of a national dementia care strategy. The removal of the Rural Services Delivery Grant was also raised, with discussion on its impact on North Yorkshire.
8.3 Five public questions were received concerning the Home to School Transport Policy. Key concerns raised by these questions included: the requirement for multiple buses in certain towns where previously one was sufficient; potential for falling pupil numbers at specific schools; the impact on families, including increased stress for children; concerns regarding the communication of the policy; and questions about the scope and independence of the review. A response was read out on behalf of Officers. With the hope that the Executive can provide a more detailed response to the questions, the Committee resolved to refer the five questions to the Executive, by a vote of 12 in favour, 1 against, and 1 abstention. This matter has been brought to the attention of the Leader.
8.4 The annual Community Safety update was presented. A range of queries were raised including comments on antisocial behaviour in specific areas, the timeline of CCTV upgrades, the process for reporting graffiti, the number of knife bin deposits and staffing in the area. The importance of ensuring that all parts of the Selby and Ainsty area are adequately represented in future reports was highlighted.
8.5 Further to the written update provided in April, the Committee received a verbal update from the Head of Parking Services. The update covered key areas including operational transition following Local Government Reorganisation, current staffing levels, and ongoing investment in infrastructure such as the replacement of pay-and-display machines and the digitisation of Traffic Regulation Orders. Members raised several queries, most notably on the consistency of parking charges across the county.
8.6 The annual Localities update was noted. As with the Community Safety update, the importance of ensuring that all parts of the Selby and Ainsty area are adequately represented in future reports was highlighted.
8.7 Following a query at the April meeting, Members received a briefing confirming that £250,000 originally ringfenced for climate change projects in the Selby area has been consolidated into council reserves following Local Government Reorganisation. £50,000 was spent on tree planting and maintenance, with the remaining £200,000 now requiring a new business case before use. Members expressed disappointment at the loss of this dedicated funding.
8.8 The committee updated its work programme and noted its 2024/25 annual report. The next meeting is scheduled for 18 September 2025.
8.9 Further information about the meeting can be found here –
Agenda for Selby and Ainsty Area Committee on Thursday, 26 June 2025, 2.00 pm | North Yorkshire Council
9.0 FINANCIAL & LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
9.1 The financial and legal implications of the issues raised in this summary report are included in the reports that went to the meetings of the Area Committees in June 2025.
10.0 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS
10.1 The climate change implications of the issues raised in this summary report are included in the reports that went to the meetings of the Area Committees in June 2025.
11.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
11.1 The equalities implications of the issues raised in this summary report are included in the reports that went to the meetings of the Area Committees in June 2025.
12.0 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
12.1 The recommendations to the Executive have been made by the Area Committees as part of their consideration of local issues at their June 2025 round of committee meetings.
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13.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
13.1 The Executive is asked to note the report and consider any matters arising from the work of the Area Committees detailed above, that merit further scrutiny, review or investigation at a county-level. |
Barry Khan
Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services
County Hall
Northallerton
Report Author:
Elizabeth Jackson – Principal Democratic Services Officer
elizabeth.jackson@northyorks.gov.uk
Background Documents:
Agenda, papers and minutes of the six Area Committee meetings in April, May and June 2025, which can be accessed via the following link - https://edemocracy.northyorks.gov.uk/mgListCommittees.aspx?bcr=1
Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.