North Yorkshire Council
Executive
7 October 2025
Area Committee Feedback Report
Report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services
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1.0
1.1
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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 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2025
2.1 The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire attended and held a wide-ranging discussion on regional priorities and current projects with the Area Committee. Members raised concerns about transport connectivity, particularly east–west rail links, and emphasised the need for integrated bus ticketing and better support for disabled passengers. Local congestion issues, including Starbeck level crossing, were highlighted, and Members stressed the importance of ongoing dialogue with businesses during the Harrogate Station Gateway works. The Committee also discussed crime prevention, youth engagement, and the need for tailored skills provision aligned with local industry. Members welcomed the Mayor’s collaborative approach and looked forward to future updates.
2.2 The Area Committee considered the proposed devolution of Knaresborough Market to Knaresborough Town Council, ahead of a decision scheduled to be taken by the Executive in October. Members expressed strong support for the proposed devolution of the market, recognising it as a significant step in empowering local decision making. The Committee commended the work of officers and KTC, while raising concerns about financial risk, delivery timelines, and the need for clear post-decision guidance. Members also noted the progress of wider double devolution and called for renewed momentum. The importance of local trader involvement and community ownership was emphasised, and Members urged the Executive to approve the transfer and ensure continued support.
2.3 The Section 19 report on the 2024 Knaresborough flood was also discussed, and the Area Committee provided comment ahead of its formal submission. The Area Committee welcomed the report and engaged in a detailed and constructive discussion. Members acknowledged the scale of the event and the technical challenges involved, while raising concerns about the report’s scope, timing, and the need for clearer communication with affected residents. Suggestions were made to better reflect the lived experience of communities. Members highlighted the importance of proactive gully maintenance, clearer guidance on private responsibilities such as soakaways, and the emotional and financial impact of flooding. A series of recommendations were agreed, including improved mapping, communications, and joint working with Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency. Officers welcomed the feedback and confirmed that the recommendations would be presented for note to the Executive Member when the report was formally approved.
2.7 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
3.0 SKIPTON AND RIPON AC – 11 SEPTEMBER 2025
3.1 The Committee received an update from RT Hon Julian Smith MP on key issues within the Constituency.
3.2 The Skipton and Ripon Area Committee Annual Report 2024/25 was then considered. The Annual Report provided a summary of activity over the last year and an overview of what had been achieved.
3.3 A verbal update was provided by the Chairman of the Skipton Youth Council on the work of the Youth Council.
3.4 A report on the Nidderdale National Landscape Plan was then considered. The report provided an overview of the Nidderdale National Landscape Management Plan review, including the current public consultation and the process for adoption by North Yorkshire Council.
3.5 The Committee then received a presentation on the North Yorkshire Council Strategic Parking Principles, which would guide parking policy across North Yorkshire.
3.6 This was followed by a presentation providing further details of the Council’s Destination Management Plan.
3. Further information about the meeting can be found here:
4.0 SCARBOROUGH AND WHITBY AC – 19 SEPTEMBER 2025
4.1 The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith attended to provide an overview of the work of the Combined Authority and the benefits to the constituency and wider region. Among the issues discussed with the committee were the plans to drive investment in Seamer and other train stations and to improve connectivity between Scarborough and York through providing two trains an hour; working with the council and the new Scarborough Neighbourhood Board to support the development of the Brunswick Centre as part of the wider redevelopment of the town centre; working with Schneider Electric to use their recent investment to promote the area to other investors; and his support for local authorities to have stronger planning powers to manage HMOs and short term holiday lets because of their negative effect on local communities. Members welcomed the Mayor’s collaborative approach and looked forward to future updates.
4.2 Local MP Alison Hume’s update to the committee was dominated by the Langdale Moor Fire when as the local MP she was called upon to assist and provide information to worried constituents. She praised the efforts of the council, fire service, farmers, gamekeepers, landowners and other volunteers in containing the blaze, but as a lesson learned, felt a dedicated phone line for the public should have been provided as she had suggested. She would be pursuing with the Government whether this incident was the trigger for a national resilience response because of the proximity to the fire of the critical military facility at RAF Fylingdales. Mayor Skaith also commended the work undertaken to tackle the fire adding that he and his Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime would be involved in the recovery phase, making sure any learnings were identified.
4.3 The committee considered a report outlining future options for Whitby Cliff Lift for final decision by the Executive together with a petition in support of preservation of the lift. Four public questions and statements were also considered about this issue. The Cliff Lift had been closed since April 2022 when corrosion was discovered in its structure. A steady increase in water ingress had led to further deterioration. Members felt that the favoured option of decommissioning the Cliff Lift should be a last resort and that other less expensive interventions should be considered first; further, members queried the proposed figure of some £6m to restore the list to working order. Instead, given the importance of this facility to Whitby’s heritage and in enabling access to the West Cliff beach, the committee (i) voted against the recommendation to decommission Whitby Cliff Lift (ii) invited Anglo American to carry out a further investigation after the winter in the new year and (iii) requested a public consultation on the future of the Cliff Lift.
4.4 Lastly, the committee received an update on the Playing Pitch Strategy, Built Sports Facilities Strategy and Leisure Investment Strategy and commended the planned investment in Whitby Leisure Centre to become a flagship Active Wellbeing Hub.
4.5 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
5.0 THIRSK AND MALTON AC – 26 SEPTEMBER 2025
5.1 The Committee received three public questions, two of which were concerned with the Home to School Transport Policy and one related to breaches of the 7.5 tonne weight restriction on Norton level crossing.
5.2 Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP submitted a written update, and Kevin Hollinrake attended the meeting in person. Key issues such as home to school transport provision, the cumulative impact of a significant number of solar farms applications, challenges to the farming community, challenges to the hospitality industry, the A64, holiday homes, public toilets, Malton livestock market and Filey town bus service.
5.3 Officers and representatives of North Yorkshire Police gave an annual update of the the work of the Community Safety and CCTV service. This included an update on the ongoing work of the Community Safety Hub to tackle local issues, the Community Safety Partnership and the annual crime statistics.
5.4 An update on the Howardian Hills National Landscape management plan advised Members on the latest for the review of the plan for 2025 – 2030.
5.5 The Committee received a verbal update on the Town Investment Plan (TIP) for Malton and Norton. Existing studies have been reviewed, key themes and challenges identified, and a long list of projects has been developed. Initial stakeholder consultation has taken place. Initial work on the Thirsk TIP has commenced and Filey, Pickering, Easingwold, Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside will follow in due course.
5.6 Following receipt of a briefing paper on banking and cash handling services, Members requested more information on the impact the reduction in local services was having on business.
5.7 Briefing notes on fuel poverty, mobile coverage and S106 and Community Infrastructure Levy were provided for information
5.8 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
6.0 RICHMOND (YORKS) AC – 15 SEPTEMBER 2025
6.1 The Committee received a petition in support of keeping Richmond Swimming Pool open. This was in response to the recent options and appraisal undertaken as part of the Council's Leisure Investment Strategy. Members unanimously agreed that the Richmond (Yorks) Area Committee wants the Richmond Pool to remain open and asks the Democratic Services Officer to send a report (the minutes) to the Housing and Leisure Overview & Scrutiny Committee and then to the Executive stating the Committee’s wishes.
6.2 A representative of Yorkshire Water gave a presentation, which addressed pre-submitted questions. Topics included response times to leaks, roadworks and traffic management, river pollution, housing development and sewerage management.
6.3 Members had requested a briefing paper on banking and cash handling in the area and after consideration of the information provided, agreed that the Area Committee request a review of Stokesley community’s cash access needs by applying to LINK for a banking hub. It was subsequently realised that an assessment had already been undertaken by LINK and found that the provision of any new or improved cash access services in Stokesley was not recommended at this time.
6.4 The committee also received several information only items including a written update from the local MP, the Localities update 2024/25, an update from Northumbrian Water and information on ash dieback.
6.5 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
7.0 SELBY AND AINSTY AC – 18 SEPTEMBER 2025
7.1 The Committee received one public question which related to the Home to School Transport Policy, Tadcaster Grammar School and the Appeals (Home to School Transport) Committee.
7.2 Under the work programme item, Members requested an item on the Home to School Transport Policy, raising specific queries which they hope officers can attend a future meeting to answer. An item on housing was also requested.
7.3 Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP submitted a written update and Keir Mather MP attended the meeting virtually to provide an update. Key issues such as SEND provision, mobile phone signal, public transport and national transport policy were discussed.
7.4 A report was submitted recommending that the Committee proposes to Executive that they recommend to Full Council that the New Settlement (Maltkiln) DPD and accompanying Policy Map, incorporating the Inspector’s recommended Main Modifications, are adopted. The report also recommended that the Committee proposes to Executive that they recommend to Full Council that the Corporate Director of Community Development in consultation with the Executive Member for Open to Business, be authorised to make further additional modifications to the documents – these modifications would relate exclusively to factual updates, grammatical and formatting corrections. Members raised queries relating to the ownership of the land, the legal advice received and the impact of a failed Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on the proposals. Concerns about the Council progressing with the proposal without fully understanding the potential impact if the CPO is unsuccessful were noted, but the recommendations outlined in the report were carried.
7.5 The Committee received a briefing paper on community centres in the area and were asked to note that approval was given to the Assistant Director of Housing and the Head of Housing Management to assess alternative options on a centre-by-centre basis. Members raised concerns that they had not been consulted prior to the decision to delegate authority, that local communities had not been involved and that the management of these centres had been ineffective. Members also queried who would be responsible for the final decision regarding these centres. The Committee recommended that no decision regarding the future of the centres be made until an officer has attended a meeting of the Area Committee to respond to questions raised, and until meaningful consultation has taken place with the local Members, Parish Councils and wider communities.
7.6 Further information about the meeting can be found here:
8.0 FINANCIAL & LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
8.1 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 September 2025.
9.0 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS
9.1 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 September 2025.
10.0 EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS
10.1 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 September 2025.
11.0 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
11.1 The recommendations to the Executive have been made by the Area Committees as part of their consideration of local issues at their September 2025 round of committee meetings.
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12.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
12.1 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 September 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.