North Yorkshire Council

 

Selby and Ainsty Area Committee

 

19 March 2026

 

Appointments to Outside Bodies

 

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services

 

1.0

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

 

1.1

To enable the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee to make appointments to Groundwork Yorkshire LTD and Groundwork North Yorkshire LTD.

 

 

2.0       GROUNDWORK

 

2.1       On 16 December 2025, the Executive received a report recommending that they appoint to Groundwork Yorkshire LTD and Groundwork North Yorkshire LTD. The Executive decided that the matter should, instead, be referred to the Scarborough and Whitby and Selby and Ainsty area committees.

 

2.2       The current main base of operations of Groundwork Yorkshire LTD and Groundwork North Yorkshire LTD in the county is in Selby but there is also a presence in Scarborough, Northallerton and Harrogate. The priority is on areas of significant deprivation and so work tends to be focussed upon Selby and Scarborough.

 

2.3       Groundwork delivers a broad range of services, primarily focussed on supporting communities and improving the environment. The organisation’s strategic aims are to:

 

·         Improve people’s prospects - increasing confidence, health and wellbeing, skills and employability of those most in need, lift themselves out of poverty.

·         Create better places - helping people work together to make their surroundings greener, safer and healthier; getting involved in local decision making.

·         Promote Greener choices - helping people, communities and businesses understand and reduce their environmental impact to fight the climate emergency.

 

            The website for Groundwork Yorkshire is here, which provides further details of the work of the organisation and also the current membership of the Board of Trustees - Yorkshire - Groundwork

 

2.4       At its meeting on 16 December 2025, the Executive considered a report in respect of the following vacancies:

 

Groundwork Yorkshire LTD AGM

Councillor Arnold Warneken is the current nominated representative for this meeting in November of each year. There is a vacancy for the substitute position, following the recent resignation of Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright. The term of office is until the Council elections in 2027.

           

            Groundwork North Yorkshire LTD AGM

Councillor Arnold Warneken is the current nominated representative for this meeting in November of each year.  There is a vacancy for the substitute position, following the recent resignation of Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright. Groundwork North Yorkshire LTD is in the process of being wound up and so this will only be a temporary appointment.

 

Groundwork Yorkshire Board of Trustees

There are two vacant positions to appoint to, following the resignations of Councillor Steve Shaw Wright and Councillor Arnold Warneken. The time requirement for a nominated Trustee is four meetings a year (typically 1.5 to 2 hours per meeting). The term of office is until the Council elections in 2027.

 

2.5       The Executive referred the appointments to the area committees for decision as follows:

 

Selby and Ainsty Area Committee

  • Groundwork Yorkshire Ltd AGM – one substitute position until the Council elections in 2027.

 

  • Groundwork North Yorkshire Ltd AGM – one substitute position until the Council elections in 2027 or until the organisation is wound up.

 

  • Groundwork Yorkshire Board of Trustees – one position until the Council elections in 2027.

 

Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee

  • Groundwork Yorkshire Board of Trustees – one position

 

           

3.0       IMPLICATIONS

 

3.1       There are no equalities, finance, legal or climate change implications arising from the recommendations in this report.

 

4.0

 

4.1

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee appoints to the three positions highlighted within the report at Section 2.5.

 

Barry Khan

Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services

County Hall

Northallerton

 

4 March 2026

 

Report Author – David Smith, Senior Democratic Services Officer

 

Background documents: Constitution | North Yorkshire Council