Thirsk and Malton Area Committee

Annual report 2025/26

12 June 2026

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 and 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 2025/26 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 2025/26 plus the online annual budget briefing.

The key issues addressed are summarised below:

· Presentation and update from Yorkshire Water, addressing concerns of the Area Committee

· Update on air quality in Malton

· A pilot business case for double devolution

· An update on the Howardian Hills National Landscape Management Plan, as part of its 5 yearly review

· An update on the current position and future development of Youth Councils

· A presentation and explanation of the process and differences between S106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy

· A presentation by the Integrated Care Board (ICB) on the pressures facing General Practice

· A summary of the investigation, impact, response and recommendations of the S19 report on Storm Darragh

To ensure they were kept updated on the latest information or developments, Members requested briefings on the following topics.

· Fuel poverty

· Mobile coverage

· S106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy

· GP surgeries

· Local banking and cash handling services

· Quiet lanes

The Committee received annual reports on:

· Community safety and CCTV

· Schools, educational achievement and finance report

· Localities annual update

Councillors asked for information on the following topics due to concerns raised by constituents.

· GP surgeries – receipt of a briefing resulted in the committee requesting attendance by the ICB.

The ICB attended the March 2026 meeting and gave the committee a detailed presentation on the pressures on GP surgeries and what steps are being taken to address the issues. This was referred to the Scrutiny of Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as the Committee felt the information may be of value across the county

There were 4 Mid-Cycle Briefings (MCBs) in 2025/26.  The MCBs 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.

Public participation

A key element of the work of the committee is engagement with local people and organisations and listening to concerns raised.  In 2025/26, there were 7 public questions and statements.  These covered issues including:

· Home to school transport

· CCTV coverage and enforcement of weight limit on County Bridge/Norton-on-Derwent level crossing

· The visitor levy proposed by the Mayor for York and North Yorkshire

· The Council’s procedure for the delivery of quiet lanes

· Sewerage conveyance and capacity relative to sites allocated in the Ryedale Plan Sites document

The meetings of the committee are recorded and uploaded to the Council’s YouTube channel and have had 284 views, an average of 71 per meeting.

Engagement with the local MPs

Kevin Hollinrake MP and Sir Alec Holbrooke MP have either attended the committee during 2025/26 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. Topics have included:

· Home to school transport provision and the budget pressures faced by the Council

· The cumulative impact of a significant number of solar farms applications, the infrastructure associated with this and impact on tenant farmers in particular.

· Flag flying

· Challenges faced by the farming community due to the impact of the weather, volatility of prices, family farm tax and the withdrawal of the sustainable farm incentive.

· Challenges faced by the hospitality industry

· Continued support and campaigning for the duelling of the A64

· Holiday and second homes and the investment of the second homes premium in affordable homes

· Malton livestock market, funding and a solution to relocate the market

· A replacement for the Filey town bus service

· Views on the provision of free parking and public toilets in local towns

· Housing targets, capacity of local sewerage and wastewater systems

· Financial challenges facing the Council, particularly in social care and special educational needs

Work Programme for 2026/27

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.

The Committee met for an informal work planning meeting in May 2025, where Members discussed the matters they would like to be brought to the Committee throughout the year.

The matters currently included in the draft work programme for 2026/27 are shown at Item 10 of this agenda.

The committee received an update from the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire in March 2025. He is due to attend the area committees again in the September 2026 round of meetings

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