Cllr Andrew Lee

North Yorkshire Council

County Hall

Racecourse Lane

Northallerton

DL7 8AD

Tel: 0300 131 2 131

Email: cllr.andrew.lee@northyorks.gov.uk

Web: www.northyorks.gov.uk

Date:

14 April 2026

Dear Cllr Knapton,

Re: Referral to Scrutiny of Health

Thank you for the referral from the Thirsk and Malton Area Committee, following the discussion on primary care access at your meeting on 27 March.  I am grateful to you and your members for taking the time to draw these issues to the attention of the Scrutiny of Health Committee, and for sharing the detailed briefing provided by the Integrated Care Board.

Members of Scrutiny of Health have now had the opportunity to consider the referral, alongside the presentation and the wider context of work the Committee has undertaken in recent months.  We recognise the strength of feeling locally, and the frustration experienced by communities when growth, infrastructure and healthcare provision do not appear to progress in step.  The challenges you highlight around GP funding models, workforce sustainability, mental health provision and estates pressures are ones we are aware of across North Yorkshire.

In considering the referral, the Committee reflected on a number of pieces of work already carried out.  In particular, Scrutiny of Health has previously undertaken detailed scrutiny of primary care infrastructure and the operation of Section 106 and related funding mechanisms, including hearing directly from the ICB and other partners about how these arrangements work in practice and their limitations.  Members felt that this had provided a clear explanation of why Section 106 funding can make only a relatively modest contribution towards primary care premises and capacity, and why wider system solutions are often required.  Scrutiny has also considered the wider determinants of health, including the relationship between housing growth, infrastructure and service demand, through the Director of Public Health’s Annual Reports.  Similarly, mental health provision and access remain a standing area of interest for the Committee and has been explored through several recent agenda items and reports.  On that basis, members were keen to avoid duplicating work already undertaken or re‑running inquiries where the position is well understood.

That said, Scrutiny members were clear that the issues you raise are important and continue to warrant attention across the authority, particularly where they intersect with planning, housing growth and infrastructure delivery.  Members therefore felt that the most constructive response at present would be to:

· Share with your Committee relevant outputs and learning from Scrutiny of Health’s previous work on primary care infrastructure and funding

· Encourage continued engagement between Area Committees and the ICB, who have indicated they are happy to attend locally to discuss specific issues as they arise; and

· Note the ongoing work around Area Committee involvement and consultation in relation to Section 106 and CIL matters, which may help strengthen the local dimension you highlighted.

Should new evidence emerge, or should there be a clear gap in assurance that Scrutiny of Health is uniquely placed to address, the Committee would of course be willing to reconsider the matter.  I hope this response is helpful, and I would be very happy to continue the conversation with you if that would be useful.  Please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew

Cllr Andrew Lee

Chairman

Scrutiny of Health Committee

North Yorkshire Council

Appendices:

Appendix A:  ICB Annual Reports (2024-25, and Minutes and 2023-24, and Minutes) including system pressures, primary care context and access issues.

Appendix B:  Presentation from the ICB on Place and Planning Infrastructure, and Minutes.