North Yorkshire Council

 

Thirsk and Malton Area Committee

 

12 June 2026

 

Petition concerning the ongoing highway and water ingress issues at Birdgate, Pickering

 

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services)

 

1.0

Purpose of the report

 

1.1

To advise of a petition containing more than 500 signatures.

1.2

To ask the Area Committee to consider a response.

 

 

2.0       The petition

 

2.1       A petition has been received by North Yorkshire Council and contains more than 500 signatures of people who live, work or study in the county.

 

2.2       The petition, which is also available on the Council’s website reads as follows:

 

            Petition signatories respectfully request that North Yorkshire Council:

 

1.    Provide a clear update on the current position.

2.    Publish a realistic timetable for any remaining investigations and remedial works.

3.    Explain the next steps required to achieve a permanent solution.

4.    Ensure that affected residents and businesses receive regular and meaningful updates.

5.    Give urgent consideration to the concerns expressed by the community through this petition.

6.    Provide transparency regarding the cost of the temporary traffic management arrangements to date and any anticipated future costs should the matter remain unresolved.

7.    Confirm how North Yorkshire Council intends to support affected businesses and residents whilst the issue remains ongoing.

8.    Commit to ongoing engagement with affected stakeholders, including residents, businesses and petition representatives, until a permanent solution has been implemented.

 

Petition signatories are seeking clarity, transparency and a defined route to resolution rather than simply an acknowledgement that the issue remains under investigation.

 

2.3       The petitioner provided a briefing note giving the background and reasons for the petition which is included as appendix A.

 

2.4       The petition has been submitted in paper format and is hosted on change.org.

 

 

3.0       The Council’s arrangements for receiving and responding to petitions

 

3.1       The key features of the Council’s arrangements for receiving and debating petitions, as published on the Council’s website, are as follows:

 

·                Receipt of the petition is published on the Council’s website (which has been done in the case of this petition).

·                If a petition contains 500 or more signatures (but less than 30,130 signatories), it will be scheduled for debate at the next meeting of the appropriate Area Committee.

·                The petition organiser is offered the opportunity to speak for five minutes at the Area Committee meeting to present their petition.  Subsequently, at the meeting, the petition will be discussed by Councillors for a maximum of 15 minutes and a decision will be made on how to respond to the petition. 

·                Possible responses by the Council to petitions, as shown on the website, are:

(a)       to take the action requested by the petition

(b)       not to take the action requested for reasons put forward in the debate

(c)       to commission further investigation into the matter, for example by a relevant committee; or

(d)       where the issue is one on which the council Executive is required to make the final decision, the council will decide whether to make recommendations to inform that decision.

·                The petition organiser will receive written confirmation of this decision.  This confirmation will also be published on the website.

 

3.2       In accordance with the arrangements described above, the petition organisers have been invited to join today’s meeting to present their petition.

 

4.0       Officers’ comments regarding the petition

 

4.1       As this petition was received by the Highway Operational Team on the 1 June 2026 it has not been possible to provide a full response in this report. However, the Area Manager will be attending the Committee Meeting to provide any additional information.

 

4.2       With regard to the requests made to North Yorkshire Council in the covering note to the petition, to the committee is advised that there is an existing civil claim against the Authority from the owners and insurers of the Black Swan which is currently being investigated by the Authority’s insurers.  Therefore, there are some matters that may need to be referred to our insurers for them to comment upon.

 

4.3       The current position is that we are about to install an in-kerb drainage system to collect any surface water outside the public house. We are also looking to obtain Listed Building Consent to work on a listed structure to put physical measures in place to install a water barrier below the footway level. This has necessitated obtaining the services of specialist engineers and engineering firms, which has added time to the development of the various solutions proposed.  Due to the length of time this is taking the benefits of reinstating the footway until a fully agreed and consented proposal is in place are being assessed. This will allow the traffic signals to be removed.

 

4.4       It should be noted that North Yorkshire Council did submit a proposal to deal with the water ingress with works undertaken inside the cellar, but this was rejected by the owners back in early March 2026. It was thought that this would have enabled the public house to start operating normally again.

 

4.5       The timetable to complete all the works is not yet available but the Area Manager may be able to offer some more detail at the committee meeting.

 

4.6       It is clear that more engagement is needed with residents and businesses is needed and the Authority is willing to do this but would welcome the Committee’s thoughts on how best to do this. The Area Manager will liaise with the Local Member t on how best to achieve this.

 

4.7       Comments on the options available to Members:

 

Option A:  Note the petition and ask that the Area Manager pushes this issue to an early conclusion, keeping the residents and public informed of progress in the agreed manner

 

Option B: not to take the action requested for reasons put forward in the debate

 

Option C: to commission further investigation into the matter, for example by a relevant committee; or

 

Options D: where the issue is one on which the council Executive is required to make the final decision, the council will decide whether to make recommendations to inform that decision.

 

5.0

Recommendations

 

5.1

That the Committee notes the petition and provides a response as detailed in paragraph 3.1.

 

Possible responses by the Council to petitions, as shown on the website, are:

(a)  to take the action requested by the petition

(b)  not to take the action requested for reasons put forward in the debate

(c)   to commission further investigation into the matter, for example by a relevant committee; or

(d)  where the issue is one on which the council Executive is required to make the final decision, the council will decide whether to make recommendations to inform that decision.

 

 

Appendix A: Birdgate petition briefing note

 

Barry Khan

Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services)

County Hall

Northallerton

 

Author of report: Nicki Lishman, Senior Democratic Services Officer

 

Background Document:  North Yorkshire Council’s petitions information and advice, a copy of which is on the Council’s website Petitions | North Yorkshire Council