Agenda and minutes

David Smith introduced the item and sought nominations to the position of Chair.

Councillors Davis and Poskitt were proposed and seconded. A vote was taken to establish who would be the nominee with Councillor Poskitt receiving seven votes and Councillor Davis receiving six votes. One Member did not vote.

Councillor Poskitt received a majority of votes and a motion to elect her to the position of Chair was proposed and seconded by Members. A vote was taken on this motion and it was declared carried with eight in favour, zero against, zero abstentions and with six Members not voting.

Resolved

a)    That Councillor Kirsty Poskitt be elected as Chair of the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

The Chair sought nominations to the position of Vice Chair.

Councillors Warneken and Shaw-Wright were proposed and seconded. A vote was taken to establish who would be the nominee with Councillor Warneken receiving eight votes and Councillor Shaw-Wright receiving six votes.

Councillor Warneken received a majority of votes and a motion to elect him to the position of Vice Chair was proposed and seconded by Members. A vote was taken on this motion and it was declared carried with eight in favour, three against, zero abstentions and with three Members not voting.

Resolved

a)    That Councillor Arnold Warneken be elected as Vice Chair of the Selby and Ainsty Area Committee for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

Apologies were received from Councillors John Cattanach and Mark Crane.

Resolved

a)    That the minutes of the meetings held on 25 April 2025 are confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillor Karl Arthur declared an interest in relation to items that referenced his employer, Network Rail, and stated this was for the sake of transparency.

Mayor David Skaith provided an overview of the work undertaken since his election and answered queries from the Committee. The following points summarise the discussion.

-       It was highlighted that the Mayor also serves as the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, with those powers devolved to Deputy Mayor Jo Coles. It was reported that the Police and Crime Plan and the Fire and Rescue Plan had been introduced.

-       Devolution in York and North Yorkshire is unlocking £540 million over 30 years and creates links to central government and neighbouring authorities. The Mayor reported that a 10-year growth plan is being finalised, which will set out long-term priorities for housing, transport, skills, and economic development. 

-       £2.5 million of investment in the Selby Station Gateway Transforming Cities Fund project, in partnership with Network Rail. This includes other work such as the development of Abbey Quarter.

-       £175,000 allocated to improve EV charging infrastructure in Hambleton and Cawood.

-       £1.5 million from the Great Places funding to support the creation town plans across the region.

-       The importance of community-led ideas and the development of a pipeline of projects was highlighted.

-       On housing, the Mayor reported that across North Yorkshire £12 million had initially been secured for brownfield development, with an additional £4.6 million from the Mayoral Investment Fund, enabling the creation of over 1,100 homes, more than half of which will be affordable or social housing. This fits in with North Yorkshire Council’s local plan. The Mayor emphasised the need for social rent and affordable housing, as well as energy-efficient homes. A Strategic Place Partnership has been created to focus on the delivery of housing and regeneration. Approximately 30,000 homes are currently stalled, and efforts are underway to unlock these sites. Councillors raised the issue of empty council properties in Selby District, stating that 138 were vacant and many of these for extended periods. The Mayor highlighted the need to bring housing up to standard through retrofitting, highlighting the need to improve skills in North Yorkshire. The Mayor welcomed the work of the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership.

-       On climate action, the region aims to become the first carbon-negative region in England by 2040. £7 million has been allocated to net zero projects across North Yorkshire. Other initiatives include a £10 million Carbon Negative Challenge Fund; the Energy Generation Accelerator Program, with a particular focus on community owned schemes; participation in the Leap project; and a strong retrofitting strategy for housing. Over £600,000 has been allocated to the Community Buildings Fund, supporting projects such as The Barn in Tadcaster and Youth Connect in Brayton.

-       The Mayor highlighted the investment in adult skills. Priorities include home learning, flexible training, alignment of training with industry needs and better transport to locations. A £10 million Skills Trailblazer has been secured as well as significant other funding. The Mayor expressed the importance of retaining young people in the region. An application is in for an AI growth zone.

-       On  ...  view the full minutes text for item 142.

The Chair introduced the item and confirmed that a written update had been received from Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP. Keir Mather MP was unable to attend the meeting and so his Office Manager, Owen Harding-Best, attended on his behalf to provide the following updates.

-       The MP’s office had recently passed its 13,000th case. Weekly surgeries continue to be held across the constituency and online.

-       Following a letter from Keir Mather to the Secretary of State for Education, the Minister for School Standards confirmed that construction of the new SEND school in Osgodby is expected to begin in summer 2025. The build is anticipated to take approximately 18 months, with a phased intake of pupils. Keir Mather is due to meet the new headteacher shortly and it is expected that the school will open midway through the academic year.

-       Regarding mobile phone signal, North Yorkshire Council officers conducted signal strength readings in Selby, which confirmed that service was significantly worse than reported by providers. Keir Mather has been engaging with operators, including O2 and Vodafone, to push for improvements and backup power solutions. A £300 million private investment in signal improvements along main rail lines was also noted.

-       DEFRA has approved over £1 million for maintenance of flood infrastructure in the Selby area. The Comprehensive Spending Review confirmed £7.9 billion for national flood defences. Analysis suggests that every £1 spent on flood prevention saves £8 in damage, with £3 saved by the Treasury.

-       Continued campaigns for improved road safety, including 20mph speed limits outside schools and safer crossings in Monk Fryston and Escrick. Keir Mather MP has invited the Roads Minister to visit the constituency and is working with local councillors and officers to progress these issues.

Members expressed a preference for written updates when the MP was unable to attend the meeting.

Members queried Keir Mather MP’s position on the loss of the Rural Services Delivery Grant. Owen Harding-Best responded that while the grant had ended, core spending power for North Yorkshire Council had increased. He noted that rurality is now considered in the Fair Funding Review and that Keir Mather MP continues to engage with senior officers on funding issues. Some Members agreed with this, highlighting funding that had been received.

Resolved

a)    That the updates be noted.

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice and provided the text to Democratic Services (democraticservices.central@northyorks.gov.uk ) no later than midday on Monday, 23 June 2025, three working days before the date of the meeting. Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item. 

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Chair who will instruct those taking a recording to cease whilst you speak.

Five public statements were received before the deadline of midday on Monday, 23June 2025.

Terence Moran made the following statement.

This is a question about the cost assumptions behind the school transport policy changes, and I’d like to direct it to the councillors responsible for supporting this policy.

Previously, this was simple: one bus route served each village, taking students to their catchment school, Tadcaster Grammar. But under the new policy, transport is now being split between schools in York and Tadcaster, depending on walking distance proximity. The result? Where one bus once sufficed, now two separate services are needed and transport is being provided to multiple schools from the same village.

In the villages of Appleton Roebuck and Bilbrough, every home is over three miles from any secondary school. That means that some form of transport provision is going to be required for children in these communities, regardless of which school they attend.

This isn’t theoretical, we know this will happen. In Appleton Roebuck, three children were granted passes and four were not. A single bus would have worked for all seven children, now it will require two.

The same is true in Bilbrough, where children living at the Catterton end of the village will still qualify for transport to Tadcaster Grammar, because it remains their nearest school.

How did the Council factor these locations into its cost-saving assessments and how assured is the Council that this policy will result in savings rather than increasing overall transport costs?

Glynis Ashford made the following statement.

The decision to remove school transport eligibility for children living in Appleton Roebuck, Bilbrough, and Tockwith—all of which are in the catchment area for Tadcaster Grammar School—is almost certainly going to reduce the number of pupils attending Tadcaster over time.

We spoke with a representative of Tadcaster Grammar, who noted that while there has been no immediate drop in pupil numbers, this was almost certainly because the policy change was not widely known among parents. He explained that the school HAD NOT themselves communicated the change directly, as it had been included as a minor item in the redbag which made it easy to miss.

He also shared serious concerns about a potential rise in parents choosing to drive children to school, given the already severe congestion in Tadcaster during the morning drop-off period. In some cases, he said, parents are already deliberately arriving late to avoid traffic, which is having a negative impact on pupils’ education and classroom routines.

This is a policy with clear and serious consequences for a key school in your division. Can you please comment on the specific impact of this policy change for Tadcaster Grammar?"

Glynis Ashford read the following statement on behalf of Katherine Walker.

Under the current system, families who are no longer eligible for school transport can apply for a paid seat — but even then, nothing is guaranteed.

This leaves families in a highly stressful position — especially in rural areas  ...  view the full minutes text for item 144.

Julia Stack, Evie Griffiths and Laura Cobb highlighted the following key points from the report and a discussion followed, a summary of which is below.

-       Officers confirmed that available legislation is utilised wherever possible and highlighted recent successful closure orders at problematic premises.

-       A countywide initiative to install knife bins in major towns was outlined. Bins are currently in place in Selby and Tadcaster, and the report noted that a number of bladed items have already been deposited. A councillor noted that many more knives had been deposited in the Tadcaster knife bin compared to Selby and questioned whether this should be a concern given Selby’s larger size. They also observed that many of the items deposited were kitchen knives, which was viewed positively as it demonstrated community engagement and a willingness to safely dispose of potentially dangerous items. It was suggested that the knife bin in Selby could be put in a better location and that a bin should be placed in Sherburn in Elmet.

-       Officers explained that their work also aligns with strategic priorities set by the Community Safety Partnership. Domestic abuse was cited as a key focus, with reference made to the 16 Days of Action campaign.

-       Recent work around stalking and harassment was highlighted, particularly during April 2025. Officers noted that a new statutory duty relating to serious violence has introduced multiple objectives, supported by funding from the Mayor’s office.

-       Collaborative work with North Yorkshire Police on managing the nighttime economy was highlighted.

-       Officers discussed the role of Prevent Groups in addressing radicalisation and extremism.

-       An update was provided on the integration of the Selby CCTV network into the Harrogate CCTV Control Room. This process has been delayed due to the relocation of the control room from Northallerton following the closure of the Stone Cross building. Once complete, the integration will enable a 24/7, year-round service. A strategic review of CCTV across North Yorkshire is ongoing.

-       Concerns about a significant rise in antisocial behaviour in Sherburn were raised, including incidents involving fireworks, off-road bikes, fires in wooded areas, and disruption to businesses. It was noted that the situation had escalated to the point where Sherburn Town Council had invited the local councillor, the Deputy Mayor, and the local Chief Inspector to a meeting to discuss the issue. Officers confirmed they are aware of these issues and that they are being discussed in multi-agency problem-solving meetings. Officers assured Members that they are working closely with the neighbourhood policing team and that additional police support is planned for the area. Councillors requested that appropriate contact details be shared.

-       A councillor raised concerns about the increasing use of electric scooters in Selby where people are riding at excessive speeds, sometimes two per scooter, on both roads and pavements. The councillor requested clarity on the current legal status of e-scooters, enforcement responsibilities, and any proposals to address the issue.

-       A councillor raised concerns about the deliberate and disruptive backfiring of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 145.

Steve Brown provided a verbal update which was followed by a discussion. The below points were raised.

-       Before Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), off-street parking was managed by the district councils, with approximately 150 car parks across seven districts. On-street parking was overseen by the County Council as the highway authority.

-       Post-LGR, the focus was on ensuring that parking operations were safe and legal. The Council then sought to establish consistency across the county, modernising parking infrastructure where possible.

-       Around 430 pay and display machines, aged between 5 and 15 years, are to be replaced. This programme is approaching the procurement stage, with improvements expected to be visible by March 2026. The upgrades aim to enhance the customer experience and generate additional revenue. Members queried whether the new machines would incorporate QR codes, expressing concerns about potential scams associated with their use. Officers confirmed that QR codes will not be used.

-       Lighting in council car parks will be upgraded, replacing outdated fixtures with energy-efficient LEDs. This will reduce costs, minimise light pollution, enhance safety within the car parks, and improve the overall customer experience, especially during winter.

-       A restructure of the parking services team was carried out, followed by a recruitment campaign to address shortages in staff. As a result, the number of enforcement officers in Selby increased from one to three. A new supervisor, Sean Bolton, has been appointed, and the team is engaging with local councillors, the wider community and is working well.

-       In the past year, 98 off-street and 1,835 on-street Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued in Selby. While enforcement isn't solely about issuing PCNs, these figures serve as a useful indicator and PCNs help to increase compliance. Enforcement officers maintain a visible presence, engage with the public, and move people on when necessary.

-       Strategies under development include town investment plans, local transport plans, and a parking principles document. Given the scale of North Yorkshire, the Council is looking to develop local area action plans which will involve elected members. Members stressed the need to consider the whole Selby and Ainsty area.

-       Resurfacing work has been carried out in Selby, with funding secured by Selby District Council and the project delivered by North Yorkshire Council. Members noted that clear lines and signs are essential for enforcement.

-       Members requested regular updates, including PCN figures.

-       Questions were raised about introducing parking charges in Tadcaster, noting inconsistency with the rest of the area and potential revenue. Officers stated enforcement is driven by strategy and policy, not financial gain, though income is a by-product. It was reported that the suggestion will be reviewed in the development of the local area action plans.

-       Members inquired about the powers available to enforcement officers. Officers confirmed that this is currently under review, with the intention of expanding their authority. It was suggested that fly-tipping enforcement powers could be added.

-       Concerns were raised about traffic volumes in Selby.

-       Members suggested another walkaround  ...  view the full minutes text for item 146.

Tom Jenkinson and Connor King-Stephenson introduced the report and a discussion followed. The key points have been summarised below.

-       Officers apologised for the omission of some areas in the Committee report and assured Members that future reports would be more inclusive. Members requested a stronger focus on projects in the specific area.

-       Members asked how to contact the Communities, Parish Liaison, Local Devolution, and Migrant Programmes teams.

-       Members queried the timetables for the projects.

-       Members asked about the absence of a community partnership in Selby, noting that Sherburn in Elmet and Tadcaster have established ones. Officers advised that such partnerships can be set up if Members make contact.

Resolved

a)    That the report is noted.

At the meeting held on 25 April 2025, Members raised several queries regarding the climate change report. In response, Officers provided a written briefing note, which was included in the meeting papers. Jos Holmes introduced the note, and the following key points were discussed.

-       The original projects were approved by the Director of Environment in February 2024, following consultation with the Area Committee. This programme was supported by a capital budget previously approved and set aside by Selby District Council.

-       Following local government reorganisation, the funding was consolidated into council reserves. As a result, and in accordance with the Council’s financial governance procedures, a new business case is now required for any future projects. This business case would compete alongside other council priorities for approval.

-       It was reported that £250,000 had been ringfenced for the initiatives. Of this, £50,000 had been allocated and spent on tree planting in the Selby area, which includes funding for a three-year maintenance programme. The remaining £200,000 has been consolidated. Projects that were not progressed include the decarbonisation of Selby Library, installation of an electric vehicle charging point at Selby Civic Centre, and further work related to public transport access at Sherburn in Elmet industrial estate.

-       Members expressed disappointment that a new business case is now required and that the previously ringfenced funding has been consolidated into council reserves.

Resolved

a)    That the update is noted.

The Chair introduced the item and the following points were raised by Members.

-       Members requested that regular updates on the condition of housing stock, including the number of voids, repairs, and retrofits, are received.

-       Members requested that the map be edited to ensure that Tadcaster Library is visible.

Resolved

a)    That the Area Committee Annual Report be noted.

The Chair introduced the item and Members made the following additions or amendments.

-       A report from the Mayor was requested regarding efforts to address empty homes and encourage landlords to bring properties back into use.

-       Members requested further information from the Localities team on the role of community anchors and existing partnerships.

-       An item was proposed to cover various aspects of council housing, including:

o   The number of empty properties

o   Churn rate/turnover

o   Refurbishment processes (whether carried out in-house or contracted)

o   Progress on housing repairs and reducing voids

-       A query was raised regarding whether a date has been set for the informal session with the Environment Agency. The importance of being well-informed to influence water companies was emphasised.

-       A suggestion was made to schedule online informal sessions in advance, to be cancelled if there is no business.

-       Members suggested receiving regular updates from the Mayor, particularly in relation to funding opportunities and the benefits delivered to the Selby and Ainsty area.

-       It was noted that “Selby Arts Council” should be removed from the work programme.

Resolved

a)    That the above amendments be made.

Any other items which the Chair agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency because of special circumstances.

There were none.

Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 2:00 PM in Selby Civic Centre.

Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 2.00pm in Selby Civic Centre.