Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and confirmed there were no updates.

Resolved

That the Minutes of the previous meeting of the Thirsk and Malton Area Constituency Committee held on 16 June 2023, having been printed and circulated, be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Apologies were received from Councillors Sanderson, Whitfield and Wilkinson.

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice and provided the text to Nicki Lishman and Louise Hancock of Democratic Services (contact details below) no later than midday on 26 September 2024. Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.  Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:

·           at this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes);

·           when the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting.

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

Ann Meagher – local resident

My question relates to enforcement:

On 8th March 2023 CLEUD 1 was approved allowing vehicle movements from 6.30am. 

On 21st June 2023 CLEUD 2 was submitted to allow vehicle movements from 5.30am (a period of 15 weeks)

I asked the North Yorkshire Council Planning Enforcement Officer why, in those 15 weeks, there was no enforcement action when there was vehicle movement to and from the mill starting at 4.30am nearly every day.

I received two emails on 9th May and 19th June stating - "the Local Planning Authority is considering how best to address the issues with regards to non-compliance and is in communication with our legal representatives with a view to ensuring compliance with the lawful hours of operation".

My question is - Why, in those 15 weeks, was the Planning department either unwilling or unable to commence enforcement action, and what was the result of the discussions with the legal representatives to ensure compliance?

Can I just add that I suspect Mosey will continue to submit CLEUDs on a regular basis, for however long it takes, as it seems to be the way they will eventually get what they want - 24/7 vehicle movements. Why don't Planning stop wasting time and money and just tell Mosey they are allowed vehicle movement 24/7? Mosey know that nobody can stop them. We are utterly powerless and this is why we feel there is no other alternative but to pursue a Traffic Regulation Order 

Patrick Meagher – local resident

Please can you include the following question at Point 4 of the Agenda:

"Condition 1 of Planning Application 11/00498/73A (which was retrospective) is clearly no longer fit for purpose as it was never enforced and has now become obsolete through two Certificates of Lawfulness.

Condition 2 was always unenforceable as the Local Planning Authority ("LPA") and I quote: "cannot find a record of the operating capacity of the mill in August 2011".

The LPA no longer has the ability to influence mill expansion and the resultant increase in truck movements. The mill now has an Environment Permit for 850 tonnes per day 24/7 (25,854 tonnes per month). This equates to 126 forty-four tonne truck movements per day or 3,830 per month.

As the LPA is powerless, what avenues are available to nearby residents to preserve or improve the amenities of the area through which 44 tonne Heavy Commercial Vehicles run other than by applying for a Traffic Regulation Order?"

Edith Tucker (delivered at the meeting by Daniel Harry, Head of Democratic Services)

Re: CLEUD granted for increased operating hours re Ian Mosey Limited

Given the approval for increasing the operating hours at Blackdale Mill to 5.30am from 6.30am, I would be interested to question and understand the following.

As the application had been granted due to continued ‘violation’ of the existing operating hours over a number of years, why have local complaints of noise and disruption not been investigated/acted upon?

Why has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Kevin Hollinrake joined the meeting virtually and highlighted the following;

·         As the Minister for Business for Enterprise and Markets he assured the Committee and the public that he will always be a constituency member of parliament representing the constituency first and foremost.  The impending boundary change will remove Easingwold from the constituency but he was delighted that Bedale and surrounding villages have been brought into the constituency.

·         His focus would be the local economy, as jobs and business opportunities support everything across the constituency and he was keen to make sure the local economy stayed vibrant and that business was force for good.

·         With reference to the matter raised in the public questions, he had an interest in the issue and stated that, although business was a force for good, it should comply with relevant planning applications and relevant regulations that apply and he would hold businesses to account where he could.

·         Our local economy relied on food and farming and it had been a great year which included two visits from the King and Queen to Malton, Yorkshire’s food capital and Pickering, where the NY Moors Railway was a major part of the visitor economy. Events have been held in Westminster to draw attention to North Yorkshire’s produce and he was keen to promote this around the country.

·         Farming remains hugely important. He acknowledged that the new system of direct payment for farmers was causing some pain but it is becoming more generous. He wished to represent the views of the food and farming sector in terms of the impacts of any change eg. the sustainable farming incentive and stewardship schemes becoming more generous and hopefully easier to access.

·         Solar power was important to some farmers, communities and residents and was something that required further clarity from Westminster in terms of solar applications on productive farmland. He was keen to ensure that we didn’t sacrifice food security in name of energy security.

·         Tourism – working closely with towns across the patch including Pickering who was trying to reshape the offering to make it more compelling. Pickering Community Interest Company was doing good work and Totally Locally (a not-for-profit organisation which seeks to promote the high street) was working at a ministerial level.

·         Racing sector was in good health. Went to Malton Open Stables. He was aware of concerns in sector on reforms to gambling and wanted to make sure it doesn’t impact on the sector and that people who gamble responsibly can continue to do so. There was clearly revenue stream for racing from gambling receipts.

·         Engineering –This was a strong sector across patch. There was a very successful engineering apprenticeship fair at the Milton Rooms, Malton and it was hoped this would become an annual event. It brought potential new apprentices into local companies, who had issues recruiting people into the area.

·         A64 – It was disappointing that the roads programme been delayed by 5 years. Assuming that A64 gets the go ahead, the outcome should be known  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Considered;

A report by the Head of Resilience and Emergencies regarding the Council’s role in responding and recovering to emergencies.

The key points in the report were;

•       Responsibilities of multi-agency partners

•       Responsibilities of North Yorkshire Council

•       Elected Members role in emergencies

A profile had been produced for each division focussed on flooding and officers welcomed feedback on where proactive community resilience plans were in place and therefore where there were gaps. Elected Members had the local knowledge and contacts in place to offer support when incidents occur.

•       Community Resilience within the Area Constituency Committee Area

This was followed by a discussion and suggestions passed to officers.

Resolved:

1.    That the Head of Resilience and Emergencies provides an annual update to the Area Constituency Committee to update Members on Community Resilience in their divisions.

2.    That the Resilience and Emergencies Officer for the constituency contacts Members to gather information on good practice, identify issues and links to other groups in their divisions.

3.    That the Head of Resilience and Emergencies circulate electronic copies of the Elected Members Handbook.

Councillor George Jabbour.

Cllr Jabbour gave thanks to the Area Constituency Committee and the Chair for allowing the June meeting to take place in Helmsley, as there was great interest from residents in the matter. A temporary solution was now in place for 3 hrs per day, 3 days per week. A long-term solution was still being sought and Cllr Jabbour was working with Helmsley Town Council to work with any interested local business to achieve this.

Members discussed how their Locality Budgets might be used in such circumstances.

Resolved

That the update be noted.

This presentation will explore the data collected from the Let’s Talk Climate consultation and provide Members with information from residents in the Thirsk and Malton ACC area. It aims to cover:

·         Level of awareness and worry about climate change

·         Actions being taken to tackle climate change

·         Confidence in approach to slow down and prepare for a changing climate and to help nature to help us

·         Priorities for council action and working with partners and community

·         How the data is being used and next steps

The Climate Change and Environmental Project Officer and the Climate Change Policy Officer gave a presentation on the key feedback from the Let’s Talk Climate campaign. The information provided would be used to inform the council’s decisions, policies and services moving forward.

There were a number of key findings obtained from the 1,531 responses to the Let’s Talk Climate survey and 249 responses to the Young People’s survey which covered subjects such as;

·         climate change awareness and worry

·         what actions people could take

·         plan to slow down climate change

·         plan to prepare for a changing climate

·         plan to help nature to help us

·         priorities for key actions

·         priorities for key actions by ACC

Members discussed the findings of the survey and made a number of comments and suggestions that the Council could introduce to encourage and support the community to take action.

Vale of Pickering Internal Drainage Board

Considered:

The report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) regarding appointments to vacant positions on the Vale of Pickering Internal Drainage Board.

The Chair introduced the report and advised that there were four vacant positions to be appointed by the Committee.

Members noted that they would appreciate the appointees advising the Committee of any precepting decisions that the Drainage Board may consider in future.

Resolved

That the following nominations were agreed.

·         Mr M Potter, Pickering Town Council

·         Mr S Arnold, Helmsley Town Council

·         Councillor G Jabbour, North Yorkshire Council

Purpose: To consider, develop and adopt a Work Programme for 2023/24 for the Area Constituency Committee.

Members considered areportby theAssistantChiefExecutive(LegalandDemocraticServices)whichcontained the Committee’scurrent workprogramme for the remainder of the municipal year (2023/24). 

Resolved

1.    That the work programme for the remainder of 2023/24 be noted.

2.    That reports on “Planning and the role of the ACC”, “The Policy of Member involvement in Public Questions and Statements” and “The impacts of HGVs and speeding in villages” be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

There were no items of urgent business.