Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice and supplied the text to Harriet Clarke at democraticservices.west@northyorks.gov.uk by midday on Monday 2 March 2026, three working days before the day of the meeting. Each speaker must limit themselves to 3 minutes.
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 Chair who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.
Minutes:
Two public questions were received that did not relate to an item on the agenda and were dealt with under this agenda item and are detailed below.
1.
Public question from Edwin Rothwell
“Hello,
I just wanted to thank you for your support and encouragement from the last time I brought a question here. Your input and the resulting discussions outside of here were really useful.
To update you on my work, I’ve set up a charity to facilitate the Skipton Pride celebrations and we held our first event as a charity last August. The feedback has been incredible and we are hoping to repeat that success again this summer.
My Community Interest Company has started trading as a Coffee Shop on Swadford Street, and this has already started building a great community of customers. I have used the space to spark discussions around the Town Investment Plan, and I’ve been lucky to hear lots of opinions, which I will collate and feed into the Plan.
Just a reminder that I spoke here previously about Regeneration in Skipton, and the desire for my Community Interest Company to eventually start a housing project.
I have noted on your work agenda that this Committee is interested in the vacant space above shops. Converting these to residential is not often commercially viable with extra obstacles like Listed status. It seems to be the case that conversion of these spaces does require an intervention to unlock the potential housing.
With that in mind, I am interested in how I can help with that, as a delivery partner, and I intend to apply to the Stage 1 Community Housing Fund, to set up a Skipton Community Benefit Society (SCBS), which will aim to provide housing with genuinely affordable rents, reserved for young people who can demonstrate that they want to stay in the area.
I anticipate that the SCBS will be able to build a membership, and gather sources of funding, such as from Homes England and the Combined Authority Brownfield Housing Fund, to bring disused space in Skipton Town Centre back to life - in a high-quality and energy efficient way.
My question to the committee is whether this is something that would be supported, what is the committee’s interest in the space above shops, and what concerns would the committee have about this?
Thank you
Edwin Rothwell
CIC Manager,
Heart of Skipton CIC”
A joint response to this public question was received from the Community Housing Enabler and Regeneration Officer, as detailed below:
“Thank you for your question and for the continued engagement you have shown with the work of the Skipton and Ripon Area Committee. It is encouraging to hear about the progress you have made since you last update to the Committee.
The Community Housing Team met with Mr. Rothwell on 24 February 2026 in Skipton and were supportive of his ambition to provide affordable housing in the area. Following that meeting, the team shared examples of completed community‑led housing schemes and provided him with the blank grant application form for the community development set up fund. Our understanding was that he would take these materials away to review and to discuss with the wider community, to gauge interest and identify whether others might wish to join him in bringing forward affordable homes.
In relation to the Skipton Town Investment Plan (TIP), Mr Rothwell was invited to, and attended, the initial stakeholder engagement event on the 9 February 2026 representing Heart of Skipton Community Interest Company. We value his contribution to the discussions which will help shape the priorities of the TIP and we will ensure he continues to be invited to participate in future engagement opportunities.”
2.
Public Question from Margaret Nicholson
“What progress has been made by North Yorkshire Council in providing a safe footpath on Sutton Lane to Eastburn in Sutton on Craven, following the fatality which happened there over four years ago?”
A response to this public question was received from Richard Marr, Highways Area Manager, as detailed below:
“The project is one that needs input from both North Yorkshire Council and the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC).
From North Yorkshire Council’s perspective, the scheme is agreed with the necessary landowners and the legal transfer of land should be completed before the end of the financial year. North Yorkshire Council is also assisting the CBMDC with their acquisitions and although progressing positively, the CBMDC are still at the early stages of negotiation.
The scheme itself is still being led by, and will be ordered by, the CBMDC, but work can only commence once the Legal acquisitions are complete.”
In response, Mrs Nicholson expressed long standing concerns about the dangerous road conditions in Sutton on Craven, noting that the issues had first been raised in October 2016 including inadequate street lighting, the absence of a pavement, the narrow road layout and heavy road traffic near the local school. A lack of confidence in CBMDC’s commitment to resolving the issue was also commented on.