NYC Parish report
28 Nov 2023
Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister Parish Report
Kirkby Malzeard : November 2023
I have carried out, with the Community Office, extensive research into the viability of the provision of a community bus in the Masham area. The indication is that when resources permit, the MCO will be able to make progress with this. Now that schools are back I am making contact with the sixth form colleges and NYC to establish what routes are viable for sixth form students from the KM area and what public bus routes need to be improved to assist with this.
Community Partnership (Ripon)
Ripon is one of the pilot schemes for these new networks. I am on the Steering Committee to represent those villages that fall within the hinterland of Ripon. There have been some initial meetings but it is not yet up and running, but I will keep you posted – please advise if there are any areas of interest where a Ripon initiative could benefit the KM parish.
Please can you let me know if the draft Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) has reached you and, if so, what your views are on this.
Rural Broadband & Connectivity
I have had a response from Julian Smith MP in response to the concerns I raised with the Secretary of State about the voucher scheme being suspended. I am advised that there are many Voucher Priority Areas identified within the Masham & Fountains division, but that the scheme is currently paused – I don’t know how long for. I will look into this. In addition, there is a £8M fund available to enable the most hard to reach premises to get a connection using satellite connection – I am waiting for more information on who will be eligible and how the funds can be applied for.
NYNet have now finalised which households will and won’t receive a connection under the current and final Phase 4 scheme, for residents that want to check on this please email them on : communities@nynet.co.uk
There was good news at a recent planning committee, where a mobile phone mast outside Masham, in the AONB, was approved. This provides a mobile phone signal where there is currently none, nor any broadband.
Regarding the EE mobile phone issues, the postcodes of the areas affected have been forwarded on to EE. I have not heard further, but will chase to see if they have established what the issue is.
Council Meeting & Executive Decisions
There was a Council Meeting on Wednesday 15th November, where the Executive reported to the members.
To request from Ofgem : further information, action plans and a roadmap for delivery to increase electricity grid generation and import capacity across North Yorkshire
To write to the Secretary of State to express concern that the watering down of net zero targets, announced recently by the Prime Minister, including delaying the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars will make the Council’s climate change strategy more difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
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A motion proposed by the Greens, following a review at Scrutiny Committee, was approved : to recognise the role that NYC has in protecting the County’s rivers and watercourses, consider the impact of pollution on them and to ask the water authorities to provide more detail when consulted at planning stage on the impact additional housing will have on sewage works, if there adequate capacity and what the impact might be on levels of sewage discharge.
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A motion by the Conservatives to increase pay to Councillors for next year was approved, but it was not supported by myself or any other LibDem councillors
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A new five year Economic Growth Strategy has been adopted for the County, which has been well received by the FSB and the Chamber of Commerce.
Destination Management Plan
There is now a new Head of Tourism at NYC who I am hoping to meet soon. I am not aware of any progress being made with the DMP which concerns me, I will continue to chase. It has been announced that the LVEP funding application will be a joint bid by NYC and City of York. This was not reported on at Council and I will be asking what the implications are of this in terms of funding split and strategy.
Highways/Roads & Flooding
Following a recent government announcement, the 24/25 and 25/26 NYC Highways budgets have been boosted by an extra £4.7M/year. Schemes that will benefit from the extra funding are yet to be announced.
The missing SLOW sign at the main junction has been reported to me. Highways advise it will be reassessed by 22nd December.
Have you completed your KM speed survey? Do you want to take this forward?
The Grange : I have been notified of revised plans have been submitted. These are amendments to the access and visibility splays following on-going discussions with the Highways Authority who were seeking to improve the visibility from the access. I have not heard further regarding the current application to vary the permission.
Henry Jenkins : I had a conversation with Kate Exley about this application. A decision has not yet been made, I can see further documents have been submitted.
Mulberry Homes/Laverton Oaks : Highways advise that the engineers are still reviewing what is proposed and have not yet fed back comment to planning, I have raised the PC’s concerns about the drainage infrastructure
My 23/24 budget has now been allocated. Please let me know if there are any funding requirements for the New Year.
I am waiting to hear further from RGS and YMCA as to how the Ripon Youth Council is progressing and how young people from surrounding villages will be able to contribute and take part. If any young people are interested in getting involved in this please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.
The fourth phase of the Household Support Fund has been rolled out to just under 22,500 people across the county who are eligible. It will provide a one-off payment in supermarket e-vouchers to ease the pressure of global inflation.
People who will receive the Household Support Fund payments are:
• Residents who received housing benefit on, or between, January 26, 2023, and February 25, 2023, but did not qualify for the cost of living payment made in April and May 2023 for people on low income benefits or tax credits. They will receive a single e-voucher for £450.
• Residents who were getting the maximum discount to pay their council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme, as of August 14, 2023. They will receive a single e-voucher for £110.
NYC have reported on progress that the ICB is making to try to counter the problems with accessing NHS dental care. With regard to NYC’s obligations to deliver the public health element of dental care, there are a number of oral health improvement activities including a supervised toothbrushing scheme being delivered in Early Years settings and Special Schools, and supply of oral health packs through the Healthy Child Service. Unfortunately the Early Years providers in Fountains & Masham are not included in the targeted toothbrushing scheme, but there is support available for those who want to participate and I will circulate this and offer my Locality Budget to assist with any costs involved. I will also encourage the Early Years and Schools that are not currently involved in the Healthy Schools/Early years scheme to sign up.
Commuted Sums & CIL payments
I was expecting to have seen a summary of CIL allocations for the parish by now, has this reached you? Have you established with Kate Dawson if there are any Commuted Sums due to the Parish?
Long Course Weekend – 6/8th September 24
These is a new triathlon style event being held in Pateley Bridge next year. It was initially reported that 46,000 were expected to attend (a mix of competitors and supporters), the latest report suggests the first year will attract 5,000 athletes and 20,000 supporters from 30 nations, to compete over the 3 days. The event will take place at Pateley every year for three years. There will be running and cycling races starting and finishing in Pateley, the routes are not yet known.
NYC Local Plan – new portal
I have previously reported on the consultation on the new Statement of Community Involvement, which began last month. The Statement will set out how it will consult people on planning, as well as early engagement about the local plan. It has now been announced that an online portal has been created to manage the process of the development of the new Local Plan. Everyone who registers on the portal will receive important information such as when consultation and engagement will take place and how they can have their say – to register please go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/localplan
NYC have announced that parents and carers with children due to start primary school in North Yorkshire in September next year can apply for their places now. Primary applications for children born between September 1, 2019, and August 31, 2020, must be submitted by January 15, 2024, and it is advised to list up to five schools in order of preference. All the information on North Yorkshire primary schools is available at www.northyorks.gov.uk/admissions online. Allocated school places will be announced on National Offer Day, which is April 16, 2024 and for further information please email schooladmissions@northyorks.gov.uk or call 01609 533679.
A countywide consultation is being launched to glean the public’s views and pinpoint the key priorities for North Yorkshire Council’s budget for the next financial year. Residents are now being encouraged to have their say on the council’s priorities by taking part in the Let’s Talk Money survey. Feedback received will inform decisions on the 2024/25 budget and the Council Plan covering 2024 to 2028. The council’s priorities are set out in its Council Plan, which can be read at www.northyorks.gov.uk/councilplan The Let’s Talk Money survey can be completed at www.northyorks.gov.uk/LetsTalkNY online. Paper copies and copies in accessible formats can also be requested by emailing LetsTalk@northyorks.gov.uk, calling 0300 1312131 or writing to Let’s Talk, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD. The survey will close on Monday, December 18.
I would encourage residents to raise any issues of concern, and areas which they would suggest need more or less funding, to my attention. It would be very useful to know where their priorities lie.
Community Climate Action Programme
NYC have launched an £800K fund to support communities develop and deliver
climate action projects. Specialist advice is available, along with funding for decarbonisation plans for public spaces such as Parish Halls, and grants of between £1,000 up to £50,000, up to 80% (i.e. 20% match funding is required) will
be available for projects such as energy efficiency, low carbon heating, renewable energy generation, storage options and grid capacity and decarbonising transport. I can provide a link to the prospectus to this if you would like further information.
Household Waste Recycling Centres Survey
Residents can share their views to help to develop household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). North Yorkshire Council has a legal duty to provide household waste recycling centres for residents to dispose of any additional household waste, free of charge.
There are 20 household waste recycling centres (plus mobile sites) across North Yorkshire and this service, including the disposal of the waste delivered, costs more than £5 million a year. To help address increasing costs and improve the service it provides, the council is looking at various options for HWRCs and is asking people to share their views about changes to the following services:
• Restricting the use to North Yorkshire residents only.
• Limiting access for commercial-like vehicles.
• Changes to commercial waste.
Seventeen per cent of household waste recycling centre users live outside North Yorkshire. If only North Yorkshire residents were allowed to use the household waste recycling centres, this could generate savings of approximately £140,000 a year.
Similarly, 93 per cent of visitors in a commercial-like vehicle (for example, a van or a pick-up) visit less than 12 times a year. It is believed that some waste being deposited from these vehicles could be commercial waste, which should be paid for. If the council limits these vehicles to 12 visits a year, it could bring in savings of around £370,000 and reduce congestion at sites to improve the experience for everyone.
Commercial waste, which is a paid-for service, is currently accepted at all household waste recycling centres (except Harrogate Stonefall). Although the council has no legal obligation to accept commercial waste at household waste recycling centres, it understands that this is a useful service to very small businesses that operate from home in rural areas. Therefore, people are also being asked whether they would support the accurate weighing and charging of commercial waste.
Local Nature Recovery Strategy survey
Residents can share their views about the area’s nature to help to shape and protect its assets for future generations. To address the decline of nature and to improve the environment, every county in England is required to produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. These provide an opportunity for nature specialists, professional experts, businesses and residents to come together to find out about ways to restore and enhance nature.
The strategy will identify locations to improve nature and provide other benefits, such as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, flood regulation and access to nature-rich spaces where this is most needed for health and wellbeing. It will set out where and how to protect spaces and create a network of nature-rich sites which are bigger, better managed and more joined up across the county and across the country.
The consultation is available on North Yorkshire Council’s website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/lnrs . The closing date is Monday, February 12.
New grant scheme for North Yorkshire’s small and micro businesses
A new package of capital grant schemes is opening up £450,000 in funding for small and micro firms across the county. The fund, administered by North Yorkshire Council through the North Yorkshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF), is focused on increasing business growth, productivity and resilience. Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available.
Micro businesses, with less than 10 employees, and small firms with less than 50 employees can also access free support beyond the grant through the business advisory teams at the council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.
Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister