Residents encouraged to check voter registration details

Householders are being urged to ensure that their details are correct so that they can take part in future elections.

Every year, our elections team is required by law to confirm whether the details on the electoral register are correct for every household.

A letter printed on yellow paper has been sent to those who need to respond. Those who have not responded should expect a visit from someone to get the information needed in person from the end of September.

From the age of 16, British citizens and qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizens living in the UK can be added to the electoral register.

Register to vote online or see more information about the annual canvass.

We are also asking residents to renew their postal votes following changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022.

People are now required to renew their postal vote if it is more than three years old. Residents will only receive a letter or email if they need to renew it.

All renewal applications can be submitted online. The deadline is 31 January 2026. Anybody who has not renewed their postal vote can still vote in person at their local polling station, as long as they are registered on the electoral register.

Check ahead for service changes this August bank holiday

Residents are being reminded to check opening hours and service arrangements ahead of the August bank holiday on Monday 25 August.

Minor changes to household waste and recycling collections may apply in some areas. People are advised to check their bin collection calendar on our website closer to the date.

Household recycling centres will remain open from 8.30am to 5pm, but visitors are asked to allow enough time to unload before closing. Centres are only closed on Wednesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Customer service centres and phone lines will be closed for routine queries on Monday 25 August, but urgent support will still be available for critical issues such as social care, homelessness, emergency housing repairs and highways. Residents needing urgent help should call 0300 131 2 131 and follow the prompts. Services will reopen as normal from 9am on Tuesday 26 August. Social media channels will not be monitored during the closure.

Most libraries will be closed on the bank holiday, but our digital library including free eBooks, audiobooks, magazines and comics will remain available through the North Yorkshire Libraries app.

Some leisure centres may also operate revised hours, so residents planning to visit are encouraged to check local listings before setting off.

Have your say on Whitby cliff lift replacement bus service

Residents and visitors in Whitby are urged to share their views on the future of the town’s cliff lift replacement bus service.

A consultation has been launched to gather comments about the future of the bus service after the cliff lift was closed in 2022 when corrosion was discovered in the structure, deeming it unsafe to continue operating.

While it would be possible to restore the lift to working order, this would come at a significant cost. Damage caused by water seeping into the lift’s structure and ventilation issues would continue to pose challenges, as would the cost of the operation and maintenance.

Since 2022, a free replacement bus service has been provided to take passengers down to the promenade between the start of May and the end of September.

However, passenger numbers have been low and there are on average only 630 single journeys per month. The service also costs more than £50,000 to operate per season.

The deadline for comments is Sunday 7 September - take part in the Whitby cliff lift consultation.

Following the consultation, a report will be presented to the council’s executive members to determine the future of the replacement bus service.

Free trial offer for would-be market traders

People interested in running a market stall are being given the opportunity to apply for a free one-day pitch at one of our traditional markets.

The initiative gives new traders a chance to try selling their goods without the usual upfront costs. It’s also open to existing traders who want to test out a different location.

The offer, which runs until Tuesday 30 September, applies to our markets in Thirsk, Northallerton, Ripon, Knaresborough, Pickering, Helmsley and Whitby, but does not include Scarborough Market Hall and Vaults.

Applicants must apply at least one week in advance and provide proof of their right to work in the UK, public liability insurance, a photo ID and food hygiene certification if relevant.

Traders must also bring their own gazebo, table or display equipment.

For further information or to submit an application ParksandGroundsCommercial@northyorks.gov.uk

Feedback helps shape the future of pharmacy services

A public consultation is underway on a draft plan for pharmacy services, developed using feedback from residents gathered earlier this year.

Residents gave their views on whether the locations, accessibility and services provided by pharmacies were adequate.

That information has informed proposed plans for the next three years.

Residents, organisations and community groups are now being encouraged to share their views on these proposals before the deadline on Tuesday 19 August.

The consultation, which is being led jointly by us and City of York Council, focuses on the draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments which outline whether existing provision meets the needs of local people.

The feedback will help further shape these plans with the final reports set to be discussed by Health and Wellbeing Boards this autumn

The survey is anonymous, takes about 10 to 15 minutes to complete - take part in the North Yorkshire and York Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2025 to 2028 consultation.

Now Then! reveals line-ups for free summer festivals

Some of the UK’s best theatre, dance and music companies are coming to Selby and Sherburn-in-Elmet this August as the Now Then! programme has announced the full line-up for two free festivals taking place for families this summer.

The Now Then! festivals will take place in Selby on Saturday 2 August, in the Abbey Quarter and Market Place and then in Sherburn in Elmet at Eversley Park on Sunday 17 August. Both festivals run from 1pm to 6pm and will feature original and interactive outdoor performances.

At both festivals, audiences can look forward to ‘shapeshifting creatives' Trigger fresh from Glastonbury Festival but this time performing ‘TEABREAK’, an uplifting performance that invites audiences to rest with a free cup of chai or peppermint tea, accompanied by live dance and a transportive audio piece that explores the history and ritual of tea.

Perhaps Contraption’s ‘The Journey’ will also feature - a musical promenade combining progressive pop, movement, choral harmonies and British Sign Language, guiding audiences through a joyful and curious story about community and presence. The day will also see the return of ‘Family Catwalk Extravaganza’ to the area following well-received performances programmed by Now Then! last year. This is a dazzling, interactive celebration of fashion, lip-sync and self-expression from artists Ghetto Fabulous, where the audience chooses the winner and everyone is encouraged to join in.

Alongside the performances, there will be food stalls and creative activities for all ages.

Now Then! is a two-year creative programme bringing artists and communities together in Selby, Sherburn and Tadcaster. It is funded by Arts Council England, us and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and led in partnership with local organisations including ARCADE, Sherburn and Villages Community Trust, Selby Abbey, The Barn in Tadcaster and Heart of Yorkshire Education Group at Selby College.

Both festivals are free to attend, no booking required. For more information and updates, follow Now Then Creative on Facebook.