News in brief – Learn about fostering to council tax support
Your at-a-glance guide to what’s new in your council.
Community and library join force to raise awareness of support
Life-changing community organisations in the east of North Yorkshire are partnering with Pickering Library to ensure more people take advantage of essential services.
Pickering Library has built on a popular existing drop-in with Age UK and partnered with Ryedale Charities Together, Pickering Town Council and Pickering Town CIC to host a Community One Stop event on the first Thursday of every month from 10am to noon.
The drop-ins enable community organisations to gather in one location so that residents in need of advice or support can easily access the help that they need.
Ryedale Charities Together is made up of six charities - Next Steps Resource Centre and Community Café in Norton, Ryedale Carers Support, Ryedale Community Transport (RYECAT), Ryedale Special Families, Sight Support Ryedale and Ryedale Community Food Bank.
This initiative has been mirrored in market towns across the area with a wide range of public and voluntary sector partners.
Organisations and agencies, including those from ourselves, provide support on issues such as policing, disability, housing and healthy living. Library staff are also on hand to talk about the service and resources available in the branch.
Much of the work by Ryedale Community One Stop is done with the help of volunteers. Sessions are organised at venues in the locality.
Festival to showcase hidden gems of Selby area’s heritage
Visitors and residents are being given the chance to explore historical and cultural gems in the Selby area as part of a festival celebrating the North Yorkshire town’s heritage.
The Selby Residents Festival will be staged on Saturday, 20 April, and Sunday, 21 April, and will showcase the history of the area dating back centuries.
Events and activities include behind the scenes tours of Selby Abbey as well as the chance to visit Towton Battlefield, which was the scene of what is thought to have been the bloodiest battle on English soil on Palm Sunday in 1461 during the War of the Roses.
Visitors to Carlton Towers, a stately home to the west of Selby, will also be able to have a free upgrade for high tea at the historic property.
While the festival, which is being staged for the fourth time, is aimed at allowing residents to explore attractions and venues close to home as well as attracting visitors to the area, it also benefits local enterprises by providing opportunities to showcase their businesses to the public and supports the growth of the local economy.
Our corporate director of community development, Nic Harne, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the Selby Residents Festival back to the area for 2024. The festival is going from strength to strength and provides a boost in business for the tourism and hospitality industry in the area.
“It’s great to show the diversity of the tourism offer in the Selby area. By events such as this festival we can encourage residents to shop and visit local businesses and show how proud people are of their local area.
“In finding new ways to attract visitors and spread footfall across the county, we’re offering new opportunities to our local businesses, along with great deals to our visitors and residents alike.”
Details of offers available during the Selby Residents Festival are available at the Heart of Yorkshire website, or the Heart of Yorkshire Facebook page.
Businesses can find out more or to sign up to the Selby Residents Festival.
Heart of Yorkshire is the official tourism website for the Selby area of North Yorkshire and is part of ourselves.
Find out about the council tax reduction scheme and other support available with the cost of living
There are local schemes and organisations in North Yorkshire which may be able to help or point you in the right direction if you are worried about the cost of living or struggling to pay for food and other essentials.
If you are on a low income, you might be able to get a discount on your council tax bill.
If you meet the criteria, the council tax reduction scheme can give you a percentage reduction on your council tax bill between 25 and 100 per cent depending on your weekly income and circumstances.
Council tax reduction is available to single people, families, couples, working people, retired people, people who are unemployed and anyone on a low income.
Find out more about the council tax reduction scheme and apply online.
Children come together to set out vision for a greener future
Young people from North Yorkshire have come together to discuss the environment and pinpoint changes they would make in their own school communities for a greener future.
Our energy and sustainability team delivered a climate change event for school children from across the county at RHS garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, where they took part in workshops and activities focusing on positive actions they and their schools can take to help the environment.
Pupils attending the event were from Boroughbridge Primary School, Cambrai Primary School in Catterick Garrison, Cowling Community Primary School near Skipton, Kildwick Church of England Primary School, Marton-Cum-Grafton Primary School, North Rigton Church of England Primary School and Thornton-in-Craven Community Primary School.
The children completed a range of activities in their workshops learning about energy efficiency and cutting carbon with the council’s very own superhero “Power Down Pete”, who was played by our school’s carbon reduction officer, Peter Bell, as well as exploring choices and consequences for the climate with Liz Roodhouse from Craven Development Education Centre.
They also spent time exploring nature and used the outstanding facilities and surroundings of RHS garden Harlow Carr. This was further backed up with learning activities with the Hidden Nature Challenge run by the RHS National Nature Park team.
The event came to a fitting end celebrating the achievements of pupils from Boroughbridge Primary School who were awarded with the coveted Eco-Schools Green Flag Award for their commitment to sustainability and climate change.
Some North Yorkshire schools can apply for Green Flag funding through the council’s energy team to achieve their own Green Flag award. You can check your eligibility by emailing energy.team@northyorks.gov.uk
Find out more about the Eco Schools programme.
Consultation starts on new plan to shape development for Selby area
The latest consultation on a new Local Plan for the Selby area has been launched.
The Local Plan sets out where development will take place across the area up to 2040. It also includes policies and strategies that planning applications will be considered against.
This round of consultation asks for comments on a revised version of the plan, which incorporates changes made since the previous consultation in 2022.
The main changes are the removal of the proposed Heronby settlement and the addition of four proposed development sites at Eggborough, Hambleton, Hensall and North Duffield. Other changes have been made to reflect the revised National Planning Policy Framework published in December 2023, and site allocation policies are now clearer and more consistent.
Our corporate director of community development, Nic Harne, said: “The new Local Plan will help to ensure that we have a development plan for the Selby area, in line with national planning guidance, which reflects our economic strategy and priorities for the area.
“This consultation is the final opportunity for people to make their comments on the plan before we submit it to the Secretary of State for formal examination by an independent planning inspector.”
People can view and make comments about the revised plan online up until 4.30pm on Friday, 19 April. The website also lists joining instructions for a Microsoft Teams information sessions on Thursday, 9 April.
Printed copies of the revised plan, policies map, associated documents and guidance notes on how to respond to the consultation are available at the following locations during opening hours:
- Selby Civic Centre, Doncaster Road, Selby, YO8 9FT.
- County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD.
- Barlby Library and Community Hub, Howden Road, Barlby, YO8 5JE.
- Selby Library, 62, Micklegate, Selby, YO8 4EQ.
- Sherburn in Elmet and Villages Community Library, Finkle Hill, Sherburn in Elmet, LS25 6EA.
- Tadcaster Community Library, Station Road, Tadcaster, LS24 9JG.
- Supermobile Library.
Opening hours are listed on our website.
Once the Selby Local Plan is formally adopted after examination, it will exist until it is replaced by the new North Yorkshire Local Plan that the council is preparing during the next few years.
Garden waste collections start this month
Garden waste collections start this month, but it is not too late to pay for a licence and reap the benefits of joining the service.
The service costs £46.50 for fortnightly garden waste collections until early December - for customers whose previous licence covered collections this month, the cost is £42. This provides a cost-effective way to dispose of your garden waste.
Once paid, the service will start once your licence arrives and is clearly displayed on your bin.
For more information about the garden waste service, and to buy a licence, visit the garden waste page.
Fostering events
Our fostering team hold regular drop-in and virtual events for those who have been thinking about fostering and want to learn more.
Are you curious about what fostering entails and what the process is to become a carer? Or do you simply want to listen in to our team and maybe ask some of your own questions?
Our team runs regular drop in and chat sessions where you can join us. These sessions take place online and in-person so you can choose a date and time to suit you.
Find out the latest Fostering event details.
Children given opportunity to take part in free Easter activities
A programme of free activities and healthy meals for eligible children and young people in North Yorkshire is being staged in the Easter school holidays.
Bookings are open for the latest FEAST programme, with thousands of free places available across the county. FEAST runs until 8 April and is coordinated by North Yorkshire Together.
Our corporate director for the children and young people’s service, Stuart Carlton, said: “Since its launch in Easter 2021, thousands of children have already taken part in previous programmes over the summer,
“Christmas and Easter periods, with many families reporting that the clubs are a lifeline.”
Open to all children and young people in North Yorkshire, those who are eligible can attend for free and receive a hot meal or packed lunch.
Eligible families will receive information to book via their school. Details are on North Yorkshire Together’s website.
North Yorkshire Together’s strategic director, Max May, said: “W’re committed to reaching even more families across North Yorkshire.
“We want to ensure that as many children and young people as possible have the chance to participate and benefit from the great opportunities FEAST has to offer.”