Previous consultations

This consultation closed on 31 March.

Introduction

Health and wellbeing boards were established by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which requires councils to create a board for their area. The aim is to encourage improvement and working together for health and social care. 

Health and wellbeing boards have a responsibility to produce a Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which should set out priorities to improve people’s health and reduce health inequalities and explain how the board will do this.

North Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Board has written a new Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy for the county, which sets out our proposed priorities for action, and our ideas for working together to achieve them.  

We wanted to know what you thought about the draft strategy. Your views are very important to help us shape the strategy and make sure that we are focusing on the most important issues.

 Read our draft strategy (pdf / 1 MB).

 Read the Easy Read version of the draft strategy (pdf / 3 MB).

How you could have taken part

• complete our survey
• attend an online meeting or a drop-in event
• invite us to your meetings
• send us an email or a letter

Online events

At our online events, we shared the key points of the strategy and have a discussion with attendees about what we collectively need to do to improve health and wellbeing for North Yorkshire's communities.

• Tuesday 23 January 2.30pm to 4pm
• Wednesday 21 February 6.30pm to 7.30pm
• Tuesday 5 March 2.30pm to 4pm

Drop-in events

At our drop-in events, we were ready to have a chat with you about health and wellbeing, and we asked you to tell us The One Thing you would like to see happen to improve health and wellbeing for you, your community and where you live.

The drop in events were at:

• Monday 22 January between 10am and 1pm at Selby Library
• Monday 29 January between 2pm and 5pm at Harrogate Library (BSL interpreters at this event)
• Wednesday 7 February between 11am and 2pm at Skipton Library
• Friday 23 February between 11am and 2pm at Northallerton Library
• Monday 4 March between 10.30am and 1.30pm at Malton Library
• Friday 8 March between 12 noon and 3pm at Scarborough Library (BSL interpreters at this event)
• Thursday 14 March between 3pm and 6pm at Catterick Library

Deadline

The consultation closed on Sunday 31 March 2024.

Further information

 Draft equality impact assessment for the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (pdf / 339 KB)

If you would like to provide feedback on the draft equality impact assessment, please email HASConsultation@northyorks.gov.uk

Our Consultation and community engagement promise

Our consultations and surveys privacy notice

 Easy Read participation and engagement privacy notice (pdf / 361 KB)

Introduction

Autism is a lifelong neuro-development condition that affects how people perceive the world, communicate, and interact. Being autistic means your brain works differently to how other people’s brains work.

Whether people find out they are autistic as a child, young person, or adult, being autistic is often an important part of a person’s identity for the whole of their lives.

We understand that autistic people have different ways of describing themselves and that they may identify with a wider group of people who are “neurodivergent” or “neuro diverse”. We recognise that the Equality Act (2010) considers autism as a disability, but we also know that not all autistic people see themselves as disabled.

Autism is often called a spectrum condition because it can impact on people in many ways. They may need to access different levels of support across their lives in areas such as education, employment, housing, health, and care or within their communities. Many different organisations across North Yorkshire have a part to play, working together with autistic people of all ages and their families.

Over the last six months, the draft All-Age Autism Strategy has been developed by people with autism, their carers and families, alongside representatives from the community and voluntary sectors, North Yorkshire Council, health services, police, probation, education and employment partners.

Our partners and services include:

Health services

• integrated care boards
• primary care (GPs and pharmacies)
• autism diagnosis services
• general hospitals
• mental health community services and hospitals

Council services

• children and young people's services
• health and adult services
• housing
• stronger communities
• libraries, culture and leisure services
• economic development

Key partners

• local employers
• job centre
• adult and youth justice
• providers of care, support and activities for autistic people and their families
• schools, colleges and other education and childcare providers
• wider community and voluntary sector
• businesses and service operators in communities

Our strategy is led by the North Yorkshire Autism Group who are incredibly grateful to the wider Autism network of autistic people, carers, staff and partners who have contributed their experiences, views, and ideas through events, workshops, surveys and conversations.

The strategy has eight key priority areas, linked with the national strategy and local priorities. The key priorities are:

• education and preparing for adulthood
• employment
• housing
• carers
• assessment, diagnosis and support
• health and care
• adult and youth justice
• inclusive communities

We would like to hear from as many people as possible on key areas including:

Strategy content

To gather feedback on the content of the strategy including whether the content of each key priority area reflects and responds to the key issues in North Yorkshire and whether any areas are missing.

Prioritising actions

To encourage people to give their views on the most important action within each priority area and the order of priority for actions to be delivered in years one, two and three of the strategy. 

Measuring success

To invite people to give their views on what success looks like for them and how they would like us to measure success against the strategy. 

Design

To gather feedback on the layout, design, and accessibility of the draft strategy and to encourage people to be involved in a design group to coproduce the strategy design, for example, front cover, back cover, artwork, and poetry. 

Working together

To understand people’s views about what good co-production looks like and to explore and encourage ongoing involvement of individuals with clear, accessible, and regular opportunities to work together. To understand how long people have been involved with the autism strategy (throughout the engagement or just for formal consultation) and how people became aware of the consultation, to inform future work.  

We need your help to make sure the draft autism strategy reflects the ambitions and priorities of communities across North Yorkshire.

 Download the autism strategy (pdf / 1 MB)

 Download the Easy Read autism strategy (pdf / 2 MB)

The consultation closed on 15 March 2024.

Consultation events

Come to our consultation events to find out more about the draft autism strategy and to tell us about what’s important to you. To book a place please email hasservicedevelopment@northyorks.gov.uk or call 01609 534299.

Further information

 Autism Strategy Equality Impact Assessment (pdf / 367 KB)

Participation and engagement privacy statement

 Easy-read participation and engagement privacy statement (pdf / 361 KB)

 Easy Read Autism Strategy Equality Impact Assessment (pdf / 1 MB)

We are working with Knaresborough Town Council on a project to improve the quality of the Mint Garth Play Area in Knaresborough. The play area currently lacks a good range of play equipment for a wide age range of users. There is a lot of unused space on the play area site which we feel would benefit from some up-to-date play equipment.

This public consultation will gather opinions from residents to help create the most suitable design for the play area. The consultation report will be used to create a wish list for the design brief, which will influence the final decision.

The £50,000 allocated for this project would come from the Section 106 money (Commuted Sums). This is money paid to North Yorkshire Council by property developers when providing residential properties within the council area.

This consultation closed on Sunday 3 March 2024.

Every county in England is required to produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy to deal with the decline of nature and to improve the environment.

These strategies provide an opportunity for nature specialists, professional experts, businesses and local residents to come together to find out about ways to restore and enhance nature.

Our strategy will help identify locations to improve nature and provide other benefits, such as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, flood regulation and access to nature-rich spaces most needed for health and wellbeing.

We need your help to prepare our Local Nature Recovery Strategy for North Yorkshire and York and want to know more about:

• why you care for nature
• your thoughts on wildlife species
• whether you have seen examples of local projects to restore or protect nature

This consultation closed on Monday 12 February 2024.

We have a legal duty to provide household waste recycling centres for residents to dispose of any additional household waste, free of charge.

We currently provide 20 household waste recycling centres, plus mobile sites, across North Yorkshire. This service, including the disposal of the waste delivered, costs more than £5 million per year.

To help address increasing costs and improve the service we provide, we are looking at various options for our household waste recycling centres. We asked residents about changes to the following services:

• restricting the use of the household waste recycling centres to North Yorkshire residents only
• limiting the access for commercial-like vehicles
• changes to commercial waste

The consultation closed on 31 January 2024.

Find out information regarding the proposal to close Fountains Earth, Lofthouse CE Primary School.

This consultation closed on Friday 22 December 2023.

Find out about our consultation on changes to the policy for allocating social housing in North Yorkshire.

Since the new council was established on 1 April 2023 when the county council merged with the existing seven district and borough councils, the government requires us to have one policy for allocating social housing to cover all of North Yorkshire by 1 April 2025.

Before April 2023 and up until now, Harrogate has its own allocations policy.

You can read the proposed housing allocations policy for all of North Yorkshire.

We will also be using an online system called ‘North Yorkshire Home Choice’ to help us allocate social housing for the whole county. This will be new to the Harrogate area but it is already used across the rest of North Yorkshire.

You can find out more information about North Yorkshire Home Choice on the North Yorkshire Home Choice website.

Complete our survey about the proposed policy

This consultation ended Monday 18 December.

We encourage you to complete the survey online as the form allows more space for your answers.

Paper copies

Paper copies of the survey will be available from the following libraries and community buildings in the area formerly known as the Harrogate borough:

• Harrogate Civic Centre
• Fairfax Community Centre
• Jennyfield Styan Community Centre
• Knaresborough Community Centre
• Knaresborough Swimming Pool
• Ripon Community Leisure Centre
• Starbeck Swimming Baths
• Nidderdale Pool and Leisure Centre
• Nidderdale Plus - Pateley Bridge
• Masham Community Office
• Ripon Community House
• Harrogate Library
• Starbeck Library
• Knaresborough Library
• Boroughbridge Library
• Ripon Library 
• Bilton and Woodfield Community Library
• Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA)

Please call 0300 131 2131 (please say ‘Housing consultation’ when prompted) if you want to request a paper survey or you need the information in a different format or language.

You can email housingconsult@northyorks.gov.uk to ask any questions or give your views.

Deadline

In order to incorporate your views, we have extended the deadline for you to have your say from 27 November until midnight on 17 December 2023.

1. Outcome of the Public Consultation

The area of concern (known as Intervention Area IA) contained a list of 3,477 UPRN, or premises, which were supplied to the market for review on the 28 November 2023.

The Public Consultation Process to redetermine the State Aid classifications for the Superfast North Yorkshire project rand for one calendar month and closed on the 28th December 2023.

Six (6) suppliers responded with information on their current commercial products and commercial plans for the next 3 years, within the North Yorkshire County boundary. Superfast North Yorkshire is grateful for all contributions to the process.

There were no enquiries from the public in the process

Following this process, the eligible Intervention Area (IA) for the project was classified as being either “NGA BLACK, GREY, WHITE” or “Under Review” and then mapped.

2. The Intervention Area (IA)

Superfast North Yorkshire have chosen to use a premises and infrastructure mapping scheme to provide a higher degree of accuracy than using postcodes. In a highly rural county such as North Yorkshire, a postcode can cover a large geographical area with a sparse number of premises. Data provided by the OMR and Public Consultation process has been utilised to construct and develop the intervention area.

Phase 4 Intervention Area vs Public Consultation IA

The overall, Phase 4 IA comprises of 24,422 UPRN, classified as “NGA WHITE”. Phase 4 contract award will secure 15,830 premises upgraded to >100Mbs service by end of contract in Spring/Summer 2024.

The Public Consultation IA is a subset of premises from the current Phase 4 project and totals 3,477 UPRN from the 24,422.

Superfast North Yorkshire Definitions and Intervention Area

Superfast North Yorkshire will only intervene where an area is described and mapped as NGA White, which is defined as:

NGA White – no NGA (>30Mbps) services available and where there are no evidenced plans for further NGA infrastructure in the next 3 years.

3. Summary

The consultation IA was comprised of 3,477 “NGA White” premises. After the responses of 6 (six) suppliers have been considered, the following changes are recommended to the project.

A detailed map image can be viewed at Superfast North Yorkshire Public Consultation Summary 2024

Superfast North Yorkshire have the supporting premises level data on the remaining Phase 4 intervention area. Please contact Superfast North Yorkshire using the details below for further information.

New Phase 4 Intervention Area

When the data above is applied to the Phase 4 IA, it reduces the available NGA White premises to 22,795 UPRN

4. Contact Details

If you have any further comments upon or questions about the procurement, the intervention area or the project, they should be addressed to Superfast North Yorkshire via the following methods:

Email - public.consultation@superfastnorthyorkshire.com

Or by post to; SFNY Project, 80 High Street, Starbeck, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 7LW

Project delivery updates will be published on the Superfast North Yorkshire website here.

•  Superfast North Yorkshire Public Consultation Closure Map (pdf / 189 KB)
•  Superfast North Yorkshire Public Consultation Closure Premises List (pdf / 652 KB)

We are developing an ambitious new strategy to deliver homes that meet the needs of communities across North Yorkshire.

This strategy provides a framework for the housing policies and projects that we will carry out in the next five years.

The strategy includes proposals to:

• tackle homelessness
• meet the needs of the ageing population
• increase the supply of affordable and available housing
• reduce fuel poverty
• decarbonise homes
• bring long term empty properties back into use

Our ambition is to help the development of at least 12,685 new homes, based on existing Local Plan commitments, of which at least 4010 will be affordable.

We will also develop a council housing growth plan. This to increase and improve our existing stock of 8,500 homes.

View the draft strategy in full

This consultation closed on Monday 11 December.

A pump track is a looped circuit for bikes and scooters using the natural bumps and bends of the land with a compacted hardcore surface.

We are proposing to install a pump track above the play area in Valley Gardens in Harrogate, to complement the play area and skate park and give an extra activity for children up to the age of 10.

This new facility would be approximately 2000 square metres and would replace the existing pitch and putt golf course.

This consultation closed on 30 November 2023.

Read our privacy notice to understand how and why we process your personal data.

We conducted a review of polling districts and polling places within the Parliamentary constituencies of:

• Harrogate and Knaresborough
• Richmond (Yorkshire)
• Scarborough and Whitby
• Selby and Ainsty
• Skipton and Ripon
• Thirsk and Malton  

This is a statutory review that takes places every five years and determines where people will vote in elections in our area. We are seeking feedback on these recommendations as part of the polling district and polling places review.

The consultation opened on Monday 16 October and closed on 13 November 2023.

Consultation documents

You can read the full consultation documents below: 

•  Notice of review of polling districts and polling places in North Yorkshire (pdf / 148 KB)
•  Harrogate and Knaresborough proposals (pdf / 2 MB)
•  Richmond (Yorkshire) proposals (pdf / 2 MB)
•  Scarborough and Whitby proposals (pdf / 2 MB)
•  Selby and Ainsty proposals (pdf / 2 MB)
•  Skipton and Ripon proposals (pdf / 2 MB)
•  Thirsk and Malton proposals (pdf / 2 MB)

The visitor economy is a cornerstone of North Yorkshire’s economic vitality and brings in more than £1.5 billion a year from domestic visits alone to the county.

We are coordinating a new strategy, which will be aimed at boosting the visitor economy and supporting tens of thousands of workers who are employed in the sector, while also attracting a wider and more diverse range of visitors to the county.

The destination management plan is set to provide the first ever countywide approach to promoting the visitor economy following the launch of the council in April.

A series of events are were held throughout August to gather information and views from key organisations and enterprises involved in the visitor economy to shape the draft plan.

A full version of the strategy together with a shortened version are available below for businesses to read and to feedback using the questionnaire.

Following the consultation a polished version of the final strategy will be taken to our Overview and Scrutiny and Executive Members for ratification and adoption.

 View the shortened North Yorkshire Destination Management Strategy (pdf / 1 MB).

 View the full North Yorkshire Destination Management Strategy (pdf / 1 MB).

The consultation on the draft strategy closed on 30 September 2023.

In 2004, the Traffic Management Act introduced civil enforcement of traffic offences in England and Wales. The act was subsequently laid before Parliament in 2022, granting local authorities’ powers to enforce minor traffic offences. 

These offences include contraventions such as:

• driving in cycle lanes
• failing to adhere to one-way systems and no entry signs
• entering yellow box junctions and failing to give priority to ongoing traffic

In order for local authorities to be granted these powers, they must apply to the Department for Transport by 25 October, highlighting at least one area that needs to be consulted on and submitted as a pilot scheme.

We have concerns around vehicles ignoring the yellow box junction on the A1238 / A19 yellow box junction in Selby, creating a risk to road users and causing unnecessary congestion. 

We intend to apply to the Department for Transport for this junction to be submitted as a pilot scheme to:

• improve traffic flow
• reduce obstruction
• make it safer for all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians

Our consultation closed on Monday 23 October 2023.

The Public Space Protection Order outlines areas in which a dog must be put on a lead when directed, rules around dog fouling and any dog exclusion areas.

This is to help to ensure everyone can enjoy the open spaces and beaches in this part of the county and to help to protect wildlife.

Unless extended, the existing Public Space Protection Order will come to an end in January 2024.

We are therefore urging the public to share their views on whether the measures currently in place are still reasonable, whether anything needs changing or whether any other areas would benefit from some form of control.

The consultation closed on Sunday 15 October.

The West Pier proposals are part of the £20.2 million Towns Fund awarded to Scarborough in 2021, £5 million of which will contribute to creating modern and fit-for-purpose facilities on the pier for harbour users. It includes improvements for existing pier tenants and businesses as well as restoration work of some of the buildings with historical interest.

The harbour and pier area play a critical role in Scarborough’s local culture, heritage and economy with strong links to the fishing and hospitality industries. New facilities and improved welfare for our local fishing fleet will be built, supporting a thriving maritime industry.

The vision for West Pier includes a high-quality seafood restaurant and a new public space, which could be used for outdoor events and cultural activities.

It also includes:

• new kiosks
• improved vehicle and pedestrian management
• better offices
• warehousing for the fishing sector
• new public toilets

This scheme will help these industries to grow, while at the same time creating a great destination within Scarborough’s iconic South Bay.

Feedback from the consultation will be used to shape the final planning application, which is due to be submitted later this year.

The consultation closed on 13 October 2023.

Find out more about the Scarborough and Whitby Town Deals, including the other projects that were selected to be delivered.

Amalgamation of Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant School and Wavell Community Junior School through the technical closure of Wavell Community Junior School as a separate entity and the enlargement and change of age range of Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant School to create a single 3 -11 primary school across both sites.

Part 1 – Wavell Community Junior School – Discontinuance

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, intends to discontinue Wavell Community Junior School, Wavell Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 3BJ on 7 April 2024.

Part 2 – Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant School – Enlargement and change of age range

Notice is given in accordance with section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE, intends to enlarge and alter the age range of Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant School, Wavell Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD on 8 April 2024.

The current capacity of the school is 216 and the proposed capacity will be 420. The current number of pupils registered at the school is 105. The current admission number for the school is 72 and the proposed admission number will be 60. The current age range of the school is 3-7 and the proposed age range will be 3 -11.

The proposals contained in Parts one and two of this notice are all related.

Copies of the complete proposals can be obtained from: Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of these proposals in Parts one and two, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service by 5pm on 2 October 2023.

Signed: B. Khan
Assistant Chief Executive
(Legal and Democratic Services)
Publication Date: 4 September 2023

Supporting Information

• consultation document
• consultees
• record of public meeting
• responses to consultation
• statutory proposals

This consultation closes on 24 July,

We are consulting on a proposal to establish a new special school provision for autistic children (with or without diagnosis) aged 11 to 19 at the site of the former Woodfield Community Primary School at Woodfield Road, Harrogate, HG1 4HZ.

Background

Woodfield Community Primary School closed on 31 December 2022 following completion of the required statutory process. There is a desire to continue to use the site for education purposes.

The vacated buildings have been secured and are not currently in use for any purpose. There are ongoing costs associated with maintaining an empty building.

The North Yorkshire Council Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Capital programme was approved on 18 April 2023. This programme contained proposals to deploy £20.5 million of resource, to enable the council to address shortfalls in the sufficiency of its specialist provision and ensure that provision matches more effectively with the needs of young people in North Yorkshire requiring access to specialist provision. As part of the programme, officers identified a need for secondary autism provision in a central area of the county and resources have been earmarked for this purpose.

The council has the potential to deploy the former Woodfield Community Primary School as a site that could support this development. 

Need for mainstream places

Before considering alternative educational uses it is important to understand the likelihood of the council needing to re-establish primary phase mainstream provision at the Woodfield site in the future. This is because the council has a statutory duty to ensure sufficiency of school places in a local area. 

The sufficiency of places in alternative schools after the closure of Woodfield School was a factor that was considered throughout the statutory closure process.  An analysis of the sufficiency of places in the local Harrogate area using pupil forecasts to 2032 formed part of the consultation documents and was also included within the subsequent statutory proposals. It was discussed in reports that there was/is capacity within other schools in the local area, although not in every year group in every school. 

Analysis looking at Woodfield and its four nearest neighbouring schools (Bilton Grange, Grove Road, Richard Taylor, and St Robert’s) shows that total rolls have fallen by 107 pupils (1,286 to 1,179 pupils), so 8.3%, between 2015-16 and 2022-23. A further fall in 2023-24 is projected and continuing down to a total of 1,033 pupils in 2032-33 reflecting a declining birth rate. Widening the analysis to include a further six schools in the area also shows a significant fall in rolls between 2015-16 and 2022-23 from 1,549 to 1,492 pupils. The future downward trend is also notable for this larger group.

Taking the overall result for all 11 schools shows that numbers have fallen from 2,835 pupils in 2015-16 to 2,671 pupils in the current year. Forecasting for the remaining 10 schools shows a prediction that the total number will fall further to 2,317 pupils (excluding housing impacts) in 10 years’ time.
 
Potential additional pupils arising from housing have also been factored in. Using officers’ expectations of development trajectories there has been a total allowance for 174 additional pupils by 2028-29, this being from a total of 695 dwellings that have planning approval. The additional pupils expected in this specific part of Harrogate will not compensate for the underlying downward demographic trend and so, overall, there is still a predicted fall in pupil rolls for the short and medium term.

Demand for Reception places

On national offer day in April 2023 the allocation of places to start in the Reception year in September was completed. This was locally significant as it was the first allocation year following the closure of Woodfield School. Results have shown that despite the reduction in available places there has been no real incidence of local oversubscription with only two schools full to their admission number. Therefore, most local schools are expected to have surplus places available at the start of the coming academic year.

In summary, there is no short-term need for additional mainstream places but the need for additional special school places is high and immediate as described in the following paragraphs.

Potential SEND use - autism provision

The council’s current range of provision needs to be extended to cater more effectively for young people with a primary need of autism who require specialist support to maximise their potential. Those who require a more formal secondary curriculum and associated academic accreditation routes would benefit most from the proposed development.
 
Since 2016, the number of children and young people with identified SEND and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has increased by over 110% in North Yorkshire. The latest position is that there are over 4,500 children with Education, Health and Care Plans. The increase in numbers of autistic children and children with other communication and interaction needs is the single largest area of growth and the local authority has a duty to have a range of provision to meet those needs, including mainstream schools, resource bases and special schools.

Currently there are 432 children with the primary need of autism accessing existing North Yorkshire special schools. Significantly however, there are 77 children with the same primary need in high cost independent and non-maintained special schools, as well as 51 children attending state maintained special schools in other local authority areas. This is as a result of existing specialist provision in North Yorkshire having limited capacity and the educational offer predominantly catering for autistic children that require a semi-formal curriculum.
 
Within North Yorkshire there are a significant number of children who require a formal curriculum, delivered by autism specialists in a small, low stress environment. By reducing the social and environmental demands, children who are autistic can achieve success, both academically and emotionally. The site at Woodfield provides the opportunity to create this provision, giving children access to suitable academic challenge and supporting them to reach their aspirations. 

The special school would provide children and families with a more local specialist education provision than is currently available. This would reduce significant travel time, and/or the requirement for high-cost provision from the independent and non-maintained special sector.   

The additional capacity will help to meet the council’s obligations of providing sufficient specialist places that deliver good value for money and high quality for autistic children.

The planning assumption is that the new provision would ultimately operate with a capacity of around 80 pupils and would serve an age range of 11 to 19. 

Woodfield school site and alternatives

In terms of a geographic location, the council has identified a need for a location in a central area between the A1 corridor and the Ripon, Knaresborough, Harrogate area because this maximises the school’s reach across the county and locates the provision close to an area where a significant proportion of the pupil population lives.
 
Currently there do not appear to be any realistic alternative options available for the secondary autism provision in the preferred geographic location without seeking to access sites on the open market.

The former Woodfield school site in Harrogate could form an effective base for this new provision using a combination of the existing school buildings and some additional new accommodation. However, the precise build requirements and timeline for developing any additional new buildings would be subject to a detailed feasibility study.

Why use the Woodfield school site?

The Woodfield school site has some significant benefits in terms of its suitability as a site for a new specialist provision in terms of:

• large site, with significant outdoor learning environment area
• site previously operated as a school site, although requirements for a special school would be different to a mainstream provision 
• the existing school buildings have a layout that could potentially be used as the basis for opening the school in a phased way
• the site layout lends itself to adding additional accommodation to enable the provision to expand to its proposed full capacity of around 80 places
• the deployment of the site as a school would satisfy the desire to continue educational use and ensure it does not stand empty for an extended period 

It should be noted that the consultation does not propose any change to the activities that are accommodated in the block to the front of the Woodfield site including the community library and the children and family hub.

The financial position

There are capital costs associated with providing additional accommodation on site to complement the existing buildings and allow the proposed new special school to achieve its full capacity. Resources have been allocated in the SEND Capital Programme, although council officers are aware that pressures currently being experienced within the construction sector could impact upon the precise design and capacity that the council is able to take forward.
 
There would be short term pre and post opening revenue costs associated with establishing new provision. However, the introduction of local additional specialist places in the maintained sector would provide an overall saving over time to the High Needs Block through reductions on higher cost placements for children accessing education in the independent sector.

The proposal

The Woodfield site offers a real opportunity to enhance the provision for autism in the central area of the county and it is proposed to establish a new special school for autistic children (with or without diagnosis) aged 11 to 19 at the site of the former Woodfield Community Primary School from 1 September 2024.

Additional information

The consultation information on this page should be read together with: 

• the mainstream pupil forecasts to 2032-33 including potential impacts of housing

Your views about the proposals are welcomed

The closing date for responses was at 5pm on Monday 24 July 2023.

Responses to the consultation will be published on the council's website. Your personal details, and those of others you may refer to, will not be published. 

This consultation closed on 21 July 2023.

A consultation on the proposal to amalgamate Wavell infant and junior schools in Catterick, to create a single 3-11 primary school on both school sites to be known as Wavell Community Primary School.

This will be done through the technical closure of Wavell Community Junior School and the enlargement and change of age range of Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant School with effect from 8 April 2024.

Wavell Community Infant and Wavell Community Junior Schools are currently separate schools. Most children progress from the infant school to the junior school at the end of Key Stage 1. This creates a transition point which can have an effect on children’s progress.

The schools work together in a federation and this arrangement has ensured that good practice in both schools is shared. Wavell federation’s governors have agreed that amalgamating the schools to create an all-through primary school is the next logical step to take. The single primary school would continue to work across both school buildings.

We and Wavell federation’s governing body have agreed to consult stakeholders on a proposal to create a single primary school serving children aged 3 to 11, from 8 April 2024. This amalgamated school would be created by the enlargement and change of age range of Wavell Community Infant School and the associated technical closure of Wavell Community Junior School.

It is proposed that the two schools will amalgamate from 8 April 2024 and that the newly amalgamated school will be called Wavell Community Primary School.

Please take time to look at the proposals, and then send us your views by the closing date on 21 July 2023. We look forward to hearing from you.

There will be a public meeting on Thursday 22 June 2023 at 6pm at Wavell Community Infant School, Wavell Road, Catterick Garrison, DL9 3BJ.

Current position

The Wavell Community Schools Federation brings together the governance of two schools in Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant and Wavell Community Junior Schools, as a single governing body responsible for both schools. Wavell Infant is an age 3-7 school, and Wavell Junior is a 7-11 school, and an executive headteacher works across both schools. 

The schools share the same catchment area and serve families living in the northern side of Catterick Garrison, around Hipswell. Both schools are on one site and their buildings are now physically connected by a recently constructed corridor.

Most pupils transfer from the infant to the junior school at age 7, and parents are required to make a school admissions application in advance of this transfer. 

The proposal

It is proposed that an all-through primary school, serving children aged 3-11, would be created by the enlargement and change of age range of Wavell Community Infant School and the associated technical closure of Wavell Community Junior School. The all-through primary school would continue to operate over the same school site and buildings and serve the same catchment area as the Infant and Junior Schools.

The proposed name for the single school is Wavell Community Primary School.

This change would take place from 8 April 2024.

Why are we proposing change now?

We believe that the proposed change will benefit children by building on the work of the federation which is already in place, and address issues that we have described below:

The current concerns

Wavell Community Infant School was judged to be Good in 2017 and again when recently inspected by Ofsted in July 2022. The inspectors said staff ‘have high expectations of what pupils can achieve’ and pupils in the infant school are keen to meet those expectations.

Wavell Community Junior School was judged requires improvement (RI) by Ofsted both in 2018 and again following their inspection in 2021. As a consequence of been judged as requires improvement at two consecutive inspections, the Department for Education (DfE) is able to apply new powers to intervene in schools that are deemed as ‘not making necessary improvements’. The Department for Education has indicated their intention to issue the junior school with an order which would direct the school to become an academy. 

If the proposed amalgamation proceeds, enabling the two schools to become one school, there would be a single Ofsted inspection in future and the Ofsted judgement for the expanded Infant School would be retained. The current Ofsted judgement for the Junior School, and the Department for Education’s powers of intervention attached to it, would no longer be applicable after amalgamation. Pupils transfer from the infant to the junior school between Key Stages 1 and 2. It is recognised there can be a drop in children’s progress at times of transition between Key Stages. This is even more marked when the transition coincides with a transfer between two schools. 

Under the current Ofsted framework, where performance is a critical factor, the drop in performance following transition makes it harder for the junior school to represent itself positively in an Ofsted inspection and, partly because of these concerns, a number of other infant and junior schools have amalgamated in recent years. It is considered that an amalgamated school would deliver a smoother transition between Key Stages and help to ensure that the good progress made by children at Key Stage 1 is maintained and built upon at Key Stage 2. 

Transition

Children who transfer between the infant and junior schools and then a secondary school (such as Risedale) experience two transition points. It is recognised that a transition can interrupt and slow down children’s progress, and so multiple transfers are not to the advantage of children. Creating an all-through primary school would reduce the number of school transfers.

The schools already work together very closely to minimise the impact on pupils of this transfer between schools but creating an all-through primary school would deliver a smoother transition between key stages. Pupils would remain within the same overall school structure. Teachers would also be better able to plan for the change and develop a better understanding of the needs of pupils in different key stages.

Learning and progress

It is felt that learning and progress can be even better if the two schools come together as a single school. The expertise of staff currently in the schools could be better targeted across the full age range and across all key stages to raise standards, and the single school would have fully integrated arrangements for the assessment of learning, including recording of progress. A future single school would have one Ofsted inspection which would allow a judgement to be made on the provision for all children through the primary age range.

The career opportunities offered in a 3-11 school would be more attractive to applicants when staffing vacancies arise in the future and would therefore attract the best applicants.

Parents would be able to see the whole school offer through to age 11 when they are making their decision to apply for a primary school place for their child, and so be able to make a more informed decision. Parents could also apply for a place at any alternative primary school. 

What would the amalgamated school look like?

The single school would continue to operate in the same buildings and in the short term it would appear to be much the same for pupils. However, in the future the pupils and staff would come together and operate from a single curriculum. 

The amalgamated school would be a community school and would continue to be funded and supported by the local authority with staff employed by the local authority. Admissions to the school would continue to be managed by the local authority in accordance with its admission policy for community schools. 

The school’s catchment area around Hipswell would remain the same as would eligibility for home to school transport under our policy. Most pupils in both schools come from service families and the single primary school would continue to have strong ties to the military community on Catterick Garrison and to serve service families. Should amalgamation proceed it would no longer be necessary for parents to apply for a transfer from key stage 1 to key stage 2. Children currently attending Wavell junior school would automatically be provided with a place in the amalgamated school. 

A re-constituted governing body together with the existing executive headteacher would lead the amalgamated school. 

Buildings

The two schools already share the same site and car park, with a school kitchen serving both schools. A corridor connects the infant and junior school buildings and there is a common reception point for parents. 

Finance

School budgets are funded largely by pupil numbers so amalgamating the schools would not lead to an increase in revenue funding. The combined revenue funding would be smaller because the lump-sum would cease for the Junior School following amalgamation, although transitional funding will be provided during the initial period of the amalgamation. Transitional funding protection arrangements allow for both lump-sums to be retained from the point of amalgamation for the remainder of the financial year that amalgamation takes place and provide 85% of the two lump-sums received in the next financial year.

Based on the amalgamation taking effect on 8 April 2024 (Easter 2024), the table below seeks to show, other things being equal, the retention of lump sums for that financial year and the amalgamated school retaining 85% of their lump sums for the financial year 2025/26.

Figures may change as a consequence of any changes in the Department for Education's National Funding Formula.

Wavell federation’s combined accounts would need to be split so that that the infant school’s budget is retained and the junior school’s accounts would be closed-down and deficit withdrawn. Separately, and in addition to this school organisation proposal, the Wavell Community Schools Federation are considering options to improve their financial position.

Pupil numbers

There are 105 pupils of mainstream school age at Wavell Community Infant School (excluding nursery pupils) and 165 pupils at Wavell Community Junior School. The pupil numbers in each year group are set out below:

The amalgamated school has a net capacity of 420 places and as such, it would have space to accommodate the combined 3-11 cohort. It is considered, as described below, that the capacity of the amalgamated school will be sufficient to provide the required number of pupil places for the foreseeable future, including any pupils generated by expected new housing.

Admission number

The Published Admission Number (PAN) is the number of school places that must be offered in the reception year. As part of the amalgamation proposals, it is proposed to decrease the published admission number of Wavell Community Infant School from 72 to 60, and this would be the future published admission number of the newly amalgamated school.

Wavell Community Infant School is not fully subscribed for Reception entry in 2023/24 continuing the trend of recent years, and this is also the case for the majority of local schools.

As the published admission number of the amalgamated primary school will be 60, there will be a small overall reduction in mainstream primary school places across the Garrison. Detailed information on school forecasts is provided on the consultation section of the North Yorkshire Council website but the following is a summary of that forecast information:

• analysis looking at Wavell infants and juniors and their three neighbouring Garrison schools (Le Cateau, Cambrai, and Carnagill) shows that total rolls have fallen by 86 pupils (1038-952) between 16/17 and 22/23, and also projects a further fall to a total of 854 pupils in 32/33, reflecting a declining birth rate
• widening the analysis to also include a further four Catterick area schools (Colburn, Hipswell, Michael Syddall and Bolton-on-Swale) shows a current prediction that the total number of pupils for this larger group of schools will fall by 269 (1653-1384) between 22/23 and 32/33 (excluding housing impacts)

Using projections for additional pupils from expected new housing (based on the methodology of one additional primary aged child from every four new dwellings that currently have planning approval) indicates 210 additional pupils could be realised from a total of 840 dwellings over 10 years. This shows that the additional pupils expected from housing will not compensate for the underlying demographic trend and so, overall, there is a predicted fall in pupil rolls for the short and medium term.

This change in local school rolls, the future projections, including an assessment of impacts from housing, and the current under-subscription all provide confidence that reducing the published admission number to 60 will not be detrimental to school place sufficiency in the local area. However, we are consulting on this aspect of the proposal and ask for your view in the response form.

Staff

A separate consultation process, including a staff meeting, is running in parallel with this consultation.

Who are we consulting?

Copies of this consultation document have been sent to all parents of pupils at Wavell Community Infant School and Wavell Community Junior school and to staff at the two schools. It has also been distributed to neighbouring schools, councillors, parish councils, professional associations and the local MP.

Your views are important and your response to the consultation will be published on our website to inform the decision-making process. Your personal details, and those of others you may refer to, will not be published.

What happens next?

If the decision is taken to consult further, then statutory notices would be published in the local press. These notices, alongside the required statutory proposals, would provide four weeks for further representations to be made. A final decision would then be taken by our executive and, if agreed, the schools would amalgamate from 8 April 2024.

Anticipated key dates

All dates are subject to approvals at each stage.

Online response

We gathered responses for this consultation via an online survey. The closing date for responses was 5pm on 21 July 2023.

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our executive on 22 August 2023.

Additional documents

• proposal to amalgamate Wavell Infant and Junior Schools in Catterick - Wavell area roll and housing
• proposal to amalgamate Wavell Infant and Junior Schools in Catterick - Site capacities

This consultation closed on 16 July 2023.

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Development plans

Following a 2022 bid to the Levelling Up Fund by the Ministry of Defence and the former Richmondshire District Council and North Yorkshire County Council, the UK government awarded £19 million to develop Catterick town centre and improve the area around Shute Road and Coronation Park. 

The funding will be used to:

• provide more community facilities and space
• improve pedestrian access
• deliver extra retail and commercial premises
• drive further investment into the area

This will be delivered through the following changes: 

• a new town square
• landscaping improvements
• upgrades to Coronation Park and Shute Road by improving enhanced play spaces and accessible routes to the town centre
• improvements to footpaths and cycle ways through Coronation Park on the approach to the town centre
• a new community and enterprise facility with glass pavilion and outdoor seating area

View the town centre designs

Align Property Partners, working with North Yorkshire Council and the Ministry of Defence, created some designs showing the changes to be made to the area. 

The designs were based on feedback from the previous consultation held in June 2022, as well as additional exploration works at the site. 

Take a look at the designs for Catterick Garrison town centre and Coronation Park.

More detailed design boards were on display from Monday 3 July to Friday 14 July at:

• Catterick Community Library
• Colburn Village Hall
• Colburn Community Library

Drop-in engagement events

We held a number of drop-in engagement events. Our development team was available to talk through the scheme and answer questions.

Events took place at: 

• Colburn Village Hall on Tuesday 4 July, from 9am to 12 midday (the North Yorkshire Council team)
• Catterick Garrison Library/Leisure Centre on Wednesday 5 July, from 2pm to 7pm (the APP and Barton Howe design team and the North Yorkshire team)
• Tesco Catterick Garrison superstore on Friday 7 July, from 9.30am onwards (the North Yorkshire Council team) 

Online survey

The survey closed on 16 July 2023.

This consultation closed on 21 April 2023.

Over the last two years - during and following the pandemic – the Early Help service has redesigned the delivery of activities to support children and their families, moving to a blended approach of virtual and face to face activities. This has enabled the delivery of countywide virtual activities which families are able to access from their home, reducing the need for the same number of premises.  This model of delivery is supported by a recent government publication “The Framework for Family Hubs”. The primary focus is not about ‘buildings’; it is about ‘place’ and ‘community’; having a sense of belonging; accessing support in the community, and; in many cases being delivered by people in the local community. The framework identified that family hubs come in all shapes and sizes: libraries, faith buildings, schools, early year’s settings, youth & community centres and, community halls

The local authority’s Property Services team have a rolling programme to ensure efficient use of properties and where service operating models change, to identify opportunities for property rationalisation whilst continuing to support effective service delivery

The buildings proposed for de-designation were not used during the pandemic due to low frequency of use and have not re-opened whilst previous levels of service delivery have continued through alternative service delivery offers including community buildings and outreach.

There are no identified detrimental impacts on other services or organisations.

Financial Implications

The proposal to de-designate and subsequently dispose of the five children’s centres outlined in section will achieve an estimated annual revenue saving of £101,400 alongside a possible additional rental income of £6,000.

A number of children’s centres received Sure Start funding as a capital investment. As part of this process the DfE could request financial clawback on the Sure Start Capital funding to a maximum total of £1,317,146.  Although there is a low risk of potential DfE capital funding clawback, this has not happened in previous cases in North Yorkshire.

Detailed below are the centres we are proposing to de-designate and includes details of the proposed future use of the building

Kirkbymoorside Children’s Centre

From March 2020, Kirkbymoorside Children’s Centre was unused at the point of the lockdown, due to the covid-19 pandemic. The building is situated in the grounds of Kirkbymoorside community primary school. Prior to lockdown in March 2020, there was limited use of the building, with only two weekly sessions.

There are two other buildings where service delivery takes place in Ryedale; Norton Children’s Centre, and Atmosphere in Pickering, both which remained open during the pandemic. Following a refurbishment of Atmosphere in April 2022, the intention is to transfer the Kirkbymoorside Children’s Centre property to the primary school to increase the capacity for early years delivery. Should a venue be required in Kirkbymoorside for sessional delivery by the Children and Families Service, there are a number of accessible community venues, including the library, where these could take place. 

Eastfield Children’s Centre

Eastfield Children’s Centre was previously used to deliver ‘Family Time’ and a small number of one-to-one activities. The building is leased from Sanctuary Housing, with the lease expiring in September 2022. A private day nursery runs from part of the leased accommodation. However, NYCC have been unable to sublet the accommodation to generate income. The private nursery opened up discussions with Sanctuary Housing to lease directly form the organisation. Alternative accommodation is available at Ourspace, within five minutes of Eastfield Children’s Centre. Although Ourspace was unused during the pandemic, a substantial refurbishment was undertaken prior to re-opening in September 2022 to enable delivery of 0-19 services within the building, alongside touch-down spaces for Children and Families staff. Ourspace generates an income from the Healthy Child team - delivered by Harrogate District Foundation Trust (HDFT) - and Compass who are co-located in the building.

South Craven Children’s Centre (Glusburn)

The South Craven Children’s Centre building was predominately used by HDFT for office accommodation for Healthy Child Practitioners. This building was unused during the pandemic and has not re-opened. There has only been occasional use for Family Time and this offer has subsequently transferred to Skipton and North Craven Children’s Centres, and is working well. A private provider has approached NYCC in relation to the use of the building for the delivery of an Early Years Day care provision. Discussions are currently underway and costs are being negotiated with a view to leasing the premises to the Private Day Nursery with a possible rental income

Nidderdale Children’s Centre (Pateley Bridge)

Previously used on an occasional basis for service delivery, the Nidderdale Children’s Centre building was unused during the pandemic and has not re-opened. There has not previously been any partner use of the building which connected to the school. The proposal is to release the space back to St Cuthbert’s Church of England Primary School, with an agreement that the premises would be used for direct work with children attending the school.  

Wensleydale Children’s Centre (Askrigg)

The building at Wensleydale Children’s Centre (Askrigg) has only had occasional use, was unused during the covid-19 pandemic and has not subsequently re-opened. Service delivery has moved to Colburn and Carnagill Children’s Centres. This building is leased to NYCC and the proposal will be to give three months’ notice on the lease to the landlord (Yorebridge Educational Foundation).

This consultation closed on 3 April 2023.

At a meeting of the Executive on 10 January 2023 it was agreed that in the Selby area, where garden waste collection is currently free of charge, a consultation would take place to understand what demand there would be for the garden waste service if it is subject to the same charges as all other areas of the county. The consultation ran from 20 February to 3 April 2023.

3,580 responses were received and 95% said they currently used the council’s garden waste service.  Of those who use the service, 22% said they would continue to, following the introduction of a subscription-based service.  A further 18% said they didn’t know.

Respondents were also asked how they would dispose of their garden waste if they didn’t subscribe.  51% said they would dispose of it in their rubbish bins, 19% said they would take it to a household waste and recycling centre (HWRC) and 13% said they would compost it at home.  Where other areas in North Yorkshire have introduced an additional charge, they have not seen a significant increase in residual waste tonnages.

A report considering the consultation responses and the future of the service was presented to the Council’s Executive in June 2023. 

The new North Yorkshire council is committed to providing households across North Yorkshire with a high-quality waste and recycling collection service. Unlike the collection of your paper, glass, cans, plastic, and non-recyclable waste, garden waste collection is a non-statutory service – this means we are not required to provide it. Currently, garden waste collections across North Yorkshire are provided as an opt-in subscription service, except in the Selby area where garden waste is collected free of charge. We know that many households across the Selby area value this service and we want to continue to make it available.

From 1 April 2023, the new North Yorkshire council replaces the 8 councils currently providing district and county level services. To be fair to all households in North Yorkshire, the new council is harmonising the garden waste collection service, so all households have the choice to receive the same service funded in the same way.

In response to exceptional financial pressures on public services, this self-funding approach to garden waste collection is in line with the majority of other councils across England. The average cost in the Yorkshire and Humber region is around £44 for an annual garden waste subscription. The annual fee for 2023/24 for households in North Yorkshire is £43.50 per garden waste subscription.

Households who do not wish to pay for the service are free to make their own arrangements, such as home composting, or dispose garden waste at their local household waste recycling centre for free.

The 6-week consultation, open until 3 April 2023, allows residents in the Selby area to share their views and help inform us on the future demand for the garden waste collection service in the Selby area.

As the consultation runs to 3 April 2023, there will be no change to the existing garden waste collection service in the Selby area from 1 April. We will tell you about any changes through press releases, messages on social media, and communications on our website later in the year.

Why are you reviewing the garden waste collection service in the Selby Area?

Following local government reorganisation, from 1 April 2023, the new North Yorkshire Council replaces the 8 councils currently providing district and county level services. The North Yorkshire Council will inherit different approaches to garden waste collection services with the most notable difference being garden waste collections are run on an opt-in subscription service in all areas across North Yorkshire except the for Selby area. 

What changes are happening to garden waste collection?

To be fair to all households in North Yorkshire, garden waste collection services are being harmonised so households that choose to subscribe to the service receive the same service funded in the same way.

The annual subscription fee for garden waste collection for 2023/4 is £43.50 across the county, per standard 240 litre bin.

When are changes likely to happen?

The 6-week consultation will run from 20 February to 3 April 2023. There will be no change to the existing garden waste collection service in the Selby area until after the consultation process has ended.

We will tell you about any changes through press releases, communications on social media, and communications on our website.

Who will this affect?

This will affect all households using the garden waste collection service in the Selby area.

Will the number of garden waste collections per year change?

There will be no change in the existing garden waste collection service in the Selby area until after the consultation process has been concluded and the results have been analysed and reviewed by councillors. We will tell you about any changes through press releases, communications on social media, and communications on our website.

How do I let the council know I no longer want my garden waste collected?

The garden waste collection subscription service is an opt-in service. You will only need to contact us if you want to sign-up to the service, to continue to have your garden waste collected.

If you do not want to sign up to the service, you do not have to contact us.

Does the council have to collect my garden waste?

Unlike the collection of your paper, glass, cans, plastic, and non-recyclable waste, councils are not required to collect garden waste – it is an optional service. Councils are not required by law to collect garden waste free of charge. 

I already pay my council tax, why is the council consulting on charging for garden waste collections?

Council tax contributions go towards statutory services such as education, adult social care, fire and rescue services, normal household waste collection, road maintenance, street lighting, etc. Garden waste collection is a non-statutory service which is optional for households to subscribe to.

Will I receive a reduction in my council tax if I do not opt-in for garden waste collection services?

No. Your council tax supports the essential services you value at a time of exceptional financial pressures on public services.

How does the council use the income from the garden waste collection service?

Councils pay a gate fee for every tonne of garden waste that is taken to a composting site. The average gate fee in the Selby area is £22.50 per tonne. The subscription fee will cover the costs of collecting garden waste and taking it to these composing sites.

What do other councils do?

This self-funding approach to garden waste collection is in line with the majority of other councils across England. The current average cost in the Yorkshire and Humber region is £44 for an annual garden waste collection subscription. The annual subscription fee in North Yorkshire for 2023/24 is £43.50.

Will there be help for residents without the means to pay or who are in receipt of benefits?

There are no exceptions or concessions.

Can I share a bin with a neighbour?

Yes, you can share a garden waste bin subscription with your neighbour. One of you will have to arrange to subscribe to the service and we will only empty the bin from the registered address. You will have to sort out payment of the subscription between yourselves. We will not get involved in any arrangements or disputes neighbours may have.

What are the alternatives to garden waste collections?

People who do not wish to use the garden waste service may wish to consider home composting, or they can take their garden waste to their local household waste recycling centre.

Will I still be able to take garden waste to the household waste and recycling centres?

Yes, you can continue to take your garden waste to any of our household waste and recycling centre, free of charge.

Will this encourage more fly tipping?

The majority of local authorities across England charge to collect garden waste, including all but the Selby area of North Yorkshire. There is no evidence to suggest that charging a subscription fee leads to an increase in fly tipping, which is a criminal offence and liable to enforcement action where appropriate.

Won't this increase the amount of waste going to landfill?

Benchmarking information from the subscription-based garden waste collection services across the rest of North Yorkshire suggests households that do not subscribe to the service tend to either compost their garden waste material at home or take it to their local household waste and recycling centre. We do not expect an increase in landfill.

Very little waste is disposed of to landfill as most waste is either recycled or used for energy recovery to produce electricity.

How will this help the environment?

It is important to dispose of all waste responsibly and in a manner that reduces harm to the environment. The most environmentally friendly way to deal with garden waste is to compost it in your garden.

Garden waste collected through the garden waste collection service, or through our household waste and recycling centres, is turned into soil improvers or compost for use in farming or horticulture.

What happens to the garden waste you collect?

Garden waste collected through the garden waste collection service, or through our household waste and recycling centres, is turned into soil improvers or compost for use in farming or horticulture.

How can I give my views?

You can give us your views by completing our online questionnaire.

The consultation survey is also available in paper format which can be collected from the Selby Library, Sherburn Villages and Community Library, and Tadcaster Community Library. See library opening times. 

If you would like a copy of this questionnaire in another format (including paper, easy read or large print), you can contact us to have a copy posted to you.

When does the consultation close?

The consultation started on 20 February and will run for a duration of 6-weeks, closing on 3 April 2023.

This consultation closed on 5 May 2023. 

On 1 April 2023, a new unitary authority, North Yorkshire Council that will deliver all local services, will replace North Yorkshire county council, Scarborough borough council, Harrogate borough council, along with the county’s five other district councils.

A central pledge in the bid for a new unitary authority was “double devolution”. This will enable town and parish councils the opportunity to take on greater responsibilities. Currently, parts of Scarborough and Harrogate towns do not have a parish or town council that could choose to take on these responsibilities.

We are now undertaking a community governance review of Harrogate and Scarborough unparished areas. This will help us to make recommendations on whether to parish those areas or not, and how best to address some anomalous boundary areas at Eastfield, Newby and Scalby and Osgodby.

A community governance review includes two stages of consultation. Stage one of the consultation is now closed, and has formed the basis of draft recommendations for the areas. See information about the review and the draft recommendations.

We are now at stage two of the consultation, where we are seeking residents’ views on those draft recommendations.

Links to each of the area specific stage two consultation surveys are listed below:

• Harrogate area survey
• Scarborough area survey
• Eastfield area survey
• Newby and Scalby area survey
• Osgodby survey

This consultation closes 5 May 2023.

This consultation closed on Thursday 1 June 2023.

Information on the consultation to change the age range of Overdale Primary School from 3 to 11 to 2 to 11.

Notice is hereby given in accordance with the school organisation (prescribed alterations to maintained schools) (England) regulations 2013 that North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD is proposing to make a prescribed alteration to Overdale Primary School, Ashmead Square, Eastfield, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 3XJ by lowering its age range from 3 to 11, to 2 to 11 with effect from 4 September 2023.

Overdale Primary School is proposing to provide places for 2 year olds by the creation of an early years class.

The proposed early years class will provide up to 8 full-time places (or equivalent part-time places) for 2 year olds, per session.

The notice is an extract from the complete proposal.

Copies of the complete proposal can be obtained from: Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, by 5pm on 1 June 2023.

Signed: B. Khan (Assistant Chief Executive)
(Legal and Democratic Services) Publication Date: 4 May 2023

Related documents

• Copy of the original consultation document
• Consultation responses
• Statutory proposal
• Equality Impact Assessment
• Climate change impact assessment

This consultation closed on Friday 2 June 2023. 

We are consulting on a proposal for a Pannal and Burn Bridge Neighbourhood Development Plan (neighbourhood plan).

In accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012, this consultation is taking place to bring the plan proposal to the attention of those who live, work or carry on business in the parish and to allow any interest parties to make representations.

The consultation is taking place from Monday 17 April to 11.59pm on Friday 2 June 2023.

Progress against key milestones during plan preparation is detailed in our Harrogate neighbourhood planning section.

This consultation closed on 7 April 2023. 

We have asked a number of questions to help guide your response and these will help us to finalise the strategy ready for the new council in summer 2023 and to develop our climate change action plan. The consultation is open until 7 April.

Read our  draft climate change strategy (pdf / 5 MB).

The priorities outlined in the strategy are for everyone to have their say about – if you live, work or visit in our area. We would like to use this consultation not only to hear your views but to start an ongoing conversation so that we can continue to work together. If there is anything you would like to ask, please contact us.

You can see a printed copy of the draft strategy or get help to respond if you don’t want to do this online at your local library.

We will also be holding three virtual briefing sessions for the town and parish councillors, the voluntary and community sector and an open event for all residents and businesses. We will be running a session for young people to share their views as well.

If you need the strategy in a different format, such as easy read, or would like help responding in a different way, contact us.

Climate change webinar - 9th March

The Climate team discuss the draft Climate Change strategy and how to feed back via Let's Talk Climate.

Watch the full climate change webinar on our YouTube channel here.

 This consultation closed on 15 May 2023.

Notice is hereby given that North Yorkshire Council, being the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled primary, infant, junior and secondary schools in its area, have determined the admission arrangements for the 2024/2025 school year for admission into: 

1. The Reception Year at all primary and infant schools 
2. Year 3 in all junior schools 
3. Year 7 in all secondary schools 
4. Year 12 in secondary schools with post-16 provision 

The admission arrangements for other schools which are not community or voluntary controlled schools are determined by their respective governing bodies or academy trusts. Copies of the determined admission arrangements for these Schools and Academies are available from the individual schools. 

Determination of the admission arrangements at schools maintained by the Authority were made following consultation, as set out in The School Admissions Code and relevant legislation.  Copies of the determined admission arrangements are available for inspection at: 

Children and Young Peoples Services, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD and also on the school admissions page.

Any person or body can object to the admission arrangements, where they provide their name and address, by writing to the school adjudicator, except where: 

(a) the objection seeks, in substance, an alteration to admission arrangements for a grammar school; 
(b) the objection seeks, in substance, to remove selection from a selective Academy; 
(c) the objection relates to a non-increase in admission number for a school for which the local authority is not the admissions authority; 
(d) the objection relates to a non-increase in admission number for a community or voluntary controlled school, except where the objection is by the governing body of that school 
(e) the objection relates to an existing agreement for the admissions arrangements of an Academy to vary from the School Admissions Code 
(f) the adjudicator has, within the last two years, made a decision to an objection to the admission arrangements of a school or Academy, and where any new objection referred to the adjudicator raises the same or substantially the same issues in relation to those admission arrangements. 

All objections must be received by the adjudicator on or before 15 May 2023, at: 

Address: OSA, Bishopsgate House, Feethams, Darlington, DL1 5Q

Email: osa.team@schoolsadjudicator.gov.uk

Tel: 0870 0012468

Signed: Stuart Carlton, Corporate Director, Children and Young Peoples Service
 
Dated: 22 February 2023

Note: Not Part of the Notice 

The purpose of this Notice is to make parents aware of their right to object to the admission arrangements of a school if they consider the arrangements do not comply with the School Admissions Code or the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.  Advice on this Notice can be obtained by writing to: 

Children and Young Peoples Services, North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD

Copies of the School Admissions Code may be downloaded free of charge from the Department for Education website.

We are one of the largest council leisure providers nationally, with 25 leisure sites, 16 pools and a range of outdoor pitches and facilities. There are also hundreds of community-based sports clubs, with facilities and volunteers across the county that provide opportunities for people of all ages to play sport, be active and be connected.

We think this presents opportunities for us to work together to make it easier for people to move more and get active as part of their daily life.

To support this ambition we undertook a review of our leisure services across the county. We worked closely with local and national key partners such as Sport England and North Yorkshire Sport. We were also in contact with local community sports, leisure and well-being organisations to help shape the review.

Areas of focus for our review

The review was undertaken in phases. The first phase was to develop a vision for sport and leisure services across North Yorkshire.

We want to refocus our leisure services to better support the physical and mental well-being of individuals and communities and to make it easier for everyone to be active. In particular we want to focus on:

• increasing participation in physical activity for people of all ages
• how we can better meet the needs of urban and rural populations
• areas of greatest need and reducing health inequalities
• improving value for money and the sustainability of our leisure facilities
• improving the energy efficiency of our facilities and reducing carbon emissions
• providing fulfilling and rewarding career opportunities
• how we can extend our services beyond leisure centres and develop outreach services
• how we can better work in partnership with community sports groups and other partners

Sports clubs and community organisations webinar August 2023

We held a webinar in August 2023 to give local sports clubs and community organisations a chance to have their say on the future of North Yorkshire sport, leisure and wellbeing services. 

See the webinar presentation and discussion summary notes: 

•  webinar presentation (pdf / 2 MB)
•  webinar discussion summary notes (pdf / 178 KB)

Next steps and further information

More information about the outcome of the first phase of the review will be available in early 2024. 

The review is a long term programme, so there will be many opportunities for wider consultation about the formation and delivery of any future changes.

This consultation closed on Thursday 27 April 2023.

Information on the proposal to close Skelton Newby Hall Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School.

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that we at County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE, intend to discontinue Skelton Newby Hall Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School, Skelton-on-Ure, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5AJ on 31 August 2023.
 
The proposal also includes revised school catchment area arrangements that would apply, in the event of closure, from 1 September 2023.
 
Copies of the complete proposal can be obtained from: Corporate Director - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE.
 
Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to Corporate Director - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE, by 5pm on 27 April 2023.
 
Signed: B.Khan, Assistant chief executive (legal and democratic services)
Publication Date: 30 March 2023

This consultation closed on Friday 31 March 2023.

Amalgamation of Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School, through the technical closure of Eskdale School as a separate entity, and an increase in the published admission number of Caedmon College Whitby

Part 1 – Eskdale School – Discontinuance

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, intends to discontinue Eskdale School, Stainsacre Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4HS on 31 August 2024.

Part 2 – Caedmon College Whitby – Increase in the published admission number

Notice is given that North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, intends to increase the published admission number of Caedmon College Whitby, Prospect Hill, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1LA from 1 September 2024.

The current admission number for Caedmon College Whitby is 184 and the proposed admission number for Caedmon College Whitby will be 240. The current number of pupils registered at the school is 787.

The proposals contained in Parts One and Two of this notice are all related.

Copies of the complete proposals can be obtained from: Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD and are available online.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of these proposals in Parts One and Two, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service,

North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, or emailing schoolorganisation@northyorks.gov.uk by 5pm on 25 May 2023.

Signed: B. Khan

Assistant Chief Executive

(Legal and Democratic Services)

Publication Date: 27 April 2023

Supporting documents

•  Statutory proposals (docx / 54 KB)

The following information is available in the appendices contained in the Report to the Executive of 18 April 2023.

A consultation document (Appendix 2) was made available on the Council’s website and consultees (Appendix 3) including parents and staff were notified. Two public meetings have taken place at Whitby Pavilion on 8 March and notes of the meetings are available (Appendix 4A and Appendix 4B). By the closing date of 31 March 2023, 463 written consultation responses had been received. In addition, 104 items of consultation correspondence were sent to the Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, and 26 items of consultation correspondence were sent to Council Officers (Appendix 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D). As part of developing these Statutory Proposals an Equality Impact Assessment and a Climate Change Impact Assessment have been carried out and are included as Appendices 6 and 7. These documents will continue to be reviewed

This consultation closed on 5 May 2023.

On 1 April 2023, a new unitary authority, North Yorkshire Council that will deliver all local services, will replace North Yorkshire county council, Scarborough Borough Council, Harrogate Borough Council, along with the county’s five other district councils.

A central pledge in the bid for a new unitary authority was “double devolution”. This will enable town and parish councils the opportunity to take on greater responsibilities. Currently, parts of Scarborough and Harrogate towns do not have a parish or town council that could choose to take on these responsibilities.

We are now undertaking a community governance review of Harrogate and Scarborough unparished areas. This will help us to make recommendations on whether to parish those areas or not, and how best to address some anomalous boundary areas at Eastfield, Newby and Scalby and Osgodby.

A community governance review includes two stages of consultation. Stage one of the consultation is now closed, and has formed the basis of draft recommendations for the areas. See information about the review and the draft recommendations.

This consultation closed on 13 April 2023.

The importance of parishes and effective partnership working is essential to achieve the vision and aims of the new authority. However, as there will be an ongoing programme of transformation beyond the new council’s start date (1 April 2023), it has been agreed the development of the parish charter will be a staged process. Once the initial version is adopted it will be reviewed and updated after six months and thereafter on an annual basis. A representative group of town and parish councillors and clerks have worked together with officers from across the district, borough and county councils to co-produce this initial version and will continue to be involved through the further development of the Charter.

The development of a parish charter, defining the relationship between the new North Yorkshire council and the parish sector as well as setting out how North Yorkshire council and parishes will work together, is seen a priority for the new authority.

Consultation

We have contacted all parish clerks to coordinate a single response from each parish council by 12 April 2023.

You can find the contact details for your parish clerk

View the  draft Parish Charter (pdf / 372 KB)

Drop in sessions

We ran drop in sessions for Parish Councils across the county during February giving the opportunity to discuss anything relating to the new North Yorkshire Council:

Hambleton District Council

9 February 2023 from 10am until 1pm

Civic Centre, Stone Cross, Rotary Way, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2UU

See directions to the Civic Centre

Ryedale District Council

10 February 2023 from 2pm until 5pm

Ryedale House, Old Malton Road, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 7HH

See directions to Ryedale House

Craven District Council

13 February 2023 from 11:30am until 2:30pm

Belle Vue Square, 1 Broughton Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1FG

See directions to Belle Vue Square

Scarborough Borough Council

14 February 2023 from 2pm until 5pm

Town Hall, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 2HG

See directions to Scarborough Town Hall

Harrogate Borough Council

17 February 2023 from 2pm until 5pm

Civic Centre, St Lukes Avenue, Harrogate , HG1 2AE

See directions to Harrogate Civic Centre

Selby District Council

27 February 2023 from 2pm until 5pm

Civic Centre, Doncaster Road, Selby, North Yorkshire, YO8 9FT

See directions to Selby Civic Centre

Richmondshire District Council

23 February 2023 from 2pm until 5pm

Mercury House, Station Road, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4JX 

See directions to Mercury House

This consultation closed on 1 April 2022.

During 2021 Hope Sentamu Learning Trust, supported by the Department for Education, proposed the closure of Baldersby St James Primary School. In late January 2022 the Secretary of State confirmed that the School will close in August 2022.

A listening period was conducted by Hope Sentamu Learning Trust in the Autumn. During this period we confirmed that in the event of closure we would consult on changing the local catchment area arrangements that would apply from September 2022 so that:

• the northern part of the Baldersby St James catchment area (Baldersby Civil Parish) including Baldersby village should become part of the catchment area for Carlton Miniott Primary Academy
• the southern part of the Baldersby St James catchment area (Rainton with Newby Civil Parish) including Rainton village should become part of the catchment area for both Dishforth CE Primary School and Topcliffe CE Academy

Map of the current catchment areas of Baldersby St James Church of England Primary School

Please contact us for this information in another format.

Image

Map of the proposed catchment areas of Baldersby St James Church of England Primary School

Please contact us for this information in another format.

Image

A report containing information on local school capacity and pupil numbers was presented to the Council’s Executive in October 2021.

We are the admissions authority for Dishforth CE Primary School, but Carlton Miniott and Topcliffe schools are their own admission authorities under Elevate Multi Academy Trust. This is therefore a joint consultation for both us and the Elevate Trust.

Having considered the consultation responses, we and the Trust will then each follow their own required process to vary the admission arrangements from September 2022. We will apply to the Schools Adjudicator for final approval, and the Trust will apply to the Secretary of State.

We would welcome your view on the proposals by the closing date of 5pm on 1 April 2022. In your response, please confirm whether you agree with the proposals and provide any additional comments.

This consultation closed on closed on 27 March 2023.

Information on proposals to remove residential (boarding) provision at Welburn Hall School.

Notice is given in accordance with section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, intends to make prescribed alterations to Welburn Hall (Community Special) School, Kirkbymoorside, York, North Yorkshire, YO62 7HQ.

These proposals are to remove residential (boarding) provision at Welburn Hall School from 1 September 2023 for a period of up to two years.

Copies of the complete proposals can be obtained from: Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD and are available below.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of these proposals, any person may object to or make comments on the proposals by sending them to: Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD. Alternatively, contact us by 5pm on 22 March 2023.

Signed: B.Khan
Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services)
Publication Date: 22 February 2023

Supporting documents

• List of consultees 
• Responses to the consultation
• Statutory Proposals
• Public meeting notes

This consultation closed on closed on 27 March 2023.

Information on the proposal to close Hovingham CE VE primary school.

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the education and inspections act 2006 that we at County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE, intends to discontinue Hovingham Church of England (voluntary controlled) primary school, Hovingham, York, YO62 4LF on 31 March 2023.

The proposal also includes revised school catchment area arrangements that would apply, in the event of closure, from 1 April 2023.

Copies of the complete proposal can be obtained from: corporate director - children and young people's service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to corporate director - children and young people's service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE, by 5pm on 3 March 2023.

Signed: B. Khan, Assistant chief executive (legal and democratic services)
Publication Date: 3 February 2023

Supporting documents

• statutory proposals
• map of the proposed catchment area
• consultation document
• list of consultees 
• notes of the public meeting
• consultation responses 
• response from Ryedale learning trust

This consultation closed on closed on 27 March 2023.

Information on a proposal to amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School from 1 September 2024.

February 2023

This paper sets out details of our proposal, at the request of the federated Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership, to amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School. This would result in the technical closure of Eskdale School and the Eskdale site, and an increase in the planned admission number for Caedmon College Whitby as the amalgamated school, with effect from 1 September 2024. 

There is an opportunity to rename Caedmon College Whitby as part of this reorganisation process, and this is something governors propose to do ahead of the amalgamated school’s proposed opening on 1 September 2024. For this reason, this document will refer to Caedmon College Whitby, from 1 September 24, as the ‘amalgamated school’.

We would welcome your views on this proposal. This paper sets out the background to the proposal and how you can make your views known.

There will be two public consultation meetings at Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby, YO21 3EN on Wednesday 8 March at 12.30pm and 6.30pm. The same information will be presented at both meetings. As space may be limited, please only attend one meeting.

Background

The Whitby Secondary Partnership was formed in July 2019, bringing together the governing bodies of the two secondary schools in the town, Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School, to form a single Governing Board responsible for both schools. Eskdale School is an 11-16 school and Caedmon College Whitby is an 11-18 school. The Whitby Sixth Form, although technically part of Caedmon College Whitby, serves both schools. An Executive Headteacher is responsible for both schools and works with two Heads of School and two Senior Leadership Teams.

Eskdale School operates from a single site on the east side of Whitby. Caedmon College Whitby’s 11-16 provision mainly operates from the Normanby Site (formerly Whitby Community College) and the Whitby Sixth Form is based on the Scoresby Site (formerly Caedmon School), both on the west side of the town.

In December 2022, the Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership decided to ask us to commence a consultation process on their proposal to amend the structure of the Whitby Secondary Partnership. Their initial proposal was that Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School amalgamate from 1 September 2023. Following further consideration, the Governing Board requested, and we have agreed, to consult on the amalgamation taking place from 1 September 2024.

The Governing Board set out three linked factors as the reasons for their proposal to amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School: low pupil numbers, significant financial challenges at both schools and an imperative to give the best education and curriculum to the young people of Whitby.

More details about these are set out below.

Pupil numbers

The 11 to 18 capacity within the Whitby Secondary Partnership schools is approximately 2,080 school places. Numbers of secondary aged pupils have been falling steadily across the catchment area over the last ten years (see Table 1 below). There are currently 406 pupils on roll at Eskdale, with a capacity of 550, and 783 pupils on roll at Caedmon College, with a capacity of 1,530. There is therefore a surplus of over 40 per cent of places in Whitby.

Finance

The Federation currently operates two separate budgets. Operating two schools across three sites brings a significant financial cost. Both school budgets have numerous financial challenges that need to be addressed. Each school is subject to a Notice of Financial Concern. This notice is issued by the Local Authority to governing boards where, in the opinion of officers, actions need to be taken to safeguard the financial position of the local authority or the school. 
Under Local Management of Schools, schools are responsible for their own budgets. It is for heads and governors to determine at school level how to optimise the use of resources and maximise value for money.

Standards and curriculum

The Governing Board views the proposal as offering the opportunity to deliver a broader curriculum offer with wider opportunities and development of skills to meet the need of students and the local community. They believe that any strategy to address the low pupil numbers and financial challenges without moving to become one school across two sites would hamper educational and curriculum improvement. Continuing to spend disproportionate amounts of their budget on premises costs across three sites would divert valuable budget away from the delivery of high-quality education.

Caedmon College Whitby was last inspected by Ofsted in February 2022, this was an initial (section 8) inspection. The reported outcome was that there has been no change to the school’s overall judgement of good, however the evidence gathered suggested that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out at that time, and so the next inspection will therefore be a graded (section 5) inspection. The previous full Ofsted inspection took place in February 2017 which judged all outcomes to be good.

Eskdale School was last inspected by Ofsted in November 2022. The reported outcome was that there has been no change to the school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection, however, the evidence gathered suggested that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection The previous full Ofsted inspection took place in November 2017 which judged all outcomes to be good.

The proposal

The Governing Board has asked us to consult on the following proposal:

1. That the Local Authority should amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School from 1 September 2024.
2. This would result in the technical closure of Eskdale School.
3. The Eskdale School site is declared surplus to school requirements and is returned to Local Authority management. Amalgamation is a proposal to technically close one school (in this Eskdale School) and enlarge an existing school (in this case Caedmon College Whitby), to accommodate all pupils. The remaining school would retain its original registration number and age range. There is an opportunity to rename Caedmon College Whitby as part of this reorganisation process, and this is something governors propose to do ahead of the amalgamated school’s proposed opening on 1 September 2024.

Education and curriculum improvement

Amalgamation on to two sites would offer the opportunity to redirect resources from maintaining premises to delivering the curriculum.
Initial curriculum modelling suggests that the amalgamated school would have seven to eight classes of around 23-24 pupils in each year group within Key Stage 3, and nine classes in each year group within Key Stage 4.

The amalgamated school would operate a two-week timetable based on 50 periods, as is currently the practice at both schools. With amalgamation, the Ofsted judgement attached to the school that is technically closing is effectively lost, and in future the enlarged school would receive a single inspection and judgement.  

Whitby Secondary Partnership has produced a vision for the newly amalgamated school - A Quality First Education for Whitby. This can be viewed on the Whitby Secondary Partnership website.

Admissions

Existing pupils at both schools would automatically be placed on roll at the amalgamated school. 

Parents/carers of current Year 6 children who are due to start secondary education in Whitby in September 2023 do not need to take any action regarding their existing school admissions application. 

It is anticipated that the final decision on the amalgamation proposal will be made in June 2023 in advance of the secondary school application round for parents/carers of current Year 5 pupils due to transfer to secondary school in September 2024. 

The existing shared catchment area of Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale Schools would continue to be used for the amalgamated school.

The proposal would require an increase in the published admissions number (PAN) for the amalgamated school. The PAN is the number of school places that the admission authority must offer in the age group at which pupils will normally be admitted to the school (Year 7). The current PAN for Eskdale School is 110 and for Caedmon College Whitby is 184. It is proposed to increase the PAN for the newly amalgamated school to 240.

Our Admissions Team is always happy to give advice to parents. Please contact us.

Staff

The Governing Board is clear that whilst the amalgamation would result in the technical closure of Eskdale School, it will provide opportunities for staff across both schools. The amalgamation would involve the creation of a new staffing model to fit the needs of a newly enlarged, amalgamated school. 
Detailed work will be undertaken by Governors and school leaders to ensure that the staffing of the proposed amalgamated school is aligned to the school’s curriculum vision and intent which will involve a detailed review of staff structures across the federation. Where efficiencies involving any change to staffing may be made across the federation, or as a newly amalgamated school, these would be subject to a separate internal consultation.

The school sites

It is proposed to operate the newly amalgamated school from September 2024 on two sites. The Normanby site would mainly be used for 11-16 pupils currently accommodated on this site and at Eskdale School site, and the Scoresby site, would mainly be used for the sixth form.

Given current pupil number forecasts, including the likely demand from new housing, there would appear to be sufficient secondary places available in the amalgamated 11-18 school, and sufficient space to accommodate all 11-16 pupils on the Normanby site.

As part of the proposal the Governors are declaring that the Eskdale site is surplus to educational requirements and the site would be returned to NYCC management. Decisions about the future use of the Eskdale site would be taken after determination of the amalgamation proposal. These would need to include consideration of the Eskdale Community 3G flood-lit pitch on the school site.

Choice of Normanby site

Based on projected pupil numbers, the school leadership envisages a pupil roll of approximately 1,050 11-16 pupils in the short term. This is projected to decrease to approximately 950 based on the number of current primary pupils. School leaders’ vision, should the amalgamation proceed, is that ideally all 11-16 pupils would be educated on the same site. This would support high quality education provision and efficient use of resources, which could be easily accessed by all pupils.
The only one of the three sites which offers an opportunity to accommodate all 11-16 pupils on one site is the Normanby (part of Caedmon College Whitby, and formerly Whitby Community College) site.

The buildings on the site have the capacity for 1,125 pupils and as such would not have space to accommodate the current Sixth Form numbers in addition to the 11-16 cohort. Moreover, the Governors want to develop the Sixth Form and increase the number of pupils. In addition, the Normanby site alone would not have the extent of sports fields recommended for a school of that size. 

Choice of Scoresby site

The Governors believe that the best choice for accommodating the Sixth Form and providing efficient access to sports fields is to locate the Sixth Form on the Scoresby (part of Caedmon College Whitby and formerly Caedmon School) site.

The use of this site for the Sixth Form and sports fields rather than the Eskdale site has clear benefits:

1. It is currently operating as the Sixth Form College and the facilities have been adapted specifically for that purpose. 
2. The Normanby and Scoresby sites are only 0.3 miles apart whereas the Eskdale site is 1 mile from Scoresby and 1.3 miles from the Normanby site. This makes the playing fields and all weather pitch at the Scoresby site much more accessible to pupils being educated on the Normanby site. In addition, for staff moving between the sites the travel time would be kept to a minimum.
3. The Scoresby site is located in the centre of the town it is approximately 1.5 miles walking distance from furthest housing to the North-west of Whitby on Mulgrave Road and approximately 1.1 miles from the furthest housing to the South-east on Stainsacre Lane, whereas the Eskdale site is very close the housing on Stainsacre Lane but 2.4 miles from that on Mulgrave Road.

Each site has a range of investment requirements arising from property condition. These investment requirements are broadly comparable across the three sites:

• Eskdale £905,000: approximately £177 per m2 
• Scoresby £750,000: approximately £157 per m2
• Normanby £1,500,000: approximately £172 per m2

If this amalgamation proposal proceeds, then we will work with school leaders and governors to review investment requirements.

We do not hold any information about the market value of any of the three sites. This is because they are currently operational school sites, and we do not routinely seek market valuations for properties that are not currently being considered for disposal. In the event that educational provision is to be discontinued at any of the sites, then we have a detailed process to consider alternative uses for the site or whether the site is to be disposed of. Any disposal would require the permission of the Secretary of State for Education. The value of sites are not considered in the decision making for this amalgamation proposal.

Finance

Amalgamating the two schools to provide education across two sites rather than three would lead to savings on the premises costs at the Eskdale site. School budgets are funded largely by pupil numbers so the amalgamated school would have a larger combined funding allocation. However, the combined funding allocation for the amalgamated school would be smaller than the funding allocations for the two separate schools because there would be the loss of lump sum related funding, although transitional funding will be provided during the initial 19-month period of the amalgamation to assist with managing the reduction in this funding.

The estimated premises costs, excluding Rates, of £297,000 associated with the operation of the Eskdale site would be saved on the closure of the site. It is anticipated that the additional pupils on the Caedmon College Normanby site would result in additional premises costs associated with utilities and cleaning of £84,000 for that site. On this basis, the indicative net saving on premises costs in respect of the amalgamation of the two schools is £213,000 on a full financial year basis.

The school lump sum funding of £128,000, which is received by each school in their annual funding allocation, would cease for the Eskdale School budget - as with other Eskdale School funding allocations - on the amalgamation of the two schools. However, transitional funding protection arrangements are provided which would allow for the balance of the lump sum to be retained from the point of amalgamation for the remainder of the financial year that amalgamation takes place and provide an additional £89.6k in addition to the £128,000 school lump sum funding received through the amalgamated school budget in the next financial year after the point of amalgamation.

The impact of the lump sum reduction and the closure of the Eskdale site would result in an ongoing estimated annual net saving of £85,000. The figures are based on the latest school financial forecasts and the 2023-24 Department for Education (DfE) National Funding Formula (NFF) funding allocations and are subject to any national changes in Department for Education funding policy.

Further additional savings are expected to be able to be made through efficiencies in staffing, other operating costs and purchasing of goods and services by the amalgamated school over time.

Budget forecast for amalgamated school

The forecast financial position for the proposed amalgamated school is detailed in the table below:

The 2024/25 financial year forecast reflects the individual school budget for Caedmon College for the period April 2024 to August 2024 and the proposed amalgamated school budget for the period September 2024 to March 2025.

Budget forecasts for separate schools

The latest individual school financial forecasts for Caedmon College and Eskdale School are detailed in the tables below:

Caedmon College Individual School Budget:

Eskdale School Individual School Budget:

Transition

Transition planning will focus on curriculum planning, staffing structures, finances and ensuring a smooth transition for students, particularly the most vulnerable. It will build on the joint working already established between the two schools. Elements of the curriculum in Eskdale and Caedmon College are already similar, however the proposed amalgamation would provide greater opportunities for curriculum development with a broader, more relevant curriculum being available to all students. 

The school would be better able to ensure that all students are taught by experienced subject specialist staff who can share and grow their passion and enthusiasm for their subject. It is a key priority of the newly amalgamated school to deliver curriculum pathways that will enable students to continue study through year 7 to year 13, including by establishing clearer progression routes from options at KS4, into KS5 and by offering competitive and relevant subjects with links to not only higher education, but also to apprenticeships and local business providers.

Additional Information

A series of Frequently Asked Questions will be issued and regularly updated during the consultation period and can be viewed on the Whitby Secondary Partnership website.

This website also includes the vision for the newly amalgamated school - A Quality First Education for Whitby. 

Further data on pupil numbers and future forecasts and school capacities can be found on our Current Consultations page.

What happens next?

Your views about this proposal are welcomed.

Have your say on proposals to amalgamate Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School

Responses to the consultation will be published on our website. Your personal details, and those of others you may refer to, will not be published. 

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Friday, 31 March 2023.

Paper responses should be returned to us at the address below:

FREEPOST RTKE-RKAY-CUJS
Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School
Strategic Planning
North Yorkshire County Council
County Hall
Northallerton
DL7 8AE

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our Executive on 18 April 2023.

If our Executive decides to proceed with the proposal, then statutory notices would be published in the local press on 27 April 2023. These notices would provide a further four weeks for representations to be made, by 25 May 2023.

A final decision would then be scheduled to be taken by our Executive on 20 June 2023.  If agreed, the schools would amalgamate from 1 September 2024.

Anticipated key dates

All dates are subject to approvals at each stage.

On 1 April 2023, we and the seven district and borough councils in North Yorkshire will become one – North Yorkshire Council. North Yorkshire Council will be the decision maker for any decisions taken after 1 April 2023.

Appendix

Appendix 1: Pupil forecasts

Appendix 2: Site capacities

This consultation closed on closed on 24 February 2023.

This page sets out details of a proposal to close Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School with effect from 31 August 2023. It gives the background to the proposal. There will be a public meeting at Skelton Reading Room, Main Street, Skelton on Ure, Ripon, HG4 5AJ on Tuesday 17 January at 6pm.

Background

Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School, Ripon is located in the rural village of Skelton on Ure. The school is currently federated with Sharow CE VC Primary School, an arrangement that has been in place since 2012. Both schools share the same executive headteacher. The federation maximises available opportunities to bring together pupils to share activities and learning opportunities.

Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School was last inspected by Ofsted in March 2020, when there were 20 pupils on roll. The overall effectiveness was judged to be ‘requires improvement’ as were the four key judgements on the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management. The arrangements for safeguarding were judged to be effective.

The number of children at Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School has been falling over the past few years. At the beginning of September 2021, there were 15 pupils on roll in the school plus two children in the nursery. This was well below the capacity of the school which could accommodate around 52 pupils. Since then there has been a further fall in numbers and the school currently has nine statutory aged pupils and one nursery child remaining on roll. Due to low numbers key stage 2 teaching is currently taking place at Sharow Primary School. The governing body have been active in their collective efforts to raise numbers at the school through many initiatives over recent years including the introduction of nursery provision in September 2019, which has attracted some children to the school, although numbers have been small. Marketing of the school has been a collective effort by governors, staff and parents though this has not had a long-term result.

At a recent federation governing body meeting, governors agreed unanimously, with regret, to ask us to consult on closure proposals for Skelton Newby Hall CE Primary School. This decision was not taken lightly by the governing body.

The main factors prompting the request were considerations around being able to provide such a small number of pupils with the rounded education that they deserve, together with little prospect of future improvement in pupil numbers.

Factors affecting the school’s viability

Pupil numbers

Skelton Newby Hall is a 3-11 Church of England voluntary controlled primary school and currently has nine children on roll and one child in nursery. The school is located in a rural area of Ripon, serving families living in and near the village of Skelton on Ure and the surrounding area. The number of children at Skelton Newby Hall Primary School has been falling over the past few years:

• 2016/17 - 50
• 2017/18 - 36
• 2018/19 - 22
• 2019/20 - 16
• 2020/21 - 15
• 2021/22 - 15 
• 2022/23 - 9 (plus 1 nursery pupil) 

Four of the nine children currently on roll in reception to year 6 reside in the catchment for Skelton Newby Hall Primary, the remaining five children attend the school from another catchment area.

The school has a published admission number (PAN) of seven pupils per year group. The school has capacity to accommodate around 52 pupils if all spaces are in use, and therefore has the potential to contribute 52 places in the local area.

School leadership and standards 

The most recent full Ofsted inspection for Skelton Newby Hall CE VC was in March 2020. At that time there were 20 pupils on roll. The overall effectiveness was judged to be ‘requires improvement’ as were the four key judgements on the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management. The arrangements for safeguarding were judged to be effective. In September 2022, there were nine pupils registered at the school and one nursery pupil.

Leaders and governors have worked collectively to mitigate the impact of low numbers at Skelton Newby Hall and have maximized the range of shared experiences with Sharow CE VC School. However, low pupil numbers mean that even with the best endeavours of the school it is difficult to provide education of a high quality for all year groups, and to meet the expectations of the 2019 Ofsted education inspection framework that places significant weight on curriculum provision. Delivering a curriculum that has ‘breadth and ambition’ is a particular challenge for a very small school.

Sharow Primary School was last subject to a full Ofsted inspection in 2016 and judged to be ‘good’ overall. A monitoring inspection took place in January 2022.

The financial position

Pupil numbers determine the funding for a school budget. The federation of Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School and Sharow CE VC Primary School operate separate budgets for the two schools within the federation.

The latest financial forecast submitted to the local authority for Skelton Newby Hall CE Primary School indicates that the school will have an accumulated budget surplus position of £109.2k at the end of the 2022/23 financial year, £94.1k at the end of the 2023/24 financial year and £55.6k at the end of the 2024/25 financial year. The forecast is based on 15 pupils in October 2021, 9 pupils in October 2022 and 11 pupils in October 2023 as the basis for the funding calculation.

Whilst in-year budget deficits are forecast of £15.2k for the 2023/24 financial year and £38.5k for the 2024/25 financial year, the school is currently forecast to remain in a cumulative budget surplus position over the three year period. 

Schools are presently facing significant cost pressures and there is continued uncertainty as to the level of cost increases for 2023/24; this may impact on the financial forecast.

Primary school places in the local area

In October 2021 there were 27 children living in Skelton Newby Hall’s discrete catchment area and attending a North Yorkshire primary school. Six of those attended Skelton Newby Hall Primary School at that time, with the remaining 21 attending a total of nine other primary schools in the local area.

There are five other neighbouring primary schools within 4.5 miles of Skelton Newby Hall Primary School. Across the area there are places available for all pupils currently at the School. Further details of school capacities and pupil forecasts are set out in an accompanying document.

The nearest school to Skelton Newby Hall CE VC is Kirby Hill CE VC where there are places available in all year groups. 

Boroughbridge Community Primary School also has places available in all year groups.

Roecliffe CE Academy is operating at around capacity but has some places available in all year groups apart from year 3 and year 6. 

Dishforth Airfield CP has places in all year groups.

Sharow CE VC (federated with Skelton Newby Hall CE VC) has reached published admission number in all year groups, however, the facilities at Sharow offer some ability to operate over published admission number in certain year groups.

The proposal

For the reasons above it is proposed that Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School should close with effect from 31 August 2023.

It is also proposed that the catchment area of Kirby Hill CE VC Primary School should be extended to include the current Skelton Newby Hall catchment area. This is shown on maps accompanying this consultation document. The Leeds CE diocese have indicated early stage support for this approach. These arrangements would be implemented from September 2023 only in the event of closure for Skelton Newby Hall CE School.

Kirby Hill CE VC Primary School is the nearest alternative school to Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School and there is currently space in all year groups.

We would welcome views regarding the future catchment area proposal as part of this consultation.

Admissions and transport

There is available capacity in the local area to ensure sufficiency of school places. Parents of future children living in the current Skelton Newby Hall Primary School catchment area will be able to express a preference for school places at any school. 

Parents have a right to express a preference for any school. The local authority is the admissions authority for community and voluntary controlled schools and will meet that preference provided there are vacant places, or the school is happy to admit above the published number. In the case of academy schools, the multi academy trust decides the conditions for admission. 

Free home to school transport would be provided for entitled pupils in accordance with the revised catchment area arrangements in accordance with our home to school transport policy.

Our admissions team is always happy to give advice to parents – please contact us.

Staff

A separate staff consultation process, including a meeting for staff and their professional associations and unions, will run in parallel with this consultation on the closure proposal. Staff are also welcome to comment on the proposal as part of this consultation.

The school site

The school building and site is not owned by us. Decisions about the future use of the school building will be taken by the owners after the closure proposal has been determined.

Additional information

This consultation document should be read in conjunction with the following documents:

• Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School – Local schools information
• Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School - current catchment area map and proposed extended catchment areas for Kirby Hill CE VC Primary School
• Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School - Indicative table of places available in local schools

What happens next?

Your views about this proposal are welcomed.

Online responses may be submitted by following this link:

Complete the online survey here

Responses to the consultation will be published on our website. Your personal details, and those of others you may refer to, will not be published.

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Friday 24 February 2023

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by the our executive on 21 March 2023.

If our executive decides to proceed with the closure proposal, then statutory notices would be published in the local press on 30 March 2023. These notices would provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision is then scheduled to be taken by our executive on 30 May 2023. If agreed, the school would close on 31 August 2023.

Anticipated key dates

All dates are subject to approvals at each stage.

Related documents

• Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School – Local schools information
• Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School - current catchment area map and proposed extended catchment areas for Kirby Hill CE VC Primary School
• Skelton Newby Hall CE VC Primary School - Indicative table of places available in local schools

This consultation closed on 20 February 2023.

Have your say on the maximum fares which drivers of hackney carriage vehicles can charge in North Yorkshire from 1 April.

While there are no national guidelines or guidance for the setting of maximum fares, we have explored various options to ensure a fair tariff for both customers and the trade. The proposed fares are based on the maximum fare that is currently in place for both Harrogate and Selby.

Once a tariff of fares has been set, a driver cannot charge more to passengers than the charge shown on the meter apart from in certain exceptional circumstance, such as where a journey ends outside of the council area and a fee has been agreed in advance.

Private hire vehicles set their own fares and cannot be regulated by the licensing authority, so customers should agree the fare before the journey commences.

 Read the proposed table of fares (pdf / 559 KB)

Any objections to the proposed table of fares can be made by contacting us.

Objections must be received no later than 5pm on Monday 20 February. Any objections will be considered before a decision is taken. If no objections are received or are withdrawn, the new maximum fares will apply from Saturday 1 April 2023.

This consultation closed on 19 January 2023.

A consultation has been launched on a single Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy for North Yorkshire Council.​

The existing seven borough and district councils currently have their own hackney carriage and private hire licensing policies. But ahead of the new council delivering all local services from 1 April, a consultation has been launched on a single Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy for North Yorkshire Council.

A comprehensive review of the seven existing policies has been undertaken and although they have several factors in common, there are differences in terms of applicant criteria, vehicle specification and procedures. The new policy seeks to ensure that the public continues to be provided with safe and accessible hackney carriages and private hire vehicles, and ensure a consistent regulatory framework for the trade across the county.

In accordance with the Department for Transport’s best practice guidance, it is proposed that the new council will operate one hackney carriage 'zone' for North Yorkshire. Thereby providing drivers with the flexibility to operate across the county, encouraging environmental efficiencies and creating a wider distribution of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Learn more about the best practice guidance on the government website.

There are no plans to impose hackney carriage quantity restrictions on the creation of a new single zone. Hackney carriage fares and fees will also be reviewed at a later date.

This 12-week consultation, open until 19 January, allows licence holders, taxi operators, the general public or anybody with an interest in taxis the opportunity to share their views and help shape the policy that will serve North Yorkshire Council.

For further information, or to request the draft policy in another format, please contact us.

 Read the draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy (pdf / 1 MB)

This consultation closed on 20 January 2023.

Currently, the existing seven borough and district councils in North Yorkshire set their own hackney carriage and private hire licensing fees. But ahead of the new council becoming the sole licensing authority from 1 April, a single set of fees are due to be adopted, so that they are consistent across the whole county.

In accordance with national legislation, councils should not make a profit and demonstrate the fees are appropriate to cover the costs of administering the taxi licensing service. This includes drivers, vehicle and operators’ licences, inspections of vehicles, the provision of hackney carriage stands and administration and other costs relating to vehicle and operators’ licences. To determine the proposed fees, consideration of the existing fees across the seven borough and district councils has been given.

These fees will only apply for a new licence or renewing an existing licence after April 1, when the new council launches. Drivers with an existing licence that is still valid will not need to renew until the expiry date shown.

 Read the proposed table of fees (pdf / 609 KB)

Any objections to the proposed table of fees can be made by contacting us.

Objections must be received no later than 5pm on Monday 20 February. Any objections will be considered before a decision is taken. If no objections are received or are withdrawn, the new fees will apply from Saturday 1 April 2023.

This consultation closed on 31 January 2023.

School organisation proposals to temporarily remove residential provision at Welburn Hall Special School for the academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25.

This consultation follows a review of provision and consultation carried out under the Children and Families Act 2014.

There will be two virtual (on-line) public meetings on Tuesday 10 January 2023 and Wednesday 18 January 2023 at 6pm via Microsoft Teams. If you wish to be part of this virtual meeting could you please let us know by contacting us and joining instructions will be provided.

Background

We want all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in North Yorkshire:

• to have the best educational opportunities so that they achieve the best outcomes
• to be able to attend a school or provision locally, as close to their home as possible, where they can make friends and be part of their local community
• to make progress with learning, have good social and emotional health, and to prepare them for a fulfilling adult life

We have a statutory responsibility under the children and families act 2014 to keep its special educational provision under review, to ensure sufficiency in placements to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Under the same act, we also have responsibility for ensuring that the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are suitably assessed and that needs are met.

We have reviewed recently the residential provision at Welburn Hall and following consultation had determined that there was an ongoing need for residential provision, but that access to that provision would in future be via more specific criteria.

However, recent technical assessments have identified significant structural challenges in the main House building, which provides the residential accommodation, catering facilities and some teaching and learning space. These challenges relate to the heating and drainage systems at the school. The local authority is planning on the basis that a programme of urgent works to address buildings failure will need to be put in place from Summer 2023, with the unfortunate consequence that the main house building will be out of operation for an expected period of two academic years. We would want to emphasise that our assessment is that the school buildings remain a safe environment for young people to both be educated and reside in the interim.

In the light of the latest technical assessments, the implications for the main house and our concern that we provide clarity at the earliest opportunity to families and school staff, we are consulting at this stage on the potential temporary removal of residential provision at Welburn Hall School.

We appreciate that this is an unexpected development and want to emphasise that it is a response to an emergency scenario. We will work closely with colleagues at Welburn Hall School as well as young people and their families to ensure any impact on those accessing the provision is minimised.

Day places will continue to be provided at Welburn Hall in a separate building while these urgent reactive maintenance works are being carried out to the main house.

The school organisation proposals

We are now consulting specifically on the school organisation proposals required to:

Remove residential provision at Welburn Hall School from 1 September 2023, on a temporary basis for a two-year period. Your views on these school organisation proposals are welcomed. 

What is this consultation about?

This consultation is about our proposal to temporarily pause the residential offer at Welburn Hall School. Under these proposals, residential provision would be unavailable at Welburn Hall school for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years.

Why do we need to pause the residential offer at Welburn Hall School?

As discussed above, this proposal is a direct consequence of the significant failings we have identified in the heating and drainage systems at the school. These impact most significantly upon the main House building. Furthermore, the proposals are solely a response to these building challenges, without these challenges, residential provision would be continuing to operate at the school.

Given that we are currently working on the basis of undertaking an urgent reactive maintenance programme over a period of two academic years, we are specifically proposing to pause the residential offer for two years.

Whilst the vast majority of young people currently accessing residential provision at Welburn Hall will naturally leave in July 2023 due to their age, we recognise that a small number of pupils will have been expecting to access residential provision until July 2024. Our SEN case work team have made contact with those families affected and will be providing support to assess all available provision options to continue to meet their assessed needs.

What happens next?

Your views about this proposal are welcomed. You can either complete and return the attached response sheet, or submit an online response.

Your views about this proposal are welcomed.

Online responses may be submitted by following this link:

The closing date for responses is 31 January 2023.

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by the County Council’s Executive committee on 14 February 2023.

If our executive decides to proceed, then statutory proposals would be published on 22 February 2023 on the our website and statutory notices placed in the local press and on the school gates. These statutory proposals would provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision would then be made in April by our executive (or by the executive member for education, learning and skills, if there are no objections to statutory proposals).

Anticipated key dates

All dates are subject to approvals at each stage.

This consultation closed on 28 November 2022.

We are currently reviewing a series of proposed Active Travel Schemes across Harrogate in order to encourage the take up of walking and cycling.

You can view an interactive map showing all the current and proposed schemes across Harrogate.

We have recently delivered the first phase of the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) on Otley Road to create a new cycleway, alongside a number of signalised junction improvements across the route to improve safety and address congestions along this key route. The next phase of this scheme is on Otley Road between the junctions of Cold Bath Road/Arthurs Avenue and Beech Grove.

A consultation event took place on the design for these proposals in May 2022. Following on from the delivery of Phase 1, we reflected on the feedback received from that event to review the designs already prepared for this next phase. This was to ensure the scheme was thoroughly considered as part of the wider strategic vision for Harrogate. This led to the identification of a short section of shared footway and cycleway between Victoria Road and Beech Grove, which could be too narrow to encourage use of the cycleway.

The lapsing of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order on Beech Grove for the modal filter in August 2022 led to a review of how proposals here link to the wider strategic vision across Harrogate for sustainable transport infrastructure and link to the next phase of the Otley Road Cycleway.

We are seeking views on the options we have for the cycleway alongside the linked proposals for Beech Grove. Either option for Beech Grove can work with each option for National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) phase 2.

The following options are available for you to consider for both National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) and the development of Beech Grove:

National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) Options

1.  The existing proposal on Otley Road for phase 2 (pdf / 2 MB)
2.  An alternative route for phase 2 using Victoria Road (pdf / 409 KB)
3.  An alternative route for phase 2 using Queens Road (pdf / 945 KB)

Beech Grove Options

4.  Modal filters on Beech Grove with one-way on Victoria Road (pdf / 378 KB)
5.  One-way arrangements on Beech Grove and Victoria Road (pdf / 515 KB)

We would like to hear your comments on which option for both National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) and Beech Grove would encourage you to take up more walking and cycling in the area.

Contact us with your comments using ‘National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) Phase 2 Consultation’ in the title of your email or letter.

This consultation will run from 24 October until 28 November 2022.

There is also a consultation taking place at the same time, related to the Active Travel Fund for the Oatland Drive / The Saints are of Harrogate. This is a separate engagement, as it is a wider consultation of potential active travel options for the area.

This consultation closed on January 24 2023.

The existing seven borough and district councils currently have their own hackney carriage and private hire licensing policies. But ahead of the new council delivering all local services from 1 April, a consultation has been launched on a single Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy for North Yorkshire Council.

A comprehensive review of the seven existing policies has been undertaken and although they have several factors in common, there are differences in terms of applicant criteria, vehicle specification and procedures. The new policy seeks to ensure that the public continues to be provided with safe and accessible hackney carriages and private hire vehicles, and ensure a consistent regulatory framework for the trade across the county.

In accordance with the Department for Transport’s best practice guidance, it is proposed that the new council will operate one hackney carriage 'zone' for North Yorkshire. Thereby providing drivers with the flexibility to operate across the county, encouraging environmental efficiencies and creating a wider distribution of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Learn more about the best practice guidance on the government website.

There are no plans to impose hackney carriage quantity restrictions on the creation of a new single zone. Hackney carriage fares and fees will also be reviewed at a later date.

This 12-week consultation, open until 19 January, allows licence holders, taxi operators, the general public or anybody with an interest in taxis the opportunity to share their views and help shape the policy that will serve North Yorkshire Council.

For further information, or to request the draft policy in another format, please contact us.

 Read the draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy (pdf / 1 MB)

This consultation closed on 4 November 2022.

Information regarding Building digital UK carrying out review to help identify areas suitable for gigabit-capable broadband.

The government is on a mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband to everyone in the united kingdom and is investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit to ensure that hard-to-reach communities are not left out. Building Digital UK (BDUK) is carrying out a public review to help identify areas in ‘Lot 31’ North Yorkshire that may be suitable for future public funding for gigabit-capable broadband.

Building digital UK is seeking information and supporting evidence from suppliers in relation to the presence of gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure within the project area.

They wish to hear from all relevant stakeholders including the public, businesses, internet service providers and broadband infrastructure operators particularly in relation to the proposed mapped eligible areas.

This public review opens on 4 October 2022 at 5pm, and closes on 4 November 2022 at 5pm.

To respond to this public review, and for more information, please see the Project Gigabit information page on the government website.

This consultation closed on 18 December 2022.

Our climate change ambition aims to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon net neutrality by 2030, when there will be a national ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.

About the strategy

Our climate change ambition aims to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon net neutrality by 2030, when there will be a national ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.

We are committed to achieving this by helping our residents and businesses switch to more sustainable modes of travel such as walking, cycling, and using public transport. However, it is acknowledged that many people will still rely on private vehicles so, where this is necessary, we want to help enable the use of low carbon transport, such as electric vehicles. To allow this shift over time, we need facilities to allow drivers to charge their electric vehicles easily and conveniently.

A public charging network is needed for those without access to charging at home or work. We are therefore developing a strategy to help overcome the barriers to delivery, as identified in the 2020 Electric Vehicle Charge Point Deployment Study, which are:

1. Grid Constraints/capacity and associated grid connection costs
2. The rural nature of large parts of North Yorkshire
3. The volume of on-street parking, particularly in residential areas

Our vision

A decarbonised North Yorkshire where zero emission mobility is accessible and convenient to all, recognising the unique rural nature of the county, improving quality of place through better local air quality and health. A comprehensive network of electric charge points will support the uptake of electric vehicles for residents, visitors and businesses over the next 10 years, accelerating the transition to zero emission vehicles across North Yorkshire bringing new skills and investment to the local economy.

Our key objectives

1. Provide a comprehensive, convenient, and accessible network of electric vehicles charging points across the whole county.
2. Ensure all residents have access to electric vehicles charge points, including those with on-street parking.
3. Ensure commuters within North Yorkshire have access to electric vehicles charge points on their routes to work.
4. Allow all visitors to adequately charge their electric vehicle at tourist sites in the region.
5. Deliver zero emission vehicles for use by ourselves.
6. Support and encourage businesses to switch to zero emission vehicles and roll out electric vehicles charge points.
7. Ensure those who do not immediately switch to an electric vehicle are still supported, by providing them with the facilities and awareness to make the change when they are ready.

The strategy sets out how many public electric vehicle charge points will be needed by 2030 to support the increased electric vehicles use across the region. It also sets out where the most demand is expected to be. It is forecast that by 2030, a total of 3,161 public electric vehicles charging points will be needed across the county which will be delivered by both public and private sector funding. This will consist of 2,734 fast chargers and 427 of the faster ‘rapid chargers’. It is anticipated that 1,529 will be delivered by the public sector.

Our proposed measures (actions)

We have developed 10 electric vehicle actions, which are priorities to help us meet our vision and key objectives. These key actions, what we are proposing to do and why they are needed, are detailed below. We would like your feedback to help shape the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and policy across the county. So please read the information below on the ‘electric vehicle actions’ and have your say.

Action 1: Accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle charge points

Why is this action needed?

Many drivers will rely on public charge points in the future, including those with on-street parking at home, visitors to the region and those topping up during a journey.

The private sector will install most chargers, but there will not be enough in areas that are less attractive to the businesses who operate chargers (the private sector). Here the public sector will need to deliver electric vehicle charging points to ensure a fair spread across the county.

What we are proposing to do:

1. Install on and off-street chargers in areas not served by the private sector provision to ensure electric vehicle charging is fairly distributed across North Yorkshire.
2. Install a mix of fast and rapid chargers to meet the needs of different types of electric vehicle drivers.
3. Plan a network of electric vehicle chargers across the county that aims to ensure that any resident without access to private off-street changing is within 10 minutes’ walk of a public electric vehicle charge point.
4. Seek government funding and commercial partnerships to minimise cost to ourselves.

Action 2: Delivering rural electric vehicle charging connectivity

Why is this action needed?

North Yorkshire is a rural county with a sparsely distributed population.  

Full coverage of electric vehicle charge points across these areas is critical to reduce range anxiety and serve those living, visiting, or travelling through these areas. 

The private sector will install most chargers, but there will not be enough in areas that are less attractive to the businesses who operate chargers (the private sector). Here the public sector will need to deliver electric vehicle charging points to ensure a fair spread across the county.

What we are proposing to do:

1. Ensure coverage of electric vehicle chargers in rural areas and appropriate electric vehicle charge point provision at rural locations that cater for long travel distances.
2. Lead funding bids and use rural character as a unique selling point for unlocking funding.
3. Work in partnership with the local Power Network Operator to ensure alignment with business planning for upgrades.
4. Encourage innovative solutions for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, such as combining local generation with renewables and battery storage.

Action 3: Supporting residents charging electric vehicles parked on-street

Why is this action needed?

Whilst North Yorkshire is predominantly rural, the county also has areas of terraced housing, historic buildings, flats, and other properties without off-street parking (21% of households). Being able to charge an electric vehicle cheaply and conveniently at home is a key consideration in switching to an electric vehicle.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Take a proactive approach to delivering charging points, targeted at areas of demand for on-street electric vehicle charging, achieving a good base level of coverage, where all residents who need it have convenient access to a public charger. This will include:
   1. Residents’ charging hubs in nearby car parks, featuring rapid chargers where there are gaps in the privately funded network and supporting amenities are in place.
   2. On-street chargers.
2. Investigate the feasibility of allowing trailing cables and installing cable channels as short-term measures for those charging an electric vehicle parked on street from home.
3. Establish a user-friendly website to invite expressions of interest from residents on potential locations for electric vehicle charge points to better understand local demand.
4. Put together a strong case for investment from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through the Local electric vehicle Infrastructure fund.
5. Engage with the market to ensure our approach attracts the best tenders from potential charge point operators, who will work as long-term partners with local authorities, and in the best interests of residents.

Action 4: Promoting best practice design for electric vehicle charge points

Why is this action needed?

Low quality public charge point provision means drivers are not confident they can charge when needed, which is a barrier to electric vehicle uptake. NYCC will develop guidance which draws on best practice from elsewhere, refined to suit our local needs.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Develop our guidance on key design principles, specification, and steps to building an electric vehicle charge point network.
2. Create a distinctive council electric vehicle charging brand.

Action 5: Fostering collaborative working and building in-house resources and skills

Why is this action needed?

We are committed to ensuring that we have the expertise within the council needed to make investment decisions in electric vehicle infrastructure rollout in what is a fast-moving landscape. The Local Government Reorganisation (in effect from 2023) provides an opportunity to pool existing talent and bring together our electric vehicle skills, knowledge and experience from across ourselves and the districts, boroughs and National Park authorities.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Audit the teams that already exist and where skills are located to ensure resources are best used. Introduce a dedicated Electric Vehicle Lead Officer role to coordinate electric vehicle programmes, groups, and resources.
2. Expand our internal working group to include electric vehicle officers from each authority, to share knowledge and to develop standards.
3. Engage with rural landowners, parish councils and town councils to minimise knowledge gap and encourage electric vehicle charge point investment.

Action 6: Ensuring visitors can charge at tourist hotspots

Why is this action needed?

Tourism is key for North Yorkshire’s economy, and additional traffic comes to the area during the peak seasons. In years to come, it is expected that more of these tourists will be driving electric vehicles. As such, it is important for the region to have reliable and comprehensive charge points at key destinations to serve visitors to the region and cope with additional demand during peak season. This includes the potential impact on residents using public chargers when there is increased demand by tourists.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Ensure coverage of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in tourism hot spots, providing the right speed of charger that serve tourists needs depending on the location. Seek to secure grants for hard-to-reach areas, working with Coastal Tourism Advisory Board.
2. Work with hospitality industry and tourist attractions, as well as small business advisory groups, providing advice on the installation of electric vehicle charge points on their premises.
3. Install electric vehicle charge points in prominent positions with universally recognisable designs that are easy to locate by tourists.

Action 7: decarbonising the our vehicle fleet

Why is this action needed?

To accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles across North Yorkshire, we will lead by example by transitioning our fleet to zero emission vehicles, where possible, by 2030. While challenging, this transition will send a strong message of confidence in electric vehicles to the community, encouraging people to purchase an electric vehicle themselves.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Undertake a comprehensive fleet review, including wider scope for streamlining the number of vehicles the council requires to meet our needs. Develop a workable plan and timescales for bringing these electric vehicles into service?
2. Undertake a review of depots and car parks where vehicles would be charged and feasibility assessments of prioritised sites for charging infrastructure.
3. Prepare an action plan setting out the short, medium, and long-term phasing out of petrol and diesel vehicles.
4. Update procurement processes to specify electric vehicles going forwards, introduce in a phased approach based on preceding review. Introduce requirements for electric vehicles for our supply chains.

Action 8: Raising awareness to positively influence behaviours

Why is this action needed?

As a relatively new technology, one key barrier to electric vehicle adoption is lack of understanding about the benefits of electric vehicle ownership and the practicalities of running an electric vehicle. While some may proactively seek information about the new technology, other drivers may be more inclined to continue with a petrol or diesel car they know and understand. There is a need to better inform everyone about the positives of choosing an electric vehicle.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Carry out a marketing campaign promoting the benefits of EVs and ‘myth busting’.
2. Expand our electric vehicle website to become a valuable resource for all residents wishing to switch to electric vehicles.
3. Appoint a local ‘Electric Vehicle Champion’ to promote the use of electric vehicles in North Yorkshire.

Action 9: Promoting standards for new development

Why is this action needed?

New developers have a key role to play in including electric vehicle charge points as part of new developments. This ensures that residents of developments can charge their electric vehicle when at home.

From June 2022, electric vehicle charge points in new developments will be legally required. However, we plan to update local policies to be exceed these standards, particularly for the delivery of electric vehicle charge points in non-residential new developments and major renovations. The Local Government Reorganisation will bring all the local districts, boroughs, and National Park Authorities under one new council with one planning policy framework.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Develop more ambitious, common electric vehicle charging infrastructure standards across North Yorkshire for some non-residential land uses.
2. Build up internal awareness and understanding of the amended Building Regulations for delivering electric vehicle charge points.
3. Work with developers and landowners to interpret and apply new building regulations and planning policies.

Action 10: Supporting businesses with electric vehicle charge point rollout

Why is this action needed?

Commuting to a place of work, travelling for business and the use of fleet vehicles account for a large proportion of vehicle miles. As such, businesses have a particular role to play in both supporting and promoting the transition to electric vehicles.

Companies operating fleet vehicles can move to electric vehicles and can also influence their supply chains and support their employees to move to electric vehicles by providing charging points or incentives such as salary sacrifice schemes. Whilst we cannot directly place charging infrastructure in local businesses, we recognise our important role in supporting them with guidance and advice.

What are we proposing to do:

1. Supporting businesses with guidance, advice, and information. This may include sign posting and promoting available funding from the likes of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).
2. Hosting EV business focus events throughout the year.
3. Investigate the scope for introducing a Right-to-Charge policy with property managers.
4. Engage proactively with those managing business parks and retail parks.
5. Engage with freight and logistics sector.

Have your say

It takes just 10 minutes to complete our quick and easy feedback questionnaire.

Have your say on the proposed actions and tell us what you think about the rollout of electric vehicles and the key challenges, before Sunday 18 December.

This consultation closed on on 15 December 2022.

Information on the proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School.

Background

At a recent governing body meeting of the federation of Hovingham CE Primary School and St Hilda’s CE Primary School it was resolved, with regret and reluctance, to ask us to consult on closure proposals for Hovingham CE Primary School.

The federated governing body of Hovingham CE Primary School and St Hilda’s CE Primary School, have not reached this decision lightly and have already worked to support the school through the federation with St Hilda’s CE VC Primary School, Ampleforth which has been in place since 2016.

The main factor prompting the request is there are currently no pupils on roll at Hovingham. The School has operated with 40 pupils or below for the last decade. Since the 2017/18 academic year there has been a downward trend of pupil numbers and pupils numbers fell from 33 in May 2020 to 24 in May 2021. This trend accelerated across the 2021/22 academic year with the school having 20 pupils on roll in October, 16 in January and only 7 in May 2022. Between May 2022 and the start of the new term in September 2022 all remaining pupils departed and no new starters commenced the term in September.

Finance is also a key concern. The pupil numbers for the October 2022 census form the basis of a schools’ funding for the 2023/24 financial year. The department for education have confirmed that where a school has no pupils in the October census they will not allocate any funding for that school in the schools block element of dedicated school grant funding that a local authority receives to fund schools and academies located within the local authority area.

In addition, the permanent headteacher post became vacant on 31 August 2022 and from September 2022 temporary leadership has been in place. This is provided by the executive headteacher of Foston, Terrington and Stillington schools, and covers both Hovingham and their federated school, St Hilda’s CE VC Primary School in Ampleforth. The federation governing Body will require clarity over the future of Hovingham School to allow them to make permanent arrangements for future leadership.

Factors Affecting the School’s Viability

Pupil Numbers

Hovingham is a 4-11 CE VC Primary School and currently has no children on roll. The school is located in a rural area of Ryedale, serving families living in and near the village of Hovingham, and the surrounding area. The number of children at Hovingham CE VC Primary School has been falling over the past few years:

2014/15 – 35
2015/16 – 36
2016/17 – 37
2017/18 – 37
2018/19 – 29
2019/20 – 33
2020/21 – 24
2021/22 – 7 (May 2022 Census)
2022/23 – 0

The school has a published admission number (PAN) of 8 pupils per year group. The school has capacity to accommodate up to 60 pupils if all spaces are in use, and therefore has the potential to contribute 60 places in the local area.

The Financial Position

Pupil numbers determine the funding for a school budget. The department for education have confirmed that in the exceptional situation where a school has no pupils, no funding would be provided to the local authority for that school through the department for education dedicated school grant schools block funding; this is the grant funding used to fund school delegated budgets. We will not receive a school funding allocation for Hovingham CE Primary in the 2023/24 financial year as no pupils were recorded on the department for education October 2022 school census. In the event of the school remaining open, the local authority would need to determine whether the school should continue to be funded through the school funding formula. If this were agreed, the school would receive the formula lump sum funding (2023/24 indicative value £128k) and the school rates funding (£2.5k). Any 2023/24 formula funding allocation for Hovingham CE Primary would need to be funded from the DSG funding allocations provided for other schools and academies within North Yorkshire.

The federation of Hovingham CE Primary School and St Hilda’s CE Primary School operate an amalgamated budget for the two schools within the federation. The balance on the federation amalgamated revenue budget as at 31 March 2022 was an overall budget surplus of £90.1k. The indicative position of the individual schools is a budget deficit of £5.2k for Hovingham and a budget surplus of £95.3k for St Hilda’s.

There appears to be no reasonable long-term prospect of recovery for the Hovingham budget given there will be no department for education funding allocation for the school for the 2023/24 financial year.

The 2022/23 start budget submitted to the Local Authority for the federation in May 2022 forecasts an accumulated revenue budget surplus at the end of the 2022/23 financial year of £27.5k. The budget forecasts that the federation will have an accumulated revenue budget deficit of £71.8k at the end of the 2023/24 financial year and £196.5k accumulated revenue budget deficit at the end of the 2024/25 financial year. The financial forecast is based the following pupil number assumptions for Hovingham: October 2021 – 20 pupils, October 2022 – 8 pupils, October 2023 – 5 pupils.

In the event of Hovingham CE Primary closing on 31 March 2023, any legacy costs associated with the operation of the school incurred in the 2023/24 financial year would need to continue to be charged to the school budget. Any final deficit on the school budget, after all costs have been accounted for, would need to be met from local authority funds.

School Leadership 

As stated above there is no permanent leadership in place for the school due to the Headteacher post becoming vacant during the summer holiday period of 2022. Temporary leadership is currently provided by the executive headteacher of Foston, Terrington and Stillington schools. This arrangement covers both Hovingham School and St Hilda’s CE VC Primary School in Ampleforth. Given both the practical and financial difficulties presented by Hovingham having no pupils it would not be possible to engage a permanent headteacher to cover St Hilda’s and Hovingham on the existing shared cost arrangements. The federation governing body will require clarity over the future of Hovingham School to allow them to make permanent arrangements for future leadership.

Standards and Curriculum

The most recent full Ofsted inspection for Hovingham School was in October 2017. At that time there were 39 pupils on roll. Ofsted judged the school to be ‘Good’. However, pupil numbers at Hovingham have fallen rapidly. As numbers fall, it is increasingly difficult to provide the remaining pupils with access to the full range of experiences and the quality of education they require. At present, if any pupils were to apply to join Hovingham School there is no realistic prospect of them being able to get a full and balanced school experience in the absence of any peers.

The last Ofsted inspection report for St Hilda’s Primary School, Ampleforth related to an inspection in March 2020, and the overall effectiveness of the school was judged to be ‘Good’.

Both of the above Ofsted inspections took place under the previous substantive headteacher. From September 2022 the leadership at Hovingham and St Hilda’s has been provided by the current Executive Headteacher of Foston, Terrington and Stillington Primary Schools. The most recent Ofsted inspections at each of those three schools have taken place under her leadership.

Foston Primary School was subject to a short inspection in January 2020 that confirmed that the school continued to be judged ‘Good’. Terrington Primary School was subject to a short inspection in June 2018 that confirmed the school continued to be judged ‘Good’.

The executive headteacher of Foston and Terrington began to provide leadership at Stillington in August 2020, the school having been judged ‘Inadequate’ since 2016. Stillington was last subject to full inspection in June 2021 when Ofsted recognised the progress at the school. The overall inspection outcome was ‘Requires Improvement’ and leadership and management were judged to be ‘Good’.

Primary School places in the local area

There are currently no pupils on roll at Hovingham CE so there will be no immediate requirement to assist parents with seeking alternative places in the event of closure. However, it is important to ensure that there are sufficient school places in the local area. In October 2021 there were 31 children living in Hovingham’s discrete catchment area and attending a North Yorkshire school, and a further 11 living in the catchment area that Hovingham shares with St Hilda’s. At that time 14 of those children were attending Hovingham and 28 were going to a total of nine alternative schools.

There are four other neighbouring primary schools within c.7 miles of Hovingham CE VC Primary School. Across the area there are places available in all year groups at various schools. Further details of school capacities and pupil forecasts are set out in an accompanying document.

The nearest school to Hovingham is Slingsby CP which is currently operating over their net capacity of 77. The Slingsby facilities offer some ability to operate over net capacity but limits them from having a planned admission number higher than 11.
Although Slingsby has typically been oversubscribed in recent years this is predominantly due to local popularity rather than an ‘in area’ need for places. In October 2021 there were 94 pupils on roll at Slingsby. However, only 28 of these were pupils living within the Slingsby catchment area. Significant numbers of pupils currently attend Slingsby from the catchment areas of Nawton CP, Amotherby CP and St Hilda’s CE.

If Hovingham were to close and Slingsby were to experience more ‘in area’ demand for places from an enlarged catchment area then applicants from that catchment area would receive priority for Reception places over applicants from other areas. For example, in the reception year group during October 2021, five of the 11 pupils were attending from outside of the catchment area, and going forward with an enlarged catchment area we would expect that proportion could reduce.

There is currently capacity in all year groups at Terrington CE VA Primary School, which is the next nearest school. There are also places available in all year groups at St Hilda’s CE Primary School, Ampleforth. Both of these schools have adjacent catchment areas to that of Hovingham CE Primary School and a Church of England designation.

The Proposal

For the reasons above it is proposed that Hovingham CE VC Primary School should close with effect from 31 March 2023.

Admissions and Catchment Areas

There is available capacity in the local area to ensure sufficiency of school places. Parents of future children living in the current Hovingham catchment area will be able to express a preference for school places at any school. However, residents are entitled to have a local school which their address gives them priority to attend in the event of oversubscription. Therefore, the current Hovingham catchment area will need to be subsumed into the catchment area for one or more of the surrounding schools. 

Council Officers, having consulted with Diocesan representatives, have identified two options which seem to offer sensible catchment schools to the residents of the current catchment area. At present, there is a discrete catchment area solely for Hovingham, and a second area which is a shared area between Hovingham and St Hilda’s, Ampleforth. The current catchment and possible options are shown on maps accompanying this consultation document.

Option 1: Hovingham CE discrete catchment area (comprising the parishes of Hovingham, Scackleton, Stonegrave and most of Coulton) to become part of the catchment area for Slingsby CP. The area currently shared between Hovingham CE and St Hilda’s to become part of St Hilda’s catchment area. 

Option 2: Hovingham parish to become part of the Slingsby CP catchment area. The area currently shared between Hovingham CE and St Hilda’s and the parish of Stonegrave to become part of St Hilda’s catchment area. Parishes of Coulton and Scackleton to become part of the catchment area for Terrington CE School.

As part of this consultation, we are asking for views on these options for future catchment areas.

Free home to school transport would be provided for entitled pupils in accordance with the revised catchment area arrangements in accordance with the County Council’s Home to School Transport Policy.

Staff

A separate staff consultation process, including a meeting for staff and their professional associations and unions, will run in parallel with this consultation on the closure proposal. Staff are also welcomed to comment on the proposal as part of this consultation.

The School Site

The school building is not owned by the County Council. Decisions about the future use of the school building will be taken by the owners after the closure proposal has been determined.

Additional Information

This consultation document should be read in conjunction with the following documents which can be found here:

• Proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School - Local schools information
• Proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School - Current catchment areas schools and potential future catchment areas
• Proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School - Indicative table of places available in local schools

What Happens Next?

Your views about this proposal are welcomed.

Your personal details, and those of others you may refer to, will not be published.

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Monday 12 December 2022.

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our executive on 24 January 2023.

If our executives decide to proceed with the closure proposal, then statutory notices would be scheduled to be published in the local press on 1 February 2023. These notices would provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision is then scheduled to be taken by our executive on 21 March 2023. If agreed, the school would close on 31 March 2023.

Related documents

• Proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School - Local schools information
• Proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School - Current catchment areas schools and potential future catchment areas
• Proposal to close Hovingham CE VC Primary School - Indicative table of places available in local schools

This consultation closed on 9 December 2022.

This page gives information on our proposed co-ordinated admission arrangements.

In accordance with our statutory duty under The School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England) Regulation 2012, we are consulting on proposed school admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools 2024/2025.

• Proposed Co-ordinated Admission Arrangements 2024-2025
• Proposed Co-ordinated in-Year Admission Arrangements 2024-2025
• Proposed Admission Arrangements Policy 2024-2025
• Proposed Admission Arrangements (Nursery) Policy 2024-2025
• Proposed Primary Admission Numbers 2024-2025
• Proposed Secondary Admission Numbers 2024-2025

The consultation closes on 9 December, 2022. If you wish to respond, please contact us.

Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Academy, UTC and Free Schools

The determination of admission arrangements for Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Academy, UTC and Free Schools is the responsibility of the schools’ governing bodies as the admission authority for the school. Any comments relating to a Voluntary Aided, Foundation, Academy, UTC or Free Schools should be addressed directly to the contact details as shown.

This consultation closed on 20 November 2022.

Active travel fund for the Oatlands Drive and The Saints area of Harrogate.

We are collecting your views on travelling around the Oatlands area. Please let us know what you like, what you don't like, and what could be improved.

Supporting documents

•  Public Engagement Report (pdf / 4 MB)
•  Summary of issues and ideas (pdf / 8 MB)

The statutory notice period closed on 27 October 2022. The proposal will be determined at the children and young people’s service - executive members and corporate director meeting on 6 December 2022.

Proposal to establish targeted mainstream provision for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities at Caedmon College in Whitby.

Notice is given in accordance with section 19(1) of the education and inspections act 2006 that we intend to make prescribed alterations to Caedmon College Whitby (community secondary school), Prospect Hill, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1LA, to add provision reserved for children with special educational needs in the form of targeted provision from 1 January 2023. This will support up to 8 full time pupils with communication and interaction needs.

Copies of the complete proposals can be obtained from Strategic Planning:

Children and Young People's Service,
North Yorkshire County Council,
County Hall,
Northallerton,
DL7 8AD

Complete proposal is also available on the statutory proposal page.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of these proposals, any person may object to or make comments on the proposals by contacting us by 5pm on 27 October 2022.

Signed: B. Khan
Assistant Chief Executive
(Legal and democratic services)
Publication Date: 29 September 2022

Supporting documents

• Statutory Proposal
• Consultation Document
• List of consultees
• Note of public consultation meeting
• Consultation responses received

The statutory notice period closed on 27 October 2022. The proposal will be determined by our executive on 8 November 2022.

Notice is given in accordance with section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, intends to make prescribed alterations to Brompton Hall (Community Special) School, High Street, Brompton-by-Sawdon, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO13 9DB. 

These proposals are (1) to remove residential (boarding) provision at Brompton Hall School from 1 September 2024, with no new residential placements made from September 2023; (2) to change from single-sex (boys) to co-educational provision at Brompton Hall School from 1 September 2023; and (3) to increase the number of day places at Brompton Hall School from 67 to up to 85 from 1 September 2023. These three proposals are linked and will only be implemented subject to all the proposals being approved.

Copies of the complete proposals can be obtained from:

Strategic Planning - Children and Young People's Service,
North Yorkshire County Council,
County Hall,
Northallerton,
DL7 8AD

Our website also has details of the complete proposals.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of these proposals, any person may object to or make comments on the proposals by contacting us by 5pm on 27 October, 2022.

Signed: B.Khan, Assistant Chief Executive, Legal and Democratic Services
Publication Date: 29 September, 2022

Supporting documents

• Brompton Hall School statutory proposals
• Brompton Hall School list of consultees
• Brompton Hall School notes of public consultation meeting 5 of July and notes of public consultation meeting 14 July
• Brompton Hall School consultation responses received

What is a Community Governance Review?

The aim of the review is to bring about improved community engagement, communities that are more unified, better local democracy and more effective and convenient delivery of local services.

This consultation wants to ensure that community governance continues to reflect the identities and interests of local communities. Reviews provide an opportunity to consider what the most effective governance arrangements are.

Why are we conducting a Community Governance Review of Harrogate and Scarborough?

On 1 April 2023, a new unitary authority, North Yorkshire Council that will deliver all local services, will replace North Yorkshire County Council, Scarborough Borough Council, Harrogate Borough Council, along with the county’s five other district councils.

A central pledge in the bid for a new unitary authority was “double devolution”. This will enable town and parish councils the opportunity to take on greater responsibilities. Currently, parts of Scarborough and Harrogate towns do not have a parish or town council that could choose to take on these responsibilities.

Putting in place the most local tier of decision making could give residents more ownership and control of services delivered on their behalf. As well as taking on responsibility for some local services, parish and town councils have a strong voice in planning issues, separate to the statutory planning authority. A more localised council would give residents a bigger say and there would be an additional tier of councillors to represent residents, focusing on more immediate local issues.

The unparished areas lie mostly within the more urban areas. Harrogate and Scarborough currently have Borough status, which entitles them to have a mayor. To preserve the historic property, privileges, rights and traditions, the structural changes order approved by the Government to allow the creation of the single North Yorkshire Council establishes Charter Trustee areas for both Harrogate and Scarborough from 1 April 2023.

Whilst Charter Trustee areas are intended to protect the history and traditions of an area, they have no powers in respect of providing services to residents and the trustees may carry out ceremonial functions only. Charter trustees are the councillors on North Yorkshire Council representing the electoral divisions in the unparished areas.

Parish and town councils play a key role in representing the views and promoting the needs of communities and provide services to their residents. Parish Councillors are directly elected to the parish council by the electors of the parish area. This review will seek views on whether town or parish councils should be created in the currently unparished areas and if so, what these might look like.

More about parish councils 

Parish Councils (some are called Town Councils) are the first level of local government. Currently there are three tiers of local government in the Scarborough and Harrogate districts:

• North Yorkshire County Council,
• Harrogate or Scarborough Borough Council and
• Parish or town councils in all parishes areas.

From 1 April 2023, the County and Borough Councils will no longer exist and there will be two tiers of local government in areas of Harrogate and Scarborough that have town and parish councils, North Yorkshire Council and the town and parish councils. There will be only one tier for unparished areas.

Parish councils have relatively few statutory functions (things they have to do). The statutory functions are, for example, the holding of meetings, the management of its finances and the preparation of annual accounts. A parish council employs staff, owns and manages premises, and provides services.

How do Parish Councils operate?

Residents of the parishes area elect councillors. They represent residents and their interests and councillors will make most of the decisions about what a parish council does in meetings. Although the public has a right to attend meetings of a parish council and its committees, it is the councillors who collectively make decisions about council business and what services or facilities it provides.

How are they funded?

The parish council must carefully budget for the expenditure it will have to pay in the next financial year. A parish council may generate income from money from rents from premises that it leases or licences for use by others, or from the services or facilities it provides (for example sports facilities, off street car parks). It may also receive grants for certain projects. The main source of income derives from the precept levied on the residents in its area. The precept is incorporated into a local resident’s council tax bill.

What do they do?

Although parish councils have few statutory functions or duties (for example: things they have to do) there are many things they can do if they choose. What they choose to do will depend on the needs of the local community they serve. They have the discretion to exercise a range of statutory powers related to the provision or support of certain services or facilities which benefit their area, and/or the residents that live there, examples might include sports facilities, allotments, local youth projects, bus shelters, litter bins, off street carparks, community centres, parks and open spaces, community transport schemes, neighbourhood planning, crime reduction measures, street lighting, festivals and fetes, traffic calming measures and tourism activities.

More about Charter Trustee Areas

From 1 April 2023, the new North Yorkshire Council will replace the Borough and County Councils. Currently, Harrogate and Scarborough have borough status, which entitle them to have a mayor. The unparished areas of the town lie mostly in the urban centres and in the absence of an existing parish council, charter trustee areas will be established for these parts of the two boroughs. Charter trustee areas are intended to protect the historic property and traditions of an area, but they are not intended to act as administrative units. Trustees have no power in respect of providing services to residents and the trustees may carry out ceremonial functions only.

Unlike parish councils, the powers of charter trustee areas are limited to the following remits:

1. to promote the historical links and traditions of the former borough
2. to support activities that enhance the links
3. to support activities of the Mayor in conjunction with those roles
4. to determine expenditure that supports these objectives.

There are similar statutory requirements as for parish councils relating to, for example, the holding of meetings and the management of their finances and accounts. 

How do Charter Trustee Areas operate?

The Charter Trustees are the councillors chosen by the electors of the relevant electoral divisions to represent them on the new North Yorkshire Council. Charter trustees must have a Charter Mayor (Chairperson). They are elected annually at the Annual Meeting of the Charter Trustees in May. Charter trustee meetings are led by the Chairperson and advised by a Clerk who is there to see that business is conducted within the law.

How are they funded?

Charter trustees have the ability to raise a precept in the same way as a parish council. The precept is incorporated into a local resident’s council tax bill.

What do they do?

Their role is purely ceremonial. Their task is to maintain the traditions and functions of the mayor and to safeguard historic and ceremonial property, other than land and buildings of the former borough area. Charter Trustees do not have the power to deliver services or undertake other activities in the same way that a parish council does.

What will the review focus on?

We will consider the community governance arrangements for the areas under review and whether to recommend

• creating a Parish Council to take over the ceremonial functions of the charter trustees and provide other local services. Charter trustee areas would be dissolved on creation of a new parish council.
• not creating a Parish Council in the Charter Trustee Areas so that charter trustees continue to exist and undertake ceremonial functions only.

If the review concludes at the draft recommendation stage that a new parish council should be created, it will also consider and make draft recommendations for

• the electoral arrangements, including the number of councillors and whether parish warding is appropriate
• the ‘style’ (whether it should be known as a town, community, neighbourhood, or village rather than a parish council)

Minor boundary changes to correct anomalies will be considered if necessary. During the review, boundary anomalies may become obvious where, for example, it may seem more appropriate for a small unparished area to be included within a neighbouring parish rather than either remaining within the unparished charter trustee area or becoming part of any new parish which may be created.  Three such areas have already been identified, which are included within this review, all within the Scarborough Borough area, being Eastfield Town Council, Newby & Scalby Town Council, and Osgobdy Parish Council. More about those areas can be found below. In any such case, affected residents and parish councils will be consulted.

The review will also consider other forms of community governance. There may be other arrangements for community representation or community engagement in an area, including area committees, neighbourhood management programmes, tenant management organisations, area or community forums, residents’ and tenants’ associations or community associations, which may be more appropriate to some areas than parish councils.

The review will be mindful of such other viable forms of community governance in its consideration of whether parish governance is most appropriate. However, what sets parish councils apart from other kinds of governance is the fact that they are a democratically elected tier of local government, independent of other council tiers and budgets, and have specific powers.

The review will take account of

1. the impact of community governance arrangements on community cohesion
2. the size, population and boundaries of the local community.
3. any alternative forms of community governance in any part of the area under review

The final recommendations made at the end of the review will seek to ensure that community governance across the area under review:

1. is reflective of the identities and interests of the community in that area; and
2. effective and convenient to the community in that area.

How will the review be carried out?

Before making any recommendations or publishing final proposals, the council must consult local government electors for the area under review and any other person or body (including a local authority) which appears to the council to have an interest in the review.

The council will therefore:

• publish Terms of Reference for the Review
• write to local Members of Parliament, the PFCC, County Councillors, Borough Councillors
• write to households in the unparished areas
• inform local groups and interested parties including public and voluntary organisations

Before making any recommendations, the council will take account of any representations received. The council will publish its recommendations as soon as practicable and take such steps as it considers sufficient to ensure that persons who may be interested in the community governance review are informed of the recommendations and the reasons behind them. The council will notify each consultee and any other persons or bodies who have made written representations of the outcome of the review.

The timetable below sets out dates for two periods of public consultation.

Link to reports/decisions

Report to Executive – 19 July 2022

How do I get involved?

Your views about the proposals are welcomed. Follow the links below to see maps of the areas under review and electorate statistics and to submit an online response.

Harrogate town centre

Online responses may be submitted.

If you would prefer to submit a paper response you can visit the following locations where you can view printed versions of the information and complete and hand in a paper version of the online survey form.

• Harrogate Library, Victoria Avenue, Harrogate HG1 1EG 
• Bilton and Woodfield Community Library, Woodfield Road, Harrogate, HG1 4HZ 
• Harrogate Borough Council, Civic Centre, St Luke’s Avenue, Harrogate HG1 2AE 

You can also contact us.

The closing date for responses is 14 October 2022.

•  Terms of reference for Harrogate (pdf / 579 KB)
• Map showing the unparished parts of Harrogate

List of Electoral Areas and numbers of households/electors

​Scarborough town centre

Online responses may be submitted.

If you would prefer to submit a paper response you can visit the following locations where you can view printed versions of the information and complete and hand in a paper version of the online survey form.

• Scarborough Borough Council, Town Hall, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, YO11 2HG
• Scarborough Library, Vernon Road Scarborough YO11 2NN

You can also contact us.

The closing date for responses is 14 October 2022.

•  Terms of reference for Scarborough (pdf / 5 MB)
• Map showing the unparished parts of Scarborough

List of Electoral Areas and numbers of households/electors

Eastfield area

Online responses may be submitted.

If you would prefer to submit a paper response you can visit the following locations where you can view printed versions of the information and complete and hand in a paper version of the online survey form.

• Scarborough Borough Council, Town Hall, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, YO11 2HG
• Eastfield Community Library, High Street, Eastfield, YO11 3LL

You can also contact us.

The closing date for responses is 14 October 2022.

• Terms of reference for Eastfield area   - ADD DOC
• Map showing the unparished part of Eastfield  - ADD DOC

List of Electoral Areas and numbers of households/electors

Newby and Scalby area

Online responses may be submitted.

If you would prefer to submit a paper response you can visit the following locations where you can view printed versions of the information and complete and hand in a paper version of the online survey form.

• Scarborough Borough Council, Town Hall, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, YO11 2HG
• Newby and Scalby Library & Information Centre, 450 Scalby Road, Scarborough, YO12 6EE

You can also contact us.

The closing date for responses is 14 October 2022.

•  Terms of Reference Newby and Scalby (pdf / 5 MB)
•  Map showing the unparished parts of Newby and Scalby (pdf / 352 KB)

List of Electoral Areas and numbers of households/electors

Osgodby area

Online responses may be submitted.

If you would prefer to submit a paper response you can visit the following locations where you can view printed versions of the information and complete and hand in a paper version of the online survey form.

• Scarborough Borough Council, Town Hall, St Nicholas Street, Scarborough, YO11 2HG

You can also contact us.

The closing date for responses is 14 October 2022.

•  Terms of Reference Osgodby area (pdf / 5 MB)
•  Map showing the unparished parts of Osgodby (pdf / 226 KB)

List of Electoral Areas and numbers of households/electors

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, intends to discontinue Woodfield Community Primary School, Woodfield Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 4HZ on 31 December 2022.

The proposal also includes revised school catchment area arrangements that would apply, in the event of closure, from 1 January 2023.

Copies of the complete proposal can be obtained from:

Strategic Planning Children and Young People's Service,
North Yorkshire County Council,
County Hall,
Northallerton,
DL7 8AD

And more information is available in the statutory proposals document.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by contacting us by 5pm on 6 October 2022.

Signed: B. Khan

Assistant Chief Executive

(Legal and democratic services)

Publication Date: 8 September 2022

Supporting documents

• Statutory Proposals - Woodfield Community Primary School
• Woodfield Community Primary School – List of Consultees
• Woodfield Community Primary School - Frequently asked questions
• Notes of public meeting - Woodfield Primary School consultation
• Consultation responses - Woodfield consultation

This consultation closed on on 25 September 2022.

From next year there will be a new single council in North Yorkshire, providing all the services you are used to receiving. The new North Yorkshire Council will replace the seven district and borough councils as well as the county council. All eight councils are working together to make sure that the services you value continue as usual when North Yorkshire Council comes into being on 1 April 2023.

Having one council means services can be strengthened and joined up to improve the quality of life and opportunities for people across North Yorkshire. It will also save money by reducing duplication to put back into frontline services and support local priorities and decision-making.

Currently the seven borough and district councils all have slightly different Council Tax Reduction schemes, and by law North Yorkshire Council must introduce a single scheme covering the whole of the North Yorkshire area. The proposal is to introduce an income banded scheme that is more supportive, with the maximum level of reduction for the people most in need.

The aim is that the single scheme will:

• make claiming easy
• provide up to 100% support for households on the lowest incomes
• work better with the Universal Credit system
• support families, carers and applicants who receive a disability benefit
• take away the need for constant changes in awards
• be easier to manage

Most applicants will get the same support as they do now and many will be better off. Although some households will have a little more to pay the proposals set out plans for a hardship fund, so that anyone affected who needs additional help will be supported.

We want to know what people think about the new Council Tax Reduction Scheme for North Yorkshire Council as part of a consultation.

The consultation includes more detailed information, with a table that sets out the proposed levels of discount that will be available through the simplified, income banded scheme.

We’ll ask you what you think about:

• the proposed income banded scheme;
• protecting people who get certain benefits; and
• a hardship fund for anyone who needs extra help.

There are also some questions at the end that will ask you about your own circumstances, but nothing that can identify you and all of the information gathered is confidential and anonymous.

Council Tax Reduction is a scheme that helps people on low incomes pay their council tax bill. The proposed changes will not affect other statutory discounts, such as the single person discount, which provides a 25% discount on your council tax bill if you are the only adult in your home. These statutory discounts apply regardless of your level of income and are not affected by the Council Tax Reduction Scheme consultation.

Frequently asked questions

What is Council Tax Reduction?

Council Tax Reduction is a discount that helps people on low incomes pay their council tax bill. The level of discount is based on the income of the household. Each of the seven district and borough councils within North Yorkshire currently have a different scheme.

Why are you making changes?

From 1 April 2023 the new North Yorkshire Council will replace the seven district and borough councils as well as the county council. By law we have to introduce a single Council Tax Reduction Scheme covering the whole of the North Yorkshire area by 31 March 2023.

What scheme is North Yorkshire Council proposing?

The proposals set out an income banded scheme that is more supportive, with the maximum level of reduction for the people most in need.

Who will this affect?

The changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme will affect working age households in the North Yorkshire area who will get Council Tax Reduction from 1 April 2023. Pension age households will not see any change as the scheme to support this group is set out by Central Government.

How long do I have to take part? 

You can have your say by taking part in the consultation up to midnight on 25 September 2022, so please let us know your views before then.

What happens after the consultation closes? 

Councillors will consider all comments and feedback in October, before making a final decision in November.

Who can I contact about getting help to pay my council tax bill now?

If you’re on a low income or claim benefits you can apply for a reduction in the council tax you pay. Find information about the council tax reduction/support scheme on the government website and a postcode checker that will take you to your local borough or district council.

Can I request a paper copy of the consultation, or another format?

If you need any of this information in another language or format, or you would like a paper copy of the consultation, please use the contact details below depending on where you live.

The closing date for responses was the 8 September 2022.

This paper sets out our school organisation proposals to remove residential provision, change from single sex to co-educational provision and increase the number of day places at Brompton Hall School, Brompton-by-Sawdon, Scarborough.

It follows a review of provision and consultation carried out under the Children and Families Act 2014.

This paper gives the background to the proposals. There will be virtual (online) public meetings on 5 and 14 July 2022 at 6pm via Microsoft Teams. If you wish to be part of this virtual meeting could you please let us know by providing your email address and joining instructions will be provided.

Background

We want all children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in North Yorkshire:

• to have the best educational opportunities so that they achieve the best outcomes
• to be able to attend a school or provision locally, as close to their home as possible, where they can make friends and be part of their local community
• to make progress with learning, have good social and emotional health, and to prepare them for a fulfilling adult life

We have a statutory responsibility under the Children and Families Act 2014 to keep its special educational provision under review, to ensure sufficiency in placements to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Under the same act, we also have responsibility for ensuring that the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities are suitably assessed and that needs are met.

The current residential offer at Brompton Hall School is for boys aged eight to 16 who have Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) needs and identified social care needs. Residential placement is available Monday to Friday (four nights) during term times.

We consulted under the Children and Families Act 2014 in February and March 2022 on proposals to change special educational provision at Brompton Hall School. This first consultation included stakeholder events for parents and professionals. The responses from this first consultation have been considered in the decision to consult on these proposals.

The school organisation proposals

We are now consulting specifically on the school organisation proposals required to:

• Remove residential (boarding) provision at Brompton Hall School from 1 September 2024, with no new residential placements made from September 2023.
• Change from single-sex (boys) to co-educational provision at Brompton Hall School from 1 September 2023
• Phased increase in the number of day places at Brompton Hall School from 67 to up to 85 from 1 September 2023.

Your views on these school organisation proposals are welcomed.

Further details about the proposals

The following information was provided in the first consultation in February and March 2022. 

Frequently asked questions

What is this consultation about?

This consultation is about our proposal to cease the residential offer at Brompton Hall School. 

Under these proposals, residential provision would be phased out, ceasing completely by September 2024. We are also proposing that the designation of Brompton Hall School is changed from single sex, boys, to co-educational.

Why do we need to cease the residential offer at Brompton Hall School?

The current residential offer at Brompton Hall School is for young people aged 8 to 16 who have Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) needs and identified social care needs. Our vision is for children and young people to grow up in a family environment wherever possible. Over recent years the number of boys placed residentially at the school has dropped and is forecast to continue to reduce. It is forecast that the current residential offer will become unviable for the school as the numbers reduce.

Why do we need to change the designation of Brompton Hall School?

The current designation of the school is single sex, boys. This means that girls, and those who identify as non-binary, who have social, emotional, mental health needs and live in the Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale area do not have an option of a special school close to their community.

What difference will the proposed changes make to young people who attend Brompton Hall School?

Residential placements for those pupils who currently have one will continue until September 2024. This will enable the majority of young people to naturally reach the end of their time at the school in year 11 and move on. Our services and the school will work together to ensure that the most appropriate support is put in place for young people to transition to new arrangements based on their individual circumstances. 

It is also expected that more pupils will be able to attend the school in future years through increasing the number of day and extended day places, benefitting more children.

The school would no longer be single sex, boys but would also admit girls and those who identify as non-binary.

How will ceasing the residential offer improve special educational needs and disabilities services for people who use them?

• More young people with social, emotional, mental health needs grow up in a family environment.
• More young people with social, emotional, mental health needs will be able to access day and extended day places at a school close to their families and communities.
• The viability of the school will be improved.
• Girls will have a local special school offer which does not currently exist.

How will changing the designation of Brompton Hall school from single sex, boys, to co-educational improve special educational needs and disabilities services for people who use them?

There will be a maintained local offer for day and extended day placements for girls and those who identify as non-binary with social, emotional, mental health needs in the Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale area.

What happens next?

The closing date for responses was the 8 September 2022.

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our Executive committee on 20 September 2022.

If our Executive decide to proceed, then statutory proposals would be published on 29 September on our website and statutory notices placed in the local press and on the school gates. These statutory proposals would provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision would then be made in November by our Executive (or by the Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, if there are no objections to statutory proposals). 

Anticipated key dates

All dates are subject to approvals at each stage.

This consultation closed on 4 September 2022.

North Yorkshire’s Health and Wellbeing Board is undertaking a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA), which is a legal, comprehensive, assessment of the current and future needs of local people for community pharmacy services.

The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment is important because it will be used as the basis for informing decisions when applications for new pharmacies are received and for commissioning of new services within community pharmacies.

Take part and tell us your views

We want to hear your feedback on the current  draft refresh of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment 2022-2025 (pdf / 5 MB).

You can tell us your views and give us your suggestions in the following ways:

Fill in the online survey

Please do not include any personal identifiable information in any of your answers that could identify yourself or another individual.

An easy read version of this survey is available on request.

If you would like to request any paper copies of the survey, or require information about the consultation in a different language or a more accessible format please contact us.

How long is the consultation?

This will be a 60-day consultation starting on Tuesday 5 July until Sunday 4 September.

What happens after the consultation closes?

All feedback received by 4 September 2022 will be collated and presented to the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Steering Group for consideration on behalf of the Health and Wellbeing Board. The final Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment will be published by 1 October 2022.

This consultation closed on 23 August 2022.

Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are working together on major improvements, which are designed to help boost economic recovery and make it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport.

The project is part of the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, a major new programme of investment aimed at making it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport.

We asked for your views about the proposals back in March 2021 and September/October 2021. We listened to your feedback and now we want you to tell us what you think of the updated proposals.

What to do next

This survey is now closed. The consultation ran between 20 July and 23 August.

If you are having difficulty accessing the information online, or need alternative formats, please contact us.

This consultation closed on 31 July 2022.

We are consulting on the York Learning and North Yorkshire Adult Learning and Skills Service strategy.

North Yorkshire Adult Learning Service (ALSS) and York Learning are seeking views from stakeholders and learners on whether this new proposed strategy offers a clear description of the type of service to be offered by the authorities, whether it goes far enough in defining the types of learners we aim to engage and whether the approaches suggested demonstrate effective value for money.

North Yorkshire Adult Learning Service and York Learning provide Adult and Community learning provision largely funded by the Education and skills Funding agency. Additional income comes via dedicated project work, apprenticeships, 16-18 study programmes and support for those learners aged 19-25 with Educational Health Care Plans (EHCP’s).

To support adults to engage in learning that will improve prospects and benefit their communities we need simplicity in what could be seen to be a complex offer. The majority of adults, of almost all demographics, are not engaging in future learning with those with the lowest base level qualifications the least likely to engage. The complexity of the skills landscape may be one of the reasons, whilst duplication of offer, difficulties in accessing provision or fear built on previous poor experience may be further challenges.  It is therefore important for both services to be able to communicate to learners what we are about and why they should engage with us.

Aligning both services across a common strategy is important to support the wider economic requirements of the region but also if, as planned, the adult education budget is devolved under a Mayoral Combined Authority, currently being negotiated with Government to commence in 2024/2025.

The services are supported by a shared head of service to enable closer harmony with the economic needs and skills strategies of the York and North Yorkshire region. This area is working towards potential devolution of its adult learning budget under a combined mayoral authority. 

• Read the full strategy
• Read the summary strategy

We are seeking views from stakeholders, which includes learners, on whether the proposed new strategy offers:-

• a clear description of the type of learning offer the services have;
• whether it goes far enough in defining the types of learners we aim to engage with;
• whether the approaches suggested demonstrate effective value for money.

If you are struggling to access the online form, please contact us either with your thoughts and comments or to request the survey in a different format. 

This consultation closed on 22 July 2022.

The government is determined to level up opportunities for all children and young people – without exception. We are just as ambitious for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as for every other child.

An extract from government website publication.

The SEND review sets out government’s proposals for a system that offers children and young people the opportunity to thrive, with access to the right support, in the right place, and at the right time, so they can fulfil their potential and lead happy, healthy and productive adult lives.

The reforms to the SEND system introduced in 2014 had the right aspirations and since then there has been much to celebrate. It is clear that the system is driven by a hardworking and dedicated workforce. However, despite examples of good practice, too often the experiences and outcomes of children and young people are poor. Parents and carers are frustrated at having to navigate an increasingly complex and adversarial system. Growing tension across the system is causing delays in accessing support and increasing financial challenges for local government.

The SEND review is a response to the widespread recognition that the system is failing to deliver for children, young people and their families.

Over the course of the review, we have listened to a wide range of people, most importantly children, young people and their families. As the review progressed it became clear that alternative provision is increasingly being used to supplement the SEND system. Therefore, we have looked at the specific challenges facing the alternative provision sector, and proposed potential solutions, as part of this review.

The review has identified 3 key challenges facing the SEND and alternative provision system.

1. Navigating the SEND system and alternative provision is not a positive experience for too many children, young people and their families.
2. Outcomes for children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision are consistently worse than their peers across every measure.
3. Despite the continuing and unprecedented investment, the system is not financially sustainable.

A vicious cycle of late intervention, low confidence and inefficient resource allocation

For both families and providers, the review has identified there is significant inconsistency in how needs are met. Decisions are too often made based on where a child or young person lives or is educated, not on their needs.

This cycle starts in early years and mainstream schools, where despite best endeavours, settings are often ill-equipped to identify and support children and young people. Inconsistent practice makes this worse.

It is not clear to families what they should reasonably expect from their local mainstream settings, and they lose confidence that these settings can meet their child’s needs. As a result, education, health and care plans (EHCPs) and, in some cases, specialist provision, are seen as the only means of guaranteeing the right and appropriate support.

Increasing numbers of requests for EHCPs and specialist provision means that children and young people face significant delays in accessing support.

Some children and young people, including those with more complex needs, face long journeys to get to school or have to attend a placement outside of their local area, taking them away from their local community.

Financial resource and workforce capacity is pulled to the specialist end of the system so there is less available to deliver early intervention and effective, timely support in mainstream settings. As a result, the vicious cycle continues with outcomes and experiences for children and young people continuing to suffer and costs increasing.

Turning this vicious cycle into a virtuous one

The vast majority of children and young people should be able to access the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream setting, without bureaucratic processes, or the need for an EHCP or a placement in special or alternative provision. They should have their needs identified promptly, with appropriate support put in place at the earliest opportunity.

For some children and young people, specialist provision will be the most appropriate placement for them to be able to learn and succeed. They should be able to access this with minimal bureaucracy.

The green paper is consulting on ambitious proposals to deliver greater national consistency in the support that should be made available, how it should be accessed and how it should be funded. It sets out plans for an inclusive system, starting with improved mainstream provision that offers early and accurate identification of needs, high-quality teaching, and prompt access to targeted support.

An inclusive system will also ensure that children and young people have timely access to specialist services and support, including specialist placements where this is appropriate. This will be underpinned by strong co-production with families and accountability at every level, and improved data collection to give a timely picture of how the system is performing.

A single national SEND and alternative provision system

The review concludes that there is a need for much greater consistency in how needs are identified and supported, so decisions are made based on a child or young person’s needs in co-production with families, not where they live or the setting they attend.

We propose to:

• establish a new national SEND and alternative provision system setting nationally consistent standards for how needs are identified and met at every stage of a child’s journey across education, health and care - parents and carers will be confident that their child’s needs will be met effectively in the most appropriate local setting, they will be clear about what support their child is receiving and will be engaged in decision-making at every stage
• create new local SEND partnerships bringing together education, health and care partners with local government to produce a local inclusion plan setting out how each area will meet the national standards - when specialist support is needed, the local inclusion plan will set out the provision that is available within the local area, including units within mainstream, alternative and specialist provision
• support parents and carers to express an informed preference for a suitable placement by providing a tailored list of settings, including mainstream, specialist and independent - they will continue to have the right to request a mainstream setting for their child
• introduce a standardised and digitised EHCP process and template to minimise bureaucracy and deliver consistency
• streamline the redress process to make it easier to resolve disputes earlier, including through mandatory mediation, whilst retaining the tribunal for the most challenging cases

Excellent provision from early years to adulthood

The review has heard that we need a more inclusive education system to ensure that children and young people with SEND are set up to thrive.

We will:

• increase the total investment in the schools’ budget, with an additional £1 billion in 2022 to 2023 to support children and young people with the most complex needs
• improve mainstream provision, building on the ambitious schools white paper reforms, through excellent teacher training and development and a ‘what works’ evidence programme to identify and share best practice including in early intervention
• build expertise and leadership, by consulting on a new SENCo national professional qualification (NPQ) for school SENCos, alongside increasing the number of staff with an accredited SENCo qualification in early years settings
• invest £2.6 billion, over the next 3 years, to deliver new places and improve existing provision for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision
• deliver more new special and alternative provision free schools in addition to 60 already in the pipeline
• set out a clear timeline that, by 2030, all children and young people will benefit from being taught in a family of schools, with their school, including special and alternative provision in a strong trust or with plans to join or form one, sharing expertise and resource to improve outcomes
• commission analysis to better understand the support that children and young people with SEND need from the health workforce so that there is a clear focus on SEND in health workforce planning
• fund more than 10,000 additional respite placements and invest £82 million in a network of family hubs so more children, young people and their families can access wraparound support
• invest £18 million, over the next 3 years to build capacity in the supported internships programme
• improve transition at further education by introducing common transfer files alongside piloting the roll out of adjustment passports to ensure young people with SEND are prepared for employment and higher education

A reformed and integrated role for alternative provision

At their best, alternative provision schools are experts in supporting children and young people whose behaviour or other needs can present a barrier to learning. But, too often the role of alternative provision is unclear, and it is used too late or in a way that is not best focused on children’s needs.

To address these barriers, we propose to:

• make alternative provision an integral part of local SEND systems by requiring the new SEND partnerships to plan and deliver an alternative provision service focused on early intervention
• give alternative provision schools the funding stability to deliver a service focused on early intervention by requiring local authorities to create and distribute an alternative provision specific budget
• develop a bespoke performance framework for alternative provision which sets robust standards focused on progress, re-integration into mainstream education or sustainable post-16 destinations
• deliver greater oversight and transparency on children and young people’s movements into and out of alternative provision
• launch a call for evidence, before the summer, on the use of unregistered provision to investigate existing practice

System roles, accountabilities and funding reform

The review has heard the need to align system incentives and accountabilities to reduce perverse behaviours that drive poor outcomes and high costs in the current system.

We propose to:

• deliver clarity on roles and responsibilities for all partners, across education, health, care and local government through the new national standards - with aligned accountabilities, so everyone has the right incentives and levers to do their role and be held to account
• equip the Department for Education’s new regions group to take responsibility for holding local authorities and trusts to account for delivering for children and young people with SEND locally through new funding agreements between local government and the Department for Education
• introduce a new inclusion dashboard for 0 to 25 provision giving a timely, transparent picture of how the system is performing at a local and national level across education, health and care
• work with Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission to deliver an updated local area SEND inspection framework with a focus on arrangements and experiences of children and young people with SEND and in alternative provision
• deliver funding reform through the introduction of a new national framework of banding and price tariffs for funding, matched to levels of need and types of education provision set out in the new national standards - providers will have clarity on how much funding they should expect to receive for delivering support or a service, whilst ensuring the right pricing structures are in place, helping to control high costs attributed to expensive provision.

Delivering change for children and families

The publication of the green paper on the government website marks the start of a 13-week consultation process, closing on 1 July 2022. We encourage everyone to reflect on the proposals in the green paper and respond to our consultation. Alongside the written consultation will be a series of events to gather additional views and contribute to the overall consultation.

We know that there are immediate changes that can be made now to help stabilise the current system. We are taking immediate steps to stabilise local SEND systems through the safety valve and delivering better value programmes. The proposals set out in the green paper will align with wider reforms around levelling up, including policy set out in the recent schools white paper, as well as the forthcoming independent review of children’s social care and wider reforms to the delivery landscape across health and care.

Later this year, following the completion of the consultation, we will publish a national SEND delivery plan, setting out the government’s response to the consultation and how the proposals will be implemented. Together, we can ensure every child and young person with SEND and those in alternative provision can thrive and be well prepared for adult life.

Find out more about the SEND review.

End of Extract

Ways to get involved

You can read the full version of the SEND and AP Green Paper here.

You can also download the accessible guides of the SEND and AP Green Paper here:

• SEND Review - right support, right place, right time (accessible PDF)
• SEND Review - right support, right place, right time (print ready PDF)
• SEND review: right support, right place, right time (large print PDF)
• SEND Review consultation (easy read)
• SEND review: right support, right place, right time (British Sign Language (BSL) version)
• SEND Review: children and young people’s version

You can share your views on the proposals for the SEND and Alternative Provision system by Friday 22 July 2022.

Why your views matter

The government is committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and those in alternative provision. We want to work with children, young people, parents, carers and those who advocate and work with them, as well as local and national system leaders, to achieve this ambition.

We encourage you to reflect on the proposals set out in this green paper and respond to our consultation. Together, we can ensure every child and young person with SEND and those in alternative provision can thrive and be well prepared for adult life.

North Yorkshire Parent/Carer Green Paper Consultation Dates

• 8 June at 6.00pm
• 10 June at 1.00pm

We are inviting parents and carers from across the county to join the meetings. Please contact our Parent Carer Voice group to book your space via: 

• e-mail - info@parentcarervoiceuk.org
• telephone - 07396 641232

This consultation closed on 24 June 2022.

A consultation for proposed road safety improvement scheme on Sutton lane, between Sutton in Craven and Eastburn

To improve safety we are working in partnership with Bradford Metropolitan District Council Engineers to develop a scheme of road safety improvements on Sutton Lane between the villages of Sutton in Craven and Eastburn.

Sutton Lane is a relatively narrow road without footways for much of its length and bordered by drystone walls.  Anyone following this route on foot between the villages has to walk in the road without separation from traffic.

Data shows that there has historically been very few collisions on Sutton Lane and vehicle speed are on average at or below 30mph speed limit. However, the fact that pedestrians are walking in the road it is appropriate to review the situation and identify what measures could be introduced to try to improve safety.

The constraints of Sutton Lane does mean that options are quite limited. The ideal solution for Sutton Lane is the provision of footways along its entire length to provide pedestrians with a designated space. This is only possible however with the acquisition of bordering land within both North Yorkshire and Bradford authority areas. To date it has not been possible to reach agreements for the sale of that land however, this remains as the overall objective and efforts to achieve that will continue.

In the meantime, improvements can still be made and the scheme as shown on the enclosed plan sets out proposals both Authorities would like to install, these are:

• Pedestrians in road warning signs
  New signs to enhance the message to drivers that there are likely to be pedestrians in the road over a quarter of a mile distance.
   
• SLOW road markings
  Installed in support the warning signs and to encourage lower speeds.
   
• Carriageway resurfacing
  A new road surface will remove any build-up of vegetation on the road edge maximising its width for pedestrians and vehicles to pass. This will also provide a smooth and unobstructed surface for pedestrians and ideal base for the new road lining and markings. The current road surface is in need of repair so this element of the proposed scheme will delivered as a matter of course.
   
• New centre and edge of carriageway lines
  New centre lines and an edge of carriageway lines will provide clearer definition of the vehicle lanes for drivers and pedestrians. This new lining combined with the new road surface will improve the visual aspect of the road and should encourage greater spacial awareness and sense of speed.
   
• Extended footways
  Using the grass verge on the north side of Sutton Lane between Sycamore Grove and Knott Lane to extend the existing footway by 70 metres providing pedestrians with greater off-carriageway facilities.
   
• New and improved street lighting
  Replacing the existing sodium bulb street lighting with new LED lighting on the West Yorkshire section of Sutton Lane to improve the illumination during dark conditions and conspicuousness of pedestrians or other vulnerable road user, such as cyclists.
   
• Continuous street lighting illumination
  For energy saving purposes, the street lighting on the North Yorkshire section of Sutton Lane is illuminated for a set period only. This will be changed to constant illumination during the hours of darkness improving the conspicuousness of pedestrian and other vulnerable road user, such as cyclists at all times.
   
• Traffic calming build outs
  The installation of 2 x Priority Working build outs to further reduce vehicle speeds, create a sense of place where drivers can expect pedestrians to be present. This also provides some protection for pedestrian walking the route, particularly at busier times.
   
• New boundary signs
  The authority area boundary signs of North Yorkshire and Bradford Metropolitan District will be improved to provide a better sense of place and appearance to drivers that they are in a village environment where they should expect pedestrians and other road users.

Both Authorities are aware of the level of community concern and are keen to engage with residents and other stakeholders to receive any comments you may have about the proposals. You can submit your comments using the following email addresses;

• Area5.Skipton@northyorks.gov.uk
• David.Trick@bradford.gov.uk

In addition to this postal communication, a public engagement exercise is to be held at Sutton in Craven Community Centre on 21 June between 4pm and 7pm where you will be able to review the plan and speak with Council officers about the proposals or other road safety concerns you may have. 

Should the outcome of this consultation and public engagement exercise be supportive of the proposed measures, work can commence very soon after, starting with the resurfacing of the road and new road markings. It is therefore requested comments be received by 24 June 2022.

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This consultation closed on 18 July 2022.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) is carrying out a Public Review to help identify areas in West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire that may be suitable for future public funding for gigabit-capable broadband.

The government is on a mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband to everyone in the UK and is investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit to ensure that hard-to-reach communities are not left out. Building Digital UK (BDUK) is carrying out a public review to help identify areas in West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire that may be suitable for future public funding for gigabit-capable broadband.

BDUK is seeking information and supporting evidence from suppliers - in relation to the presence of gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure within the project area.

They wish to hear from all relevant stakeholders - including the public, businesses, internet service providers and broadband infrastructure operators - particularly in relation to the proposed mapped eligible areas.

This public review opens on Friday 17 June at 5 pm and closes on 18 July 2022 at 5 pm.

Read more information and respond to this public review.

This consultation closed on 15 May 2022.

Information to make parents aware of their right to object to the admission arrangements of a school if they consider the arrangements do not comply with the School Admissions Code.

Notice is hereby given we, being the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled primary, infant, junior and secondary schools in its area, have determined the admission arrangements for the 2023/2024 school year for admission into:

1. the Reception Year at all primary and infant schools
2. year 3 in all junior schools
3. year 7 in all secondary schools
4. year 12 in secondary schools with post-16 provision

The admission arrangements for other schools which are not community or voluntary controlled schools are determined by their respective governing bodies or academy trusts. Copies of the determined admission arrangements for these Schools and Academies are available from the individual schools.

Determination of the admission arrangements at schools maintained by the Authority were made following consultation, as set out in The School Admissions Code and relevant legislation. Copies of the determined admission arrangements are available for inspection at:

Children and Young Peoples Services, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD and also on our school admissions statistics and policies page.

Any person or body can object to the admission arrangements, where they provide their name and address, by writing to the school adjudicator, except where:

1. the objection seeks, in substance, an alteration to admission arrangements for a grammar school;
2. the objection seeks, in substance, to remove selection from a selective Academy;
3. the objection relates to a non-increase in admission number for a school for which the local authority is not the admissions authority;
4. the objection relates to a non-increase in admission number for a community or voluntary controlled school, except where the objection is by the governing body of that school
5. the objection relates to an existing agreement for the admissions arrangements of an Academy to vary from the School Admissions Code
6. the adjudicator has, within the last 2 years, made a decision to an objection to the admission arrangements of a school or Academy, and where any new objection referred to the adjudicator raises the same or substantially the same issues in relation to those admission arrangements.

All objections must be received by the adjudicator on or before 15 May 2022, at:

Address: OSA, Bishopsgate House, Feethams, Darlington, DL1 5Q

Email: osa.team@schoolsadjudicator.gov.uk

Tel: 0870 0012468

Fax: 01325 391313

Signed: Stuart Carlton 
Corporate Director, Children and Young Peoples Service

Dated: 16 February 2022

The purpose of this Notice is to make parents aware of their right to object to the admission arrangements of a school if they consider the arrangements do not comply with the School Admissions Code or the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Advice on this Notice can be obtained by writing to:

Children and Young Peoples Services, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7 8AD

Copies of the School Admissions Code may be downloaded free of charge from the Department for Education school admission code page.

This consultation closed on 29 July 2022.

Consultation on the establishment of targeted mainstream provision for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities at Caedmon College in Whitby.

Purpose of this consultation page

Following discussions with the governors and the headteacher, Caedmon College has been selected to deliver a targeted mainstream provision. We are now asking for your views on this proposal as part of the statutory process which is required before alterations of these kind are made to maintained schools.

Public meeting

There will be a virtual (online) public meeting on Thursday, 7 July 2022 at 6pm. If you wish to be part of this virtual meeting could you please let us know by providing your email address and joining instructions will be provided.

What will the targeted mainstream provision look like?

Schools have the flexibility to refine their model of delivery but in general the new provision will:

• Provide eight full time places for six children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan and two ‘flexible’ places for children needing to access the provision for short-term assessment and support.
• Specialise in meeting the needs of children and young people with communication and interaction.
• Have access to a range of therapies and specialist training opportunities to ensure children are fully supported
• Increase the opportunities for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities to access mainstream education together with more specialised small group interventions and support
• Be funded on a ‘place’ basis similar to special schools and in line with national guidance.

Background to the proposal

We have a duty to keep its special education provision under review and ensure there is the right type of provision and enough places to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

We want all children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities in North Yorkshire to;

• have the best educational opportunities so that they achieve the best outcomes;
• be able to attend a school or provision locally, where they can make friends and be part of their local community; and
• make progress with learning, have good social and emotional health and be prepared for a fulfilling adult life.

We know that there are more children and young people being identified as having special educational needs in North Yorkshire and we expect this increase to continue. We need to make sure that we have the right type of education provision in the right place to meet their needs. We know that a number of our children and young people have to go to school outside North Yorkshire, and we want to avoid this wherever possible.

We have developed a strategic plan for educating children with special educational needs and/or disabilities which aims to create a better offer of provision for children and young people, improved communication, enable more local decision making, and reduce costly out of county placements. This plan was approved in September 2018 and the proposal to implement the targeted mainstreams provisions were the approved on 31 March 2020. We are now implementing the actions within it and one of these actions requires us to alter the designation to include an special educational needs unit of those schools involved.

This page explains the proposal that we are consulting on with regard to the individual school in question. You can read more about the strategic plan on the SEND specialist support and inclusion page so that you can see where this aspect of provision fits within the wide range of provisions established or being developed.  We recommend that you read this documents before responding to the survey and giving us your views on the individual proposal.

How are we consulting?

We have already carried out a consultation exercise on the SEND Strategic Plan from 18 May 2018 to 28 June 2018 and then subsequently from 6 February 2020 to 15 March 2020 on the specific issue of establishing targeted mainstream provisions. This current school organisation proposal is purely about the establishment of a targeted provision.

We are asking you to give your views on the school organisation proposals. If you would like a paper copy of the survey or an alternative format, please contact us. 

What is the timescale?

The closing date for responses is 29 July 2022. All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our executive on 20 September 2022. If the executive decides to proceed with the proposal, then statutory notices would be published in the local press on 29 September 2022. These notices provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision would then be made by the executive on 8 November 2022.

Information about our equalities impact assessment

We have carried out an equalities impact assessment. We will update this following comments received during the consultation and councillors will consider it again before they make a decision on implementing the proposal. The equalities impact assessment has identified that there will be an impact on young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and if changes are made to current special educational needs and/or disabilities education services, we will offer support to families to adapt to those changes.

We anticipate that, if the proposal is implemented, it may bring positive impacts to young people and their families, particularly by enabling more young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities to be educated in their own community and achieve better outcomes.  We anticipate that with more local provision children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities will have more opportunities to attend a local school that is closer to home and will help them achieve better educational and social outcomes.

This consultation closed on 4 July 2022.

This page contains information on the background of the proposals. There will be a public meeting on:

Wednesday 15 June 2022 at 6pm at Woodfield Community Primary School.

Background

Woodfield Community Primary School School is subject to a Directive Academy Order following an Inadequate Ofsted judgement from an inspection in January 2020. Any maintained school that is judged inadequate by Ofsted is required to become a sponsored academy or, if an academy sponsor cannot be found, a school judged inadequate usually has to close. The Regional Schools Commissioner has been unable to secure an Academy Trust to sponsor Woodfield school due to viability concerns. Where a school would not be viable as an academy, it is expected the Local Authority (LA) will close the school and the Secretary of State can direct them to do so if necessary.

Since January 2020, there have been considerable changes in staffing at Woodfield School. The current acting executive headteacher took up leadership at the start of the summer term 2020. Monitoring visits by Ofsted to Woodfield School in June and November 2021 found that leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures and the Local Authority’s statement of action and the school’s action plan are both fit for purpose. While it is important to recognise the efforts of all those who have been involved in this improvement journey, the current arrangements can only be temporary and the absence of an academy sponsor means the school faces an uncertain future.

The Governing Bodies of Woodfield Community Primary and Grove Road Community Primary explored with Local Authority officers combining the two schools in order to share the benefit of both school sites. The move would have meant Woodfield School would technically close and become part of Grove Road from September 2022. An extensive consultation process was undertaken involving public meetings and gathering the views of parents and the local community during December and January. After careful consideration Grove Road Community Primary School decided in March, with regret, to withdraw its support for the amalgamation. In light of this, the County Council’s Executive decided to reject the amalgamation proposal at its meeting on 19 April 2022.

Following this, the Governing Body of Woodfield Community Primary School has looked again at what options are available for the school, and concluded that they have now exhausted all options. They have therefore had to request that the County Council undertake a consultation on a proposal that the school should close.

Pupil Numbers

Total pupil numbers have been reducing over time:

As at 12 May 2022 there were 37 pupils of mainstream school age at Woodfield Community Primary School. Current pupil numbers in each year group (as at 12 May) are set out below.

The school also offers nursery provision for children aged 3 and 4, and there are nine children in nursery.

There are currently 150 primary school places available at Woodfield School. Given current forecasts, including the potential demand from new housing in the catchment areas, and patterns of parental preference, there would appear to be sufficient primary places available in the local area. Birth rates in the local area are falling and only one of the several schools within a reasonable distance from Woodfield is oversubscribed for entry into the Reception year in September 2022.

Pupils living in the Woodfield catchment area already attend a wide variety of primary schools. Based on the October 2021 census data 351 primary aged pupils lived in the catchment area and attended a North Yorkshire primary school. However 339 of those, so 96 %, were attending a school other than Woodfield Primary.

Further pupil forecast data is presented separately as part of this consultation.

The Financial Position

Pupil numbers determine the level of funding that a school receives. Woodfield School has projected in-year budget deficits of £96.8k in the financial year 2021/22, £66.3k in 2022/23 and £86.8k in 2023/24, and a forecast cumulative budget deficit of £75.8k in 2021/22, £142.1k in 2022/23, and £228.9k in 2023/24. These figures were based on a projected pupil number of 42 in October 2022, so the position is now expected to be worse.

The Proposal

It is proposed to close Woodfield Community Primary School from 31 December 2022.

If Woodfield Community Primary School closed, the catchment area of an existing school or schools would need to be extended to include the area currently served by Woodfield Community Primary School. Options for consideration include:

• the whole of the current Woodfield School catchment area to become part of the catchment area for Grove Road Primary School
• the whole of the current Woodfield School catchment area to become part of the catchment area for Bilton Grange Primary School
• some form of shared or split arrangement involving both Grove Road and Bilton Grange Schools.

The Local Authority would welcome any feedback during the consultation period on these options and any alternatives to them.

Admissions

For parents of pupils currently attending Woodfield Community Primary School, an admissions preference exercise will be undertaken. Through this exercise, parents/carers will be asked to apply for the preferred school(s) that they would like their child to transfer to in the event of closure, or earlier if that is their wish. Once the full picture of all preferences is known, the Local Authority will liaise with the schools regarding potential allocations, and seek to meet the highest stated preferences wherever possible. The overall intention will be to ensure fairness around the school transfer process in the event that a decision is ultimately taken to close the School. It will allow the Local Authority to apply consideration of admissions criteria to each request and avoid first come first served. Applying this co-ordinated preference exercise approach will achieve that, provide parents/carers with the support that has been requested, and reduce the period of uncertainty for families.

North Yorkshire County Council’s Admissions Team is always happy to give advice to parents, please contact us.

Local schools

Other primary schools in the local area are:

• Bilton Grange Primary School (Academy - part of Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust), Bilton Lane, Harrogate, HG1 3BA. 
• Coppice Valley Primary School (Academy - part of Red Kite Learning Trust), Knapping Hill, Harrogate, HG1 2DN. 
• Grove Road Community Primary School, Grove Road, Harrogate, HG1 5EP. 
• New Park Primary Academy (part of Northern Star Academies Trust), Skipton Road, Harrogate, HG1 3HF. 
• Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School (Academy - part of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust), Bilton Lane, Harrogate, HG1 3DT. 
• St Robert's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (part of the Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust), Ainsty Road, Harrogate, HG1 4AP. 
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Harrogate, A Voluntary Academy (part of the Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust), Coppice Rise, Harrogate, HG1 2DP. 
• St Peter's Church of England Primary School (Academy - part of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust), Belford Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 1JA. 
• Saltergate Infant School (Community infant school), Newby Crescent, Harrogate, HG3 2TT. 
• Saltergate Community Junior School, Newby Crescent, Harrogate, HG3 2TT.  
• Starbeck Primary Academy (part of Northern Star Academies Trust), High Street, Starbeck, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 7LL. 
• Willow Tree Community Primary School (Academy - part of Northern Star Academies Trust), Wetherby Road, Harrogate, HG2 7SG. 

Further information about these schools can be found here: Get Information about Schools on the GOV.UK website.

Staff

The County Council is the employer for staff at Woodfield Community Primary School and the Governing Body will seek to protect employment as far as possible for staff currently employed at Woodfield. A separate HR consultation process for staff and their professional associations will follow.

The school premises

The County Council owns the school site, which also accommodates Bilton and Woodfield Community Library, Harrogate Bilton Children and Family Hub, and Oak Beck House. Decisions about the future use of the school premises will be taken after the closure proposal has been determined.

What Happens Next?

All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our Executive committee on 19 July 2022.

If our Executive decides to proceed, then statutory proposals would be published on 8 September on our website, and statutory notices placed in the local press and on the school gates. These statutory proposals would provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision would then be made on 18 October 2022 by our Executive (or by the Executive Member for Education and Skills, if there were no objections to statutory proposals). If agreed, the school would close from 31 December 2022.

Anticipated key dates

All dates are subject to approvals at each stage.

Related documents

• Woodfield, Bilton and Grove Road primary school catchment areas map
• Woodfield Pupils Forecasts
• Frequently asked questions

This consultation closed on 29 April 2022.

Statutory Notice

Notice is given in accordance with section 15(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE, intends to discontinue Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School, Weaverthorpe, Malton, YO17 8ES on 31 August 2022.

The proposal also includes revised school catchment area arrangements that would apply, in the event of closure, from 1 September 2022.

Copies of the complete proposal can be obtained from: Corporate Director - Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AE

You can also read the complete proposal online.

Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to:

Corporate Director - Children and Young People's Service,
North Yorkshire County Council,
County Hall, Northallerton,
DL7 8AE

This should be done by 5pm on 29 April 2022.

Signed: B.Khan - Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services)

Publication Date: 1 April 2022

Supporting documents

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - Statutory Proposals

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - Consultation Document

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - List of consultees

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - Note of consultation meeting

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - Responses

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - FAQs

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - Map of local area

Weaverthorpe Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School - Other schools capacity and forecast

This consultation closed on Sunday 12 June 2022.

As the Lead Local Flood Authority, we have  produced a Local Flood Risk Strategy for 2022-2027. The strategy identities how it will support people, communities and businesses to become more resilient and better protected from flooding.

Public consultation on the strategy will run from the 13 May 2022 until Sunday 12 June 2022.

To provide any comments, ideas or feedback on the Local Flood Risk Strategy you can respond by completing the online survey.

Have your say here

If you require assistance in accessing the Local Flood Risk Strategy or the response form, please contact us.

A paper version of the survey is available on request from our customer service centre by contacting us.

Local Flood Risk Strategy for 2022-2027

•  Local Strategy Section 1 - Local Strategy Policy Framework 2022-2027 (pdf / 375 KB)
•  Local Strategy Section 2 - Local Strategy Action Plan 2022-2027 (pdf / 3 MB)
•  Local Strategy Section 3 - Reviewing Flooding incidents and concerns 2022-2027 (pdf / 584 KB)
•  Local Strategy Section 4 - Flooding in North Yorkshire 2022-2027 (pdf / 3 MB)
•  Local Strategy Section 5 - Flooding  Drainage Legislation 2022-2027 (pdf / 865 KB)
•  Local Strategy Section 6 - Who does what 2022-2027 (pdf / 806 KB)
•  Local Strategy Section 7 - Financing the Strategy 2022-2027 (pdf / 457 KB)
• 2015-2021 strategy

Start date: 12 December 2022

End date: 30 January 2023

Following designation of the Neighbourhood Area in December 2013, Bradleys Both Parish Council had submitted its Neighbourhood Development Plan to Craven District Council. Craven District Council ran a 7-week public consultation on the submitted Plan.

The Plan guided new development proposals in the Neighbourhood Area up to 2032. It included policies relating to housing, employment and infrastructure, and the protection of the environment, green spaces and character of Bradley.

At the end of the current public consultation, the submitted Plan, accompanying documents and all comments received were subjected to examination by an independent Examiner. The Examiner considered whether the Plan met certain basic conditions set out by law. If the Examiner concluded that the Plan is satisfactory, with modifications if necessary, Craven District Council would have arranged for a local referendum to take place. Anybody registered to vote in the area covered by the Plan would have been entitled to vote. If more than 50% of those voting vote ‘yes’ then Craven District Council would have brought the Plan into force. This means that the Plan would form part of the development plan for the area.

If you need further information or assistance, please contact us.

Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012

Bradleys Both Neighbourhood Development Plan were submitted in accordance with Regulation 15.

Public consultation was carried out in accordance with Regulation 16.

Informing people about the outcome of the Examination is in accordance with Regulation 16 (iv).

1. Flood Risk & Water Management SPD - Second Draft (Regulation 13 Consultation)
2. Green Infrastructure & Biodiversity SPD - Second Draft (Regulation 13 Consultation)

Start date for both: 11 July 2022

End date for both: 8 August 2022

1. Flood Risk & Water Management SPD - Second Draft 

We invited representations on a second draft Flood Risk & Water Management SPD, which followed consultation on a first draft in January and February 2022. Comments submitted during the first consultation have been taken into account and, where appropriate, the draft SPD has been changed.

2. Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity SPD - Second Draft 

We invited representations on a second draft Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity SPD, which followed consultation on a first draft in January and February 2022. Comments submitted during the first consultation have been taken into account and, where appropriate, the draft SPD has been changed.

For further information or to access these documents, please contact us.

Start date: 17 May 2022

End date: 10 June 2022

The Old Town Hall and Market Place project was one of six priority projects from the Whitby Town investment plan chosen to proceed to delivery under the Government’s Towns Fund programme which saw Whitby secure £17.1m.

The project aimed to deliver improvements to Whitby’s Old Town Hall and Market Place, which are Grade II* Listed and an iconic part of the town’s heritage. A toll-booth/town hall and market has been located on the site since the 17th century. After the original toll booth building became decayed and unsuitable, it was demolished and in 1788 the then Lord of the Manor, Nathaniel Cholmley commissioned Jonathan Pickernell of Whitby to design the Old Town Hall as we know today. 

An outdoor market still takes place within Whitby marketplace and the undercroft of the old town hall building to this present day. However, the building is in a poor state of repair and the first floor has not been occupied or used since 2017.

The aims of the project were to:

• build on the history and heritage of the old town hall building and marketplace by repairing and restoring the building to secure its structural integrity and improve the appearance of this unique heritage asset for Whitby.
• restore the Old Town Hall Building as a key focal point for Whitby, through refurbishment and repurposing to create 112sqm of year-round floorspace to ensure the building is sustainable and income-generating in the long term.
• create a vibrant and bustling year-round marketplace, with 81sqm of improved quality of public realm and improved facilities for market traders, driving an increase in footfall and dwell times.

The project was developed and supported by both Scarborough Borough Council and Whitby Town Council.

The project team comprising of officers and members from Scarborough Borough Council and Whitby Town Council, representatives from North Yorkshire County Council and Whitby Civic Society sought views from members of the public on the preferred option for the scheme which sees the under croft of the building glazed with sliding/opening panels and a split-level landscape design for the marketplace.

Start date: 24 June 2022

End date: 15 July 2022

Creative Space Management have been appointed to investigate local food and drink producers, seeking to understand what percentage of goods they sell within the Borough, if there are any barriers preventing them selling to local businesses and what could be done to help them promote their businesses.

Start date: 11 July 2022

End date: 01 August 2022

Formative ideas have been advanced from previous consultation stages held for the Filey Masterplan, which have been developed into a framework of incremental changes for the Town. These changes look to support and improve quality of life for young and old, support businesses and better manage and improve the experience of visitors. The masterplan is a 10-year vision for Filey which is locally owned and aims to reflect all aspects of the community.

The launch of PlaceChangers Online Summer Consultation is a final chance to comment on proposals being put forward and highlight any additional ideas or feedback prior to the final publication of the new masterplan for Filey.

How will the results be used?

Results will be used in producing the masterplan document based on work completed thus far, including in person engagement programmes held in Filey and the results from this online PlaceChangers consultation.

Outcomes of the consultation

The outcomes found will be included in the details of the Masterplan. This is a 10-year vision for the town which will include key theme areas of Attractive, Active, Attractive and Resilient Filey.

Start date: 12 July 2022

End date: 12 August 2022

Scarborough Borough Council sought to ‘establish Scarborough Borough as a Destination of Choice for Adrenalin Experiences and Adventure Sport’

This vision was driven in part by the desire to maximise the interaction, by residents, enthusiasts, and visitors, with the natural landscapes that exist in the Scarborough Borough. The vision was also driven by the realisation and appreciation that whilst there are lots of activities on offer across the borough, there is not a single, joined up approach that brings the whole borough together and this in turn prevents Scarborough being truly considered as a destination of choice.

This strategy sets out a blueprint for Scarborough Borough Council to move to a truly coordinated offer across the whole of the area that entices residents, tourists and enthusiasts to take part in adventurous and adrenalin filled activities on a regular basis.

Start date: 27 July 2022

End date: 18 September 2022

From 1 April 2023 there will be a new single council in North Yorkshire, replacing the seven district and borough councils and the county council. Currently the seven district and borough councils all have slightly different schemes for Council Tax Reduction, and by law there has to be a single scheme covering the whole of the North Yorkshire area.

All eight councils have been working together on proposals for a scheme that is more supportive, with the maximum level of reduction for the people most in need. The aim is that the single scheme will make claiming easy and provide up to 100% support for households on the lowest incomes.

Start date: 25 July 2022

End date: 30 September 2022

To ensure that we continue to provide efficient and effective services and delivering what is important to you, we asked you:

• how satisfied you are with local council services?
• how can we improve the services we provide?
• whether you feel you can influence the decisions we take

We’re also keen to understand how you currently receive your news about the work we do and the services we provide. Some of those sources or channels might be ones we run so we’re keen to find out which ones are working – and which ones you might prefer to use in future.

Start date: 01 November 2022

End date: 19 January 2023

From 1 April 2023, a single unitary authority replaced the seven district and borough councils and the county council.

The seven borough and district councils had their own hackney carriage and private hire licensing policies.

A consultation was carried out on a future single Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy for the unitary council.

A comprehensive review of the seven existing policies has been undertaken. While they have several factors in common, there are differences in terms of applicant criteria, vehicle specification and procedures.

The new policy is designed to ensure passengers continue to be provided with safe and accessible hackney carriages and private hire vehicles and to put in place a consistent regulatory framework for the trade across the county.

Start date: 13 January 2023

End date: 24 January 2023

Review of the Scarborough Borough Local Plan - Draft Consultation (Jan-Feb 2023)

The Draft Local Plan for Scarborough Borough was consulted upon for a period of 6 weeks from January 13 to February 24 2023. The Plan along with supporting information on Housing Sites and Illustrative Maps could be viewed and commented upon at consultation portal. The Documents, Response Forms and Privacy Notice can also be found at the bottom of this page.

Please note that this was a review and therefore much of the Local Plan remains unchanged. To assist in understanding the changes proposed we also included information within the Local Plan itself before each Policy/Chapter and provided a Track Changed Local Plan (below) showing new additions highlighted in yellow and deletions shown struck out.

Copies of the Draft Local Plan are also available to view at local libraries and council offices (Scarborough Town Hall - Customer First, Whitby Harbour Office, Filey Evron Centre). Please check opening times before attending. Copies can be provided on request (at a cost to cover printing).

Scarborough Borough Council was abolished on 1 April 2023 when the seven district councils and North Yorkshire County Council were replaced with a single unitary authority. This means that the Scarborough Borough Local Plan will not progress any further beyond this stage.

Submitting sites for allocation as housing or other uses

Due to Local Government Reorganisation we are not accepting the submission of any further housing sites.

A 'call for sites' will take place in due course for the new North Yorkshire Council Local Plan so please submit them once that process commences.

This consultation ended on Friday 9 February 2024.

The Whitby Maritime Hub proposals are part of the £17.1 million Towns Fund awarded to Whitby in 2021, £10 million of which has been allocated to the hub which will transform the town’s Endeavour Wharf.

At the heart of Whitby’s regeneration plans are improvements which will support the economy, including the maritime industry, to make the town a better place to live, work and visit.

Endeavour Wharf has been a site of maritime activity in Whitby since the 1800s, from fishing to boat building and today remains an operational wharf as well as providing car parking facilities.

A new Maritime Hub will be built on part of the Wharf to establish an innovation centre providing training courses for the maritime industry, related workshop space and office accommodation. The aspiration is that the hub will drive the rebirth of Whitby’s Maritime industry by providing new opportunities for training and employment closer to home.

The hub will be the home of the current wharf operations of the Harbour Authority as well as creating opportunities to diversify and secure the marine sector for the future.

Feedback from this consultation will be used to shape the final planning application which is due to be submitted in March 2024.

The consultation closed on 9 February 2024, so please share your views before then.

You can also find out more about the Scarborough and Whitby Town Deals, including the other projects that were selected to be delivered.