News
Regularly updated local and parish council news is reported on this page.The two villages host a number of special events and activities throughout the year and details are posted on the seperate "Events" page.
Parish Council in Action
Embsay with Eastby Parish Council addressed a number of important issues at the February meeting of the Parish Council.
Members considered a request from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for specific comments about the location of new boundaries for additional small settlements including one proposed additional new settlement in Eastby. It was agreed to reiterate the Council’s position previously made to the Park Authority following the addition of multiple housing units within the Tannery site a few years back that there should be no further housing development within the villages of Embsay and Eastby. Members also considered various issues relating to the Embsay Nature Reserve and agreed that the development and maintenance of the Reserve should continue to be given priority at future meetings of the Parish Council.
A number of other important matters were addressed including the annual review of the Standing Orders and the Financial Regulations, the review of the Financial Monitoring Statement as at 31 January 2010, the appointment of the Internal Auditor for the 2009-2010 Audit and action taken to address outstanding issues from the Planning Consent for the Tannery site. A number of important village maintenance matters were raised including repairs to fencing and major cracks in local roads. Aspects of the Annual Parish Meeting to be held on 25 May were addressed and it was agreed that Mr Peter Stockton, Strategic Planning Officer, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, should be invited to be the guest speaker at the meeting.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on Thursday, 11 March, 7:30 PM, Embsay Village Hall. Members of the public are invited to attend this meeting (and all other Council meetings). The March meeting will consider a number of important issues including continuing measures to improve the Nature Reserve and a detailed review of recent road traffic survey results in Embsay and, on the basis of these results, whether to introduce permanent speed matrix signs.
Shelter Formally Opened
On a cold mid February morning and before a large gathering of local residents, parish and district councillors, youth workers and community support officers, Robert Greenwood, the local youth who campaigned for the erection of a shelter and enlisted the support of other young people, cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the facility at the Embsay Recreation Ground.
Robert was encouraged to perform the honour by Cllr Tim Swales, a member of North Yorkshire County Council and the North Yorkshire Youth Champion, who humbly acknowledge the important work of Robert in making the shelter a reality and handed over the ceremonial scissors to Robert prior to the ribbon cutting.
Through the efforts of Robert and his friends, Embsay with Eastby Parish Council approved the erection of a shelter on the local Recreation Ground for use by local youths, parents of young children and elderly residents who visit the facility. This followed an initial rejection owing to concerns from local residents that the shelter would become a magnet for anti-social behaviour by young people.
“This is an important day for our local community,” states Mark Wilson, Chairman of the Parish Council, “as the official opening of the shelter confirms that local people, including our young citizens, can and do influence our Parish Council. Members of the Council considered the views of local youths, their parents, the local police and other parish councils who have introduced shelters into their communities – all of whom overwhelmingly encouraged us to reverse our earlier decision and approve both the shelter and its location.”
“We have been especially impressed by the dedication and commitment of Robert and the group of young lads who have worked with Gordon Fothergill, a local youth worker, to identify a suitable shelter and to seek funding,” according to Mark.
The shelter is a contemporary design and open at one end and is constructed of heavy duty, impermeable glass. It cost £16,000 and was made possible through three separate grants from the Craven Community Safer Partnership, 4youth and the Parish Council. It is being maintained and monitored by local young people who have pledged their support in trying to restrict any anti-social behaviour or vandalism.
Annual Parish Meeting Guest Speaker
Mr. Peter Stockton, Strategic Planning Officer, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority will be the guest speaker at the Annual Parish Meeting to be held on Tuesday, 25 May 2010, Embsay Village Hall, 7:30 PM. Peter has been co-ordinating the activities of the National Park Authority’s Housing Working Group which is in the process of making recommendations on preferred sites for the allocation of affordable housing and local needs housing – including Embsay and Eastby. It is anticipated that the draft Housing Development Plan will be in its final stages of preparation before release and so Peter’s appearance will be both timely and topical.
The traditional annual parish meeting is not a normal meeting of a council but is intended to provide local electors with an annual forum for raising matters of concern, asking questions, etc. Local electors in the parish are therefore invited to come along to this meeting and use the opportunity it provides to make their views known.
Besides a guest speaker and an open forum, the meeting will include reports on various Parish Council activities and achievements over the past year as well as post meeting light refreshments.
National Park Authority’s Housing Development Plan
At the February meeting of the Parish Council, members considered a request from Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for specific comments about the location of new boundaries for additional small settlements including one proposed additional new settlement in Eastby. The Parish Council had been advised by the Park Authority that the inclusion of Eastby in the list meant that the community could benefit from a small number of additional residential conversion opportunities – probably no more than one or two.
Following representations from a number of local residents in attendance, members agreed to reiterate the Parish Council’s position previously made to the Park Authority following the addition of multiple housing units within the Tannery site - that there should be no further housing development within the villages of Embsay and Eastby.
The Parish Council was advised that the boundaries which had been proposed would be carried forward into the new Housing Development Plan which would not be released until the summer. Members thanked the Park Authority for the opportunity it had given the Parish Council to provide some early, preliminary comments prior to the release of the draft report in the summer. It also requested that it continue to be consulted about any future proposals and to be given sufficient advance notification so that it can ensure that local residents are informed and involved in the consultation process, working together with the Parish Council.