North Yorkshire Council

Whitby’s rich literary history will be celebrated at a new festival to help promote local talent and extend the town’s tourism season. The famous harbour town will host its first-ever literature festival in 2025 to herald the many famous writers who have been inspired by their time in North Yorkshire. Whitby is well-known for its connection to Bram Stoker’s Dracula but has many other literary associations – including Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, a visit by Charles Dickens, the poetry of Caedmon and the works of Elizabeth Gaskell. We have teamed up with a number of local businesses to launch the four-day festival, which is scheduled to be held from Thursday, November 6, to Sunday, November 9, 2025. To find out more, see https://lnkd.in/e9ECW6dD

Come and work with us! The Local Government Association has this week launched its Make a Difference, Work for your Local Council campaign urging people to look at jobs available locally. We have around 270 roles advertised monthly and offer a comprehensive rewards and benefits package. This includes salary sacrifice schemes, discounts at major retailers, the Local Government Pension Scheme, flexible working opportunities and a generous holiday entitlement. Find out more at https://lnkd.in/epUP27a3

Farmers, landowners and land managers are invited to events to share their views on how nature can be encouraged alongside their business. We are asking for local knowledge and expertise in managing land and food production to shape a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for North Yorkshire and York. Events will take place in November and early December. Places are free but limited to 20 people per event and will be followed by a light meal. Find out more and book a place https://lnkd.in/ec2C6xqe

Community-led housing looks set to benefit from an annual £1 million boost if councillors approve plans to invest funds from a second homes council tax premium to help deliver affordable properties. We are already committed to using some of the £12m estimated to be generated annually by the premium on housing initiatives. But with the original Community Housing Fund almost fully spent, and the need for affordable homes remaining high, especially in rural and coastal areas, members of our executive are being asked to invest £1 million from the council tax premium when they meet later today. Find out more at https://lnkd.in/eRzHjuZZ

Meet Pete Iveson, one of the farm contractors, who supports us to keep North Yorkshire roads clear in extreme conditions. Since the mid-90s, Pete has been ploughing and treating Buttertubs and Fleet Moss - Yorkshire’s highest road. Pete said: “I have been preparing for winter in recent weeks by assessing machinery and ensuring we are stocked with salt. Our role is to make the roads safer as life goes on whatever the weather. We have milk tankers, animal feed wagons and the school taxi all needing to travel.” We have a budget of over £8million to deliver our winter service, which allows 70 gritters to take to the roads who are supported by a team of farm contractors. Read more about our winter service plans at https://lnkd.in/eBUxwGpw

We're currently installing solar PV panels and battery storage units at 21 business units in Pickering and Sheriff Hutton. The work at Pickering Park, Westgate Carr Road industrial estate and Sheriff Hutton industrial estate is possible thanks to a grant of £230,000 from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Net Zero Fund. A further £124,000 of our funding have been allocated to the project. As there are currently no business units in Ryedale with green energy generation, it's hope this work will not only boost local energy security but also offer competitive and sustainable business space to support local economic growth. To read more visit https://lnkd.in/eWjUGiQ6

We have received a number of reports of gully grates being stolen from North Yorkshire villages along the A19 and A64 corridors, in the last 24-hours. If you spot any grates missing, please report them to us as soon as possible at https://lnkd.in/eBzAZfY9 or by calling 0300 131 2 131. If reporting online, please use the map to highlight the exact location or by using what3words when calling, as it will help us to determine the exact location and replace the grate as quick as we can. And if you see any suspicious behaviour please report it to North Yorkshire Police on the 101 non-emergency number.

A report proposing a public consultation to decide the future of a North Yorkshire rural school is set to be considered at a meeting next week. Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School near Catterick Garrison has in recent years suffered from dwindling class numbers impacting the school’s financial position. Currently there are 12 children attending the school. The school’s governing board recently requested a consultation on a proposal to decide the next steps in the future of the school. The request will be considered on Tuesday. See, https://lnkd.in/eXMV6PXj

A teenager whose dream of becoming a footballer was cut short by illness has received funding to enable him to achieve a new goal. Liam Pinchen, 18, from the Starbeck area of Harrogate, has been given £200 from the Starbeck Community Fund to pursue his passion for photography. He is one of a number of people and groups to receive money from the fund, which was set up following the redevelopment of a Morrisons supermarket. A £300,000 community fund legacy was created for Starbeck’s residents in 1992 and interest accumulated has enabled grants to be handed out each year. Find out more about the latest round of recipients at https://lnkd.in/eRqBCbaB

A Scarborough park was aglow last weekend as ‘Moonlight on the Lake’ made a triumphant return and welcomed over 10,000 visitors to its lantern trail. Organised by ourselves and staged by Animated Objects, the event transformed Peasholm Park into a wonderland of lanterns and illuminations, captivating audiences of all ages. Celebrating Scarborough’s rich heritage, the trail included a range of themes from the seaside and the Willow pattern and local traditions like Skipping Day to the Scarborough community. This year’s event shattered previous attendance records, with over 9,600 tickets allocated and hundreds of walk-ins each day, cementing Moonlight on the Lake as a highlight of the local calendar. Our head of venues and attractions Stuart Clark said: “Seeing such an incredible response to Moonlight on the Lake reaffirms the special place it holds in our community. “The artistic journey through Peasholm Park brought Scarborough’s history to life, and we’re proud to have created a truly unforgettable experience for so many people. “Moonlight on the Lake continues to be a shining example of the cultural vibrancy and community spirit in Scarborough.”