Boundary Commission for England Proposes Moving Bilsdale Midcable to Helmsley Ward

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The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is an independent body set up by Parliament and has been tasked with reviewing our parish boundaries following the creation of the North Yorkshire Unitary Authority in 2022.

In summary they are proposing:
1) North Yorkshire should be represented by 89 councillors, one fewer than there are now.
2) North Yorkshire should have 87 divisions, two fewer than there are now.
3) The boundaries of most divisions should change.

The key recommendation for Bilsdale is to move our Parish from the Great Ayton Division to Helmsley & Ampleforth Division. The Commission justified this change with the following commentary: “This change is intended not only to minimise the electoral variance of the division, but also to reflect the area’s topography. We noted on our virtual tour that Bilsdale Midcable parish is somewhat isolated from the communities within our Great Ayton division due to significant elevation changes. We therefore consider it is more appropriately placed within a division comprising other rural parishes in the North York Moors National Park.”

Attached is a summary of this recommendation taken from the full report which can be read here

In terms of next steps, we are now in a consultation phase which ends on 9th June 2025 so if you have any comments to this proposal please contact the Commission on their website by clicking here

The North York Moors Arts and Culture Partnership presents its first Arts Festival

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The Arts Festival aims to showcase the creative talent in and around the North York Moors and runs throughout April.

For more details, visit the North York Moors website at https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/things-to-do/arts-and-culture/arts-and-music-festivals

E-passes for York Minster

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We have been sent digital passes to allow people living in our parishes to visit York Minster free of charge. Please contact Carol McGee kcstoney@sky.com if you would like one. If you are planning a visit to the Minster, you can now make a reservation in advance of your visit at https://yorkminster.org/

Return of Whitby bridge closures to improve safety this summer

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The traffic-free scheme on Whitby Swing Bridge which has been praised for supporting tourism in the town is set to restart next month.  The closures will be re-introduced for the fifth year, after traffic congestion during peak tourism periods sparked safety concerns.

The bridge will be closed to traffic between 10.30am and 4pm daily during weekends in the school holidays as well as Bank Holidays and special events, with an exemption for buses.  The first closures will come into force for the Easter school holidays on the weekend of  5 and 6 April.

Executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “The continued popularity of Whitby is a real show of strength for North Yorkshire’s tourist economy, but it’s vital we manage this in a safe way for all.  Closing Whitby Swing Bridge to traffic at the busiest times of the summer season has proven absolutely key and has generated positive feedback from local businesses.  Continuing the closures this year will once again ensure Whitby residents and visitors can enjoy the town safely.”

As well as school and bank holidays, the traffic-free measure will be in place for Goth weekends on 26 and 27 April, and 1 and 2 November.

 

 

Mobile Phone Coverage

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The Parish Council has now been in contact with Vodafone, 3UK, EE and O2.  Vodafone and 3UK confirm a completion date for their mobile signal of Q3 2025 but this is subject to Cellnex completing their installation on time.  EE and O2 are currently investigating the situation and we will share their response once it is received.