News

Don’t get caught out by door-to-door scammers 🚪 We’ve had reports of people claiming to be ex-soldiers, or ex-offenders who are just out of prison, selling household items like cleaning products on the doorstep. Neither the Probation Service nor the Army facilitate any such schemes. Although some legitimate organisations will visit your home (such as gas, electricity and water companies, or charities seeking donations), you should never buy or sell anything on your doorstep. Door-to-door callers may be offering poor quality goods at inflated prices – or even gathering information for future crime. Rogue traders may also knock on your door unannounced, claiming they have noticed damage, before offering to have a look for free as they have just finished a job nearby. But victims have found themselves thousands of pounds out of pocket due to poor workmanship or no work being carried out at all. Always be on your guard when someone unknown calls at your door. Consider reporting any incidents to us via 101. If you feel threatened or intimidated by their behaviour, it’s an emergency and you should dial 999. Consider also reporting rogue traders to Trading Standards, and contacting Citizens Advice for help and support. The simple advice is to always say ‘no’ to cold callers. Share this with your neighbours too. If they don’t get any sales in your area, cold callers are less likely to return, which is better for everyone!

The latest planning update from the Parish Council has been issued: Husthwaite Parish Council – Planning Update – March 2025

The Herbert Protocol is a nationwide scheme adopted by all UK police forces with the aim of reducing the risk of harm to someone living with Dementia who may go missing, by enabling swift access to key information that can help the police find the person more quickly.We have previously requested a hard copy of the form is completed by their carer, updated regularly and produced to Police on request. We are now working in Partnership with ‘Safe & Found Online’ (SAFO) who offer an editable, digital copy of the form. As part of Missing Persons strategies, UK Police Forces are encouraging carers of vulnerable people who are a risk of going missing to compile useful information about them, via this website https://safeandfoundonline.co.uk/index.html Should a person suffering from Dementia, be reported as a missing person, we will be able to access the information their carer has recorded on the form, immediately. Potential lifesaving information can be with the police at the touch of a button.   Safe and Found Online is a social enterprise established by people who have personal experience of family members who have gone missing. The Data Sharing Agreement and Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) approved by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) which covers all UK police forces.

Warning! Invasive Non-Native Plant Species in Husthwaite

Last year we had a preliminary audit done of biodiversity in and around the village.  The report, by Wold Ecology, has highlighted the presence of three non-native invasive species: Montbretia, Himalayan balsam and variegated yellow archangel .  These plants are all listed in  schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and under that Act  it is an offence to plant these or otherwise allow them to grow in the wild (so if they are in your garden that is fine but you cannot allow them to spread).

The Parish Council is looking into how we can tackle these plants where they are alongside public footpaths – for example, there is Himalayan Balsam along Ings Beck and some Yellow Archangel along Beacon Banks.  The Parish Council would also encourage all residents to identify whether they have any of these in their garden (photos below) and take all necessary steps to keep them contained. More information can be found on each of these species on www.nonnativespecies.org

Pictures of the plants here: Invasive species

HUSTHWAITE PARISH COUNCIL NEEDS YOU!!

Husthwaite Parish Council has a casual vacancy and would welcome applications from interested persons wishing to be co-opted.

If you wish to apply, you must be a British Citizen, at least 18 years old and either :-

Be on the register of local government electors,

Occupy land within the parish

Have worked in the community for the last 12 months.

 

Husthwaite Parish Council meet in the Village Hall for a couple of hours every other month. Meetings are a very sociable affair and, although we do have official business to discuss, we try to make the meetings as light-hearted and welcoming as possible.

If you would like to become a Parish Councillor for Husthwaite, please forward an expression of interest, including contact information, details of any past experience which may be relevant and the areas of responsibility within the Parish Council that you would like to become involved (Neighbourhood Plan, Public Footpaths, Husthwaite Website, etc) to:-

Husthwaite Parish Council, Inglenook, High Street, Husthwaite, YO61 4PX

or via email to Husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you

 

PC job description

We continue to make steady progress. In the last month, we have:

• Started work on a Local Landscape Character Assessment.

In the Parish survey last year, there was a very strong indication that the local countryside matters to residents.  Over 130 respondents said that the character of the local landscape was a reason they liked living and working here while protecting this was the second most popular objective for the new plan.   But to create effective policies that promote the local countryside, the Plan must first identify the essential features of the area.

At national level, the Parish of Husthwaite falls entirely within National Character Area 28 which is the ‘Vale of York’. This does not really accurately describe the very special geological and landscape features of our lovely Parish.   The Hambleton Character Areas are much more detailed but the Parish is covered by three different areas and adjacent to two others, which makes identification of the relevant elements challenging.  So we have decided to create our own character assessment.

Some Neighbourhood Plan groups instruct professional landscape architects to undertake this work but some do it themselves which is the option we have gone for.  A sub-group comprising David Aspinall, Julia Hampshire, Keith Gittens and Alison Sawalhi are currently carrying out a desktop survey and will follow this with an ‘on the ground’ field survey. If anyone else would like to assist with this, or would like to suggest particular landscape features that should be recorded in the assessment, their input would be most welcome – please contact any one of the group direct or via husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk.

• Reviewed and commented on extensively the first complete draft Design Code prepared by external consultants, AECOM (funded by the Government through Locality.org).

This 80 page document analyses the historical development of Husthwaite village and the traditional features, including layout, building materials, styles and setting which contribute to its unique character and sense of place.  It also considers the countryside part of the parish and looks at key elements of development in that area.   The Design Codes themselves then set out a list of requirements, some mandatory, which all new development should take into account so as to maintain the essential character but also create well-designed sustainable buildings.

The draft Design Code has now been submitted to Locality for its approval but the content is still subject to consultation.    The Design Code will be a formal part of the Neighbourhood Plan so will be published to all Parish residents – and to statutory consultees – for comment once the draft Plan is complete which we hope will be May/June.

• Reviewed and commented on the revised draft Ecology Appraisal.

• Continued to work with the Husthwaite History Society on the list of buildings and other features which should be recognised as heritage assets (non-listed).

• Met with Broadacres Housing Association briefly to obtain their view on the  Housing Needs Assessment and their  plans for updating their current housing stock in Husthwaite and for creating more affordable housing in the area. Broadacres are building currently in Tollerton and elsewhere in Hambleton but have no immediate plans to build further housing in Husthwaite, although their representative expressed some interest if sites were identified and secured. Broadacres intends to make all their sites carbon neutral by 2050, with installation of air source heating and thermal treatment for external walls.

• Reported on progress to the Parish Council at their meeting on 11 February and obtained Parish Council approval of the draft objectives for the new Plan which have been amended slightly to take on board feedback from parish residents who came to the drop in events held in January.

• Finally (!) started drafting the policies for the new Plan.  This is now very much the focus for the next month as our grant covering work done by planning consultant, Steve Besford Foster, expires on 31 March.  While we could potentially obtain further funding (up to £8000) for more of his time, we can’t do this for the next financial year until the Government confirms the general funding for neigbhourhood plans and also confirms that Locality will continue to oversee this.  We expect there to be a hiatus after 31 March while we wait for the Government confirmation,   during which time no neighbourhood plan groups will be able to secure the essential funds they need for these complex projects.  We are therefore in a race to complete the first draft by the end of March – watch this space!

 

Message from North Yorkshire Police

We’ve just launched a new live chat service on our website.

You can connect to us online, in real-time, meaning we can get you the information you need quickly and efficiently.

It’s currently available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Our colleagues will be ready to answer your questions, give you advice, or make sure your query gets dealt with by the right team or organisation.

The system is for non-urgent enquiries only, and is in addition to our existing online services. Via the North Yorkshire Police website, you can already report crime, anti-social behaviour and road traffic incidents; apply or register for various certificates and licences; add information to an existing crime report; and tell us how we’re doing by submitting complaints and compliments.

Look for the blue LIVE CHAT button on the bottom-right of the North Yorkshire Police website. When an operator is available, just click “New Conversation” to get started.

The latest planning update from the Parish Council has been issued here

Informal consultation continues

We hosted two drop in events in the village hall in January (15th and 18th) to showcase the progress made to date. This included:

• Draft vision statement
• Draft spatial strategy
• Draft objectives for a number of different areas that the new plan will cover including: Housing, Design and Heritage, Natural Environment and Biodiversity, Transport and Infrastructure, Community and Climate Change.
• For each theme we also highlighted key national and local planning policies that the objectives will help to deliver (as we are obliged to do) and the survey evidence that indicates community support for all the objectives.
• We also put up extracts from a draft Design Code (being prepared by Government appointed consultants, AECOM) indicating the historical and landscape context of the buildings in Husthwaite and also an analysis of the key features of the village in terms of layout, building materials and styles and relationship with its rural setting.

Non-heritage assets and surveys

Also on display was a paper prepared by the Husthwaite History Society setting out a variety of historical features (buildings, street furniture, landscape etc) which should be considered as non-designated heritage assets i.e. not listed but given some level of protection by planning rules.

Finally we invited attendees to complete two surveys – one asking for feedback on the new website and one asking about interest in setting up a community shop including a willingness to volunteer some time towards this..

Attendance

About 30 Parish residents came to have a look and generally were very complimentary about the amount of work that is going into this critical project.  Some very helpful feedback was provided on the wording of some objectives and this has already resulted in some minor amendments to the text.

Husthwaite PC also hosted the Local Parish Council Forum on the evening of the 15th so the display was also reviewed by parish councillors from Crayke, Coxwold, Ampleforth, Carlton Husthwaite and Brandsby, as well as North Yorkshire councillor, Nigel Knapton. Mr Knapton endorsed the importance of neighbourhood plans and all councils present indicated they were thinking of embarking on similar projects.

Accessing the documents/Next steps

The slides on the display boards have been put on the website (see here) as has the History society paper (see draft here). The shop survey has been circulated to those on the VH mailing list and anyone else who would like to see the survey can email Sheila Mowatt on sheila_mowatt@btinternet.com or contact Julia Hampshire ℅ husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk.  Paper copies are available on request.

We will continue to update parish residents via the website, mailchimp and newsletter. We are happy to receive feedback or answer questions any time – just email us ℅ husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk.  The next parish-wide survey will be when we seek comments on the draft plan which we hope will be in April.

Working group news

The working group are delighted that Keith Gittens has joined us as, quite apart from being another much-needed ‘pair of hands’(!),  he brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge in relation to the local environment.  Keith is currently helping to review the revised draft Biodiversity Appraisal which Wold Ecology has just produced and also is part of a sub-group (with David Aspinall, Alison Sawalhi and Julia Hampshire) who are preparing a Local Landscape Character Assessment. This will provide a very useful level of granular detail which means the new plan can be as effective as possible at protecting and enhancing the unique and special features of our parish.

Meanwhile AECOM has just produced the first full draft of the Design Code and Philip Hewitson and Sonia Hunter are reviewing this. Sarah Harper is leading on photographs and design, while Sheila Mowatt and Alison Sawalhi manage all things relating to communication including the website. Sheila is also our ‘documents manager’.  Sam Milburn is helping with the collation of statistical evidence and community engagement.  Finally, our marvellous planning consultant (grant-funded), Steve, is starting to chivvy us towards actually writing the plan building on all the consultation and evidence gathering that has gone on over the last 18 months.  He has produced a somewhat daunting outline and the writing begins now!

Can you help us?

I am hugely indebted to all of the working group for their efforts – and for continuing to retain a sense of humour in our weekly project meetings!  If anyone else in the Parish could give us a bit of help with the next stage, we would be very grateful.  This could include:

• Acting as a ‘first reader’ for sections of the plan. This would be really helpful  as we need to make sure the plan is very clear and accessible to all.
• Helping compile a statement recording all consultation events and activities
• Helping compile a Equalities Impact Assessment (using template)
• Doing some online research to obtain any missing data needed for the plan
• Preparing graphs or other diagrams to illustrate our plan
• Taking and selecting photographs to illustrate our plan
• Helping to design the visual layout of the plan and also ensuring its accessibility
• Hand delivering a letter to all households in the parish once the plan is drafted and ready to be reviewed (the ‘Reg 14 consultation’)

If you think you could help and/or want to find out a bit more about what type of commitment might be required, please email Sarah Aspinall ℅ husthwaitepc@hotmail.co.uk and we can find a time to speak.

Sarah Aspinall
Parish Council lead of Husthwaite Neighbourhood Plan Project

The latest planning update from the Parish Council has been issued here.