The Thirsk and Malton Area Committee are scheduled to meet to discuss community safety, the Howardian Hills National Landscape, and banking services in the area. The committee will also receive updates on town improvement plans, fuel poverty, mobile coverage, and Section 106 agreements¹ and the Community Infrastructure Levy².

Community Safety and CCTV

The committee is scheduled to receive an annual update on the work of the Community Safety & CCTV Service in the Thirsk and Malton area. This will include a focus on Community Safety Hubs (CSHs), CCTV, and the wider strategic Community Safety Partnership.

The report pack highlights local issues and ongoing work to tackle them:

• Youth-related anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Easingwold, Thirsk, Pickering and Kirkbymoorside.
• Vehicle-related ASB and environmental ASB at the Malton McDonalds.
• Mental health issues leading to ASB.
• Queensway, Kirkbymoorside, identified as a hotspot for calls to North Yorkshire Police (NYP).
• Theft of car roof tents, trailers and diesel.
• Damage to public toilets and graffiti/damage to Pickering Castle.
• ASB surrounding youth clubs in Thirsk and Easingwold.
• Youth ASB impacting Paradise Fields in Easingwold.

The Community Safety Hubs are using various tools and powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, including Community Protection Warnings and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts. The report pack also mentions Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) being managed and reviewed in the Scarborough area.

Other initiatives mentioned in the report pack include:

• Project Community for community engagement and reassurance.
• Op Alibi for Whitby and Northern Ryedale targeting theft of quads.
• Knife bins in Pickering and Malton, and one in Thirsk.
• Rollout of 'Bleed Kits' in five different locations around Ryedale and one in Thirsk, with Easingwold already having a grab bag Trauma pack at the George Hotel.
• Links with Thirsk Neighbourhood Policing Teams and local housing authorities for 'Neighbourhood clean-up days'.
• A community competition around road safety banners designed by young people from local primary schools in Pickering, Thirsk and Easingwold.
• Op Dark Nights, providing crime prevention and target hardening materials in isolated rural areas.

The report pack also provides crime statistics for the period 01/09/2024 – 31/08/2025, with a summary of the year, including:

North Yorkshire Police have seen a steady decrease in crime year on year. The Ryedale and Filey areas are no different and have seen a decrease in a number of crime types as can be seen by the data provided.

However, the report pack notes that areas seeing an increase have been Kirkbymoorside and Pickering around anti-social behaviour (ASB) and graffiti Incidents in Malton and Norton.

The report pack also includes information on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), retail crime, and anti-social behaviour, with breakdowns by ward and time.

Howardian Hills National Landscape Management Plan

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the Howardian Hills National Landscape Management Plan. Shaun Berry, Head of Environment & Sustainability, North Yorkshire Council and Ellie Hook, Manager, Howardian Hills National Landscape are scheduled to present the update.

The report pack outlines North Yorkshire Council's role as the host authority for two National Landscapes, including the Howardian Hills National Landscape³. The council is responsible for managing these areas and ensuring the conservation and enhancement of their natural beauty.

The report pack states that the review and refresh of the National Landscape 'Management Plan' must take place every 5 years, and that the plan is a statutory document required to be adopted by the Host Authority for the National Landscape. The Howardian Hills National Landscape Management Plan sets out objectives for the next 5 years relevant to the conservation and enhancement of the National Landscape area, covering:

• Climate
• Natural Environment
• Historic Environment
• Built Environment
• Living and Working
• Visiting

The report pack also mentions a new duty for relevant authorities under Section 85 of the Countryside and Right of Way Act 2000 (as amended by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act (LURA)), which requires them to 'seek to further the purpose' of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The report pack lists the main activities planned for 2025-2026, including:

• Management Plan and Nature Recovery Plan
• Local Plan input
• Delivery of Management Plan objectives and projects

The report pack also provides information on the progress of the 2025-2030 draft Management Plan, including expert workshops and public events.

Banking and Cash Handling Services

The committee is scheduled to discuss a briefing note on banking and cash handling services in the area. The report pack includes a review of banking services from December 2018, as well as central government publications on the closure of bank branches and their impact on rural communities.

The report pack outlines the reasons why banks are closing local branches, including the rise of digital banking, changing customer preferences, and cost-cutting measures. It also mentions banks' partnerships with Post Offices to offer local banking services, as well as the government's Post Office Green Paper.

The report pack also provides information on banking hubs, which are set up by the banking industry in response to closing bank branches, and business cash deposits.

The report pack includes a table showing the services currently available in the Thirsk and Malton area, as well as information on the Filey Banking Hub and LINK Cash Locator.

Other Items

• Town Improvement Plans: Howard Wallis, Principal Regeneration Officer, is scheduled to provide a verbal update on town improvement plans.
• Fuel Poverty: The committee will receive a briefing note on fuel poverty in the area from Lynn Williams, Head of Housing Renewals.
• Mobile Coverage: The committee will receive a briefing note update on mobile coverage from Brigitte Giles, Director of Transformation.
• Section 106 Agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL): The committee will receive a briefing note on S106 agreements and CIL from Tracey Rathmell, Head of Delivery and Infrastructure.
• Work Programme: The committee will review future topics relevant to the constituency area.
• Local MPs: Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton and Sir Alec Shelbrooke, MP for Wetherby and Easingwold, will provide updates. Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP's report Sep 2025 focuses on land use, housing targets, and the impact on rural communities.