2 of 22

Agenda

Introduction & Open Consultations
Sustainable Tourism / Cook Tricentennary – C Stones.
National Maritime Park – J Redfern TBC.
Whitby Neighbourhood – where are our boundaries?
Updates : Cliff Lift, Neighbourhood Plan, Education, Harbour
AOB
Next Meeting

3 of 22

Open Consultations (page 1)

Warm Homes Local Grant satisfaction survey - survey closes 4 Jun 2028(?).
Changes to motorhome parking (Experimental Traffic Regulation Order) consultation - Trialling a restriction on overnight motorhome parking in three coastal locations. Expected a decision will be reached by Autumn 2025. Still time to comment – WCN’s letter on website.
Alternative Provision for Primary Exclusions consultation: We are consulting on proposed changes to how we support primary-aged children who have been permanently excluded from school. Closes 9 Nov 2025.
Proposed school admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools 2027 to 2028 : We are consulting on proposed school admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools 2027 to 2028. The determination of admission arrangements for voluntary aided, foundation, academy, university technical colleges and free schools is the responsibility of the schools’ governing bodies as the admission authority for the school. Closes 24 Nov 2025.

See the NYC Consultations web page

https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/consultations-and-engagement

4 of 22

Open Consultations (page 2)

Anglo American consulting on changes to the mine arrangement. Prior to a planning application there are drop-in sessions between 4pm and 7pm at : Egton Village Hall (Oct 30), Whitby Coliseum (Nov 3), Stanghow Village Hall (Nov 4), Hawsker Village Hall (Nov 5), Sneaton Village Hall (Nov 14).
Healthwatch Petition: please consider signing and circulating this petition. At the moment it looks like National network of local Healthwatch are to be abolished without a plan for replacing its functions. This will be very detrimental for an independent patient voice. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732993
Healthwatch North Yorkshire: Have you been left behind with the new patient transport rules? Struggling to get to medical appointments? Facing barriers, increased cost or having to make alternative arrangements as a result of the changes? Share your experience of patient transport to help Healthwatch ask for better access for you. See https://www.healthwatchnorthyorkshire.co.uk/
YNYCA - Retrofit Strategy Consultation: Retrofit is about reducing your fuel bills and increasing your comfort through energy-efficient technology in your home or building. We believe retrofit has such great potential for the region, we’d like your views to help shape our draft Retrofit Strategy. Closes 3 Dec 2025.

5 of 22

WCN Actioned Consultations

English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill 2024-25 : Second letter sent to Alison Hume MP Scarborough and Whitby.

6 of 22

National Marine Park

Runswick Bay Marine Conservation Zone

Heritage Coast: Whitby coastline part of the larger 36 mile North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast
Whitby West Cliff Beach: Blue Flag and Seaside Award
National Park Boundary: The coast serves as the NYMNP boundary

7 of 22

National Marine Parks

There are 5 objectives:

Facilitate sustainability through collaborative working;
Promote public understanding and responsible enjoyment;
Conserve, enhance and recover coastal and marine seascapes;
Nurture the socio-economic health of coastal communities who depend upon their seascape, and;
Build seascape and climate change resilience by leading nature recovery and a transition to net zero

8 of 22

What Should the Whitby ‘Neighbourhood’ be?

English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill now before Parliament:

Major implications for future local governance
Biggest upheaval since 1974 Local Govt. Act (which resulted in abolition of WUDC / WRDC and created SBC)
Objectives:

The Bill will introduce a requirement on all local authorities, in England, to establish effective neighbourhood governance.
“new councils will take a proactive and innovative approach to neighbourhood involvement and community governance so that citizens are empowered.”
“We want to make sure that all local authorities have a way of working with people in their neighbourhoods, so they are not relying on town and parish councils to do it.”

9 of 22

What Should the Whitby ‘Neighbourhood’ be?

BUT the proposed Bill does not apply to National Park Authorities…

10 of 22

The new North Yorkshire Local Plan will guide future development and conservation in the area until 2045. This plan covers North Yorkshire, excluding the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, and outlines our priorities for land use and development

BUT National Park policies have major impact on Whitby town: eg transport, housing, health & social care, visitor accommodation, day visitors, parking, flood risk, etc. etc.

11 of 22

What Should the Whitby ‘Neighbourhood’ be?

Whitby is one of only 7 towns classed as an urban settlement in a sparsely populated rural area.
‘Such settlements may well act as accommodation, catering and retail centres within the rural recreation and tourism visitor economies, which have been identified as having a focus around aesthetically pleasing, sparsely populated landscapes, as well as acting as commercial centres to serve surrounding rural areas with lower population densities.’

AND Whitby is the only town in England that is wholly enclosed by a National Park, but does not form part of the National Park.

12 of 22

What Should the Whitby ‘Neighbourhood’ Be?

Historical boundaries:

1894 – 1974 : Whitby Urban District Council and Whitby Rural District Council

1974 : Local Gov Review – proposed inclusion in Tees Valley strongly opposed (but constituency became Cleveland & Whitby until 1991)

1974 – 2023 : Northern Area of SBC (distinct TTWA / housing market / school catchment area)

Since 2023 : NYC: Whitby Streonshalh, Whitby West, Danby & Mulgrave; Esk Valley & Coast

13 of 22

What Should the Whitby ‘Neighbourhood’ Be?

Future Opportunities?

? Maritime National Park to mirror the NYMNP on land

- sustainable fishing

- kelp / carbon capture

? Wave/tidal energy generation

? World Heritage site

Whitby as gateway between the blue and green economies

National Parks

14 of 22

What Should the Whitby ‘Neighbourhood’ Be?

Should Whitby and the Esk Valley be defined as one “Community Neighbourhood” ?

With a Requirement on NYC and NYMNPA to Develop a Joint Plan ?

If you agree – what are the next steps for WCN?

15 of 22

Update : Cliff Lift

NYC officers report proposed to infill the lift at a cost of £600k.

Report had no detail on the alleged cost of repair of £5m+, “plucked out of the air”.
Report had no valid Equality Impact Assessment for the situation without a lift or bus.

Report was rejected by the NYC Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee who requested that Anglo American do a new inspection in January and update their opinion.

NYC Executive have now deferred the decision until March 2026.

16 of 22

Update : Whitby Neighbourhood Plan

Remaining Stages done locally, as follows:

Stage 7 : Write a draft Neighbourhood Plan document

Stage 8 : 6-week consultation on the draft plan

Stage 9 : Review the consultation results and amend the plan

Stage 10 : Submit the revised plan to NYC.

Aiming for Public Consultation on the Draft (Stage 8) Dec 2025-Jan 2026

17 of 22

Update : Whitby Secondary School

18 of 22

Update : Whitby Harbour

18 March 2025 : Judge issued High Court Order to NYC:

All income from harbour land must be ring-fenced for harbour use
Must produce separate accounts on both capital and revenue

17 August 2025 : NYC proposed a transfer £7.774M to the Whitby Harbour Reserves to cover the period 2015/16 to 2024/25
23 September 2025 : Formal objection lodged to NYC draft Accounts 2024/25

…….The legal battle continues - at both Whitby and Scarborough…...

19 of 22

Update : Whitby Town Deal

Broomfield Farm Housing (49 affordable homes) : expected site start 2025 Q3.
Public Realm / Pedestrianisation : Larpool Lane / New Bridge junction in progress. Town centre part engagement to happen after, and then expected to start work Sept 2026.
Maritime Hub : still trying to find tenants, concentrating on training providers, in line with maritime use.
Old Town Hall : progressing “on schedule” for Nov 2025 completion.
Town Deal funding deadline has been moved to 2028, not expected to be an issue for these 4 projects.

20 of 22

Update : “Whitby Community Alliance”

Dundas Gardens: no further information
Vibrant and Sustainable High Street Fund: YNYCA investing £1.7 million in 19 projects

Successful project in Whitby, Flowergate and Beyond: Whitby’s Artisan Quarter, led by Flash Company Arts CIC.
Funding to transform historic high streets into a vibrant, inclusive Artisan Quarter through culture, community, enterprise and collaboration.

Baxtergate Project: Rebecca Denniff not directly a part of the Baxtergate bid, no further information

21 of 22

Next WCN Public Meeting

Monday 17^th November 2025

Topic : to be confirmed

December : no meeting

January : Monday, January 19^th 2026

22 of 22

Whitby Community Network CIC�“Campaigning on the problems facing Whitby & District”

Keep in touch

Website: https://whitbycommunitynetwork.org

Subscribe to newsletter and meeting notifications.

Facebook https://facebook.com/whitbycommunitynetwork

Instagram https://instagram.com/whitbycommunitynetwork

X/Twitter @WhitbyCommunity