Public Meeting : Monday 24^th Nov 2025

“Whitby Town Investment & Growth”

Agenda

• Introduction & Open Consultations
• Vibrant & Sustainable High Streets – S Barrowby, YNYCA
• Anglo American Update
• Updates :
• Health
• Neighbourhood Plan
• Education
• Active Travel
• Harbour
• Whitby Town Investment Plan
• AOB

Open Consultations (page 1)

• Whitby Investment Plan survey - Closes 30 Nov 2025 (see presentation later).
• Warm Homes Local Grant satisfaction 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.
• Draft pavement licence policy consultation - Give your views about the draft pavement licence policy. Closes on 12 December 2025.

See the NYC Consultations web page

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

• Whitby Investment Plan survey - Closes 30 Nov 2025 (see presentation later).
• Warm Homes Local Grant satisfaction 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.
• Draft pavement licence policy consultation - Give your views about the draft pavement licence policy. Closes on 12 December 2025.

See the NYC Consultations web page

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

Open Consultations (page 2)

• 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 HealthWatch North Yorkshire website.
• 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. 

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Health & Welfare Update

OFFICIAL

Extra Care in Whitby

NYC acquired a portion of the Whitby hospital site in 2019

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Procurement for a new scheme launched in 2021

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Unable to secure a provider due to rising costs, limited provider market and end of Homes England grant funding round

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NYC remains committed to delivering Extra Care in Whitby – a new procurement model launches in November and Whitby will be a priority area

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North Yorkshire Extra Care Programme

28 Schemes

1540 units

North Yorkshire Council – Care & Support Hubs

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9

What are the proposals?

• To develop up to five new Council-run Care & Support Hubs to replace our existing seven Elderly Person’s Homes
• Up to 250 beds delivering specialist residential dementia care & bed-based intermediate care across the County Why?
• Current gaps in the care market and unsustainable exceptionally high costs in the market for specialist OP residential care
• Growing demand for dementia service and intermediate care provision
• Need for market intervention; to use limited budget more effectively
• Council’s long-standing commitment to be a direct care provider
• Current EPHs require modernisation; new build determined most effective, value for money option
• Improved services, choice and value for money for people

When will they be delivered?

• Phased approach; 5 – 10 year delivery programme
• Dependent on ongoing monitoring of capacity and value for money in the market
• Individual locality business cases to be brought forward for each site to demonstrate need and value for money
• Phase one will focus on Harrogate and Scarborough; areas of the county with the greatest demand & highest costs
• Decision currently expected to be taken on Harrogate & Scarborough in January 2026

What does this mean for independent sector providers?

• Over 90% of resi / nursing care will still be commissioned in independent sector
• Remain committed to quality, competition, sustainability and value for money within the care sector
• Continued work to upskill and develop capacity in the care market around specialist dementia care

How are key stakeholders being involved in shaping the Care & Support Hubs?

• Spatial Design – Stakeholder workshops on RIBA Stage 1 (Preparation & Briefing) + Stage 2 (Concept Design) designs held. Further session to be
• organised with PWLE & representative organisations prior to "design freeze" at Stage 3 (Spatial Coordination).
• Interior Design - Once we have "design freeze", we will commence RIBA Stage 4 (Technical design) which will consider all aspects of the interior design; with a focus on dementia friendly design and a therapeutic environment that supports re-ablement. Stakeholder workshops will be held, and we will also involve PWLE.
• Service Delivery Model - The key principles of dementia provision within the Hubs will align with the service specification for specialist OP residential care; which will be developed in collaboration with CHSG. For elements unique to Care & Support Hubs, stakeholder workshops and targeted meetings will be held with key partners; ie. related to co-location and/or intensive in-reach opportunities.

No imminent changes to provision for people receiving support from the Council’s EPHs.

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Update : Whitby Neighbourhood Plan

Remaining Stages done locally, as follows:

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• Stage 7 : Write a draft Neighbourhood Plan document

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• Stage 8 : 6-week consultation on the draft plan Dec 1 – Jan 30?

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• Stage 9 : Review the consultation results and amend the plan

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• Stage 10 : Submit the revised plan to NYC.

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

Update : Whitby Secondary School

WCN Education Sub group have met with:

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CEO, Wonder Learning, Whitby School Management Company, key issues

- Academisation, preferred option Wonder Learning

- Appointment of Head Teacher (with long term commitment to Whitby)

- Improvements to exam results, absenteeism, exclusions urgently needed

- Improved communication to parents, children & community

MP

• FOI highlights NYC has 14 - 16 institutions mothballed
• Need one school site at Airy Hill, partly funded by sale of other Whitby schools

Active Travel

• Charity : “Whitby & Esk Valley Active Travel” registered in Jan 2024, as a spin off from WCN, with 4 trustees.
• Aims
• facilitate the provision of active travel infrastructure (paths, benches, storage etc), and
• promote the uptake of active travel, for everybody.

Active Travel : Whitby Active Travel Plan

• Funding allocated for plans for most towns in North Yorks in 2020. Whitby omitted.
• Campaigned for production of Active Travel Plan for Whitby, funding allocated Feb 2023.
• Consultation process Apr 2024-Jan 2025.
• Adopted by NYC May 2025.

Active Travel : Whitby Active Travel Plan, Proposed

Active Travel : NYMNP Active Travel Plan

Ambition to connect all towns / villages in the National Park via walking and cycling paths.

Active Travel : Proposal to remove barriers from CinderTrack

• Cinder Track has 4 gates near Hawsker.
• Barrier to disabled people, horses, non-standard bikes.
• Proposal is to remove pedestrian gate and add chicane.
• UK national strategy is to remove barriers, for accessibility.
• Waiting on NYC for approval

Active Travel : Adaptive Bikes

• Adaptive Bike Hub established at Hawsker – recognised by NYMNP.
• VanRaam Fun2Go bike purchased June 2025. Now available for hire.
• Side-by-side tandem e-bike, with independent pedals.
• Use with family/friend/carer
• Caters for wide range of disabilities, using harnesses, crank adjusters, etc.
• Also usable by elderly.
• Launch event planned Mar/Apr 2026
• Proceeds used to maintain bike and buy more bikes / electric wheelchairs.

Active Travel : What else are we doing?

• Analysis : provided reports on Broomfield Farm Phase 1/2 provision, Whitby Business Park – many shortcomings identified!
• Schools : working towards more walk/cycle to school, providing support in getting funding for bike storage at secondary school sites.
• Health : advocating for bike parking at all GP surgeries in the district.
• Paths : pushing for fair funding levels for infrastructure in our district (for comparison 2020-2025 Whitby district £315k, Scarborough district £4.5m+).
• Improvements : further proposals to NYC to improve specific places.
• Adaptive : looking for further bikes, and electric wheelchairs.

Active Travel : Register your support

Please register your support for better active travel in Whitby & district on this link

https://www.whitbyactivetravel.org.uk/support

The more people / organisations listed, the more pressure for change. All GP surgeries, many schools, several businesses / groups are backing this.

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

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

Town Investment Plans

Whitby Engagement Sessions

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OFFICIAL

What are Town Investment Plans

• Provide a co-ordinated approach to regeneration and investment at a place-based level
• Help the Council and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to understand investment priorities
• Evidence-base for future business cases and investment decisions
• Bring together business networks, community organisations, developers, public sector agencies and other stakeholders – proactive engagement and co-design is key
• Delivery of tangible economic benefits

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OFFICIAL

Scope

• Built around a common framework, all plans will consider opportunities for:

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• Enabling Enterprise – digital infrastructure, provision of workspace, improving vitality of town centres
• A Sustainable Settlement – active travel options and infrastructure that improves climate resilience
• Protecting Heritage and Promoting Growth – use of cultural and heritage assets, enhancement of public realm
• Resilient and Improving Social and Personal Well-being – reducing health inequalities and enabling people to have healthier lives

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• Will not duplicate existing regeneration strategies, town plans, etc. Will build on and plug gaps to ensure these remain fit for the future.

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OFFICIAL

Settlement Groupings

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What is the Data Telling Us For Whitby

Health: significantly more people with poor health and high disability compared to the national/county averages.

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Transport and Access:

• 27.6% of households have no access to a car or van, vs NY (15.71%) and England (23.54%). In 2011 this figure was 32.66%.
• 1 in 4+ households lack private transport, limits access to jobs, healthcare, education and social activities.
• Public transport is limited and expensive (train), leads to isolation and economic disadvantage.

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What is the Data Telling Us For Whitby

Job Accessibility:

• Whitby’s score is 7 times lower than England/ 4 times lower than NY.
• Residents in Whitby face significant barriers to employment, contributes to:

Lower incomes, Higher deprivation, Out-migration of working-age people.

Economy:

• Whitby has a 40% lower GVA than NY, suggestsWhitby’s economy is significantly less productive than the general region/county.
• Whitby faces challenges in attracting investment, creating value employment.
• Economic Regen needs to focus on;
• Diversifying the economy,
• Improving skills and
• Improving infrastructure,
• Encouraging higher value industries.

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What is the Data Telling Us For Whitby

Listed buildings: total of 472 with: 9 Grade I, 26 Grade II*, 437 Grade II. Scarborough total 295.

Crime: Violent & sexual crimes 29.8 per 1000 population. England (31.6) nearly double North Yorkshire (16.5).

Broadband:

Median broadband data use - 257.29GB (England - 369.19GB, North Yorkshire - 276.40GB)

Broadband download Speed - 49.62Mb/s (England 152.10Mb/s, North Yorkshire 98.55Mb/s)

Energy Efficiency: UK Average homes with EPC C or above 66 40%

Whitby South and East MSOA 49.92%, Whitby West 14.26%

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Understanding Whitby’s Context – 10 mins�Whitby’s 3 greatest strength? �Whitby’s 3 greatest challenges?

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Theme Sprints

• 10 mins per theme

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• Challenges & Strengths

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• Work as a group

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• 6 themes

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Proposed Approach

The workplan for Principal Service Centres:

• Phase 0 – Initiation
• Phase 1 - Background Review (collate and review existing plans/previous work, data)
• Phase 2 - ​Stakeholder Engagement (establish priorities of key organisations and carryout appropriate public engagement)
• Phase 3 – Establishment of vision, objectives and headline outcomes
• Phase 4 – Project Identification and Prioritisation
• Phase 5 – Drafting the Investment Plan
• Phase 6 – Consultation and Refinement
• Phase 7 – Formal Consideration by North Yorkshire Council

Next WCN Public Meeting

Monday 19^th January 2026

Topic : to be confirmed

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

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