Call to women and the young (From Gazette & Herald)

Call to women and the young

CALLS for more women and younger people to put themselves forward for election to Ryedale District Council have been made by the authority's chairman, Coun Helen Schroeder.

With RDC's membership set to rise from 23 to 30 members as a result of changes brought about by the Boundary Commission, Coun Schroeder said: "This is an excellent opportunity for people who have concerns to put up for election to the council. I would particularly like to see more women and young candidates because we are under-represented on both counts in the present council."

Reviewing the past year, Coun Schroeder said the council had much to be proud of. "I think we are an efficient authority. It is excellent news that we shall not be levying a council tax increase this year, for instance, while North Yorkshire County Council's increase is likely to be 9pc, and the police authority, 41 pc."

The council had carried out surveys to assess public opinion on council spending. "It seems that people believe we do give value for money and they are prepared to pay for good services."

Coun Schroeder is anxious to see the revival of the tourism industry in Ryedale and the North York Moors National Park, of which she is also chairman, following the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease. "Tourism is key to our economy and while it is successfully reviving, I don't think we have as yet made a full recovery."

She particularly welcomed the investment by Yorkshire Forward, the Government's regional development agency, in a sustainable tourism scheme being run in the ntional prk and northern Ryedale. "Our rural areas can benefit from it to boost the local economy," she said.

Looking to the longer term future, Coun Schroeder, who represents the Thornton-le-Dale, Allerston, Ebberston and Wilton areas on RDC, said one of the major issues she expected to see debated at Ryedale House in the next two to three years was that of regional government.

But from discussions she had had in the district, she did not believe there was significant support for it because people felt that the rural areas in Yorkshire and Humberside would be swamped by the big urban connurbations of South and West Yorkshire.

However, while there were reservations, she felt a sound case could be made for the spending of Yorkshire Forward's £250m a year budget to be democratically decided.

If regional government did become a reality, then a unitary authority in the Ryedale area was inevitable, with a merger with neighbouring district councils being the most likely outcome.

"Overall, I think 2003 will be an exciting and challenging year and it is important that we have far-sighted, quality councillors elected on May 1."

Updated: 10:17 Wednesday, January 22, 2003