FOR many years the Milton Rooms has struggled to manage the Milton Rooms and run its business by volunteers. We have consistently sought funding for a venues manager. It is disappointing that, when at last this was offered by Ryedale, Malton Town Council refused to provide the necessary match funding.

Instead Milton Rooms were required to produce a “completely new” vision statement and a business plan. It is interesting that Ryedale is prepared to approve funding without either of these. All that was required of Malton Town Council was a decision “in principle”.

Ryedale’s officers have the expertise which is not available to Malton Town Council to make all the necessary financial assessments, and if they do not require a “completely new” vision statement or a business plan, there is no reason for the town council to have these either.

Cllr Emberley requires town council scrutiny of a “completely new” vision statement. The Milton Rooms does have a vision statement which I don’t think needs revision.

The Milton Rooms is grateful for the support received from the town council in recent years.

The Milton Rooms is important as a community facility at the heart of the life of both Malton and Norton, and deserves public financial support, and I do not understand why some town councillors now begrudge this.

Most other towns with a publicly-owned facility like the Milton Rooms, Pocklington, for example, are rightly proud of their arts centres and support them accordingly. Why not Malton?

Cll Paul Andrews, chairman of Milton Rooms, Malton

Thanks to voters

WE write to thank voters in Norton West for their support at the recent Ryedale District Council election.

We fought the election based on our track record as local campaigners and our ambitions for the future of our town.

Norton is clogged with traffic congestion and resulting pollution – we will continue to campaign until North Yorkshire County Council listens to local opinion and takes action to improve traffic flow and create a better road network for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

We will continue to lobby Yorkshire Water until they admit responsibility for the residual flooding problems from sewers in Norton and do something about it.

And we will continue to argue that Ryedale District Council must up its game on recycling. The recent decision to recycle food waste is a step in the right direction, but there are so many other widely used plastics, such as yoghurt pots and food trays, that Ryedale doesn’t currently recycle. In the current climate crisis this just isn’t good enough.

Finally, we will continue to oppose all bids to frack in Ryedale – we live in a beautiful district and we will resist all attempts to industrialise the countryside, putting resident’s well-being and our tourist and agricultural industries at risk.

The election may be over but there is so much more work to do – and that will be our focus for the next four years.

Di and Howard Keal, Norton

It’s been a privilege

FOR the last four years I have had the pleasure of representing the Kirkbymoorside ward on Ryedale District Council.

It has been a privilege and honour, especially when I was chairman of the council.

Unfortunately, in these stormy times, I was not re-elected. I am very grateful to those who have helped me over the course of my years in office.

I congratulate councillors Cousins and Riby and wish them well in the new council.

Bob Gardiner, Kirkbymoorside

Demand to stop

FURTHER to Richard’s letter (Gazette & Herald, May 8), I too have to agree.

However, I would like to add some detail on this issue which will perhaps lead to a way of it being halted.

I have photographed the aircraft, got the registration details and traced the aircraft and where it is registered.

I contacted the owner of this company only to be told the following:

  • Just to be clear what we are doing is perfectly legal;
  • The aerobatics are conducted over open fields which are to the south east of the village;
  • We do no more than 15 minutes twice per day in any location. You had two flights of 15 minutes each with a gap of 15 minutes between;
  • We do move around to avoid disturbing residents with 10 different locations;
  • I watch the flights from the ground giving critique and during this morning flight the noise from traffic made it difficult to hear the aircraft of the radio;
  • The last point is that we do also get notes from people who like to watch it.

A letter to our local newsletter gave rise to nearly 40 occupants in the villages of Slingsby, South Holme and Fryton agreeing with my sentiments.

To this end, if this was a factory that continually generated then there would be intervention by the EHO, local council etc to stop this from happening.

This is a demand to stop.

Graham Smith, Slingsby