NEARLY 500 Ryedale residents completed a recent questionnaire about the issues concerning them most in their neighbourhood.

The results showed 96 per cent of people felt the crime level in Ryedale was low or fairly low compared with national crime levels, with 98 per cent feeling Ryedale was a safe place to live.

Inconsiderate parking and litter were the two main complaints with 22 per cent and 20 per cent of respondents saying this was an issue for them, followed by 16 per cent concerned about speeding motorists.

There was also a big drop in concerns regarding dog fouling, which highlights the work done to crack down on people who allow their dogs to foul the footpaths of Ryedale.

Police community support officers and council officers will now issue fixed penalty notices to anyone not picking up after their dog and provide advice on ensuring they are prepared in the future.

A Pickering man has received the first £50 Fixed Penalty Notice for failing to remove dog faeces in July this year.

A further 83 per cent of residents think they are well informed by local police and the district council about what is being done to tackle issues.

Inspector Tim Hutchinson, head of Ryedale Police, said: “This feedback from the public is extremely important to us as it points out the areas that make the biggest difference to how safe people feel.

“The survey results show that Ryedale people appreciate the wonderful area they live in, feel their concerns are being listened to and they are kept informed about what action is being taken to deal with them.

“To date there are 100 less crimes this year than the same time last year. This reflects the huge amount of work that the councils, police and the communities put into keeping Ryedale safe.”

Gary Housden, chairman of the Safer Ryedale Delivery Team, added: “These are excellent results. We will continue to work closely with our partners to improve the local area.”

The full results of the survey can be found at www.ryesafe.gov.uk