GARGRAVE Parish Council is hoping the strategy it has been putting together will mean a happier time for everyone the village this year in the run up to the Appleby Horse Fair.

Last year, there were complaints from residents of anti social behaviour from the gypsies and travellers who camp on the village greens as they make their way along the A65 to Cumbria for the fair held over the first week in June and attended by many thousands of people.

Taking their lead from other towns along the route, a group of parish councillors and residents have come up with a code of conduct which will be handed out to the people as they arrive.

It includes how long both bow top, horse-drawn caravans, and motorised vehicles can stay on the greens, and asks that dogs should be kept under control.

The code of conduct will be published and made available to villagers, once it has been signed off by police, fire and ambulance services, North Yorkshire Council and the RSPCA.

The parish council hopes this will mean the village and the gipsy and travelling community working together, and will not result in some of the anti-social behaviour the village experienced last year, when the police had to be called. It remains to be seen whether the strategy will work, but the council has done its best within the limits it can operate. The people, their vehicles and their animals, are not going to stop heading to the fair every year, and they are not going to stop resting in Gargrave, the best and only thing the council, and the village, can do is to work together.