SKIPTON will get a chance to see its newly elected town councillors at the annual town meeting on Thursday, May 16.

The meeting will be followed by the annual meeting of the town council, the last for current mayor, Alan Hickman, and the first for the incoming mayor, who will be elected on the night.

Cllr Hickman will start the annual town meeting with a review of the council’s activities over the last year. There is no fixed agenda for the meeting and any elector can raise an issue which can then be voted on.

Dave Parker, town council chief officer, said: “The annual town meeting is not a meeting of the town council, it is a meeting of registered voters from within the parish and must take place, by law, each year. It provides an opportunity for residents to talk about any matter relating to the parish – and, if those present wish to do so, they can pass a resolution which will then be considered by the council.”

He added: “The meeting can be a very direct way of raising matters of concern and, although any vote taken is not legally binding, it does provide members of the council with a good indication of the issues local electors would like them to investigate.”

Both meetings will take place in the council chamber, Skipton Town Hall. The annual town meeting will start at 6pm and will be followed at 7pm by the annual meeting of the town council, unless the annual town meeting over-runs.