FOLLOWING the launch of their landmark report at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, I wish to applaud members of North Yorkshire’s Rural Commission for the huge effort they have made over the last 20 months, continuing against all the odds through the pandemic, to make their findings public about the future of our rural communities.

The commission, the first of its kind nationally, was set up by North Yorkshire County Council, supported by the county council, but independent of the county council. Its task was to seek out fresh and innovative solutions to endemic issues facing the county’s rural communities. We made clear from the very start that the commissioners should be led by their own investigation and that a wide-ranging, evidence-led enquiry was necessary

Some of the recommendations in the report 'Rural North Yorkshire: the way forward, beautiful, connected, and embracing the future' are undoubtedly challenging. This was not set up to give us or anyone a pat on the back, although it is pleasing to see that the commission does recognise work that the county council has done, and that the pursuit of devolution is the right thing to do. But now we need to play our part in evaluating the recommendations and deciding how best to deliver the desired outcomes.

I give heartfelt thanks to the Dean of Ripon, the Very Reverend John Dobson DL, and his fellow commissioners - Sir William Worsley, Professor Sally Shortall, Martin Booth, Chris Clark, Dr Debbie Trebilco, Jean MacQuarrie, and Heather Hancock - for the work they have undertaken to gather opinions and evidence, to distil it, and come up with recommendations to tackle numerous problems that have troubled rural communities for years. It has been most useful to have fresh eyes look at these problems, and join up the thinking into one report.

We also recognise and thank the many people and organisations that provided the evidence, and to media colleagues for covering the issues so comprehensively.

This report is not just for the county council to consider – it includes organisations within the county like our district councils, and national parks – and organisations that are outside the county, often nationwide, and including central government for its levelling up agenda.

We all now have a duty to take these recommendations forward purposefully and apply them strategically to make sure, in the words of Dean John, “that North Yorkshire remains beautiful, is fully connected and embraces the future with hope”.

Cllr Carl Les, (leader) North Yorkshire County Council