Elected District councillor for Malton Ward 2003 as your representative. Re-elected 2007.
Paul is a Town Councillor of Malton Town Council and a member of Habton Parish Council. He is also a member of the Rye Drainage Board and the Milton Rooms Committee.
A former Governor of Malton School, he attends meetings of Business in Action. He wants all statutory and other bodies within the town to work together for the common good.
Paul resigned from Malton School Governors in March 2007, so that he would be able to vote in the debate on building the sports centre at Malton School.
61 years old, has university degrees in Law and Classics, married with two sons.
Previously Ryedale’s Council Solicitor from 1988-1996, then in Private Practice and now working free-lance.
He writes a monthly "Ryeview" column for the Gazette and Herald.
Interested in sailing, skiing, horse-riding and other outdoor pursuits, local government, local, modern and ancient history and literature.
Paul Andrews says:
"In July 2004, I joined with David Clarkson, a retired former senior police officer, to form the Ryedale Residents Group ( Click here for more information on the Ryedale Residents' Group), because we were not satisfied with the way the three larger political groups were failing to address the issues which affect our local community.
David did not stand for reelection in 2007, and Nigel Wilson stood for his seat in Derwent Ward. I was elected, but unfortunately Nigel was not. We both stood as independents, making it clear in the press and in leaflets that, if elected, we would form again the Ryedale Residents Group. In the circumstances, I offered to join the Council's Independent Group on the basis that I would be able to continue to campaign for those things that I had campaigned for in the election. The Independent Group refused to accept me, and I am therefore on my own, as a "Ryedale Resident".
I shall continue to use my influence for the common good. I am only interested in local issues. "
THE MAIN CURRENT ISSUE - RYEDALE'S LOCAL PLAN - The Shopping and Housing Debates
Documents:
Click here for Articles on this issue
Click HERE for my response to the LDF consultation on shopping policyand HERE for the exhibits referred to
Click HERE for Habton's response to the LDF Summer Consultation
Were you able to make your views known on the Development Options (Dispersed/ market towns/market towns with service villages) at the July consultation at the Milton Rooms - click here and see the notes in blue
Brief explanatory Note:
Ryedale's Local Development Framework is the most controversial local plan I have ever known.
Ryedale District Council is controlled politically by people who seem to have no sympathy with the countryside. As seen below, it took them five years before they finally decided to back local farms and villages against the Environment Agency on the flooding issue.
Now they are determined to use the Local Plan as a means to catastrophically change Malton/Norton into something like Monks Cross - a little city.
Because they are entranced by the attractions of city life, they behave as though they think our country towns are backwaters inhabited by woolly backs. In some ways, it is as though Ryedale has been taken over by aliens from another planet.
In 2005, they put up car park fees to a level which few Malton shoppers were ever likely to pay. There was a fees trial for lower fees. This was evaluated late, and the evaluation was found to be wrong by a Scrutiny investigation. This has not stopped Ryedale putting long stay car park fees up in full knowledge that this would discourage most people from using Wentworth Street car park - see below.
So now they look for a new use of Wentworth Street car park - as a supermarket - even though they have been told by two consultants what most people know anyway: there just isn't enough room for another supermarket in Malton in the short term.
Council leader, Keith Knaggs has dismissed the figures which the Consultants have used as: "What nonsense!" The planners, referring to these figures, have said that retail capacity for convenience products is only one of many material considerations, and that "overprovision may be the way forward". Councillor Keith Knaggs had, in January 2008, stated to a full meeting of Business in Action that he never used Malton shops, as the "quality of the town's retail offer" was not good enough for him.
From the point of view of local business, with a friendly administration such as this, who needs enemies?
Regardless of the consultants' views, the Council have already granted planning permission for an extension of Morrisons in Malton, and a new Lidl in Norton. They have readily accepted that these two new developments comprising over 18,000 sq. ft net sales area will generate no more than 35 additional traffic movements at Butcher's Corner on Saturdays!
One might have thought they would have some plan in mind for dealing with the new road traffic likely to be generated by the proposed new supermarket on Wentworth Street car park or the proposals for an alternative development of the Cattlemarket by the Malton Estate Company (See link below). The obvious solution would be to make the bridge of the Broughton Road over the A64 into a four way grade separated motorway intersection. Instead they have agreed the proposals of Malton School to lay out a multi use games area in a position which would effectively block one of the proposed slip roads.
On housing the position is even more of a disaster.
For years new housing has been controlled by restricting new houses within defined village or town development limits. The Council now wants to abandon this policy by restricting full market price new housesto the market towns and service villages. The intention is to impose a 50% share of this on Malton/Norton, when these towns have less than 28% of Ryedale's population - a policy which is far from fair on Malton/Norton.
Meanwhile, house builders will only be allowed to build houses within the village development limits of the non-service villages, if a condition is attached restricting occupation to people with a local connection to Ryedale only. This would reduce the value of new houses by at least 10%. This might work in the National Park, but will clearly discourage house builders from building in villages in the rest of Ryedale.For thoose of us who are interested in the continuing vitality of our villages and the viability of local pubs and the few village shops and other facilities that remain, this should be a cause forserious concern.
Click HERE for articles about the above and the Cattle Market and the Malton Town Centre Strategy and how Ryedale has lost HALF A MILLION POUNDS in planning grant
LAND DRAINAGE AND FLOODING - What is behind the Yorkshire Derwent Catchment Flood Management Plan? See my correspondence with the Environment Agency
CLICK HERE for ARTICLES on LAND DRAINAGE and FLOODING and UPDATE. See also "News and Views" for my letter to the Environment Agency of 10th September 2008 and their reply of 25th September 2008
Click below for:
THE CAR PARK DEBATE - Click here to see the reports and charts which show how income from Malton car parks actually GREW during the trial period.
Click here to see the Action Group's report on the Wentworth Street trial (with graph)
ST. NICHOLAS ST. CAR PARK - CLICK here for the Action Group's representations
How about an evening out in a Country pub - fine food, good ale in a traditional and friendly hostelry. Click here for more about the Grapes of Great Habton and their website
  
|
