Getting ready to party

CELEBRATIONS at Askrigg and Low Abbotside to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee will start with the annual children's sports on Saturday, June 1. On the Monday, there will be a street party on the cobbles, presentation of cups to the children under 16, and a disco and dance in the evening. There will also be a church service and a scarecrow display with a regal theme. Events will be put on local websites so visitors will know what is happening.

TRIBUTE PAID: Councillors and members of the public stood in silence at the parish council annual meeting to remember the late John Abraham, who was a parish councillor for more than 40 years. He also represented the area as district councillor for many years.

ISSUES DILEMMA: The area forum was not well attended, but it was felt that it would have been better if there had been topics of local interest, instead of being used as a stage for county matters. Affordable housing had been considered. Those present heard that tourist beds had increased by 50 per cent in the district, but that figure was considered not true for the upper dale. It was agreed to write to the Richmondshire District Council as the forum convenor, to express concerns that there should be more district matters on the future agendas.

BOUNDARY CHANGES: County councillor John Blackie had contacted councils informing them of a proposal to change the boundaries of the upper dales ward to cover Upper Wensleydale and Leyburn. Swaledale was proposed to include Catterick. Councillors agreed that if the area had to increase in population numbers, it should comprise of the current upper dales and include the adjacent area to the east, which had some affinity with the area.

* For more town and parish council reports see Friday's Darlington and Stockton Times