Parish assembly
The past year has been the toughest North Yorkshire County Council has ever seen, says County Cllr David Jeffels in his annual report to Seamer Parish Council’s annual parish assembly.
The assembly will be held in Seamer and Irton Memorial Hall from 7.30pm on Tuesday April 21, and all parish residents are welcome to attend.
County Cllr Jeffels says there have been major cuts in budgets due to reduced funding from Westminster. “But the county council has worked hard to ensure that it is still able to provide crucial services, especially for the elderly and vulnerable young people, as well as giving priority to our schools and roads,” he says.
Fortunately, the highways department received some additional funding to enable potholes to be repaired and by and large this work is nearing completion.
He says the co-operation of parish councils and voluntary organisations has been invaluable as North Yorkshire County Council has explored ways of providing services but in different ways.
County Cllr Jeffels goes on, “Ensuring our children have a good education has paid dividents with North Yorkshire ranking in the top groups of GCSE and A-level successes, with many of our schools receiving glowing Ofsted reports. It is vital that we continue to focus on these successes because we want our young people to be high achievers and to provide the job opportunities of tomorrow.
“With more cuts expected in the future, the challenges to the county council are going to continue to be tough, but members of all groups have worked hard, attending many meetings to explore how savings can be made yet at the same time investigating ways in which services can be provided but in a different way.”
He says one of the biggest successes the county experienced in the past year was the Tour de France, which was worth in excess of £100m to the regional economy. People can now look forward to the Tour de Yorkshire which will come into the local area and is expected to attract large numbers of visitors from all parts of Europe.
Anyone with any issues or problems which they think County Cllr Jeffels can help resolve they can contact him at 19 Hall Garth Lane, West Ayton YO13 9JA, or by telephone on (01723) 863395. from the film Slumdog Millionaire to illustrate how we should have a single-minded purpose to follow Jesus and entrust our life to Him. Bob Jackman, who also led the prayers of intercession, was the vestry steward and Sylvia Vollans was the welcomer. Jim Lawson added the elements for Palm Sunday to the cross and led the prayer, and Bob Jackman distributed the Palm Crosses. Sheila Gray gave the Old Testament reading and Margaret Neave, who also took the offering, gave the New Testament reading. Doreen Lawson was the organist and Sheila and Liz served refreshments afterwards.
There will be a Good Friday service of hymns and readings, 2-3pm led by the Singing for Fun group, and everyone is welcome. Diane Robinson will be the preacher at the 10.30am service on Easter Day. will alternate between St Martin’s and St John’s.
On Maundy Thursday there will be a 7.30pm Holy Communion service at St Martin’s, a 2pm The Last Hour of the Cross service on Good Friday and, on Easter Day, a 9.30am communion service and an 11am modern worship with communion service with the Sunday Club.