Government recognises the true Yorkshire boundary

To celebrate Saint George's day, the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (and a proud Yorkshireman to boot, hailing from Keighley - the town of my father's birth), announced the Government will formally acknowledge traditional county boundaries. (This piece in the Dalesman summarises matters beautifully).


A map of traditional county boundaries © Copyright the
Association of British Counties



As a consequence of the Local Government Act 1972, many parts of Yorkshire were carved off and swallowed up by newly created entities (into the so-called 'county' of Cleveland, for example). Yarm-on-Tees was one of the victims of this ill-considered piece of legislation. A brief summary of the administrative changes affecting Yarm can be found here.

Of course, this announcement will not materially change anything. The cross-county atrocity of Stockton Borough Council, created in 1996, will continue to exist in its current form. For now...

The announcement is, however, a powerful acknowledgement of the role of traditional counties throughout the history of our nation. Indeed, many of our traditional counties (including Yorkshire) predate the very Kingdom itself. It is also a welcome recognition of the key role of traditional counties in the shaping of individuals', and our nation's, identity.

Furthermore, there was one comment in the Government's announcement in particular which made the heart sing:

"He [Eric Pickles MP] will encourage local residents to continue to champion such local identities, irrespective of current tiers of local administration."

Many in Yarm (including the town's self-styled "mayor", Jason Hadlow), having seen the growing groundswell of residents keen to see Yarm once again under the control of an administration rooted firmly and entirely with North Yorkshire, are keen to jump on the bandwagon. It is telling that many of those now espousing recognition of the town's Yorkshire roots have hitherto done nothing whatsoever to mark or achieve this.

So, as a quick and easy first step, I have an idea...

The current signs 'welcoming' people to Yarm (below) completely fail to reflect the town's historic roots. Whilst mentioning the town's recent links to the towns in France and Germany with which it is twinned, it mentions nothing of our centuries old ties with the North Riding of Yorkshire. (That's not to mention the tired state of the signs, to put it politely.)


The 'welcome' sign for residents entering North Yorkshire
from County Durham over the River Tees from Eaglescliffe

At the next meeting of Yarm Town Council I will therefore be asking the council to consider replacing the current tired, old signs with something much more in keeping with our historic town and which highlights, loud and proud, that Yarm lies, as it has always lain, within the North Riding of Yorkshire.

Granted, it's a small first step, but might oaks from tiny acorns grow.

"Yarm for Yorkshire"? Why not rescue Thornaby too...

During this week's Yarm Town Council meeting, a number of residents once again reiterated their desire to see Yarm returned to the control of a North Yorkshire council (read the Gazette's report here).




Yarm Town Hall flying the white rose of Yorkshire

Of course, Yarm - along with neighbouring towns south of the River Tees - forms part of the ceremonial North Riding of Yorkshire, and always has.  That is not the issue.

Whilst once a borough in its own right, and more recently falling under the control of Stokesley Rural District Council, in 1974 Yarm found itself no longer governed by an authority rooted exclusively in North Yorkshire.

On April Fools Day 1974 (an apt date, as it was surely a cruel, cruel joke), Yarm awoke to find itself within the district of Stockton-on-Tees, governed by the newly created Cleveland County Council.

The situation deteriorated further in 1996 when, following the Banham Review, the widely unpopular Cleveland Council was abolished and Yarm found itself governed by one of four newly created unitary authorities in the north east, Stockton Borough Council.

Whilst much of the motivation to have Yarm 'returned to' Yorkshire is driven by enormous public discontent at recent decisions imposed on the town against residents' wishes - Stockton's proposed parking tax and earmarking of land for thousands of new homes being two of the most notable - it is foolish to think this is the only reason.

For many, it is a simple matter of identity.  Towns such as Yarm and Thornaby, not to mention the likes of Redcar and Middlesbrough further afield, remain for the most part fiercely proud of their Yorkshire roots.  The very suggestion that they are no longer, at least administratively, part of Yorkshire is anathema to them.

For others, their motivations are much more pragmatic.

You don't have to speak to many residents of Yarm or Thornaby to hear evidence of the widespread discontent at the way those communities south of the river have been neglected by Stockton. A complaint you'll often hear around Yarm is that Stockton Council treat the town as nothing more than a cash cow.

What better example can there be than the way Ingleby Barwick has been allowed to develop? Stockton Council was quick enough to cash-in and sell land to housing developers, and has since gleefully pocketed ever increasing council tax receipts, but has left the town pitifully short of community facilities, most notably with a chronic shortage of secondary school provision.

Granted, there is nothing new in Labour councils bleeding dry areas where they have scant support in order to subsidise their client base in Labour controlled wards but, as last week's by-election in Thornaby clearly showed, residents have had enough.

That is why this campaign may develop into one to see not just Yarm liberated from Stockton Council's vampiric embrace, but all communities south of the river.

In the next few months, I would hope to see Yarm Town Council approaching its counterparts in Kirklevington, Thornaby, Ingleby Barwick and others with a view to arranging an indicative referendum throughout all communities south of the river.

"Yarm for Yorkshire" is not a new campaign, and it is not going to go away any time soon...