Whitby Council's Unapproved Charity Loan
An independent review found Whitby Town Council borrowed £70,000 from the Pannett Art Gallery charity without approval. It's since been repaid.
Whitby Town Council is the sole trustee of the Pannett Art Gallery charity, an arrangement that came in handy during the cash shortages of 2023 and 2024. An independent review found the council borrowed £70,000 from the charity's reserves without formal approval. It's been paid back since.
A trust report has found that patients at Scarborough Hospital are more likely than those in York to wait more than 12 hours in A&E, with too few senior doctors on overnight partly to blame. Anyone who's sat in that waiting room after midnight won't need the report.
Moonlight on the Lake is back at Peasholm Park on 23 and 24 October, with hundreds of handmade lanterns and new designs marking Scarborough's 400th. Adults pay £3 plus a 50p booking fee, and under-16s go free.
The clocks go back the morning after, and that's most evenings spent indoors until March. If you're going to be in anyway, Broadband Genie compares the deals available at your address, so you're not overpaying for the privilege.
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📰 Scarborough Life
🏛️ Whitby council borrowed charity funds. An independent review found Whitby Town Council borrowed £70,000 without formal approval from Pannett Art Gallery Charity reserves during cash shortages in 2023 and 2024. The money was later repaid.
🏛️ Five Whitby councillors resign. Two resigned before a meeting examining allegations of inappropriate conduct towards staff; three others resigned separately that day. An independent investigation recommended restrictions on the pair's contact with staff.
🎄 Scarborough Spa's Christmas party dates. Scarborough Spa will host Christmas party nights on December 18 and 19, with a welcome drink, three-course meal and dancing. Tickets are available through the venue's box office.
🏥 Scarborough emergency waits worse than York. A trust report says Scarborough Hospital has a higher proportion of waits exceeding 12 hours than York. Shortages of senior doctors, particularly overnight, are contributing to delays.
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🏮 Lanterns return to Peasholm Park. Moonlight on the Lake runs on October 23-24, with hundreds of handmade lanterns and new designs marking Scarborough's 400th anniversary. Adults pay £3 plus a 50p booking fee; children aged 15 and under go free.
🏠 Hunmanby's affordable homes get underway. Construction has started on 15 affordable homes in Hunmanby, backed by £435,000 from the second homes council tax premium. Due by autumn 2027, they will prioritise people with a local connection.
🏘️ Scarborough seeks shared housing controls. Scarborough Town Council wants planning permission for shared housing conversions. North Yorkshire Council says more evidence is needed before introducing restrictions on converting family homes.
🏉 Scarborough rugby club expansion approved. Councillors unanimously approved Scarborough Rugby Club's expansion in Scalby, including an artificial training pitch, covered stand, third padel court and indoor rugby fives courts. They overturned officers' recommendation to refuse it over landscape concerns.
✈️ Leeds Bradford strike threat remains. Air traffic controllers have paused their October 16-18 strike to consider a pay offer. Other staff could still strike if they reject theirs; further action threatens half-term flights from October 23 to November 2.
🚌 Mayor urges coordinated bus buying. Mayor David Skaith wants coordinated orders for British-built buses to support manufacturers including Scarborough's Alexander Dennis, which employs around 700 people. He warns large city orders could leave smaller regions waiting years.
🏘️ Cayton housing raises infrastructure concerns. Councillor Roberta Swiers says Cayton's planned housing expansion of more than 2,000 homes needs matching healthcare and transport provision. Seamer station's limited parking is among her concerns.
🚧 Whitby's Blue Bank faces daytime closures. The A169 Blue Bank maintenance closure runs October 19-23, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm daily. No pedestrian access is available during works; staff will help manage access to properties and businesses within the closure.
📚 1,000 free books for Whitby. Whitby Lit Fest's free Quick Reads giveaway starts November 19, placing short, accessible stories in fish and chip shops, bus shelters and charity groups. The books aim to help people build reading confidence.
🛟 Scarborough lifeboat rescue features on BBC. Scarborough and Bridlington crews' Storm Amy rescue operation features in Saving Lives at Sea, also available on BBC iPlayer. Volunteers helped a Dutch trawler that lost power 13 miles offshore in October 2025.
🍽️ Chameleon seeks pavement seating licence. The Bar Street restaurant has applied for an updated pavement dining licence covering six tables and 24 chairs. Residents have until October 22 to comment on the application.
🦇 Whitby Abbey tops vampire destinations list. Lonely Planet ranks Whitby Abbey first among its 10 global vampire hunting spots in Secret Wonders of the World, recognising its links to Bram Stoker's Dracula. The list spans locations from New Orleans to Romania.
🚗 Whitby mayor challenges parking restrictions. Mayor Sandra Turner wants assurances against further parking meters and fewer disc spaces, citing difficulties for residents. North Yorkshire Council says it is gathering evidence; no proposals have reached the area committee for approval.
⭐ Readers’ Choice: Top Posts From Last Issue
🚉 Station Gateway Finally Gets Go-Ahead. Revised plans for Scarborough's Station Gateway scheme were approved on 8 October.
🧸 A Bear's Tour of Scarborough. Russ Walker's rhyming picture book, Bear Visits Scarborough, covers the harbour, castle and North Bay Railway.
🎸 The Manfreds Return to the Spa. Original Manfred Mann members Paul Jones and Tom McGuinness bring The Manfreds' live show on Friday 20 Nov.
🎸Events, Activities & Live Music
We keep it short here - head to our EVENTS PAGE for links and future events.
Thursday, 15 October
09:45 🎳 Social Bowls (Thu) - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
10:15 🎨 Crossgates Art Club - Crossgates Community Centre
18:30 🎨 Evening Art Session - Robin Hood's Bay Studio & Gallery
19:00 🧠 Quiz Night - Brew & Bao, Scarborough
19:00 🎶 Francis Rossi Songbook: Quo - Scarborough Spa
19:00 🍺 A Taste of Wold Top - Haddock Hideaway, Scarborough
19:30 🗣️ Debating Club - Newby & Scalby Library, Scarborough
20:00 🧠 Quiz Night - The Tunny Catch, Scarborough
20:00 🎶 An Evening With… Alastair James - The Crescent Lounge, Scarborough
20:00 🧠 Big Quiz with Growler - The Crown Tavern, Scarborough
20:30 🧠 Quiz Night - Highlander Hotel, Scarborough
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Friday, 16 October
09:45 🎳 Social Bowls (Fri) - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
10:00 💃 Easy Sequence Dancing (Fri) - Cayton Village Hall
13:00 🧵 SEWcial Sewing & Textile - Stitched by the Beach, Scarborough
18:00 💃 Line Dancing - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
18:30 🧘 Aerial Pilates & Soundbath - Reform Fit, Scarborough
19:00 🎳 Social Bowls (Fri Evening) - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
19:00 🎶 The Alan Fletcher Band - St Mary's Church, Scarborough
19:15 🔭 Scarb Astro: "Particle Physics for Astronomers" - East Ayton Village Hall
19:30 🎧 Northern Soul Weekender 2026 - Scarborough Spa
19:30 🎭 All At Sea - Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
19:30 😂 The Comedy Store on Tour - Scarborough Spa
20:30 🎤 Open Mic Night - The Crescent Lounge, Scarborough
21:00 🎶 Live Music Night (Fri) - The Merchant Irish Bar, Scarborough
Saturday, 17 October
09:00 🏃 Scarborough Woodlands Parkrun - Graffiti Bridge, Scarborough
11:30 🧘 Yogalates - Alexandra Community Centre, Scarborough
12:00 🎧 Northern Soul Weekender 2026 - Scarborough Spa
19:00 🍺 Oktoberfest 2026 - Scarborough Open Air Theatre
19:00 💃 Easy Sequence Dancing (Sat) - Cayton Village Hall
19:00 👻 Dark Tales walking tour - To The Grand Hotel, Scarborough
19:30 🎶 Sky Full of Stars: A Tribute to Coldplay - Scarborough Spa
19:30 🎭 All At Sea - Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
21:00 🎶 Live Music Night (Sat) - The Merchant Irish Bar, Scarborough
Sunday, 18 October
09:00 🛍️ Scarborough Outdoor Market - South Bay, Scarborough
13:00 🎧 Northern Soul Weekender 2026 - Scarborough Spa
16:00 🎤 Under 20s Open Mic - The Crescent Lounge, Scarborough
17:00 🎯 Sunday Socials - Haddock Hideaway, Scarborough
19:00 🎶 Sunday Sessions - The Crescent Lounge, Scarborough
📅 Got A Local Event To Share? Submit Here (8 days before the event date)
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Sue | Editor | The Scarborough Insider
