John Blackie: Devoted Yorkshire Dales councillor awarded honour three years after death

More than three years after the death of Yorkshire Dales councillor John Blackie, members of North Yorkshire County Council voted to grant him its highest accolade of honorary alderman due to his eminent service to the authority.

The award was presented to the late Independent councillor’s partner and successor as Hawes councillor Jill McMullon as five former Conservative councillors also received the top recognition in a ceremony at County Hall, in Northallerton. The six awards marked a total of almost 150 years of service to England’s largest county.

Coun McMullon told the meeting how Mr Blackie had been proud to lead the county’s influential health scrutiny committee to challenge the NHS and that his achievements in the Upper Dales ranged from creating a community office, library and post office to a community-run fuel station.

Just a week before his death, Mr Blackie spearheaded a partnership with Newcastle Building Society to retain banking services in the community office following the announcement that the last bank in the town was to close. The society has since opened a banking hub in Knaresborough library.

Coun McMullon told the packed council chamber where Mr Blackie made many impassioned speeches: “The day before John died he said ‘Jill, I’d better get better soon. I have too much to do, I can’t let people down. What other person would have still been fighting for others when he should have been fighting for himself?”

Accepting his alderman award, farmer and long-serving chairman of the council’s planning committee Peter Sowray, who represented Easingwold from 1989 to 2022, reflected on his contribution to North Yorkshire life. He said his proudest achievements at the council included fast-tracking flood prevention measures for places such as Ripon and Malton.

The committed Tory added he was also proud of leading the authority’s planning committee to decide in favour of controversial schemes such the Allerton Park incinerator over fracking in Ryedale, rather than concede to some very well organised objections.

Other recipients included Helen Swiers, who represented Scalby and the Coast, the Esk Valley division and latterly Filey and told members it had been a privilege to serve the people of North Yorkshire and Cliff Trotter, the Pannal and Lower Wharfedale councillor from 1997 to 2022.

During the meeting he spoke of his “honour” in accepting the award, adding his “time on the council has been really enjoyable”.

Former Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside ward member Val Arnold and ex-Stllington division councillor Caroline Patmore were also voted in as aldermen of the authority, with both underlining how they had enjoyed representing their communities.

Mrs Patmore added: “My work was inspired by the beautiful North York Moors National Park and all the fantastic work that goes on. I also funded local initiatives such as improvements to the village hall which I’m really proud of.”