A PUBLIC meeting is to be held in a village in North Yorkshire, where a row over school-run parking has shattered the community’s usually tranquillity.

On Thursday Carlton-in-Cleveland Parish Council will be holding its annual village meeting and is inviting people to use the opportunity to discuss the issue in full.

The parish council says the meetings traditionally give organisations such as churches and sports clubs the chance to report their activities over the past year, but said this year the subject of car parking is likely to generate more controversy than usual in the rural area near Stokesley.

Complaints about vehicle exits being temporarily blocked by parkers dropping off children attending the village’s only school, Carlton and Faceby Primary School, prompted local parish councillors to go out in January with high-visibility jackets and approach drivers who appeared to be blocking driveways and side roads.

The parish council said while some drivers were quick to cooperate, others were obstructive and even abusive.

The issue has been compounded by the disappearance of a footpath used by children, parents and school staff immediately adjacent to the school.

When shrubs were planted in the frontage of a cottage in the village, a time-honoured short cut was blocked, forcing school children into the main road through Carlton.

Although the road is wide at this point, parked cars cause a further blockage which gives pedestrians no alternative but to walk on the road.

Complainants include Bob Jinks who organised a recent on-line petition protesting about the danger.

The petition was closed after attracting well over 100 signatures.

According to County Councillor Bryn Griffiths, North Yorkshire County Council is unlikely to respond to any requests for new pedestrian pavements as there have been no recorded accidents in the vicinity of the school.

Other people have pointed out to the parish council that there have been no accidents because until recently children could cut across the land in front of the cottage - an act which has been banned by the school.

The annual village meeting will be used as an open forum to discuss the issue, and the police have also indicated they will be present to contribute to the debate.

The meeting will take place in Carlton-in-Cleveland Village hall at 7.30pm.