'Wonderful' news hailed as Knaresborough Remembrance Sunday parade is to go ahead thanks to town council

The British Legion raised the alarm after a joint letter by North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council Highways department in the summer advised local charities that – in line with national policy – police resources would now be focused on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, rather than closing roads for Remembrance Day events.

The charity feared that this year's annual Remembrance Sunday Parade in Knaresborough – from the church service at St John's Church to the War memorial in the Castle grounds – was at risk of not taking place for the first time in its history.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones joined the clamour, saying he was “surprised and disappointed” by the decision by the police, who, in turn, defended themselves saying they remained supporters of Remembrance Day itself.

Now, after Knaresborough Town Council, the parade is safe – for this year, at least.

David Houlgate, Vice-Chair of Knaresborough Royal British Legion, said: "We are so pleased to announce that at a recent Knaresborough Town Council meeting, the Town Council's Finance and General Purposes Committee resolved to give their clerk delegated powers to engage a traffic management company to manage the road closure on Sunday, November 12 to allow the parade from St John’s Church to the war memorial to take place as usual.

"This is wonderful news for the town and the RBL but most importantly it enables us all to commemorate in the traditional way and thank those who have lost their lives in the service of their country as well as those who have served and continue to serve to this day,” Mr Houlgate added.

"It would seem that the sense of community is very much alive and kicking and we wish to place on record our thanks to Knaresborough Town Council for their intervention.”

The town council is talking to a traffic management company to make the appropriate arrangements for the parade.