County name revivals spark Yorkshire row

Trouble has flared up in Yorkshire as the return to old county names and implementation of new identities comes to a head.

Environment Secretary John Gummer has confirmed that North Yorkshire County Council will be called the County of North Riding of Yorkshire from April 1996, as part of the Boundary Commission’s recommendations (DW 19 January).

But North Yorkshire County Council’s chief executive John Ransford criticises the name change as “completely barmy”, claiming it will cost the authority ú1m in a new identity programme.

A spokesman for the countycouncil, which has an in-house graphic design team, says “any name change will be phased in”.

Founder member and chairman of East Yorkshire Action Group, Trevor Pearson heads the campaign for the return of West Riding, East Riding and North Riding, all of which were abolished in 1974.

He says the cost of implementing an identity for North Riding would not cost ú1m. “Things do not need to be done immediately,” he adds.

The date has yet to be set for the next local government review, where a return to the old county boundaries will be discussed.

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