by Rebecca Hannant
All parish councillors in Long Riston have resigned amid growing concern over the future of the village hall following months of dispute over its management and funding.
In a statement published on social media, Riston Parish Council confirmed that the resignations of all parish councillors had been formally submitted on January 23, 2026.
It also confirmed that the parish clerk has now left her role, having worked her contractual notice period throughout January, with her final working day being January 30.
As a result, East Riding Council will provide interim support during a temporary period to ensure the continued administration of the parish. This will include assistance with appointing temporary councillors and supporting the re-establishment of the parish council as swiftly as possible.
During the interim period, residents have been advised to direct any concerns relating to parish matters to one of the ward councillors, who are Samantha Christon-Whyte, John Holtby and Amanda Talbot. Matters relating specifically to the village hall should be raised directly with the caretaker. Further information and updates will be published in due course.
The village hall, considered a community staple in Long Riston, has become the focus of concern in recent weeks amid disagreement over who will be responsible for running it in the future.
The hall was established in 1923 by the Women’s Institute, reimagined in 1974 by the Village Hall Committee and extended in 1994 by Riston Parish Council. In 1991, the independent Village Hall Committee folded, with the parish council stepping in to run the hall.
According to a concerned resident from the Save Our Village Hall Group, who did not wish to be named, tensions began in May last year when the parish council decided to withdraw financial support for the hall, which is funded through the parish precept in Riston and Arnold.
The parish council then approached the Playing Fields Committee to ask whether it would take over running the village hall, but the committee said it was unable to do so.
In November, the parish council advertised that the village hall would be run by the Playing Fields Committee. The committee then informed residents via social media and advertisements that, without other options, the hall would have to close on March 31.
The resident said their understanding was that the Playing Fields Committee would be responsible for managing the day-to-day running of the hall.
However, the issue is that the committee, which was formed in 1991, has never actually run the village hall during the past 35 years. Some paperwork suggested it should take responsibility, while other documentation suggested it should not. The committee itself said it was not in a position to take the hall on.
Despite this, the parish council advertised that the transfer of responsibility was going ahead, even though nothing had been formally agreed. The Playing Fields Committee stated that if the transfer was forced through, the hall would have to close.
The announcement led residents to raise concerns about the future of the much-loved community asset, which hosts many village activities and groups, including church coffee mornings, the toddler group, the horticultural show, Young Farmers Club, youth club, crafting club, flower arranging groups, private hire, music club, luncheon club and baking group.
Closure would also affect community fundraising events, committee meetings, including parish council business, and other village activities.
Local resident Daisy Fox, 39, said: “I can see both sides of the situation. It’s an old building and it has an asbestos roof, so it certainly needs some money investing into it or a rebuild. It’s important for the community to have that space.
“I know there’s a playgroup that runs out of it. In terms of village halls, it is quite well used. It has regular groups going on there. The kids used to go and it was valuable.
“I also understand the pressure and constraints, and financially it’s possibly not viable. When you look at other villages such as Bewholme and Withernwick, they’ve lost theirs and sadly that could be the situation here. It’s worth saving if they can.”
In mid-January, a campaign titled Save Our Village Hall was launched after it was announced that, without other options, the hall faced permanent closure.
On Saturday, January 17, a short-notice meeting was held at the village hall, attended by around 30 residents who shared ideas on how the hall could be saved. A second meeting, attended by more than 70 residents along with the Playing Fields Committee and the parish council, took place on Wednesday, January 21.
During that meeting, the parish council explained its decision to stop funding the hall, while residents expressed their concerns about its future and said they were willing to continue supporting it through the parish precept. The Playing Fields Committee also agreed to work with the parish council to find a way forward.
Former parish councillor Andy Taylor asked whether the parish council would continue to fund the hall into the next year to allow time for alternative options to be explored.
Mid Holderness ward councillors Samantha Christon-Whyte and John Holtby were also in attendance and suggested that an application could be made to East Riding Council to add the hall to the authority’s Community Asset Register.
Cllr Christon-Whyte said: “It is obvious to all that governance has broken down, communication has broken down, and residents are stuck in the middle.
“That’s not acceptable when the outcome could be the loss of a village hall used by families, young people, older residents, community groups and the village school.
“I’ve asked East Riding Council officers for clarification on the governance and funding position, and I’m also reaching out to the chairs of both the parish council and the Playing Fields Committee. I hope to speak with them this week. My priority is simple: to help find a way forward that avoids closure and puts the village first.”
Two days after the meeting, all parish councillors resigned, along with the parish clerk.
In the wake of the resignations, residents have begun organising themselves into new groups aimed at safeguarding the hall’s future. These include a group exploring becoming new parish councillors or being co-opted once the council is re-established, a group forming a charitable Village Hall Committee to enable access to grant funding, and a Friends of the Village Hall group.
A member of the Save Our Village Hall Group said: “It’s a shame it came to this. I’m sure the councillors cared about the community, but the community didn’t really understand what the council’s plan was.
“Cllr Christon-Whyte put it well when she said it felt like the parish council were doing things to the community, not for the community. There wasn’t enough consultation.
“If you consult people, they’ll tell you what they want. If you make decisions without them, problems follow, and that’s what happened.”
Talks are ongoing.
The Gazette has approached East Riding Council for comment.