Local government has a new look in Ryedale this week, with a big shake-up in the way the district council is run.

As a result of new legislation introduced by the Government, the traditional system of committees of councillors targeting specific parts of the council's operations - leisure, marketing, tourism, economic development - is to be overhauled.

However, because the size of its population is less than 85,000, Ryedale District Council has been able to develop a more flexible system than other areas.

Council leader Alan Farnaby says Ryedale's system is more geared to the needs of the authority's mainly rural nature.

While many councils have to create a cabinet-structure, Ryedale will have new-style committees involving all of its 23 members.

It has a new policy committee, with nine members under the chairmanship of Coun Keith Knaggs, leader of the Tory group, a general services and licensing committee, which will have seven members and Coun Elizabeth Shields (Lib-Dem) as chairman, while Coun Allin Jenkins (Ind) will be the chairman of the influential scrutiny committee, which will analyse council decisions.

There will also be a standards committee with a chairman appointed from outside the authority, and two area planning committees, one covering the northern area, chaired by Coun Charles Scott (Con), and another for the southern area, chaired by Coun Farnaby (Ind).

But while the new system comes into effect this week, it is on a trial basis for six months, while any flaws in the system are identified.

Coun Farnaby is hopeful that the new system will benefit Ryedale residents because it will enable decisions to be made more quickly.

There will be more delegation of decisions to officers and chairmen, but on such issues as planning, if there is opposition from neighbours or parish councils, the issue will have to go before the area development control committees.

All meetings will be open to the public.