A PEOPLE'S panel has given high marks to North Yorkshire County Council staff in a survey.

A total of 1,353 members of the council's panel, established from the public to give independent verdicts on council services, responded.

Of those who had been in contact with council staff during the past 12 months, 93 per cent considered them courteous.

The same percentage thought staff had listened to their concerns while 89 per cent added they had been helpful.

However, 23 per cent of the panel thought staff had not provided the advice, information and support needed.

And 12 per cent reported a member of staff promised to get back to them but did not do so.

Seventy-four per cent recalled getting a copy of The Reporter, the council's official newspaper, with 93 per cent of those saying they had read it. Seven per cent reported never having received it.

Three-quarters thought its twice-a-year publication was "about right."

On responses involving North Yorkshire Police services, 73 per cent felt safe walking in their area during the dark, an increase from last year's figure of 68 per cent.

Thirty-one per cent "very concerned" about drug dealing, compare with 45 per cent last year.

On burglary, 35 per cent were "very concerned", dropping from 42 per cent earlier.

Membership of the panel has been expanded - it now has 2,066 members - evenly spread around the county, from Harrogate, Selby, Scarborough, Ryedale, Richmondshire, Hambleton and Craven.

The council says information provided by the panel helps to identify where it needs to improve services, and in developing staff to deal with the public.