NORTH Yorkshire County Council’s new chairman has pledged to champion the role of volunteers across the region’s communities.

Councillor David Jeffels, one of the country’s longest-serving senior councillors, paid tribute to the work of “unsung heroes”, the many volunteers that continue to work in partnership with the county council to deliver the services communities want despite the authority’s “shrinking budgets”.

In his inaugural chairman’s speech to the county council, Coun Jeffels announced a new annual community awards scheme to recognise and celebrate voluntary work carried out countywide.

He said that community organisations and individual volunteers make a huge contribution to lives across North Yorkshire, aiding the council in delivering critical services and providing social networks that reduce isolation enabling people to live independently.

Coun Jeffels has served on the county council for 12 years where he has been chairman of the care and independence committee and transport, economy and environment committee.

He has been a member of Scarborough Borough Council for 42 years and is also the longest-serving member of the North York Moors National Park Authority.