Nigel Adams has been nominated for a peerage as part of Boris Johnson’s resignation honours, according to media reports.
The Selby and Ainsty MP, which includes southern parts of Harrogate, is among 20 people set to be included on the former Prime Minister’s peer list, reports The Times.
Nadine Dorries, former Culture Secretary, Alister Jack, Scotland Secretary, and Alok Sharma the outgoing Cop26 president are also set to be nominated to be elevated to the House of Lords.
Conservative Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, is also reported to be on the list.
Adams, who was a cabinet minister without portfolio in Johnson’s government, has already announced he will stand down at the next general election.
Read more:
- Harrogate district MP Nigel Adams to step down at next election
- Nigel Adams MP’s £33,000 donation from former Russian businessman back in spotlight
He was regarded as a key ally of the former Prime Minister.
Mr Adams was first elected in 2010 and has defended the seat in three subsequent elections.
He currently holds the Selby and Ainsty seat with a majority of 20,137.
Three men arrested after police stop vans on A1(M) near BoroughbridgeThree men have been arrested after police stopped two vans on the A1(M) near Boroughbridge.
North Yorkshire Police identified the vans near junction 48 after acting on intelligence at around 10pm on Sunday (November 6).
Officers stopped one of the vehicles heading southbound and found suspicious items inside.
Two men from the Barnsley area were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle.
Police then spotted the second van, which was towing a horse box, heading further south.
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- Man ordered to pay £1 for role in £500,000 Harrogate cannabis racket
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After officers attempted to stop it, the driver jumped out and ran into the countryside.
A police helicopter was called and guided officers to the suspect in the field.
Officers arrested a man in his 20s from the Durham area on suspicion of vehicle theft and driving without a licence or insurance.
A police statement added:
Harrogate and Knaresborough to have fewer voters under new plans“Enquiries are ongoing and the three men remain in custody at this time.”
The Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency would be reduced in size, under revised plans published today by the Boundary Commission for England.
The commission first published proposals for a shake-up of Harrogate and Knaresborough in June 2021, which included moving Boroughbridge to another seat and shrinking the size of the constituency.
Under today’s revised proposals, the electorate would stand at 75,800. Latest Parliament figures show the current boundary has an electorate of 77,605.
The seat is currently held by the Conservative Andrew Jones.
The latest changes would see Claro ward and areas such as Burton Leonard reintroduced to the constituency from the initial proposals.
However, Boroughbridge would still remain in a newly created seat.
Read more:
- Harrogate and Knaresborough could be shrunk, under parliamentary boundary shake-up
- Harrogate Conservatives breached data rules relating to Lib Dem rival
The commission will now undertake another round of public consultation until December 5 before making recommendations to government.
It will publish a final report on boundary changes in 2023.
Under the current proposals, the number of constituencies in Yorkshire and Humber would remain at 54.
Conservative Nigel Adams’ seat of Selby and Ainsty, which includes the south of Harrogate, would be scrapped.
The Wetherby and Easingwold seat.
Instead, Selby would have its own seat and the north of the district would fall under a new constituency called Wetherby and Easingwold, which would take in areas including Wetherby, Bishop Monkton and Boroughbridge.
The Skipton and Ripon constituency, which is currently represented by Conservative Julian Smith, would include Ripley, which is currently part of Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Tim Bowden, secretary to the Boundary Commission for England, said:
“Today we are announcing the publication of our revised proposals. Last year we published our initial proposals for new constituency boundaries – our first go at what the map should look like. We are delighted with the huge number of comments from members of the public on our initial proposals, many which included valuable evidence about local communities.
“Today’s publication is the culmination of months of analysis and we have revised nearly half of our initial proposals based on what people have told us. We now believe we are close to the best map of constituencies that can be achieved under the rules we are working to.
“However, we still want people to tell us what they think of this latest map before we submit our final recommendations to Parliament next year. This is our final consultation and I encourage you to participate in the 2023 Boundary Review.”
As part of the review, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543.
You can comment on the proposals at the Boundary Commission website here.
Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district updateThe A658 Harrogate Road at Huby will reopen today, but work is continuing in the area which may still cause delays for drivers.
Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.
Roads
Roadworks on the A658 Harrogate Road at Huby have been extended. The road will be open today, but work is continuing at the site between 9.30am and 3pm.
The work is being carried out by North Yorkshire County Council to resurface the road.
There will be stop and go signs in place as the resurfacing continues.
Meanwhile, a closure on Cambridge Road near Tesco in Harrogate town centre is still in place while Northern Powergrid lays a new connection in the area.
The closure is expected to remain until November 11.
Traffic lights on the A59 York Road near the junction with the A658 in Knaresborough are due to remain in place until November 11.
Yorkshire Water has installed four-way traffic lights as it lays a new water main for a housing development.
Drivers are urged to allow extra time if using the route this morning.
Trains and buses
This morning, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal.
Meanwhile, Harrogate Bus Company has put in place some changes to its services as of November 6.
Most of these are minor, but in a more significant change, the 36 will no longer offer ‘neighbourhood journeys’ from Bilton and Jennyfield to Leeds.
The bus company said this is down to low passenger numbers. Passengers can still get tickets through to Leeds if they start their journeys on the 2A, 2B or 3.
Check the full details on the Harrogate Bus Company website.
The bus company is currently reporting cancellations on its 1, 1B and 1D services this morning. You can get updates here.
Read more:
- Harrogate and Knaresborough trains to Leeds to be reinstated in December
- New council plans single taxi licensing for North Yorkshire
Business Breakfast: Harrogate solicitors funds junior staff development
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
A Harrogate solicitors has sponsored three of its junior staff through professional courses and accreditations.
Kirbys Solicitors, which is based on Victoria Avenue, has fully funded the move which it says will help grow the trio’s legal knowledge and business skills.
Among the staff members is Catherine Danks, a probate executive in the private client department, who has just passed all her STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) exams with distinction.
Holly Freeman is on her way to becoming a chartered legal executive specialising in residential conveyancing. She is currently studying towards a qualification with CILEX, the UK’s largest professional body for paralegals.
Meanwhile, administration and IT assistant William Geddes is studying for a City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Business Administration.
David Dow, director of Kirbys Solicitors, said:
“Kirbys has been in Harrogate for more than 250 years and, although our roots are firmly in the past, we recognise the importance of laying foundations for the future and giving our staff the opportunity for career development with us.”
South Stainley pub set to host artisan markets
A South Stainley pub is set to host three artisan Christmas markets this month.
The Inn South Stainley will hold the markets in an effort to showcase the best festive produce from local businesses.
The Inn at South Stainley owners Graham Usher and Matthew Rose.
They will run from 4pm to 8pm on three consecutive Thursdays – November 10, 17 and 24.
The three artisan Christmas markets will feature an array of regional goods including paper crafts, clothes, cards, 3D flowers and models, jewellery, gifts for animal-lovers, Christmas decorations, candles, bath bombs, clothing, bags, cakes, bakes and sweet treats.
Graham Usher, part-owner of the pub, said:
“This is the first time we have hosted an event like this, and the support from businesses has been terrific.
“These markets are an ideal opportunity to do a spot of early Christmas shopping and at the same supporting local, home-grown enterprises. And those attending can browse the stands whilst enjoying a glass of mulled wine, hot chocolate or a Yorkshire Bratwurst sausage from the kitchen BBQ.
“The market will be a great opportunity for shoppers to find Christmas gifts, whilst enjoying the best of Yorkshire food and drink.”
Read more:
- Harrogate swimming club seeks sponsor to keep head above water
- Library seeking volunteers to support Starbeck community this winter
New branding for North Yorkshire Council revealed
County council bosses have unveiled plans for a new brand ahead of the creation of North Yorkshire Council.
The authority will come into force on April 1, 2023, when North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and the other six districts will be abolished.
In a report due before the authority’s executive tomorrow, officials will recommend pressing ahead with proposals to implement a rebrand at a cost of £393,969.
It would see the the new brand included on main access points, libraries, registrar offices, crematoriums, adult social care venues and the county records office.
Much of the cost includes implementing the logo on staff lanyards, letterhead, email, certificates, licences, consents, permissions and orders.
How the new brand will look.
In a report, Vanessa Glover, head of communications, said:
“The design of an identity for North Yorkshire Council has been developed entirely using internal experience and expertise from the eight councils involved in local government reorganisation. There have therefore been no external costs incurred.”
She added:
“The new North Yorkshire Council is legally required to adopt an identity. It is not possible to utilise any of the eight council brands currently in place.
“Therefore, this paper suggests a staged and proportionate approach to satisfying those legal requirements, while recommending a relatively low-cost approach to limited symbolic branding.”
Read more:
- Council explores move to protect Harrogate Convention Centre with limited company status
- Working group set up to steer future of Harrogate Convention Centre
- Harrogate council approves recruitment plan to help under pressure taxation staff
The authority will be legally required to include the brand on certain assets as of April 1, 2023.
This includes council tax bills, employee IDs and tariff boards in all council owned or operated car parks.
However, the council intends to keep district authority branding on some assets until they are worn out.
According to the report, this includes cemeteries, bus stops and wheelie bins.
Harrogate Conservatives breached data rules relating to Lib Dem rivalHarrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Association “failed to comply” with data protection laws after distributing election leaflets which included a Liberal Democrat candidate’s personal details.
The Information Commissioner’s Office found the local Conservative branch published the name and address of Knaresborough councillor Matt Walker during May’s local elections while promoting its own candidate.
In a letter to Cllr Walker following his complaint, the ICO said it found the matter was done without his consent and that it could not constitute a “legitimate or lawful” use of personal data.
It said:
“H&KCA published details of your name and address, without your consent, for the purpose of promoting an alternative candidate in local elections.
“The ICO do not consider this could constitute a legitimate or lawful use of your personal data, and their purpose for publishing and circulating this personal data would not override your individual rights.
“The ICO will now write to H&KCA to advise them of the ICO’s view in this matter.”
Read more:
- Conservative council leader reports Lib Dems to Information Commissioner
- More detail needed on Harrogate district parish council devolved powers, says councillor
The commissioner’s office added it would provide the Conservative association with advice and guidance on “improving their data processing in the future”.
It also said it would take no further action at this time, but would keep a record of complaints against Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives and “take these into account if more are received”.
In a tweet, Cllr Walker said he was “absolutely disgusted” that his personal data was used.
https://twitter.com/MattWalkerLD/status/1588817092744478720
Mr Walker told the Stray Ferret he was at heightened risk of being targeted by anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists because he works for the NHS and helped with vaccination technology.
He added:
“Like many people in my profession, I’ve been warned not to advertise my address. Two MPs have been murdered in the last five years by fanatics. I am disgusted that the Conservatives decided to advertise where I live to thousands of Knaresborough residents.
“Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives have shown a real lack of judgement in misusing personal data and those in charge of their election campaign clearly need additional training.”
Mr Walker added he “looked forward to receiving an apology”.
The Stray Ferret has approached Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives for a response.
In 2020, Conservative Harrogate Borough Council leader, Richard Cooper, sent a letter to the ICO asking for the local Lib Dems’ petitions to be investigated for “data harvesting”.
Cllr Cooper said none of the four petitions were submitted to relevant bodies and were instead an exercise to build a database of contact information.
The Liberal Democrats described the accusations as a ploy to put people off signing petitions but an ICO spokesperson provided the Lib Dems with advice to improve their data protection policies following the complaint.
Harrogate hospital urges visitors to wear masks amid winter covid fearsHarrogate District Hospital has urged people to wear face masks on inpatient wards and practice social distancing amid fears of more covid cases during the winter.
Officials at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust have reiterated the advice for those visiting wards for the protection of staff and patients.
In a statement, the trust said visitors should follow the guidance in order to prevent the spread of the virus within the hospital.
It said:
“Covid has not gone away and it is important that we protect everyone who enters our hospitals.
“As such, anyone entering inpatient areas, such as wards must wear a mask, ensure they sanitise their hands and maintain social distancing.
“Following these protocols will help us to protect our patients, but also our staff, as reducing the risk of our staff catching covid will ensure our patients’ care is not disrupted.”
Read more:
- Staffing problems still affecting mental health services for Harrogate district residents
- Plans submitted to add more bedrooms to Harrogate mental health hospital
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The move comes as health bosses are urging those eligible to book a covid booster vaccine ahead of winter.
In Harrogate, vaccinations are available at the Great Yorkshire Showground site.
This week, walk-in appointments are available every day until Thursday from 8.15am until 5.30pm.
The site will be carrying out vaccinations until November 23 when it closes.
People aged 50 and over, pregnant women, carers, frontline health and care workers, care home residents and people of all ages who are vulnerable are eligible for a covid booster jab now.
Those who are able to book their vaccinations can do so via the NHS website.
The Harrogate district covid infection rate is currently 61 cases per 10,000 people.
Harrogate council approves recruitment plan to help under pressure taxation staffHarrogate Borough Council has approved £42,000 worth of funding in an effort to tackle a work backlog in its revenue department.
The council has faced an increase in workload and staffing shortages during covid and the energy crisis.
In a report to Cllr Graham Swift, cabinet member for economic development and resources, the authority said the response to the pandemic and the £150 energy rebate had increased pressure on “an already busy team”.
The authority now plans to appoint 2.5 full time equivalent staff until March 2023 to help tackle the backlog.
It comes as the government awarded the borough council funding to help cover costs associated with covid and the energy rebate.
A report presented to Cllr Swift by officers said:
“Revenues section has currently been using temporary staffing resources to provide experienced revenues staff with quality assurance checking for both council tax and business rates.
“The ability to extend this provision through to March 31, 2023 will provide resilience and continuation of consistent knowledge within the team to be able to effectively prioritise on clearing the backlog.”
Read more:
- Council explores move to protect Harrogate Convention Centre with limited company status
- Working group set up to steer future of Harrogate Convention Centre
Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district update
Traffic is moving well across the Harrogate district this morning.
However, some long term roadworks remain in place on main routes in the district.
Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.
Roads
Roadworks on the A658 Harrogate Road at Huby have been extended and the road will be closed today between 9.30am and 3pm.
The work is being carried out by North Yorkshire County Council to resurface the road. The council said the breakdown of an asphalt plant has led to the extension.
🚧 Roadworks on the A658 Harrogate Road in #Huby have been extended due to a breakdown of the asphalt plant.
The road will be closed between 9:30am and 3pm today (7 Nov).
The road will be open tomorrow (8 Nov), however a stop/go sign will be in use between 9:30am and 3pm. pic.twitter.com/MOIUjWwrOa
— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) November 7, 2022
The road will be reopened tomorrow with stop and go signs in place.
Traffic lights on the A59 York Road near the junction with the A658 in Knaresborough are due to remain in place until November 11.
Yorkshire Water has installed four-way traffic lights as it lays a new water main for a housing development.
Drivers are urged to allow extra time if using the route this morning.
Work to reconstruct the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley, near Pateley Bridge, is ongoing.
The road is closed and a diversion is in place via Pateley Bridge, the B6451 Dacre, Menwith Hill Road, Duck Street and Greenhow Hill village. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the remainder of the work.
Fell Beck Bridge remains closed for works until November 6, with a diversion in place via Burnt Yates and Summerbridge.
Trains and buses
This morning, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal.
Planned strike action today and Wednesday was suspended by the RMT union.
Meanwhile, Harrogate Bus Company has put in place some changes to its services as of November 6.
Most of these are minor, but in a more significant change, the 36 will no longer offer ‘neighbourhood journeys’ from Bilton and Jennyfield to Leeds.
The bus company said this is down to low passenger numbers. Passengers can still get tickets through to Leeds if they start their journeys on the 2A, 2B or 3.
Check the full details on the Harrogate Bus Company website.
The bus company is currently reporting cancellations on its 1, 1B and 1D services this morning. You can get updates here.
Read more: