Man jailed for indecent exposure at Harrogate Library

A Knaresborough man has been jailed after admitting committing indecent exposure at Harrogate Library and on Kingsley Drive.

Billy Wood, 30, of Windsor Lane, was charged with committing the offences in summer last year.

He also pleaded guilty to using abusive words with intent to cause fear of violence and two counts of possessing cannabis.

Wood appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court to be sentenced yesterday.

Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting, told the court the 30-year-old had been reported masturbating in front of staff in Harrogate Library on July 15, 2022.

The following month on August 11, a resident on Kingsley Drive saw a man wearing a white England football shirt across from his house in front of a neighbour’s property.

Reading the witness statement, Ms Tyrer said Wood had been sat on the garden wall and then walked across the driveway.

Wood then proceeded to masturbate in the street in front of the house, the court heard, and the resident called the police.

The witness said:

“I began to feel worried for my neighbour as I was aware she lived alone.”

After arresting Wood, police said the woman was informed of the incident and that she was unaware of his actions.

The 30-year-old was also found to be in possession of cannabis when taken to custody at Harrogate Police Station.

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Wood was also convicted of using threatening and abusive language towards bar staff in The Crown in Knaresborough in July 2022 after he was refused drinks, which staff suspected were being bought for customers who had already been refused them.

Police also found him to be in possession of cannabis after he was arrested on that night.

Sean Wilson, defending for Wood, told the court the 30-year-old had an undiagnosed mental health condition and that he was a drug user.

Mr Wilson said that the defendant had reduced his drug use and needed mental health support rather than a custodial sentence.

He said:

“He has reduced the amount of substances he has been taking. He does have an addictive personality.”

Mr Wilson added a prison sentence would be “more of a crash to his system” by removing access to drugs, but would not give him the mental health support he needed.

However, Magistrate Ms Allan sentenced Wood to 32 weeks in prison for the public exposure offences and a six-week sentence to be served concurrently for the threatening of violence charge.

She told Wood the sentence was “for the protection of the public”.

He was made to pay a victim surcharge of £154 and £85 in court costs.

Wood was also ordered to sign onto the sex offenders’ register for five years upon release.

Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park set for £140,000 resurfacing

Dragon Road car park in Harrogate looks set to undergo a £140,000 resurfacing.

Harrogate Borough Council has advertised for a contractor for the scheme on the government’s procurement portal.

The authority is looking to resurface the car park because it has become worn.

According to the advertisement, the contract is due to start on January 30.

The car park had been earmarked as a potential site to create affordable flats or extra care housing.

However, senior borough councillors decided to pause the plans in November in order for the site to continue to support parking at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Cllr Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at the council, proposed the authority should ensure that “adequate parking for Harrogate Convention Centre associated vehicles take primacy over site redevelopment”.

He added that the council should “pause consideration of this site until it is clear that the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment will be able to accommodate exhibition traffic on site”.

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North Yorkshire Police faces £8m in inflation costs

North Yorkshire Police faces additional costs of £8 million due to inflation this year.

At a meeting of North Yorkshire’s Police Fire and Crime Panel today, the commissioner’s office outlined how the force faced pressures due to rising utility bills, salaries and rising costs of supplies.

Michael Porter, the commissioner’s finance director, warned that even the maximum permitted council tax precept increase of £15 would not be enough to cover the figure.

He said:

“All of the options in front of us at this point in time leave us with a deficit or required savings target.

“Whether or not we go for a 1.99% increase, a £10 increase or a £15 increase.”

Mr Porter told the meeting that once investment in the force’s control room and extra recruitment was factored in on top of inflation, the police faced costs of £13.6 million.

The government has given police commissioners the power to increase the force’s share of council tax by £15 before a referendum has to be held.

A £15 hike in the police precept would be the equivalent of a 5.34% increase and see the force’s share of council tax rise to £296 for a band D property.

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But the commissioner’s office has estimated that the maximum precept increase would still leave around £4.7 million in savings required.

However, Mr Porter said that he was confident that the commissioner’s office had enough reserves to cover inflationary pressures next year.

He said:

“We do have an element of a reserve which is going to be specifically set aside next year for pay and inflationary pressures.

“I think it’s very important for us to have that so we don’t have to make any knee-jerk, in-year decisions and reductions.”

Conservative crime commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, is expected to outline her budget plans for fire and police services in February.

The consultation into police and fire precepts closes on January 16, 2023. You can take part in the survey here.

Court martial trial begins for instructor at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College

A trial has opened into allegations of sexual offences by an instructor at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College.

Cpl S Bartram is charged with a number of offences including sexual assault, harassment, perverting the course of justice and disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind.

The trial began at Catterick Court Martial Centre on Monday.

The Army Foundation College, on Penny Pot Lane, provides 23-week and 49-week basic training courses to junior soldiers aged 16 to 18.

The trial is scheduled to last for two weeks.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate opticians donates high-visibility vests to primary school

Now is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. We are encouraging businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district to enter for our awards and get recognition from our top panel of judges. Entries close on January 16.

A Harrogate opticians has donated high visibility vests to a local school.

Specsavers on Beulah Street donated the jackets to St Robert’s Catholic Primary School to help children stay safe on school trips during winter.

Fraz Khan, store director, said:

“The winter weather, fog, rain and darkness that closes in early in the afternoons make it more difficult for drivers to see pedestrians, and especially children.

“By providing the high visibility jackets to our neighbouring school, we can help to tackle concerns around road safety and make it easier for children to be seen. As part of the initiative, we are also hoping to raise awareness of regular eye test for children, as untreated sight problems can lead to more serious issues in the long term, if not addressed.”

Miss Collins, headteacher at St Robert’s, added: 

“We’re really grateful to have received this donation, the vests will be so helpful in making sure the children are clearly visible when we take them on trips and visits and means that adventures outside of the classroom don’t have to be put on hold until the spring.”

Housing developer hosts energy saving event at Harrogate scheme

A housing developer is set to host an energy saving event at its Harrogate scheme to help new homeowners.

Redrow will host a series of events at its Granby Meadows development between Saturday (January 14) and Sunday (January 22).

Prospective homebuyers will also be able to use Redrow’s energy performance certificate calculator tool, which is designed to help people compare the energy savings to their current properties and highlight the benefits of a newbuild.

James Holmear, director of Redrow, said:

“Our research shows people are more eco conscious than ever before and are looking at ways to be even more energy efficient, especially in relation to their homes.”

For more information, visit the Redrow website here.

GPs ‘extremely concerned’ about new housing in Harrogate

NHS managers have objected to plans for 49 homes at Kingsley Farm in Harrogate and warned that the town’s health infrastructure has “very limited capacity”.

The homes, which have been proposed by Quarterly Kingsley Ltd, are earmarked for the north and north east of the site off Kingsley Road.

The developer said in a planning statement submitted to Harrogate Borough Council the scheme would help to offer a “sense of place”.

However, Nick Brown, of the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, has objected to the plan.

In a letter to the council, he warned GPs were “extremely concerned” about further development within Harrogate.

He said:

“As primary care providers, the GPs and primary care networks are extremely concerned regarding any proposals for further residential development within Harrogate.

“The existing health infrastructure in Harrogate already operates above optimum capacity and has very limited capacity to absorb additional pressures.

“Primary care and community services within the area are already running at, or far beyond their existing capacity.”

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The Kingsley area has seen multiple planning applications lodged to build houses on Kingsley Farm, including a revised proposal for 162 homes by Persimmon Homes.

Residents in the area have long held concerns about the amount of housebuilding in the area and its affect on traffic, noise and loss of green space.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the Kingsley Farm proposal at a later date.

Ouseburn Green councillor calls for greater climate focus on agriculture

An Ouseburn councillor has said a new North Yorkshire County Council strategy to tackle carbon emissions and climate change should focus more on agriculture.

Senior councillors are expected next week to approve opening a public consultation on a draft climate change strategy.

The strategy aims to make North Yorkshire the first carbon negative region in the country, meaning more carbon dioxide emissions would be removed from the atmosphere than emitted.

The document sets out how the new North Yorkshire Council, which will launch on April 1, will develop work already underway to reduce carbon emissions.

Initiatives include producing more renewable energy, reducing the use of fossil fuels, improving insulation in homes, encouraging the use of low-emission vehicles and promoting more active travel such as cycling and walking.

However, Cllr Arnold Warneken, a Green Party member who represents Ouseburn on the council, said the strategy proposed little on how to tackle emissions from the agriculture sector.

Figures show North Yorkshire produced 5,829 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (kt co2e) in 2020, with agriculture equating to a third of the total, transport responsible for 28% and 19% coming from homes.

Cllr Warneken said:

“While the plan is claimed to be ambitious we seem unwilling to address the issue of agriculture and cite what other organisations are doing as opposed to what we propose to do, as at the moment that is nothing.

“We could at least start by looking at the farms we own and then move on to working with likes of the National Farmers Union who have their own targets and strategy which we could work with. For example being more supportive of applications for renewables on farms that wish to produce energy for their own use and that of the local communities.”

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Work already undertaken in the county to tackle carbon emissions includes the installation of energy-saving LED street lighting, energy efficient improvements to buildings and trialling the use of electric vehicles.

The route map for the region to become carbon negative by 2040 has been spearheaded by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and has seen a plan drawn up to involve the public sector, businesses and communities.

Conservative Cllr Greg White, executive councillor for climate change on the council, said: 

“Climate change is without question the greatest threat that the world faces, and is already impacting on communities across the globe.

“We have seen an increasing frequency of extreme weather conditions here in North Yorkshire and across the UK as a whole, which scientists tell us is clear evidence of significant changes in our climate.

“Without clear and decisive action, the situation will only get worse. However, we are committed to ensuring that we have a comprehensive strategy in North Yorkshire, especially as we look towards the launch of the new authority this spring.”

Business Breakfast: Last remaining days for Stray Ferret Business Awards entries

Now is your time to shine with the Stray Ferret Business Awards. We are encouraging businesses of all sizes from right across the Harrogate district to enter for our awards and get recognition from our top panel of judges. Entries close on January 16.

There are only a few days left to send in entries for the Stray Ferret Business Awards as the closing date approaches. 

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, is on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate and will celebrate success and excellence in the business community across the district. 

The closing date for entries for the 10 categories is on Monday 16th. 

The judging panel will meet a week today so submissions cannot be accepted after the closing date.

The event promises to be a celebration of local business – the key note speaker is the Chief Executive of the new North Yorkshire Council, Richard Flinton.

New forager to be showcases at Ripon Farm Services show

Ripon Farm Services is set to showcase its new forager at its new year show next week.

The John Deare 9700 will be unveiled at the event at the Great Yorkshire Showground on Wednesday, January 18.

The show will be held over two-days and showcases leading agricultural machinery.

Geoff Brown, managing director of Ripon Farm Services, said: 

“We can’t wait to welcome our customers and guests for what promises to be a very busy event, for the first time since the global pandemic hit three years ago, our show is back to normal, without any covid-related restrictions. 

“We are absolutely delighted to be showcasing John Deere’s pioneering self-propelled 9700 forager harvester model. We are confident this new machine, following on from the success of John Deere’s 8000 Series, will prove a very popular attraction.

“In addition, we are featuring the latest innovations from our Technology Team to help our customers reduce input costs and improve profitability through more efficient production.” 

For more information on the Ripon Farm Services new year show, visit the company website here.

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Second consultation to be held on whether to form Harrogate town council

A second consultation is to be launched into the creation of a Harrogate town council.

North Yorkshire County Council will write to households across Harrogate as part of an eight-week survey starting on February 20.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council.

The second consultation is expected to be more detailed than the first one, which merely invited people to say whether they supported the idea.

Residents will be sent information including the number of councillors, assets and reasons for why it is needed.

A further survey on the matter was approved by senior county councillors today.

The areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town council.

The areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town council.

Cllr Michael Harrison, the Conservative executive member for health and adult services who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, said while he supported the second consultation, he had reservations over the town council.

He said:

“Members will be aware of my concerns more generally about proceeding to the next stage of consultation. I have made my views both informally and on a one-to-one basis.

“We are removing a layer of local government by moving to a unitary authority and we are immediately going to be replacing it in the Harrogate area with another, so there is an underlying concern there.

“We are creating a likely future tax liability on a population without any real idea of what that tax would be or what the residents would get for paying that tax and I think that was one of the comments that came back in the consultation.”

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However, Cllr Harrison added he understood it would be “an anomaly” to leave an unparished area in a county full of parish areas.

He said:

“I do acknowledge that there is an aspiration for double devolution with the new unitary council which clearly you could not achieve without a town or parish council for Harrogate.”

The consultation is set to be held instead of a local referendum, which the county council said was not “legally possible” after a request from Harrogate Borough Council.

The county council added it could not “fetter its discretion” to hold a referendum and that a further survey of residents may elicit a similar outcome.

Cllr Harrison told senior councillors that it was “vital” that every household was written to as part of the consultation in the absence of a referendum.

Police commissioner given power to hike council tax by £15

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has been given the power to increase the police’s share of council tax by £15 this year.

Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative commissioner, is currently consulting on her budget plans for police and fire services for 2023.

The government has given commissioners the power to increase the force’s share of council tax by £15 before a referendum has to be held.

It has also set a £5 limit on the fire service precept.

A £15 hike in the police precept would be the equivalent of a 5.34% increase and see the force’s share of council tax rise to £296 for a band D property.

Ms Metcalfe has previously warned North Yorkshire Police needs £12 million in extra funding to tackle rising costs, including salary increases and rising cost of fuel and utilities.

She said previously:

“One of my roles is to set the precepts for North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, something every commissioner has to do every year.

“It is never easy asking for more money, and I know that many individuals and families are facing financial pressures, but our emergency services are also dealing with rising costs as they continue their vital work to keep us all safe.

“This year is particularly challenging as I have to balance the burden on taxpayers and the growing demands for services from our police and fire and rescue services, so it’s vital that I hear your views.”

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A £15 increase would see an additional £4.7 million in funding compared with last year’s precept level.

The commissioner’s office says the force has a budget of £191 million — 45% of which comes from council tax payers.

Meanwhile, a £5 increase for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue would equate to a 6.6% increase in its precept.

It would raise £1.5 million and “would lead to no reductions in planned levels of service delivery”, according to a report by the commissioner’s office.

Ms Metcalfe is expected to outline her budget plans for fire and police services in February 2023.

The consultation into police and fire precepts closes on January 16, 2023. You can take part in the survey here.