Speculation mounts over Harrogate independent candidates after website set up

A new website has fuelled speculation that a wave of independent candidates is being lined up in Harrogate ahead of local elections on May 5.

The website, called Time for a Change, has been shared widely on social media and outlines various planning decisions, publicly-funded projects and traffic schemes in the district made by both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

It includes references to contentious decisions such as housing developments in the Kingsley area and the ongoing Harrogate Station Gateway project.

However, nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the site. There is also the possibility that the new movement could backfire by splitting the opposition vote.

Harrogate Residents Association has been vocal in its criticism of many council schemes and has called for independent candidates to put themselves forward on polling day.

Read more:

But Anna McIntee, co-founder of the association, denied the group was behind the Time for a Change site.

The Time for a Change website, which has been set up and details decisions made by Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

The Time for a Change website.

However, she added the association supported its aims and wanted to see “fresh” candidates on the ballot paper.

Ms McIntee said:

“We are hoping there are some independent candidates to vote for because we want to see change.

“People are fed up. There is nothing fresh. People need to ask: ‘do we want more of the same?’”

Nominations open

Nominations have opened for candidates hoping to become one of the 90 councillors on the new North Yorkshire Council.

Candidates will have until April 5 to put their names forward. Confirmation of those standing for election will be published on April 6.

A total of 13 councillors will be elected in Harrogate and Knaresborough to the new authority, with an average of 6,194 people to each representative.

Meanwhile, those wishing to vote in the upcoming election have until April 14 to register to vote. You can register here.

Harrogate council accounts to be signed off after months of delays

The annual audit of Harrogate Borough Council’s accounts for 2020/21 is set to finally be signed off after months of delays.

Accountancy firm Mazars was due to receive draft financial statements from the council by a deadline of last July, but this did not happen until three months later on October 25.

The delays were blamed on the impacts of the pandemic, local government reorganisation and the launch of the council’s new leisure company.

Mazars senior manager Diane Harold presented an audit completion report to councillors last night when she said the majority of councils across the country had missed a further deadline for publishing their accounts in full.

Speaking at a meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s audit and governance committee, she said: 

“The statutory deadline was the end of November – and the majority of local authorities unfortunately did not achieve that so Harrogate was not alone.

“I would like to highlight the significant cooperation from management that I have had, and the pressures that they have faced.

“That is not to take away from the fact that this is now March, but to recognise there has been a lot of effort to get to this stage.”

Read more:

Ms Harold added the accounts should now be signed off by Mazars “this week or next at the latest”.

Risks highlighted

The audit completion report from the firm details a number of areas which have been highlighted as risks, including “errors” and “inconsistencies” in the council’s valuation of its property and equipment.

The report also said there is a risk that the council’s 2021/22 accounts will not be approved before the authority is replaced by the new North Yorkshire Council in April 2023.

The report added: 

“We have had the full cooperation of management, however, there have been continued delays in responding to queries, in particular in October and November 2021, due to pressures on officers arising from multiple factors, including the impact of the pandemic, local government reorganisation and also the new leisure company.

“Based on arrangements in place for the 2020/21 audit, there is a risk that the 2021/22 financial statements will not be approved by 31 March 2023 i.e. before local government reorganisation.”

11 Welcome to Yorkshire staff made redundant

Nearly half of the total number of staff at Welcome to Yorkshire have been made redundant after the organisation was placed into administration.

Rob Adamson, Michael Kienlen and Daryl Warwick of Armstrong Watson LLP were appointed joint administrators of the troubled tourism body earlier this month.

The move followed “increasingly challenging” financial circumstances for Welcome to Yorkshire, which faced “a task of securing sufficient funding”, according to chairman Sir Peter Box CBE.

In a statement, the administrators said that 11 staff had now been made redundant with 12 retained.

The statement added:

“Welcome to Yorkshire had a number of ongoing projects at the time it was placed into administration.

“The joint administrators are currently engaging with the various stakeholders to determine whether these projects can continue in the short-term whilst they seek to establish whether a buyer can be sought for the business and assets.

“Whilst this process is ongoing, the business is operating using a reduced workforce. Regrettably 11 employees were made redundant on Tuesday with the remaining 12 members of staff currently being retained.

“The joint administrators are aware that Welcome to Yorkshire has a large membership base and the subscription position will be reviewed in the coming days. The joint administrators have been advised that all advance subscriptions were held separately by Welcome to Yorkshire. All relevant parties will be contacted in due course.

“Unfortunately a number of events that were due to take place in the coming weeks will now be cancelled – affected parties will be contacted as soon as possible.”

Controversy and cash flow problems

Administration followed a troubled few years for Welcome to Yorkshire.

In September, James Mason resigned as chief executive and the body had to approach local councils to help bail it out financially during the covid pandemic in 2020.

Read more:

Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council gave Welcome to Yorkshire £31,000 and £290,000 respectively to plug its £1.4 million funding gap.

The body also had to take out a £500,000 loan in September 2019 from North Yorkshire County Council to keep it afloat.

In March 2019 there was controversy when former boss, Sir Gary Verity, resigned on health grounds. He later faced allegations of bullying and inappropriately claiming expenses, which he denied.

Two inquiries carried out after Sir Gary’s resignation cost the tourism body £482,500.

Plan for new Claro Road care home set for approval

Plans to demolish a 20-bed care home on Claro Road in Harrogate and replace it with a new facility have been recommended for approval.

Disability Action Yorkshire has submitted the proposal, which would see a 34-bed facility built on its current site and on adjacent disused land.

The new home would be built in three three-storey blocks and would ease the shortage of accessible supported housing for local disabled people.

Senior Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended that the scheme is approved at a planning committee meeting next week.

Read more:

The proposal consists of 24 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom flats.

Should it be approved, Disability Action Yorkshire plans to complete the scheme in partnership with Highstone Housing Association.

The council agreed to sell the adjacent land to the housing association for an undisclosed sum in November 2021.

It is hoped the project will be completed by the end of 2023.

Masterplan of the care home development on Claro Road as proposed by Disability Action Yorkshire.

Masterplan of the care home development on Claro Road as proposed by Disability Action Yorkshire.

Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, said previously:

“Our vision is to empower disabled people to live the lifestyle of their choosing, and independent living is at the heart of this.

“This is an incredibly exciting move for us, and something we have been planning for a number of years. Our partners, Highstone Housing Association, are experts in building supported housing.

“Whilst they will develop the site, it will be our staff supporting the residents, all of whom will have tailor-made care packages put in place before moving in.

“Our customers at 34 Claro Road have been fully consulted, and they looking forward to having their own front doors.”

Harrogate marketing agency celebrates 20th anniversary

A Harrogate marketing agency is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week.

Extreme was set up by Antony Prince and Mark Gledhill in 2002, predominantly focused on brochure websites and small search engine optimisations projects.

The multi-award-winning team has been in Harrogate’s Windsor House since 2014 and has worked with a range of B2B and B2C local, national and international brands including Severfield plc, Nisa, Lovat Parks, Black Sheep Brewery, Glorious! and Kura Organics.

Antony Prince, managing director, said: 

“20 years in a fast-paced and sometimes fickle industry is something we’re very proud of. We’ve built a fantastic reputation for our creative and technical capabilities and we’ve worked with some amazing brands.”

Theakstons unveils new packaging for festival

Masham-based T&R Theakston is set to launch a limited edition packaging for its Old Peculier beer, ahead of this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

The brewery has repackaged the front of its bottles of Old Peculier to include a bloody thumbprint and the festival logo. Fans of the beer can see the special branding in all shops, and bars and restaurants stocking bottles of Old Peculier.

Simon Theakston, managing director at the brewery, and the packaging for the Old Peculiar.

Simon Theakston, managing director at the brewery, and the packaging for the Old Peculiar.

Simon Theakston, joint managing director of T&R Theakston, said: 

“We have worked closely with Harrogate International Festivals on the Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for almost two decades now, and are so proud of what it has become.

“With household names such as Mark Billingham, Val McDermid and Ian Rankin regularly attending and participating in the festival, and with stories of book deals being signed over a pint of Old Peculier, it truly is the meeting place for anyone who is anyone in the crime writing world. We’re very pleased to relaunch our limited-edition Old Peculier packaging in anticipation of what we’re sure will be another hugely successful festival.”

Read more:

 

Harrogate schoolchildren hold peace walk for Ukraine

More than 200 children from a Harrogate primary school took part in a peace walk for Ukraine this morning.

Pupils from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, on Coppice Rise, walked from the school to St John’s Church on Bilton Lane to raise money and awareness for those fleeing the conflict.

Children were encouraged to come to school dressed in yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukraine flag, for the walk and to make a donation to the UNICEF campaign to support children in the country.

Beforehand, they took part in a liturgy led by pupils from years three and five.

Pupils at St Joseph's with their banners which they created for the Ukraine walk.

Pupils at St Joseph’s with their banners which they created for the Ukraine walk.

Children sang peace hymns for Ukraine, held prayers and read from passages in the Bible.

Rachel Rouse, headteacher at St Joseph’s, said:

“We do a lot of fundraising for other things.

“We felt as a whole school that we needed to do something for Ukraine.”

Read more:

On the walk, pupils were given blue and yellow ribbons and waved banners at passing drivers on Skipton Road.

Once at St John’s, the whole school gathered to sing a hymn to show they were united for Ukraine before returning to finish with further prayers and singing.

You can donate to Unicef’s campaign for children here.

Harrogate stolen bank cards: police release CCTV image of suspect

Police are appealing for information about a man suspected of withdrawing hundreds of pounds on stolen bank cards.

The man is believed to have stolen a purse from an equestrian event at Rudding Lane near Harrogate between 11am and 1.30pm on Sunday, February 6.

Officers believe the purse was stolen from an unoccupied horsebox.

Police enquires have uncovered CCTV footage of the cards being used at cash machines in Wetherby between 1.50pm and 2.15pm the same day.

Cash was taken from the Halifax bank in the Market Place and Sainsbury’s on Crossley Street.

Read more:

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“If you can help identify the man in the CCTV images, please call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Colin Baker. Or email colin.baker@northyorkshire.police.uk.

“If you would prefer to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

“Please quote reference number 12220021901 when providing details.”

Flaxby parish council calls for government to reject eco-homes

Parish councillors in Flaxby have called on the government to refuse a proposal for a nine-home eco-development in the village.

Holmes Planning Ltd has appealed a decision by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse the development off York Road.

It would have seen houses built to environmental standards and include solar panels, air-source heat pumps and super-tight insulation. The houses were planned to be custom built.

Following refusal by the authority, the developer took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

However, in a letter to the government, Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council said the previous reasons for refusal still stand.

Read more:

It added that a lack of custom build homes in the district was “simply not enough of a justification to permit the building of nine individual self-build houses on the land in question”.

The letter said:

“We are parish councillors, ordinary people with neither the skills nor the knowledge to quote such housing policies inside out, simply representing the residents of Flaxby, whose homes and lives would be detrimentally affected should this planning appeal be approved.”

But, in documents submitted for the challenge, the developer argued that there were not enough custom build developments in the district.

It said:

“The appellant submits that the custom self-build deficit is so severe, and likely to get worse, that this material consideration outweighs any departure from the Harrogate District Local Plan and that the appeal site is suitable for custom self-build and the appeal, if allowed, would be secured for custom self-build through the Unilateral Undertaking.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

New North Yorkshire Council chief executive planned for autumn

A chief executive for the upcoming North Yorkshire Council is due to be in place by autumn this year.

The move to a single council will mark the biggest change to local government in North Yorkshire in almost 50 years.

The existing county council and seven district and borough councils will be scrapped to make way for North Yorkshire Council.

This week, senior councillors agreed on an implementation plan for the new authority, which will come into place in April 2023.

As part of the plan, a new senior management board and chief executive will be appointed as part of an open process.

The document before senior councillors said:

“For all posts, but critically those with senior management and leadership responsibilities, it is critically important that the new council has the right people at the right level doing the right things and behaving the right way.”

Details of salary and roles at the new council have yet to be published. 

Current county council chief executive, Richard Flinton, received a total pay packet, including allowances, of £179,431 in 2019/20, according to latest transparency figures published by the authority.

Read more:

Four other senior officers also earn more than £100,000.

Meanwhile, almost all remaining staff will then be transferred across on April 1, 2023, as all services from bin collections to business support, and social care to highways, come under new control.

North Yorkshire councils chief executive salaries:

*Figures are based on each council’s latest transparency information.

Key decisions on the new council, such as its location, decision making and economic strategy, are set to be made after the May elections.

Cllr Graham Swift, deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, was one of several members of a new executive board that approved the implementation plan for the new North Yorkshire Council.

He said while he previously supported a rival vision for two new councils split on an east/west basis, he believed the plan would ensure the single council meets the overall aims of saving money and streamlining services.

Cllr Swift said:

“Today we have got a document in the public domain which I find extremely exciting because it starts to lay out the principles of what the new council can be.

“This is a document which can be used to display with confidence the plans that our councils have, but it will also keep our feet to the fire.”

Elections for the new North Yorkshire Council will be held on May 5. and the deadline to register to vote is April 14. You can register to vote here.

Cosy Club plans new bar on Harrogate’s Cambridge Street

A new cocktail bar and restaurant is planned for Harrogate town centre.

Cosy Club, which is owned by Loungers Ltd, has applied to Harrogate Borough Council for a premises licence at 37 Cambridge Street.

Cambridge Street is home primarily to retailers, including Marks & Spencer, WH Smith and Sainsbury’s.

The chain describes itself on its website as a place for “relaxed dining, drinking and lounging in a fabulous, welcoming setting”.

It currently has bars in 31 cities across the country, including Albion Street in Leeds and Fossgate in York.

In its licensing application, Cosy Club has proposed opening hours of between 8am to 1am Monday to Wednesday and Sunday.

Read more:

It has also proposed opening hours of 8am until 2am from Thursday to Saturday.

The application includes the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment.

The unit on Cambridge Street earmarked for Cosy Club.

The unit on Cambridge Street earmarked for Cosy Club.

The bar has also advertised for jobs online, including a head chef and general manager.

The Stray Ferret approached Loungers Ltd for details on an opening date, but it said it did not wish to comment at this time.