Crashes ‘common’ on bend near Harrogate village, says resident

A resident near Bedlam has said crashes on a sharp bend near the village are a “common occurrence” after a car went through a fence yesterday.

Emergency services were called on Friday evening when a Peugeot 207 crashed into the fence on the B6165 between Ripley and Bedlam.

The incident left one lane passable as North Yorkshire Police dealt with the incident.

A resident who lives near Bedlam village told the Stray Ferret that locals had been campaigning for a reduced speed limit on the bend for the last 12 months.

The car crashed into the fence on the B6165 outside Ripley.

The car crashed into the fence on the B6165 outside Ripley.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said:

“Locals of Bedlam have recently been campaigning to have the speed limit reduced because it has become a common occurrence.”

The stretch of road is just before Whipley Bank heading into the village and is a national speed limit route.

However, crashes on the road are common according to locals.

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Last July, villagers in nearby Burnt Yates wrote to North Yorkshire County Council calling for a reduction in the speed limit on the B6165.

Loraine and Sid Hines, who have lived in Burnt Yates for 30 years, were worried that speeding cars and ‘boy racers’ would cause serious injury or death.

The speed limit through Burnt Yates is 30mph, with a 20mph section near the school. However, the section of the B6165 leaving the village has a 50mph limit and Ms Hines said more vehicles were exceeding this in recent years.

At the time, North Yorkshire County Council told the Stray Ferret it did not support a reduction in the speed limit.

Harrogate rugby to face local rivals in final home game

A bumper crowd is expected at Harrogate Rugby Club today for the last home game of the season.

The club will welcome local rivals Wharfedale RUFC to Ruddling Lane in what is expected to see the largest crowd in more than five years at the ground.

The match will also be David “Doc” Doherty’s last home game after six years’ service. Doherty will step down after serving as director of rugby, as well as a player and coach.

Harrogate and Wharfedale faced each other just five weeks ago, when the latter ran out 23-21 winners.

As well as the first team match, the day will also see touch rugby and a mini-tournament take place ahead of the local derby.

A spokesperson for the club said:

“Besides the first XV match, there’s lots more happening on Saturday.  At 1pm it’s the tap-off of Harrogate Touch Rugby team’s first game of their season versus Catterick. Seen as an area of considerable future growth, Pitch 2 has been specially marked out for Touch Rugby matches over summer. New players of all ages are very welcome.

“At 1.30pm on Pitch 3, Harrogate’s U13 Boys kick off in a three-way round robin mini-tournament against touring side Chester and local rivals Moortown.”

Adult entrance to non-members is £10, all juniors have free entry. Kick off is 3pm.

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Election 2022: Knaresborough East candidate preview

Ahead of polling day on May 5, the Stray Ferret will be previewing each of the divisions in the Harrogate district up for election to North Yorkshire Council.

A total of 21 seats will be up for grabs in the district with most of the major parties contesting each one.

Today, we look at the Knaresborough East division which will see three candidates standing for election.

Ed Darling, Conservative

Ed Darling will be standing as the Conservative candidate for Knaresborough East.

Mr Darling is currently the sitting councillor for Knaresborough Castle ward on Harrogate Borough Council, which he was elected to in 2018.

He lives in Knaresborough and is currently vice-chair of both the licensing and human resources committee on the borough council.

On why he is standing, Mr Darling said:

“I have been a borough councillor since 2018 and, like the Labour candidate, live in the ward I seek to represent. I successfully lobbied the borough council to purchase the run-down dilapidated shops on the High Street, secured nearly £70k of grants to refurbish the Appleby play area and ensured countless potholes and street signs are fixed and graffiti vandalism removed.

“I keep residents informed about local issues including planning applications through my regular free In Touch community newsletters and have a track record of action in our area and I hope to be able to continue those efforts as part of the new unitary authority.”

He added:

“My priorities for Knaresborough East – and the wider town – are better road surfaces with repairs that last, improving access to cash with cash machines and banking counter services and much more.”

Sharon Calvert, Labour

Sharon Calvert is the Labour candidate for the division on May 5.

A Knaresborough resident, Ms Calvert works as a carer and special needs teacher and has lived in the town for 38 years.

She is also the women’s officer at the constituency Labour Party and is executive member for Harrogate at the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers.

Ms Calvert said:

“I will be a voice for those who do not have one in NYCC and will use my negotiation skills to ensure that all decisions are challenged when necessary and that fairness is achieved for all residents in Knaresborough. 

“I will push for sustainability and environmental awareness in all matters. ‘Think globally, act locally’.”

Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat

Hannah Gostlow will be standing for the Liberal Democrats in the division for North Yorkshire Council.

Ms Gostlow lives in Knaresborough and is currently the councillor for Knaresborough Scriven Park on Harrogate Borough Council.

She is also a Knaresborough Town councillor and a board member for the Chain Lane Community Hub.

Ms Gostlow said among her priorities will be congestion, air quality and to improve the High Street.

She said:

“I believe it is important that Knaresborough has a strong voice in decisions that impact the town. I want to be elected to the new unitary authority to tackle the big issues facing our town such as; congestion and bad air quality, to improve our High Street.

“I already work hard with community groups to improve our public spaces and if elected I will work to integrate council services to address dog fouling, pavement parking, and speeding.”

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‘Right’ for commons to investigate MPs, says Harrogate MP

Andrew Jones MP has said it is right for the Committee of Privileges to investigate MPs in light of a probe into Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conduct.

In a speech to the House of Commons yesterday, the Harrogate and Knaresborough MP said there was a “problem with standards in our politics”.

The move comes as the Prime Minister is facing a Commons investigation into whether he misled MPs by telling them covid laws in No 10 Downing Street were followed amid an ongoing row over lockdown parties.

Mr Jones told MPs, who were debating whether to approve the probe into the Prime Minister, that higher standards were required across parliament.

He said:

“When there are questions about the conduct of any Member in this place, it is right for the Committee of Privileges to take a look at that case.

“It is right for it to investigate, it is right for it to make a judgment and it is right for that to happen whoever the Member is.

“That is the correct procedure for our House, and has been the case for a significant time. If any matters of privilege come to the House for a decision to trigger an investigation, it is right for that to happen. I support privileges investigations. It is our due process.”

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Mr Jones reiterated his call for the Sue Gray report into lockdown parties at Number 10 to be published in full.

He added:

“That is still my view. I recognise that the Met needs time and space to complete its work, but every effort must be made to bring this matter to a conclusion as fast as possible. Colleagues are making comments when we have not seen all the evidence.

“I can understand that, because I have done so, too, but the Privileges Committee must be allowed time and space to conclude its investigation and colleagues should not prejudge that.”

Analysis

At a time when Conservative MPs are considering their support for the Prime Minister, Mr Jones has remained coy over where his support lies.

Mr Jones’ contribution to the House of Commons debate was very carefully worded.

He has made his view on the wider standards in Parliament clear, but stopped short of disclosing whether or not he has acted upon this with his own party leader and the 1922 committee.

Meanwhile, Skipton and Ripon MP, Julian Smith, has remained silent on the matter and so too has Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty MP, who is a staunch ally of the Prime Minister.

Last week, the Stray Ferret asked all Harrogate district MPs whether Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunk should resign after being notified by the Metropolitan Police that they would be given a fixed penalty notice for breaching covid rules.

However, none replied.

End of an era: Demolition starts on Dunlopillo building

Demolition work has started on the Dunlopillo office block in Pannal which represents the end of the historic building.

The former factory site is being flattened to make way for 38 flats.

The move has proved controversial locally, with some residents describing it as an “eyesore” . Pannal historian Anne Smith said the village would be lumbered with a “skyscraper-type building”.

Developer Echo Green Developments was granted planning permission in September 2021 to demolish the main office block and build 48 apartments.

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However, this was later revised down to 38 following another application from the developer. The scheme would still be two-storeys bigger than the original building.

The decision was made under permitted development rights, which can be used by developers to fast track the redevelopment of disused offices.

History of the site

From 1938 to 1949 the site was occupied by the Bintex factory, which manufactured radar equipment for use during the Second World War.

It was bought by rubber manufacturer Dunlop, which changed its name to Dunlopillo and made the site its headquarters.

It is estimated around 440 people worked there in its 1970s and 80s heyday producing pillows, mattresses, beds and latex cushioning for cars.

Harrogate election hustings: Conservatives decline invitation

The Conservative party has declined a Stray Ferret’s invitation to take part in a Harrogate election hustings debate.

All four parties and the independents who are standing within divisions in Harrogate were invited to the hustings at the Wesley Centre on Tuesday, April 26, at 7pm.

The election will be the last before North Yorkshire Council replaces North Yorkshire County Council and seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council.

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and the independents have all confirmed candidates for the evening.

However, the Conservative party has said it will not attend.

The candidates confirmed are:

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You can book your free ticket here.

If you would like to submit a question to the candidates, send it to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk with the subject heading ‘hustings question’.

We will also invite questions on the night from the audience.

Council approves parking plans for Claro Road depot

Harrogate Borough Council has approved plans to demolish buildings at its Claro Road depot to make way for more parking.

The depot is used to store and sort recycling, and the proposals include 47 staff parking spaces with ten electric charging points, 36 spaces for council vans and the same amount for bin lorries.

Six storage and workshop buildings will be demolished to create room for a “more efficient and safe” site layout with a new one-way system.

The plans were approved at a meeting of the council’s planning committee yesterday, when Cllr Pat Marsh questioned what will happen to the depot when the council is replaced by the new North Yorkshire Council in April 2023.

Cllr Andrew Paraskos, cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, responded to say he was “hopeful” that the site will be used in its current form in the future.

He said: 

“We will still need a waste transfer station somewhere in the Harrogate district even though we do empty residual waste at Allerton Park.

“Recycling is taken to Claro Road first and then decanted into wagons to be taken wherever it is recycled and turned back into other products.

“Hopefully the site will have a future going forward.”

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Election 2022: Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate candidate preview

Ahead of polling day on May 5, the Stray Ferret will be previewing each of the divisions in the Harrogate district up for election to North Yorkshire Council.

A total of 21 seats will be up for grabs in the district with most of the major parties contesting each one.

Today, we look at the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division which will see five candidates standing for election.

Sam Gibbs, Conservative

The Conservative candidate for the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division will be Sam Gibbs.

Mr Gibbs currently sits Harrogate Borough Council representing the Valley Gardens ward.

On his priorities for standing for North Yorkshire Council, Mr Gibbs said:

 

“My priorities are tackling anti-social behaviour, promoting town centre investment, protecting green spaces and ensuring Harrogate remains a great place to live and visit.

“As a borough councillor since 2018 I have campaigned to protect Rotary Wood, to tackle town centre anti-social behaviour and to keep our streets tidy.

“Harrogate has recovered well from the pandemic. Our retail vacancy rates are at 8.2% – well below the national average and the council distributed over £93m to local businesses during covid. The Convention Centre brings around £30m into the local economy annually and underpins thousands of jobs. We must support it.”

He added:

“Parking charges should be kept low. Most have not been increased in eight years and parking is far cheaper than York and Leeds.

“As a trustee of Harrogate and District Community Action, and through my work with the Local Fund, I have supported community groups who do fantastic work and help our most vulnerable.”

Paul Ko Ferrigno, Green Party

Paul Ko Ferrigno will be standing for the Green Party in the division.

A scientist in biology and biochemistry, Mr Ferrigno coaches grassroots football and is a governor at two local primary schools.

He also founded Wetherby-based Avacta Life Sciences. Mr Ferrigno said he felt strongly about cuts to local government funding, which he believes has “negatively impacted” education.

 

He said:

“The Green Party is the only party to put the future first. What I have learned is those small decisions can lead to massive changes. 

“I want to take this lesson and apply it to every decision made by the new council so that we can improve our local communities by thinking about the long term impact of each proposal on our children and their future.”

Lucy Gardiner, Independent

Local businesswoman Lucy Gardiner will be standing as an independent in the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division.

Ms Gardiner said among her priorities will be to improve infrastructure, clean up the town centre, support businesses and reduce congestion.

 

 

She said:

“I hold Harrogate very close to my heart. I am very proud that it’s my hometown, where I have my interiors business and where I bring up my family. We must protect its future. 

“For far too long the councils haven’t been transparent nor fully engaged with the residents and businesses. Rather than towing a party line, I wish to use the wealth of knowledge at our finger tips by engaging with local people, businesses and groups to protect our heritage, while encouraging positive change for the future.”

She added:

“We need proper infrastructure before any more house building is passed. Smarten up our town centre and support our businesses, to lead the way on the high street.

“Reduce congestion with well connected travel schemes for all not the few. Protect our Stray and gardens for a greener brighter future.”

Andrew Williamson, Labour

Andrew Williamson will be standing for the Labour Party in Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate.

Mr Williamson has lived in Harrogate for most of his life and works in the private sector, but has previously worked for Harrogate Borough Council.

He said he wanted to get involve with the Labour Party due to his concern over the loss of the district councils.

Mr Williamson said he felt the best way to represent those who may be affected by the abolition of the lower-tier authorities was to stand himself.

He said:

“I have been an active member of the Labour Party for about six months now. I wanted to get involved because I’m concerned about what impact the abolition of North Yorkshire’s district councils might have on local services and amenities.

“I believe strong Labour representation on the new unitary authority is the best way to protect the services our communities depend upon.”

David Johnson, Liberal Democrat

David Johnson is the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division.

A Harrogate resident for 30 years, Mr Johnson works as a librarian and was the secretary of the local Liberal Democrat constituency party.

He said he takes an interest in library policy issues, but has also campaigned on issues such as the European Union, fracking and children’s food allergies.

 

Mr Johnson said:

“There needs to be more done to deal with congestion on our roads and improve the local bus services. There is a need for more social housing in Harrogate.”

Final backing for 72 homes in Spofforth

A plan to build 72 homes in Spofforth has been given final backing by councillors.

Yorkshire Housing Ltd plans to build the housing development on land at Massey Fold in the village.

A government planning inspector approved the homes in October 2021 following an appeal by the developer against Harrogate Borough Council’s refusal.

The developer already had outline permission to build on the site, but councillors turned down an application for appearance and landscaping in November 2020.

A reserved matters application, which includes access to the site, was backed by the authority’s planning committee today.

Cllr Robert Windass, who sits on the committee, said councillors had no choice but to approve the plan.

He said:

“We rejected this at committee and we felt strongly that it would not go ahead.

“The Planning Inspectorate has had a different decision. They [the developer] have now got planning permission. Our hands are tied.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Pat Marsh said:

“In some respects our hands are tied.

“This went to appeal and it was given permission. This is sort of a final legal tie up.

“I am sorry to think that this is going to go ahead. It is something that this committee strongly opposed every time it came here. That is why it went to appeal.”

Inspector backs Spofforth homes

Siobhan Watson, a government planning inspector, gave the go-ahead for the proposal in October after she said she found the design and proposed housing “to be acceptable”.

She also awarded costs against the council after finding that the authority “behaved unreasonably” and that its reasons for refusal were “vague and illogical”.

The decision followed concerns from local residents over the design and that the housing would not be in keeping with the village.

At the time, more than 300 local people and organisations, including Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, raised concerns about the scheme.

Shirley Fawcett, chairman of Spofforth with Stockeld Parish Council, wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson appealing for help in challenging the development.

Six people injured in serious A59 crash

Six people including a six-year-old boy have been injured in a serious crash on the A59 near Hopperton.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses to the crash which happened shortly before 8pm on Saturday, April 16.

Officers said the incident involved a blue Vauxhall Zafira and a silver Seat Leon.

The six-year-old boy, who was in the Seat, was taken to hospital with serious injuries and his condition is described as stable.

Three other occupants of the car, all from Lancashire and aged between 16 and 25 years old, were also taken to hospital with minor injuries and were later discharged.

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The occupants of the Vauxhall Zafira, a man and woman in their thirties from the York area, were treated for minor injuries in hospital and later released.

A police statement added:

“The stretch of road was closed for around six hours while officers investigated the scene and to allow the vehicles to be recovered.

“We are appealing for witnesses to the collision or anyone who recalls seeing the vehicles prior to the collision, to get in touch as soon as possible to assist the investigation.

“In particular, we are appealing for dash camera or CCTV footage of road users on the A59 between 7.40pm and 7.50pm.”

Anyone with information should call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Jack Dodsworth. Alternatively, email Jack.Dodsworth@northyorkshire.police.uk.