Harrogate Bus Company announces free electric bus rides for Platinum Jubilee

Harrogate Bus Company has announced that it will be offering free rides on its electric services during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The free service will run as part of the long weekend from Thursday, June 2, until Sunday, June 5.

The move has been made in partnership with Harrogate BID ahead of the jubilee celebrations.

It will apply to all electric routes in the Harrogate town network, including:

In a tweet, Alex Hornby, chief executive of Transdev, said:

“The jubilee freeway is the best way to all celebrations in Harrogate”.

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Preparations for the platinum jubilee are well underway with events planned across the Harrogate district.

The Stray Ferret has compiled a What’s On diary of all the events across the district. You can read up on the celebrations here.

Labour admits ‘challenging’ elections in Harrogate district

Harrogate’s Labour Party has admitted last week’s local elections were “challenging” after failing to elect any councillors in the district.

Labour failed to finish better than third in any divisions in the Harrogate district.

Chris Watt, acting chair of the local party and candidate for Fairfax and Starbeck, said the party was still proud of its “positive campaign” despite the results for the new North Yorkshire Council.

He said: 

“Our message of positive change has resonated, with many saying they were voting Labour for the first time and others strengthening their support for their local Labour candidate.

“Whilst we were disappointed not to make any gains, people clearly decided to kick the Tories by voting Liberal Democrat.”

There was success for Labour elsewhere in North Yorkshire as the party trebled the number of councillors it has serving the county.

Overall, the Conservatives narrowly maintained their control of North Yorkshire by electing just one more than the minimum number of councillors required for a majority.

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The Tories won 47 seats, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats took 12 each as five Green councillors were also elected.

Thirteen independents were also voted in, as well as one Liberal Party councillor.

Mr Watt added: 

“We are delighted that Labour made gains across the new North Yorkshire Council.

“We meet regularly with North Yorkshire’s Labour councillors and will ensure that the important voice of Harrogate and Knaresborough is not ignored.”

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Party had five candidates – including two in Harrogate – but did not see success in the May 5 vote.

The party’s leader Bob Buxton said: 

“John Hall’s result in Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale and Tockwith was encouraging, so that’s clearly an area in which to build the party.

“It seems likely that there will be a North Yorkshire mayor next year. While the Yorkshire Party views mayors as largely powerless and budget-less, it is slightly better than no devolution at all.

“We finished third in both the South Yorkshire mayor election this year and West Yorkshire mayor election last year – people like our ideas on devolution and our demand for real powers and fair funding.

“In the meantime, there’s a parliamentary by-election in Wakefield, an area where we’re strong, giving us another opportunity to grow the Yorkshire Party.”

Plan to convert former Harrogate taxi office into flat

Plans have been lodged to convert the former Airline Taxis office in Harrogate into a one bedroom flat.

The ground floor offices on East Parade are currently vacant after a liquidator was appointed to wind up the company in June last year.

A directors report to creditors, signed by Airline’s sole director Mohammad Suleman, said the company experienced a “significant decline” in turnover due to lack of travel during the first covid lockdown.

Now, plans have been submitted by developer Mr T Halliday to Harrogate Borough Council to convert the offices into a one-bedroom flat.

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Documents lodged to the authority say that the building would retain its existing features and the same floor area as the taxi company office.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

North Yorkshire devolution deal could be done by summer

A devolution deal for North Yorkshire that includes a directly elected mayor could be reached by summer, according to the leader of the county council.

County council officials have met with senior civil servants after the government included a deal for the county as part of its levelling up white paper in February.

Cllr Carl Les, Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Keith Aspden, Liberal Democrat leader of City of York Council, have also met with ministers to discuss devolution in North Yorkshire and York.

Council officials submitted a list of requests for devolved powers to government in December 2020 but negotiations were delayed by covid and the publication of the levelling up white paper.

In a statement to a full council meeting next week, Cllr Les will say that it is possible a deal could be reached by the parliamentary summer recess in July.

He says:

“What is clear is that all asks will need to be negotiated with vigour – the principle of devolution has been agreed, there is no automatic right of passage.

“Myself and the leader of City of York Council have had a first meeting with the responsible minister where he observed that we were first in the queue and he hoped we would maintain that position.

“There is a possibility that a deal can be done before the parliamentary summer recess.”

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Ministers made it a requirement that a unitary council for North Yorkshire be established before any negotiations about a devolution deal could proceed. Last week’s elections for the new North Yorkshire Council brought that to fruition.

In December 2020, council bosses submitted to government a 140-page document which outlined £2.4 billion worth of spending and proposals to take back further powers from Westminster.

More powers over transport, skills, regeneration and energy were included in the submission, as well as a mayoral funding pot worth £750 million over 25 years.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of the county council, said previously that the timetable for devolution negotiations could see an elected mayor in place by May 2024.

The mayor could have powers over areas such as transport and economic development. They could also take on the role as police and crime commissioner.

The negotiations come as the Conservatives retained control on the county council following the local elections last week, but with a smaller majority.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Cllr Les said he was willing to work with any party over the issue of devolution and local government reorganisation.

He said:

“It has always been my policy in the county council to reach out to other groups and to talk with them.

“I will continue to do that.”

Traffic and Travel alert: Temporary York Place lights causing delays

Drivers are warned to expect long queues on York Place in Harrogate due to three-way temporary traffic lights.

The lights are in place at the junction with Queen Parade and are causing tailbacks at busy times.

CityFibre has put the temporary lights in place as part of maintenance work. The lights are expected to be in place until Thursday, May 12.

Three-way traffic lights on York Place are causing long queues at busy times.

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Jonathan Dyson set to be North Yorkshire’s new chief fire officer

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has selected her preferred candidate to be the county’s chief fire officer.

Zoe Metcalfe has chosen Jonathan Dyson for the role. Mr Dyson is currently the interim deputy chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Jon Foster, who is the current interim chief fire officer, will retire from the service after 38 years.

Mr Dyson started his career in South Yorkshire, where he held roles as head of training and head of service delivery.

He joined the North Yorkshire service in 2020 as director of assurance, leading and delivering organisational change, and was appointed interim deputy chief fire officer last year.

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Mr Dyson will be recommended to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel for appointment.

Ms Metcalfe said:

“I’m delighted to choose Jonathan Dyson as my preferred candidate for the role of chief fire officer, who I believe will be excellent at leading the service into the future and continue to keep people safe and feeling safe in North Yorkshire and York.

“Having worked within our service for the past two years, and most recently as interim deputy chief fire officer, Jonathan is someone who knows our community, has the respect of his colleagues, and is committed to creating an even stronger and more sustainable service.

“I look forward to Jonathan’s suitability being approved at the upcoming Police, Fire and Crime Panel’s confirmation hearing later this month, and from there working with him to deliver a modern, inclusive, responsive, and respected organisation that protects people and property, and saves lives.”

Mr Dyson said:

“I feel truly honoured to be the preferred candidate for the role of chief fire officer and privileged to continue serving the public of North Yorkshire and York. I will build on the outstanding contribution Jon Foster has made on behalf of the Service, and I wish him the very best on his next venture.

“I want to ensure North Yorkshire remains one of the safest places in the country to live, work, or visit. My desire is to continue building an inclusive, sustainable organisation by transforming our service delivery. A key priority is to develop our partnerships, ensuring our staff, volunteers and partners feel valued and able to be their very best for our communities.”

Ripon Cathedral plans St Wilfrid 1,350th anniversary commemorative stone

Ripon Cathedral has unveiled plans for a commemorative stone to mark the 1,350th anniversary of St Wilfrid’s church.

The stone would be installed at the cathedral to mark St Wilfrid and his “long lasting influence” on the city.

Ripon Cathedral has submitted the plan to Harrogate Borough Council as part of a listed building application.

According to documents submitted to the authority, the stone would be made from black polished limestone. 

It would include Wilfrid’s date of birth and death and stars which were his insignia.

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The stone would be installed inside the cathedral just before entering the Quire in order to give it “suitable prominence”. It would also be in a position which reflects the east end of Wilfrid’s original Anglo-Saxon church.

In documents submitted to the council, the cathedral said:

“The key aim of creating and placing the stone in the location proposed is to activate the deep history of this place and to acknowledge and celebrate the profound impact of the life of St Wilfrid in creating the church from which our cathedral grew.

“Part of his great legacy of places created to the glory of God with a shared spiritual heritage that continues to resonate with people to this day.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

New Conservative Wathvale councillor puts young people at top of agenda

Amid the frenzy of Friday’s election results for the new North Yorkshire Council, a new Harrogate borough councillor was voted in.

Conservative Sam Green was elected to represent the Wathvale ward for the final year of Harrogate Borough Council before the authority is abolished in April 2023.

He beat his closest rival Liberal Democrat Chris Knight by 365 votes, while the Green Party’s Hannah Corlett came in third place.

Speaking after his by-election win, Cllr Green, who is 26-years-old and a former Harrogate Grammar School student, pledged to put young people at the top of his agenda.

He said:

“This is my first time standing for election, so I’m of course delighted to have been elected to represent the people of Wathvale.

“I’ll strive unceasingly to try to fulfil the trust and confidence that the people of Wathvale have placed in me and the things in which I believe.

“It is my ambition to encourage greater engagement by younger voters and to try and address the fundamental issues affecting our future generations, including a need for more genuinely affordable homes.”

The by-election was held following the resignation of Conservative councillor Bernard Bateman who held the Wathvale seat since 2016.

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Cllr Green, who owns a financial and real estate company in the town, is now the youngest of the borough council’s 39 members.

He added: 

“I know first hand from my peers that many young people simply cannot afford to remain in the rural villages and locations in which they have grown up in, in many instances due to the cost of housing or lack of suitable supply.

“This is a critical issue not only for these people and their families, but also for the future of the settlements themselves.

“Without fresh blood and ideas, villages and settlements slowly become less and less sustainable, with the resulting loss of services and facilities.

“Moreover, if our young people are then forced to move out of the borough to meet their housing needs in lower value areas, this creates a needless brain drain and will have several knock on effects across the borough.

“The answer is not simple, but this is something I feel very passionately has to be looked at properly and every viable avenue explored to try and address the issue.”

The turnout for the by-election vote was 38%.

Meanwhile, Conservative Nick Brown was voted in to represent the Wathvale and Bishop Monkton division on the new North Yorkshire Council in last Thursday’s local elections.

His victory was one of a few reasons to celebrate for the Tories, which loosened their grip on Harrogate by winning nine seats on the new unitary authority compared to 10 for the Liberal Democrats.

One Green Party candidate and one Independent were also elected in the district.

Election 2022: Ripon Minster and Moorside candidate preview

Ahead of polling day on May 5, the Stray Ferret is 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 Ripon Minster and Moorside division which will see three candidates standing for election.

Thomas Averre, Conservative

Thomas Averre will be the Conservative candidate for the Ripon Minster and Moorside division.

Mr Averre said he was standing for North Yorkshire Council to “bring new energy into local government and improve local services”.

He said his priorities for council would be restoring faith in politics, improving Ripon’s infrastructure and to make “the most of the opportunities the new unitary authority is bringing”, including funding and new powers.

Mr Averre said:

“Candidates are elected to represent the views of residents, but often seem to have the answers before they have asked the questions. 

“Trust and credibility matters to me so I’m not making lots of promises that can’t be delivered or airing a view on issues I won’t be able to influence, but instead outlining my priorities that will guide my approach if elected. On straightforward issues like potholes and litter, I will work quickly to fix them and keep residents updated on progress. 

“On complex issues like social care funding, planning and economic development, I will take time to listen to residents and fully understand issues before coming to a judgement based on the Council’s capabilities and Ripon’s needs.”

Andrew Williams, Independent

Andrew Williams will be standing as an independent candidate in the division.

Mr Williams, who lives in the city, is currently the leader of Ripon City Council.

He is one of two independent candidates standing in divisions in Ripon.

On why he is standing for the new North Yorkshire Council, Mr Williams said he wanted Ripon to have a “greater say over its own affairs”.

Mr Williams said:

“As a lifelong Riponian I am passionate about Ripon but not about party politics which is why I am standing as an Independent so that I can speak up for Ripon rather than been directed how to speak by a political party.

“North Yorkshire County Council has had an overwhelming Conservative majority for years and look at the state of the roads in Ripon and the cuts to youth services which they have imposed upon our city.

“Unlike my Conservative opponent I live in Ripon and the decisions taken regarding Ripon impact my family as much as they do you, it’s time for Ripon to have a greater say over its own affairs and every Independent vote on Thursday will help to achieve it.”

Thomas Cavell-Taylor, Liberal Democrat

Thomas Cavell-Taylor is the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Ripon Minster and Moorside division.

Mr Cavell-Taylor will be one of two Liberal Democrats standing in divisions in Ripon.

He is currently a co-opted governor at Ripon Grammar School.

Mr Cavell-Taylor ran as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the Ripon Spa ward on Harrogate Borough Council in May 2018, but lost to the Conservatives.

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Knaresborough junction set for four weeks of roadworks

Drivers are warned to expect delays in Knaresborough for the next four weeks as roadworks start today.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place on the junction of Chain Lane, Wetherby Road and York Road.

North Yorkshire County Council is carrying out remedial work and replacing the kerbs at the junction.

Work will start today, May 3, and last for four weeks.

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The move comes after the road recently had temporary traffic lights for two weeks while Northern Gas Networks carried out work on the junction.

The gas distributor for the north of England replaced metal pipes with newer plastic versions.

It said in a press release the work would “ensure a safe and reliable supply of gas to customers now while getting the network ready to transport alternative greener fuels such as hydrogen in the future”.