Green party candidate pledges not to ‘overpromise’ in mayoral campaign

The Green Party’s Kevin Foster says he does not see himself as a politician, more of an “ordinary person done good”.

Mr Foster’s background includes serving in the British Army reserves for 30 years before moving into politics.

He successfully stood for election on RIchmondshire District Council in 2019, before being elected to the newly created North Yorkshire Council three years later in Hipswell and Colburn division.

Since then, he has gone onto become the council’s armed forces champion as well as the Green Party leader on North Yorkshire Council.

Much of Mr Foster’s campaign has focussed on the “circular economy”, which is defined as reusing products, labour and materials in order to get the best value from them.

He points to the potential for green technology and artificial intelligence in the county as an example of how the economy could work.

“Why can’t we be a leader in those technologies and bring them in?”

He has also campaigned for better public transport and for more funding from government as part of its devolution deal.

Kevin Foster.

Kevin Foster.

Mr Foster said the £18 million a year which currently makes up the mayoral budget would need to be “10 times more” in order for the mayor to make a difference in the county.

When asked how he would intend to get more money from government, he said his political career has been spent working with opposition parties.

“Being a minority party and the only one in Richmond, I learned very quickly how you have got to work in a team.

“I hear from people that politics is broken, well lets have someone else in there to make a difference.

“I have worked with Conservatives in Richmondshire District Council. I still work with the Conservatives and I work with other parties.I do not make a judgement on party, I make a judgement on that idea.”

Mr Foster added that he was not whipped by his party, so would be able to work with opposition leaders on the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

‘Not going to overpromise’

As part of his campaign, Mr Foster has also stopped short of announcing any marquee policies and pledges.

So far, he has committed to setting up a mayoral innovation fund and a poverty support fund.

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Foster whether he would use the powers to franchise bus services afforded to the mayor as part of his transport plans.

In response, he said he was not going to “overpromise and under deliver”.

Mr Foster said that part of the mayor’s remit will be to hammer out proposals with the combined authority’s staff, including interim head of paid service James Farrar.

He said:

“People make these promises, but when they go into that room and start the discussions they are going to be surprised because it is not that easy.

“The last person who made big promises and went running in somewhere was Liz Truss. That did not work out well.”

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Heading into polling day, does Mr Foster feel confident that he can secure the mayoral position for the Green Party?

He points to the fact that North Yorkshire Council currently has four Green councillors and that national parties have adopted green policies over the years.

“If we do not keep voting for what we believe in, we do not change anything.”

The York and North Yorkshire mayor will be chosen by residents of the region in an election on Thursday, May 2, 2024.

The deadline to register to vote is 11:59pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

The full list of candidates are:

The Masham businesswoman aiming to be North Yorkshire’s first mayor

Felciity Cunliffe-Lister has not been in the political arena for long — but she feels she is the strongest candidate to become the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

The co-owner of the Swinton Estate in Masham is the Liberal Democrat candidate on polling day on May 2.

However, despite being the official party candidate, she believes the role should be decided on who has the best business skillset.

She told the Stray Ferret that her two decades experience of running Swinton coupled with her years as a commercial property lawyer in London put her in a good position for the role.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister said:

“The reason why I’m doing it personally is because I think you need somebody with the right skillset to do it.

“I think you need somebody with a really strong proven track record in business. I don’t think you should be appointing someone with a strong political career.”

Ms Cunliffe-Lister worked in property law in London during her 20s. One of the major projects she was involved with was London Eye.

She moved to Masham with husband Mark following the family buy-back of Swinton Park.  The couple converted the castle into a hotel and opened it in 2001.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister

The Swinton estate as a whole now has a £6 million turnover and employs 150 people.

It’s this that Ms Cunliffe-Lister points to when pressed on what qualifies her to to run for mayor:

“I know how to run an organisation and I know how to be a leader. I know how to give people a clear vision. But I also have the experience of knowing what it is like to run a business and I understand what the challenges are.”

Manifesto pledges

But the role does come with an element of politics.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister, who is also North Yorkshire councillor for Mashams and Fountains division, launched her manifesto at the start of April.

Her pledges included a campaign for better services on the Harrogate to York line, a single ticket integrated bus services and converting empty premises above shops into flats.

She also pledged support for a new rail station at Flaxby Parkway, which has its roots in the long running debate over whether it should have hosted a new 3,000-home settlement in the Harrogate district.

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When asked if she had any specific priorities for Harrogate, she pointed to the town’s convention centre which she said has had a “shadow of doubt” hanging over it.

North Yorkshire Council revealed in March it had abandoned plans for a £57 million refurbishment of the ageing events and exhibitions venue, citing complexities and cost.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister said the centre was still viable and there were “easy wins” which could help it to be operated successfully:

“I would like to see the Harrogate Convention Centre up and running successfully without this shadow of doubt hanging over it any longer. 

“There are some really easy wins there. It’s just not been run commercially and it could easily do so. I would like to enable that to happen for it to be able to function properly. I think it is viable as a site.”

Aside from specific pledges, Ms Cunliffe-Lister also ruled out levying a mayoral precept on council tax and said she would consider appointing a deputy to oversee the police and fire service functions.

When asked whether she was confident going into election day, she said she felt she was the candidate with the strongest skillset:

“If you consider the skills of the person, and I do strongly believe that you need to elect a mayor based on that point alone, in my view I’ve got the best set of skills to do that. 

“I think in mayoral elections, people do not necessarily vote according to the party that they normally support. I think it’s down to the personality of the candidate.”

The York and North Yorkshire mayor will be chosen by residents of the region in an election on Thursday, May 2, 2024.

The deadline to register to vote is 11:59pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

The candidates are:

Drivers face delays as four-week Pannal gasworks start

Drivers face delays in Pannal after four weeks of gasworks got underway.

Northern Gas Networks is carrying out utility repairs and maintenance work on the A61 Leeds Road near to the traffic lights at the junction with Follifoot Road.

Temporary traffic lights are in place in both directions on the A61 and on Station Road and Follifoot Road.

The work has caused delays for motorists during rush hour, with queues backing up to Fulwith Mill Lane in Harrogate.

Northern Gas Networks said the work is due to end on May 13.

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‘We don’t want more of the same’, says Pateley Bridge mayoral candidate

In the first of a series of interviews with candidates to be the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, the Stray Ferret speaks to Keith Tordoff who is standing as an independent.

Keith Tordoff is no stranger to the election scene.

The Pateley Bridge businessman stood for North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner twice and has now put his name forward again for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Initially standing for the Yorkshire Party, Mr Tordoff will once again be contesting the election on May 2 as an independent.

The Stray Ferret met him in Tordoff Gallery, his film poster venture on Pateley Bridge High Street which he operates alongside wife Gloria, to discuss his latest election campaign.

The 67-year-old is keen to stress that the mayor should be independent and that he has the credentials for the role.

Mr Tordoff spent 20 years as a police officer in Leeds, working on cases such as that of Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire ripper. He later went into business and founded the Oldest Sweet Shop in the World in Pateley Bridge, which he sold in March 2021.

He boasts that he has not been on holiday abroad for 25 years as North Yorkshire is a “fantastic place to live”.

But, despite the extensive experience, Mr Tordoff is standing as an independent as opposed to joining any of the established political parties.

“I am an independent, which I think is very important because I think it is a role that should be independent.

“They [the political parties] are always going to try and get what they want for their particular area. Whereas, if I was elected, I can act to work with them but I can also act to work with all the people from both communities which is what it should be about.”

For him, the election is the last opportunity for an independent to get into power.

“This is the last ditch opportunity for people in York and North Yorkshire to have somebody elected who will deliver for them.”

‘These are not flights of fancy’

Mr Tordoff is full of ideas, though some have led to disagreements and raised eyebrows.

He points to his manifesto and priorities, where he pledges to make public transport free for under-18s to get to school and college, introduce a single ticket for frictionless travel and unlock brownfield land for 2,000 homes.

“These are not flights of fancy, these are deliverable.”

Keith Tordoff.

Keith Tordoff on Pateley High Street

He also feels the mayor should only have one office in York in order to save money, rather than the proposed two offices in York and Northallerton.

But perhaps his most attention grabbing policy pledge has been to give 2,000 households three free chickens.

Mr Tordoff claimed the move would help to save 100 tonnes of food waste each month and improve the health of poorer households.

He announced the policy in June last year, when he was standing as the Yorkshire Party’s mayoral candidate. But the controversy it generated led to him resigning from the party and becoming an independent.

Mr Tordoff told the Stray Ferret that he “100%” stood by the pledge and described it as “deliverable”.

He said:

“Some people pooh poohed it. But bear in mind, everybody was talking about and is still talking about it.

“It was nearly a year ago that I said that and it clearly resonated with people.”

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Despite being up against established political parties, Mr Tordoff remains confident people will vote for something different this time:

“I am hoping the public are disillusioned and there is a realisation that if we vote for these people again then we are going to get more of the same.”

The York and North Yorkshire mayor will be chosen by residents of the region in an election on Thursday, May 2, 2024.

The deadline to register to vote is 11:59pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

The full list of candidates are:

Harrogate’s Archie Gray wins EFL Championship Young Player of the Season

Harrogate’s Archie Gray has won EFL Championship Young Player of the Season at the EFL awards.

The former St John Fisher’s Catholic High School pupil and Leeds United midfielder made his debut in the club’s opening game against Cardiff City at Elland Road in August.

Since then, Gray, 18, has been a regular name on the team sheet for United this season playing at both right back and central midfield. He has made 46 appearances for the club across all competitions this season.

In January, he signed a new contract with the Whites until 2028.

The youngster picked up the award at the EFL Awards 2024, which was held at a ceremony in London.

On winning the award, Gray said:

“I’m honoured to win this award, having heard the previous names that have won it. I’ve just got to stay humble and keep on working hard because I’ve come a long way. I’ve gained a lot of experience and learned a lot of new things along the way.

“I trusted my ability but I’ve been lucky with the teammates and manager that I’ve got. Since I’ve come in when I was 15, my teammates have all been really helpful with me. Especially this season, Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu when I’ve been moving to right-back and teaching me a lot of things and analysing things with me after the game.”

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Gray completed his GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate in 2022.

He signed his first professional contract with Leeds United in March last year.

He is the great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

Voters head to the polls for Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election

Voters head to the polls this morning as a by-election is held in Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division on North Yorkshire Council.

Five candidates will contest the seat, which became available after former councillor Pat Marsh resigned in February after she posted anti-semitic comments on social media.

Voting will take place from 7am to 10pm with the election count taking place in the evening after the close of polling.

Polling stations will be open in St Aelred’s Church Hall, Woodlands Methodist Church and Oatlands Community Centre.

The candidates are:

Voters attending a polling station will need to bring photo ID to be able to vote.

This could include a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence, full or provisional; a UK passport or a passport issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man, or any of the Channel Islands; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or blue badge.

Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

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Harrogate Rugby Club secure promotion at first attempt

Harrogate Rugby Club won promotion to the National League 2 North at the first attempt last weekend.

The club defeated Driffield 45-27 to secure top spot in the Regional 1 North East league by two points.

A four-try haul by Kristan Dobson helped Harrogate to victory in a game which was held at Driffield due to an unplayable pitch at both Rudding Lane and Knaresborough.

The result saw Harrogate clinch the title and earn promotion back to the National League 2 North after suffering relegation last season.

It will see the club take on the likes of Sheffield Tigers, Otley and Hull next season.

Following the victory, the club said in a statement:

“Congratulations should go to all 41 players who represented the team during the season, and to the coaches, support staff and supporters who made this possible.”

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Council leader defends North Yorkshire Council record one year on

The leader of North Yorkshire Council has defended its record as it marks its one year anniversary since being established.

The authority replaced the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council in April 2023 with the promise of making savings.

One year on from its launch, the Stray Ferret has looked at how the council has changed governance in the county and if people feel it has improved.

Among those we spoke to was Lord Wallace of Saltaire, a Liberal Democrat peer, who was highly critical of the move 12 months ago. He remained concerned that the authority felt detached from its constituents.

The Stray Ferret put the concerns to Conservative leader of the council, Cllr Carl Les, and asked what he felt the council’s achievements were over the last 12 months.

He pointed to £30 million worth of savings, which he said had been used to “protect vital services”.

Cllr Les said the money had been saved by streamlining services from the seven districts, plus various staff and management reviews. 

He described the move as a “local government reorganisation dividend” which had allowed the authority to protect frontline services.

Part of the protection of local services was also down to increasing council tax by 4.99%, he said. However, Cllr Less added that this was necessary.

He said:

“There are councils across the county that would want that dividend.

“There will also come a point that members can have a real good discussion about the council tax needed to run the authority. But, at the moment, we have used that money to protect services.”

Residents ‘not detached’ from council

Much of the criticism around the new council has that it is too remote.

This week, Lord Saltaire told the Stray Ferret that he stood by criticism he made about the authority in the House of Lords 12 months ago.

He said he felt that people feel detached from their local council and that councillors could not cope with the number of constituents within their divisions.

Lord Saltaire added that a district and county council model still worked, despite being criticised as “inefficient”.

He said:

“We still have county councils and district councils in some places. That in some ways is less efficient, but it does at least give people a connection.

“People do not feel any connection with their local authority.”

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In response, Cllr Les said he disagreed with the notion that the authority is detached from its residents.

He said that residents across North Yorkshire still had representatives that they could reach out to and that the council was responsive.

Cllr Les said:

“I have been a councillor for a number of years, both district and county, and I do not think my constituents would feel that they are detached from their representatives.

“Everybody still has a councillor.”

Cllr Les previously described the establishment of North Yorkshire Council as a “wastershed” moment for public services in the county.

The move was the first reorganisation of local government in the county since 1974.

He said it was still early days for the unitary council, but he felt it would last as long as its predecessor.

Cllr Les said:

“At the moment, we are only over a year into the new council. The last one lasted 50 years. I think this new authority will last 50 years.”

Council to revoke two air quality areas in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire Council is set to remove two air quality management areas in the Harrogate district after levels of nitrogen dioxide dropped.

The council currently monitors air pollution on Low and High Skellgate in Ripon and York Place in Knaresborough.

Both management areas were introduced to review levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which are caused by traffic levels.

Monitoring of NO2 has been in place on Skellgate in Ripon since 2010 and on York Place in Knaresborough since 2017.

Both were declared after beaching the legal limit of 40 micrograms of annual NO2 per cubic metre of air.

However, a report due before the council’s transport, economy, environment and overview scrutiny committee on April 10 says both air quality management areas are due to be revoked.

It said the areas had not breached the limit for more than five years and are now planned to be removed.

In its annual air quality report in 2023, the council said the Ripon management area had gone six years under the limit.

It said:

“This is the sixth year that there have been no exceedance of the objective, in line with the above we propose to revoke the AQMA.”

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Meanwhile, air quality management areas in Harrogate on Wetherby Road and Bond End in Knaresborough are set to remain in place.

Both were implemented for breaching the limit for NO2.

However, despite both areas being under the 40 micrograms for this year, the council intends to keep them in place.

The UK government requires local authorities to take action to improve areas with particularly bad air pollution.

In September 2018, North Yorkshire County Council replaced traffic lights at Bond End with a double mini-roundabout to reduce congestion and improve the flow of traffic.

Harrogate Town increase season ticket prices for next season

Harrogate Town has increased season ticket prices for the 2024/25 season.

The club announced that the full price of a ticket will increase to £384 for standing and £435 seated for new adult supporters.

Existing adult season ticket holders will be charged £351 standing and £402 for seated.

The prices are an increase on £349 for standing and £395 for seated, which fans paid in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, the club has offered an early bird window between April 4 and June 5 where season ticket holders can renew at a reduced rate.

New fans can also purchase within the window.

Full price season tickets at Harrogate Town after June 5, 2024.

Full price season tickets at Harrogate Town after June 5, 2024.

Existing adult ticket holders can renew at £335 for standing and £383 for seated within the time frame.

Meanwhile, new adult supporters can purchase standing tickets for £367 and seated for £415 in the window.

Prices for concessions have been set at £268 for standing and £307 for seated for existing ticket holders within the early bird period. New supporters will pay £299 and £338.

However, this increases to £281 standing and £322 for existing fans after June 5 and £314 and £355 for new ticket holders.

Prices for under-18s are set at £139 for standing and £177 seated for both existing and new ticket holders before June 5. This increases to £146 and £186 for both groups after that date.

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Meanwhile, under-12s pay £104 standing and £145 seated for existing and new fans in the early bird window.

This increases to £109 standing and £152 seated after June 5.

Tickets for those aged under five years old will cost £40 standing and £45 seated for both existing and new fans.

The club has also offered fans to pay in instalments on tickets to spread the cost.

Match day ticket rises

Town have also increased the prices of match day tickets.

An adult standing ticket bought in advance will increase to £22 or £24 if bought on the day. A seated ticket would cost £25 if bought in advance or £27 if purchased on the day.

Meanwhile, concessions will be priced at £17 standing and £20 seated in advance or £18 and £21 if bought on match day.

Under-18s will cost £9 standing and £12 seated if bought ahead of the game or £10 and £13 on the day.

Those under-12 will be priced at £7 standing and £10 seated in advance or £8 standing and £11 seated on match day.

Children under-5 will cost £3 for both seated and standing in advance or £4 on the day of the game.

Harrogate Town match day ticket prices for 2024/25.

Harrogate Town match day ticket prices for 2024/25.

Sarah Barry, chief executive at Harrogate Town FC, said the club had seen overall attendances increase at the EnviroVent Stadium by 20% this season.

She said:

“Our supporters are the heartbeat of this club and you are the most important stakeholders of our club. 

“Your support benefits the entire Harrogate district going way beyond football, as it enables our club and community foundation to achieve our primary objective, to maintain a healthy, happy and connected Harrogate district.”

Harrogate Town currently sit four points off a play off place in EFL League Two with five games left.