John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

Where to see Open Gardens in the Harrogate district

Some of the best private gardens in the Harrogate district have been opening their doors to the public over summer.

The National Open Gardens Scheme enables people to view gardens that are not usually accessible. Visitors are normally asked to pay a small fee that is then donated to charity.

About 3,500 gardens across Britain take part in the initiative, which started in 1927 to raise money for nurses. Last year it raised £3.11 million.

We have previously featured events in Great Ouseburn, Norton Conyers, Knaresborough and Marton-cum-Grafton, which took place in June.

Some venues run their own open gardens days, which are not part of the national scheme. If you have one coming up, let us know and we will add it to our listings. Email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Hampsthwaite

Hampsthwaite will be hosting 12 open gardens on Saturday 1 July from 12.30pm to 5pm.

The trail will begin on the village green, viewing historical properties. There should be a wide variety of planted and naturally wild areas.

It will then follow down Church Lane and end at Station House.

Entry is £5 and free for accompanied under-15s. All proceeds will go to St. Thomas a Beckett Church, Hampsthwaite.

Tickets can be bought on the day from the Memorial Hall.

For more information about what’s on check here.

Harrogate

Saint Michael’s Hospice is opening the grounds of its hospice on Hornbeam Park, between 11am and 3pm on July 2. Visitors can admire the work of the volunteer gardening team, see the hospice’s ‘secret’ viewpoint and enjoy the beauty of the space.

Refreshments will be served on the terrace overlooking Crimple Valley and there will be a raffle, craft activities, live music from the Spa Town Ukes and a plant sale.

Entry is free with donations welcome for refreshments and activities. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and assistance dogs are the only dogs permitted.

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Olympic champion to present prizes at Sunday’s Harrogate 10K

About a thousand runners will take part in the Harrogate 10K on Sunday.

The event, organised by running club Harrogate Harriers, starts and finishes at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Club on Hookstone Road.

Olympic triathlon champion Jonny Brownlee will present medals to the winners of the adult races, which starts at 10am.

The adult event will be preceded by a fun run for children, which includes a 1.3 km route for children in school years 2-5 will and a 2.5 km course for those in years 6-9.

The event, sponsored again by Knaresborough renewable energy firm Harmony Energy, takes runners on around Crimple Valley, finishing with the notorious Crimple killer last uphill kilometre.

A total of 486 adults and 70 children took part last year. This year, more than 800 adults have already registered.

However, local running star Cal Mills, who set a men’s record of 33 minutes and 13 seconds last year, won’t be defending his title.

Cal Mills (green vest) on his way to victory last year.

The women’s race last year saw Emily Gibbins, of Ilkley Harriers, destroy the female record by more than four minutes in a winning time of 38 minutes and 15 seconds.

Entry for the 10k race can be done here https://racebest.com/races/375cy

Online entries, which can be booked here, close at 10am tomorrow. If places remain, you can enter on the day.

Ripon Independent councillor Andrew Williams joins Tory alliance

Ripon Independent councillor Andrew Williams has formed a political alliance with the Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council.

Cllr Williams, who is also the leader of Ripon City Council, is one of three independents to become members of a new Conservatives and Independents Group, which was announced today.

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday the Conservatives were wooing independents to maintain their grip on power. This month’s defection of Cllr Mike Jordan left them with precisely half of 90 seats on the council.

A statement by the Conservatives this morning said the party had been reaching out to other members in the wake of Cllr Jordan’s defection “to secure the stable and sustainable governance of North Yorkshire Council for the benefit of its residents”.

Cllr Carl Les

Carl Les, the Conservative council leader, said:

“Each of them have put stable and sensible decision-making at the top of their agenda since the elections last May, and as such we have agreed a common purpose.

“It is important that following local government reorganisation our staff feel secure in a well managed authority with clear policies in place.

“We will work together to achieve the sustainable and stable political direction this authority deserves, as indeed we have from last May.”

Cllr Williams was elected to North Yorkshire Council in last year’s local elections with 1,453 votes, ahead of the Liberal Democrat candidate, who received 334 votes. The Conservative candidate was third with 312 votes.

The other independents to join the new group are Cllr Caroline Goodrick, who represents Sheriff Hutton and Derwent and Cllr Robert Heseltine.

(from left): Cllrs Heseltine, Williams and Goodrick

Cllr Williams is one of nine members of an Independents group. The other two to join are unaffiliated independents.

It is unclear the extent to which they will collaborate with the Tories.

Today’s statement said all three will continue to serve as independents.

However, the group is widely regarded as a way of shoring up support to the Conservatives in the period until the next North Yorkshire elections in 2028.

The Stray Ferret has attempted to contact Cllr Williams for further details of the arrangement.

Headteachers unite to support 20mph speed limit near Harrogate schools

The leaders of 13 schools and education settings in Harrogate have called for councillors to commit to urgent road safety improvements when they meet on Tuesday

The road safety group, which also includes campaigners and local councillors, met yesterday at Ashville College as part of its ongoing bid to create safer streets for 9,000 pupils.

North Yorkshire Council will consider on Tuesday how to respond to a petition calling for a maximum speed of 20mph across south and west Harrogate — covering Oatlands and parts of Pannal, Stray, Hookstone and St Georges areas in Harrogate. The agenda for the meeting is here.

Councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee passed a motion supporting the measures last year. But it requires the support of the council’s ruling Conservative-controlled executive to proceed.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive councillor for highways, appeared to dampen hopes this week when he said the council planned to draw up a speed management strategy rather than agree to 20mph limits.

Cllr Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat chair of the area constituency committee, described the move as “kicking the can down the road”.

But school leaders and campaigners remain hopeful of a successful outcome. In a joint statement, they said:

“There is strong evidence from studies of the positive impacts of maximum speeds of 20mph, and we urge the members of the executive to approve the motion, so safer roads can be created for our schools and the wider community, with a clear programme and timeframe for delivery.

“A maximum speed of 20mph is a key foundation in creating a safer urban environment for all and it encourages healthy active travel choices, from door to destination, around the community. “

The road safety group added whatever the outcome, it will “continue to push for investment in the safety of the roads around our schools, including: maximum speeds of 20mph, upgraded crossings, better use of double yellow lines, and repairs to damaged or outdated pavements, barriers and kerbs”.

Hazel Peacock hands the road safety petition to Elizabeth Jackson of North Yorkshire Council

Campaigner Hazel Peacock handing the road safety petition to North Yorkshire Council in May.

Cllr John Mann, a Conservative who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he welcomed the council’s recommendation “to undertake a series of planned speed limit reviews delivered over a period of time, which will generate a pipeline of schemes”.

He added:

“Given the tragic road accidents that have recently occurred near to schools in Oatlands this year, I am calling for my recent applications for 20mph limits for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane and Hookstone Road to be given a high priority in the highways pipeline of schemes for the introduction of 20mph limits.”

Cllr Mann said he would allocate his £10,000 locality budget, which each councillor receives to spend on local initiatives, for road safety schemes.

The school leaders who attended yesterday’s meeting were:

Richard Sheriff, chief executive, Red Kite Learning Trust
Jane Goodwin, interim chief executive, Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust
Dave Thornton, interim headteacher and Iain Addison, deputy head at St Aidan’s CE School
Neil Renton, headteacher, Harrogate Grammar School
Tim Milburn, headteacher, Rossett School
Rhiannon Wilkinson, headteacher and Richard Rooze, bursar at Ashville College
Corrine Penhale, headteacher, Rossett Acre Primary School
Tim Broad, headteacher, Western Primary School
Zoe Anderson, headteacher, Oatlands Infant School
Estelle Scarth, headteacher, Oatlands Junior School
Steve Mort, headteacher, St John Fisher’s Catholic High School
Dr Helen Davey, headteacher/Emma Mitchell, business manager, Willow Tree Primary
Jane Turner, headteacher, Pannal Primary School
Victoria Kirkman, executive headteacher, Admiral Long and Birstwith CE schools and interim executive headteacher, Ripley Endowed CE, Beckwithshaw & Kettlesing Schools
Danny Wild, principal and Kate Herbert, performance and projects co-ordinator, Harrogate College

Campaigners who attended:

Hazel Peacock and Dr Vicki Evans – Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign
Dr Jenny Marks and Ruth Lily – Pannal Ash Safe Streets

Tories woo independents to maintain grip on North Yorkshire Council

The ruling Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council are attempting to woo independent councillors in a bid to maintain control.

The Stray Ferret understands meetings have taken place with a view to securing the support of three independents.

The Conservatives currently hold 45 of 90 council seats following this month’s defection of Cllr Mike Jordan — precisely half.

They still retain control by virtue of having the chair’s casting vote. But with the power balance on a knife-edge, and the next North Yorkshire elections not scheduled until 2028, the Tories are worried about losing control if further defections or by-election losses occur.

They held 47 of the 90 seats after last year’s election in May but the death of Margaret Atkinson, whose Masham and Fountains division was won by the Liberal Democrats in a by-election, eroded their majority and Cllr Jordan’s defection wiped it away.

Multiple sources from different parties have told the Stray Ferret discussions have taken place between the Conservatives and independents who are believed to be open to their advances.

It is not clear what form any alliance would take but the Liberal Democrats are believed to be concerned about any deals that may be struck as part of whatever arrangement is agreed.

Nine councillors currently belong to an Independent group on North Yorkshire Council. Another six are unaffiliated.

Student’s floral design becomes reality in Ripon Spa Gardens

A Ripon student’s floral design has been turned into reality at the city’s Spa Gardens.

Evie Wood, 17, won a competition open to schools across the Harrogate district to design a floral tribute to King Charles III.

It was organised by the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council in conjunction with local In Bloom groups.

The winning Ripon entry was assessed by the council parks team and Ripon in Bloom.

Evie’s design in Spa Gardens

Ripon Grammar School pupil Evie has now seen her winning entry translated from paper to flowerbed by the council’s parks team.

Evie, who plans to take a degree in fine art, said:

“I am very interested in the design side of gardening.

“I knew the flowers that I wanted to incorporate and the colours I wanted to use and so I just went from there really. It was so nice to see the flower bed I designed come to life as I didn’t expect it to, so it was a really nice surprise!”

Council investigates planning breach claims at 53-home Harrogate site

North Yorkshire Council is investigating an alleged breach of planning in a Harrogate field where 53 homes could be built.

North-east property developer Jomast has applied to build the homes off Knox Lane in Bilton. Councillors deferred the scheme for a third time this month amid concerns about land contamination.

Since then, the council has opened a probe into potential damage to trees within the tree preservation order.

The Stray Ferret has seen a letter from a council planning enforcement officer to a resident saying it is investigating and will provide a further update within 28 days.

When we approached the council about it, assistant director for planning Trevor Watson said:

“We can confirm that we are currently investigating a possible breach of planning regulations at that location.

“While that investigation is ongoing we will not be commenting further.”

The Knox scheme has received more than 300 objections amid concerns about its impact on a quiet corner of Bilton.

Sue Wrightson, of the Keep Knox Natural campaign group, which opposes the development, claimed field activity undertaken at the site this month did not conform with council guidelines on contaminated land.

Photos of the site

Dr Damian Bowen a toxicologist and local resident who has submitted a review of Jomast’s phase two contamination report, alleged the company had not addressed concerns raised about the reliability of its data.

In response to a request for comment on the council investigation, Stephen Courcier, planning consultant for the application at Jomast, said:

“We can confirm that the further site investigative works to the railway embankment took place over Thursday and Friday of last week.

“These further investigative works were specifically requested by the local planning authority.”

Boroughbridge to be removed from Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency

The Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is set to shrink following a national review of parliamentary boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England today published its final recommendations for new constituency boundaries.

Locally, it means Boroughbridge, Minskip, Marton-cum-Grafton, the Dunsforths, Ripley and Nidd will be removed from the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency currently held by the Conservative Andrew Jones.

Goldsborough, Flaxby, Allerton Park, Hopperton and Burton Leonard will be added to the seat.

The overall size of the constituency electorate will reduce from 78,372 to 75,800.

The current boundary for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency.

The current boundaries for the Harrogate and Knaresborough and Selby and Ainsty constituencies.

The government now has four months to bring forward an Order to give effect to the final recommendations, which will then be implemented at the next general election.

There will therefore be no changes before next month’s Selby and Ainsty by-election on July 20.

Andrew Jones

Mr Jones, who has represented Harrogate and Knaresborough since 2010, said he was “very sad” to lose “beautiful parts of the constituency” he has represented for 13 years.

He said:

“I will support whoever is elected to represent those areas as part of the new Wetherby and Easingwold constituency so that there is a seamless transfer of issues and constituent casework from my office to their office.”

Mr Jones added he welcomed the addition of the new villages to Harrogate and Knaresborough. He said:

“Being so close to my current constituency I have a strong relationship with those areas and look forward to that continuing.

“The Boundary Commission review takes place over several years and takes exhaustive evidence from individuals, local community groups and politicians. The purpose of the review is to ensure that constituencies are similar sizes and make sense in terms of community links.”

Boost for Lib Dems?

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats are not unhappy at the loss of affluent Boroughbridge, which they think will enhance their prospects of preventing Mr Jones winning a fifth consecutive election.

Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“The new Harrogate & Knaresborough constituency boundaries will make it an even closer battle between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the next general election.”

Tim Bowden, secretary to the Boundary Commission, said:

“The recommendations we have published today mark the end of a thorough and consultative process to build the new map of parliamentary constituencies.

“We have taken into account over 60,000 public comments, travelled the country, and heard many passionate views about how best to reflect local community ties in our recommendations.”

The changes, which include retaining a total of 650 constituencies across the UK, see each seat contain no less than 69,724 voters and no more than 77,062.

England has been allocated 543 constituencies — 10 more than it currently has.

The commission began its review in January 2021. It issued initial proposals in June 2021 and revised proposals in November last year.

Toaster and alarm clock cause false alarms for firefighters

Firefighters in Harrogate responded to two unusual false alarms today.

At 8.46am, a crew from Harrogate responded to reports of a fire alarm sounding on Kings Road in the town.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident report said:

“This was a false alarm caused by burnt toast.”

Shortly afterwards, the Harrogate crew was summoned to The Spinney in Knaresborough at 10.01am after another fire alarm went off. The incident report said:

“This was a false alarm, where an alarm clock had been mistaken for a fire alarm.”

It was the third strange false alarm in less than a day for the Harrogate firefighters, who responded to a house alarm going off at 5.04pm yesterday on Leeds Road.

Again, there was no fire — the cause this time was described “a faulty deaf alarm”.

Knaresborough hosts county’s biggest ever female cricket festival

Knaresborough Forest Cricket Club hosted the biggest women and girls cricket festival North Yorkshire has ever seen on Sunday.

The club was joined by 22 teams at its Calcutt Oval ground.

About 200 females played a series of short-format softball matches. Softball is a fast-paced version of the game, suitable for all ages and abilities.

Players pose for the camera.

Rachel Hildreth, women and girls cricket development manager for north and east Yorkshire at the Yorkshire Cricket Board, said:

“The day was an incredible success, and I was particularly impressed with how the club showcased their sense of community”.

Bella Simpson, who plays for Ouseburn Cricket Club under-15s, said:

“It was so nice to see so many other girls enjoy cricket and be able to get the opportunity to play it.”

David Alloway, chairman of Knaresborough Forest Cricket Club, said:

“I couldn’t be prouder of the whole club and the direction it is going in. We are inclusive and family orientated, which has led to increasing membership of our junior and senior groups.”

Action from Sunday’s event.

The club’s female squad The Willows was founded in 2021 and now has 22 players. They currently play in the Hambleton Women’s Soft Ball Cricket League.

One of the team’s founding players, Hilary O’Callaghan said:

“The Willows started as a group of mums who watched our kids play. To see how far we’ve come with hard work, training and lots of laughs is amazing.

“I would say to any girl or woman who’s thinking about stepping onto the pitch, just go for it. You’ll learn a new skill, make great friends and be part of a wonderful cricket community.”

The club also has four senior men’s teams and several junior teams. More information is available here.