Wheelie bin trial to start in Harrogate district this month

Harrogate Borough Council is to trial a scheme to replace black recycling boxes with wheelie bins this month.

The Appleby estate in Knaresborough has been chosen as the first area to trial the wheelie bins due to the amount and quality of the recycling presented by residents.

Recent articles by the Stray Ferret have highlighted concerns by residents about the amount of recycling left out for collection blown across streets.

They prompted many people to call on the council to introduce wheelie bins with lids.

The new blue-lidded wheelie bin will replace the black box and will be used for glass bottles and jars, tin cans and foil, food and drink cartons, plastic bottles and tubs.

Blue bags for recycling all paper, card and cardboard will continue to be used. However, these will be replaced with heavy-duty bags for properties that don’t have them.

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Residents in this area will receive a letter this week explaining what they need to do. Collection days will remain the same.

The council will collect black boxes when they deliver the wheelie bins. These will either be reused for other residents or recycled, depending on their condition.

Concerns over contamination rates

Councillor Andy Paraskos, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“For some time we’ve been looking at how we could improve our kerbside scheme as we know residents are increasingly conscious of the environment and have been recycling more, which is fantastic.

“But before we roll out wheelie bins across the Harrogate district, we have decided to first carry out a trial with a number of properties to ensure that what we achieve with the current system is replicated.”

In some instances, using wheelie bins for recycling can lead to higher contamination rates, so the council will use data from the trial to decide what to do across the Harrogate district.

Cllr Paraskos added:

“Our recycling is clean, high-quality and easily accepted at the processing sites so we’d like to say a massive thank you to the residents for always going above and beyond to help us and our crews.

“We need to ensure switching to wheelie bins doesn’t change this, as the better our recycling the easier it is sort and process.

“In some collection areas, not all residents are as conscientious about what they put in the wheelie bin. Resulting in higher contamination rates and much of the recycling having to be disposed of either through incineration or landfill.”

Other areas will join the trial in the coming month.

Sid Hawke to be Ripon’s next mayor

Independent councillor Sid Hawke is to be Ripon’s next mayor.

Cllr Hawke, who previously served as mayor in 2008/09, will replace fellow Independent Eamon Parkin at the annual mayor making ceremony on May 23.

His term will coincide with celebrations for the Queen’s platinum jubilee on June 2 to 5 as well as Ripon Cathedral’s 1,350th anniversary.

Ripon-born Cllr Hawke is a semi-retired window cleaner who has also served as a retained firefighter for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in Ripon.

Elected to Ripon City Council in 2002, Cllr Hawke represents the Ure Bank ward on both Ripon City Council and on Harrogate Borough Council.

He lost to Liberal Democrat Barbara Brodigan in last week’s North Yorkshire Council election for Ripon Ure Bank and Spa division.

Cllr Hawke said:

“I am delighted to be nominated by Ripon city councillors in the selection for the position of mayor and I am looking forward to representing the city in this very important year of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee.”

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The mayor will be formally installed in a service at Ripon Cathedral on July 3.

Cllr Hawke’s wife, Linda, will accompany him on mayoral engagements. Cllr Parkin will be deputy mayor.

The Rt. Revd. Dr Helen-Ann Harley, Bishop of Ripon will remain as the mayor’s chaplain.

 

Sneak Peek: Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant reopens

The Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant in Harrogate re-opened last night.

The restaurant, set in the Grade II listed Royal Baths, is one of the most historic and opulent places to dine in Harrogate.

It has been closed since the end of 2020 and was also shut for most of 2020 due to lockdowns.

But after extensive repair work due mainly to damp, people once again have the chance of a unique eating experience.

The building, which has a central dome and pillars down the side, was built between 1894 and 1897 and for many years was Europe’s premier destination for spa treatments. It is now owned by North Yorkshire County Council.

The restaurant has served traditional Chinese food for about 13 years and will continue to do so.

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A restaurant spokesman said the 100-seat venue would be similar to how customers remembered it, with the VIP room and terrace bar and dining area back in operation. However, the party room is currently unavailable.

He added:

“We have a new team of staff starting and ask people to be patient when we first re-open.

“But it’s very much the same Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant. We have been here for 13 or 14 years now and look forward to welcoming customers back.”

The owners opened the Royal Baths Express takeaway in Pateley Bridge in February.

They also continue to operate Haks Little Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant, on Harrogate’s Station Parade.

More pictures from The Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant

Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant bar

The bar, which leads to the outside terrace.

The terrace area.

The Grade II listed building was built from 1894 to 1897.

Inside the main dining area.

Harrogate primary school set to close

The governors of Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton put the wheels in motion today for the school to close.

They have asked North Yorkshire County Council to begin a consultation on closure after nearby Grove Road Community Primary rejected a merger.

Some parents have been offered places for children to start in September.  The proposal is for the school to shut during the next academic year, although a precise date is not known.

A council spokesperson told the Stray Ferret today places offered in September “still exist” but the full implications of today’s news remain unclear.

The governors said in a statement they had exhausted “every possible avenue” and they were moving towards closure “with a very heavy heart”.

The statement said:

“This has been a very difficult time for the school, parents, pupils, staff and governors and we were all hopeful a solution had finally been found with the proposed amalgamation with Grove Road Primary School. Unfortunately, that could not proceed.

“This has left Woodfield Community Primary School in a very vulnerable position and we have had to look again at what options are available for the school.

“The governors have worked incredibly hard to find a positive solution, exploring every available avenue. Unfortunately, it is our conclusion that we have exhausted all options that are available.

“It is with a very heavy heart that the governors of Woodfield school have had to ask the county council to begin the consultation process for closure.’’ 

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The school received an inadequate Ofsted rating following an inspection in January 2020, which required it to become a sponsored academy.

Woodfield Community Primary School, Harrogate.

Woodfield Community Primary School, Harrogate

The Regional Schools Commissioner was unable to secure a multi academy trust to sponsor the school, which led the governors to explore a merger with Grove Road.

Merger talks fail

The move, which would have meant Woodfield School technically closed and became part of Grove Road from September this year, fell through in March when Grove Road pulled out, citing concerns about the level of risk.

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of children and young people services, said in a statement:

“The Directive Academy Order and the absence of a sponsor from the academy sector had left Woodfield Community Primary School in a difficult position.

“The county council hoped that the proposed amalgamation would provide a solution to retain education on the school site, but that was not to be.

“I would like to thank the leadership and governors of Woodfield Community Primary School for their diligence in exploring the issues and I share their sadness that closure must now be considered.

“We will now move at pace to seek approval to consult on a proposal that the school should close during the next academic year.

“We will communicate directly with the school’s parents in the coming days on the many questions they will have at this time.’’

If you have a child at Woodfield school and have a view on what’s happening, email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Why election victory means so much for Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Lib Dems

After more than a decade of Conservative control in Harrogate, the announcement of last week’s election results was a momentous moment for the Liberal Democrats.

Previously, the Lib Dems had just two district seats on North Yorkshire County Council.

Now they have 10 compared to nine for the Conservatives in what marks a big swing of power and public mood.

Not only that, but the Lib Dems look set to remain the biggest party in Harrogate for at least five years as the next local elections are not until 2027.

It is important to remember that North Yorkshire on the whole is still a Conservative majority after the party won 47 of the 90 available seats across the county.

But if the new North Yorkshire Council gets the local decision-making powers that have previously been discussed, the Lib Dems will very much be in Harrogate’s driving seat for years to come.

Speaking on Friday, Lib Dem leader Pat Marsh – who was elected as councillor for Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone – said the party was “thrilled” with the election results which she said reflected a belief that Harrogate had “lost its way” under Tory control.

Her long-serving Lib Dem colleague Philip Broadbank has now said the party’s focus will be on making sure decision-making powers over areas including planning and education are filtered down to a local level.

Cllr Broadbank said:

“The first and most immediate thing to get right is the decision-making arrangements in the new council and devolving power as much as possible to local areas.

“We will work to ensure our area gets a fair share of the funding promised by devolution and that our town centres receive the investment needed to encourage people to shop and meet for leisure.

“The next five years will give everyone a challenge to plan for long-term changes and find new ways of creating the investment that will be needed.”

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Cllr Broadbank, who won the Fairfax and Starbeck division, also said “no time should be lost” in pursuing the creation of a Harrogate Town Council which could require a local referendum.

Setting out his party’s other priorities for the new council, Cllr Broadbank said:

“We need to ensure that any savings that are found in the reorganisation are invested in our roads, footpaths, social and adult care, and public transport systems.

“We also need to encourage people to walk or cycle more when travelling short distances.

“Over the next few years there will need to be much more emphasis on enhancing and improving environmental initiatives.”

The new councillors elected last week will serve one year on North Yorkshire County Council, before a four-year term on the new North Yorkshire Council which launches in April 2023.

At this point, the existing county, district and borough councils – including Harrogate – will be abolished.

Success for Harrogate cafe and home care company
Hustle & Co

Staff from Hustle & Co collect their award.

A Harrogate start-up company’s efforts to overcome the challenges of covid have been recognised.

Hustle & Co was one of three finalists from 24 nominated organisations in the new business starter of the year category at Yorkshire Choice Awards.

The awards ceremony, attended by 700 people in Leeds, recognised independent businesses in Yorkshire.

Hustle & Co, which is co-owned by Nici Routledge and Jo Bradshaw, opened in December 2020 on Prince Albert Row.

Ms Routledge said making the top three was recognition of the tenacity of everyone at Hustle & Co during a difficult period for start-ups due to covid and Brexit.

Bishop Thornton home care company recognised as one of UK’s best

Carefound Home Care

Carla Hainsworth (left) and Lorna Miles from Carefound.

Carefound Home Care has won an award for being one of the top 20 home care groups in the UK.

Nearly a million disabled and older people receive care at home so they can stay living independently. This includes help with getting dressed, washed, preparing meals and drinks and administering medication.

Carefound was named as one of the top 20 home care providers in the UK based on reviews given at care reviews site www.homecare.co.uk.

Oliver Stirk, managing director of Carefound, said:

“This award is especially welcomed because it is based on actual reviews from our clients and their friends and family, who clearly recognise the outstanding care our home care team provides across Yorkshire.”

Amanda Hopkins, reviews manager of homecare.co.uk, said:

“Carefound has proved that it provides a high standard of care and we’d like to congratulate it on being a top home care group.”

Carefound operates in North Yorkshire, Cheshire and Nottinghamshire.

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Harrogate police begin two-week gun amnesty

Police are urging people in the Harrogate district to hand in any weapons, including guns, knives and tasers, during a two-week amnesty.

Anyone with weapons can surrender them at Harrogate police station, at Beckwith Head Road, anonymously without the threat of prosecution.

The amnesty, which starts tomorrow and ends on May 29, is part of a national campaign to tackle serious crime.

A North Yorkshire Police press release today said some people may be unaware that firearms kept at home for years are illegal. Others are legally held but no longer required and some are used to cause harm. The press release said:

“The surrender gives people the chance to dispose of firearms or ammunition by simply taking them to a local police station and handing them over.”

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The amnesty includes: illegally-held guns and ammunition, imitation firearms and air guns, tasers, stun guns and CS gas.

Police stations in Harrogate, York, Scarborough, Malton, Skipton, Selby, Northallerton and Richmond are taking part in the surrender.

Knife amnesty

In addition to the firearms surrender, Operation Sceptre will run from May 16 to 22.

As part of this coordinated week of activity, which aims to keep knives off the street, knives can also be disposed at Harrogate police station.

Assistant Chief Constable Elliot Foskett, said:

“I want people to take advantage of this campaign and know they are disposing of a potentially dangerous item in the safest way possible, without getting into any trouble.

“It’s a chance to do the right thing and a chance to potentially save a life”.

 

Funeral next week for Ripon restaurant owner Mario

The funeral will be held next week for the owner of Ripon restaurant Mario’s.

The family-run restaurant, serving traditional Italian food, has been part of Ripon life for almost 20 years.

Mario Chessa, who was the son of a chef, was born in Napoli in 1959. He moved to England in 1997 with a dream of opening his own restaurant.

He had worked as a chef in Italy and was employed by various restaurants around Harrogate until he became head chef at Joe Rigatoni, which is now Lucia.

In 2004 he fulfilled his lifelong dream by opening Mario’s on Kirkgate, which he ran with his son, Marco, and wife, Maria.

Mario's restaurant

The family announced on social media last week that Mario had lost a long battle with cancer. Many of the hundreds of people who commented on Facebook described him as a ‘lovely man’ who would be sorely missed.

Marco Chessa told the Stray Ferret:

“My father was a much loved, kind, hardworking man. He was a loving father and grandfather and a wonderful husband who will be missed by many.”

“Myself, my mother and all our staff will carry on his legacy. We are closed at the moment but due to reopen on the May 24.”

His funeral will be held on May 19 at St Joseph’s Church on Skipton Road, Harrogate, at 11.30am.

 

Harrogate man charged with supplying cocaine and assaulting police

Harrogate man Ermal Biba has been charged with supplying cocaine and cannabis and assaulting two police officers.

Mr Biba, 37, of Trafalgar Court, is accused of supplying cocaine and cannabis in Harrogate and supplying cannabis in Rochdale, Greater Manchester on or before May 5.

He is also accused of assaulting a female police officer at Ashfield Road, Harrogate on Thursday last week and of assaulting a male police officer at Nydd Vale Road on the same date.

On Saturday, North Yorkshire magistrates sent Mr Biba for trial at York Crown Court on June 6. He was remanded in custody.

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Flood fears halt 61-bed Knaresborough retirement home

Developers behind plans for a Knaresborough retirement home have been told to make the building smaller and move it further away from the River Nidd.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee today deferred a decision on the proposals for 61 extra care apartments near Grimbald Bridge after continued concerns were raised over flooding and the impact on local health services.

This was despite the Environment Agency and flooding specialists at North Yorkshire County Council raising no objections.

The developers, Adlington Retirement Living, also said there is “no record” of the site flooding and have agreed to pay £40,000 to help fund expansions at GP surgeries in the area.

However, local people claim the River Nidd has overflowed at the site as recently as February.

Resident Steve Benn told a meeting today:

“Although pictures on the planning portal show the land dry, the debris on the bank indicates that the site has recently flooded.”

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Mr Benn also claimed there are photos of the site flooded, but council officers said they have not seen any evidence.

Kate Broadbank, case officer at the council, said:

“We haven’t received any verified information that contradicts the applicant’s information which states the river did not overtop its banks on the site in either historic events or more recently in February.

“Irrespective of what has happened in the past, both the Environment Agency and the Lead Local Flood Authority are satisfied that the application provides acceptable mitigation.”

‘Overload’ health services

The Wetherby Road development was refused last year before councillors voted for a deferral in March when the NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) lodged an objection.

The CCG previously said it was “extremely concerned” that another care facility in the area could “overload” local health services.

However, this objection has now been withdrawn after the £40,000 payment from the developers was agreed.

As well as this, Adlington Retirement Living have offered to pay for a new footpath connecting Grimbald Bridge as well as upgraded crossings after road safety concerns were raised by residents.

These proposals have been agreed in principle by highways officials at the county council.

‘It is too large’

Speaking at today’s meeting, Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh said the retirement home amounted to “overdevelopment” of the site and that it should be reduced in size “considerably”. She said:

“It is the numbers that are being asked for on this site which are problematic.

“It is too large. If they want to do it, I would like to see them cut the numbers down considerably and move that building further away from the river.”

A revised application is now expected at a later date.