North Yorkshire Police is holding a public meeting in Ripon this month to talk about its plans to tackle crime in the city.

There are longstanding concerns about persistent crime and anti-social behaviour in Ripon, with problems particularly prevalent during summer.

At the community engagement meeting on May 16, police will spell out how they plan to address the issues.

A police social media post said the meeting will “share with you the current crime statistics and trends for your wards, provide you with an operational overview of how your area is currently policed and also tell you about the proposed plans for the future”.

It added:

“The purpose of this meeting is to ensure your voice is heard with regards to how your community is policed.

“By voicing your concerns direct to us you will enable North Yorkshire Police to target and tailor our resources and plans to better meet your needs and prevent issues or escalation in your community.

“This is an open invite to all local residents, concerned people and partners agencies that are concerned in community support to come along and provide your perspective.”

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The post added that people will “be invited to highlight any community issues, tensions or criminality that are affecting you”.

Inspector Alex Langley, from the Ripon neighbourhoods policing team, will chair the meeting, which will take place from 8pm to 9pm at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre on Dallamires Lane.

Underage drinking crackdown

In March, police announced Ripon had joined 240 locations in the country designated as a Community Alcohol Partnerships area.

These partnerships see police work with retailers, schools, neighbourhood groups, Trading Standards, local authorities and other emergency and health services to reduce alcohol problems.

As part of the initiative, retailers are assessed by Trading Standards and police to check they are not selling alcohol to children.

A Harrogate home was severely damaged when an unattended chip pan caught fire last night.

Firefighters used a door breaker tool to get into the home, which is in the Coppice area, at about 6.20pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log does not say whether anyone was hurt.

Harrogate and Knaresborough firefighters responded to the call. The incident log says:

“This was a fire to a chip pan that had been left unattended.

“This caused 70% smoke damage throughout the property.

“Crews used a door breaker to enter the property and extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet and a 45mm hose.”

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Polling stations across the Harrogate district opened at 7am this morning as elections take place for the new North Yorkshire Council.

The unitary authority, which comes into existence on April 1 next year, will replace North Yorkshire County Council and seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council.

Councillors elected will serve on North Yorkshire County Council for its final year and then a further four years on North Yorkshire Council.

The political make-up of the council, which will be determined today by voters, will shape services for 600,000 people in North Yorkshire over the next five years.

A total of 310 candidates are contesting 90 seats in the county.

Polling stations close at 10pm tonight and results will be announced tomorrow.

The Stray Ferret will attend the declaration of results and provide full details as they happen.

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People in the Harrogate district will go to the polls tomorrow for perhaps the most important local elections for almost 50 years.

Voters will shape key services for 600,000 people in the county by deciding the political make-up of the new North Yorkshire Council.

The unitary authority, which comes into existence on April 1 next year, will replace North Yorkshire County Council and seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council.

Councillors elected tomorrow will serve the final year of North Yorkshire County Council and then a further four years on North Yorkshire Council.

It represents the biggest shake-up in local government in North Yorkshire since 1974, when the current structure of local government was introduced.

Tomorrow’s elections will see 310 candidates contest 90 seats in 89 electoral divisions.

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The Conservative Party, which currently controls North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council, is fielding candidates in all 90 seats. There will also be 67 Labour and Co-operative Party candidates, 48 Green Party candidates, 45 Liberal Democrats and 45 Independents. The remaining 15 candidates will be from a range of other smaller parties.

Richard Flinton, the county returning officer for the election who is also the chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“This is an opportunity for everyone who is registered to vote to help decide on who they want to represent them at what is a defining moment for North Yorkshire.

“The importance of these elections is hugely significant, as it not only lays the foundations for the decision-makers for the new unitary authority, but it also paves the way for a devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York.”

The government has stipulated that a new unitary authority is a key requirement for any devolution deal for North Yorkshire, which could see an elected mayor with new powers.

Polling stations will be open across the county from 7am until 10pm tomorrow.

More details about the new electoral divisions and the May 5 county council elections are available here.

Two new smart bins branded an ‘eyesore’ outside Harrogate’s Valley Gardens are to be moved.

Harrogate Borough Council said today it would “find a more suitable location for the bins”, which it revealed cost £4,350 each.

The bins use sensors to identify different types of waste, as well as how full the receptacles are and whether they have been damaged.

Harrogate Civic Society and the Friends of Valley Gardens both called for the bins to be relocated this week because of their visual impact on the conservation area.

The council has installed six smart bins, costing a total of £26,1000, in Valley Gardens. But it is the two outside the main entrance that have attracted criticism.

Stuart Holland, co-chair of the civic society, said it welcomed receptacles to collect waste and recycling but described the smart bins as ‘eyesores’.

Ann Beeby, secretary of the Friends of Valley Gardens charity, said it has aesthetic concerns and had asked the council to consider moving them inside the entrance.

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A council spokesman said today:

“The location of the bins was chosen in areas where footfall is high and where in peak season bins require emptying multiple times a day.

“We’d like to thank Harrogate district residents and Harrogate Civic Society for sharing their comments on the bins. And following feedback from the civic society, we will work with them to find a more suitable location for the bins outside Valley Gardens to preserve the heritage of the town while maintaining a high footfall area.”

Smart bins ‘improve efficiency and increase recycling’

Two bins have also been installed in the children’s play area.

The council spokesperson said the new solar-powered compacting public bins would “improve efficiency and increase recycling”.

They added:

“Each self-contained 240l bin, that prevents birds and vermin from entering, can compact the volume of up to 10 standard bins.

“Resulting in each pair accommodating a total of up to 4,800 litres of waste and recycling and a reduction in the time and cost of emptying bins, as well as a reduction in fuel costs and carbon emissions.

“Meaning we can spend more time litter picking and keeping the district clean and looking its best.

“The allowance for recycling glass, plastic and cans means that these items can be removed from general waste and increase the district’s recycling rates.

“Much like the standard bins that have recently been retrofitted with a sensor, we are also able to monitor fill levels and are alerted if there are issues with the bin, or the bin becomes full before its next collection, ensuring litter is kept to a minimum and we can ensure the district is kept clean and tidy.”

Sports clubs in Harrogate could get free life-saving defibrillators thanks to a cricket club’s fundraising efforts.

Luke Trower, a member of Bilton in Ainsty CC, who play in the York and District Senior Cricket League, wanted to do something after his dad died while playing football. He might have survived if a defibrillator had been available at the ground.

Mr Trower and 10 other club members embarked on a sponsored climb of Ben Nevis to raise money for the machines, which revive people having cardiac arrests. Those taking part included umpire Jim Stevens, who is 67 years old.

So far their efforts have generated almost £6,000, which has funded new machines at Bilton in Ainsty CC’s ground and Wetherby bandstand. Donations can still be made here.

Drew Walker, one of those who climbed Ben Nevis last month, said:

“We are looking to put defibrillators in other sports clubs in the Harrogate area that need them. We think we can fund another three.”

Mr Walker said any organisations interested should contact Mr Trower on 07897409689.

Those that climbed Ben Nevis were Luke Trower, Drew Walker, Alex Bowden, Grace Piechocki, Chris Newby, Adam Stobert, Henry Gardner, Andrew Wilson, Jim Stevens, James Good and James Wilkinson.

Here are some images from their expedition.

Harrogate Thalidomide campaigner Guy Tweedy has laid a wreath to pay tribute to victims of the morning sickness ‘wonder drug’.

Mr Tweedy placed the wreath at the foot of a copper beech tree planted on the Harrogate’s Montpellier Hill in 2012.

The tree was the UK’s first-ever memorial to those who died as a result of their mothers being prescribed the drug in the early stages of pregnancy.

The wreath commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Thalidomide Society, which was formed in 1962 by the parents of children affected by the drug.

Mr Tweedy, who turns 60 in June and is himself a Thalidomider, is a prominent campaigner for the society.

The society was formed by parents of children affected by the drug in order to provide mutual support and seek compensation.

At least 2,000 babies in the UK were born due to Thalidomide, and more than half of them died within their first year. An unknown number also died in the womb.

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Common deformities included missing or shortened limbs, blindness, brain damage and missing internal organs.

442 UK Thalidomiders still alive

There are a total of 442 Thalidomiders aged between 56 and 63 still alive in the UK today.

Over the last two decades, Mr Tweedy – who sufferers from shortened arms and fingers fused together, has helped secure hundreds of millions of pounds from the government for the ongoing care of fellow survivors.

He said:

“A decade ago, we planted this tree to commemorate those who died from this hideous drug. Thalidomide was the worst man-made disaster in peace time history.

“It killed thousands of babies in the womb and in their first years of life. It left thousands more with terrible deformities and affected the lives of thousands of families around the world.

“For the last ten years I have watched the memorial tree grow – and it will be here long after I, and all the other Thalidomide survivors, have passed away.

“The Harrogate district has seven thalidomide survivors, and since its inception 60 years ago the Thalidomide Society has fought our corner and championed our welfare.

“Whilst this wreath is to commemorate the victims of this tragedy, it’s also to recognise the ongoing work of the Thalidomide Society which aims to ensure the impact of thalidomide is never forgotten.

A Knaresborough teenager has been ordered to do 300 hours of community work after pleading guilty to having a knife in Harrogate bar Mojo.

Arterus Moisejevas, 19, was accused of having a flick knife in the venue on Parliament Street on April 10.

Moisejevas, of Colebrooke Meadows, admitted the charge at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday.

He was also ordered to pay a £95 surcharge to fund victim services and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

His case is one of a spate of recent knife crime offences heard in court in Harrogate recently.

Harrogate Pubwatch revealed on Thursday that it had imposed a life ban on someone found carrying a knife in a town centre venue.

The organisation represents about 40 licensed venues in town. Members share information on troublemakers and jointly impose sanctions.

Sadly we have had to impose a lifetime ban on someone found to be carrying a knife in one of our town centre venues a couple of weekends ago. The possession of weapons in Harrogate's pubs, clubs and bars simply won't be tolerated #Harrogate

— Harrogate Pubwatch (@hgpubwatch) April 27, 2022

Police: knives produce ‘false sense of security’

Asked whether knife crime in the Harrogate district was increasing and, if so, what action it was taking, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Carrying a knife is a completely false sense of security. Producing a knife does not de-escalate a confrontation, it makes a bad situation worse and drastically increases the chance of you yourself being injured by that blade.

“As part of our efforts to tackle knife crime, we support Operation Sceptre, which is a twice-yearly national coordinated week of activity where police forces across the country help keep knives off the streets and deter people from carrying them, and through information and intelligence, proactively target knife-related offences.

“In July last year, changes to the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 were introduced which mean it is an offence to possess certain items such as knuckledusters, throwing stars and zombie knives, even in private.

“To anyone who is concerned for a friend or family member who they think maybe carrying a knife, please speak to them and explain the dangers. Tell them the safer and smarter thing to do is to put the knife down or come and surrender it at one of our police stations. You could be saving a life.

“Anyone with information on knife crime in their local community can always contact police on 101 or can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.”

Plans to redevelop Harrogate Borough Council’s former headquarters have been recommended for approval next week.

The proposals for Crescent Gardens, which has sat empty for five years, include a two-storey extension, rooftop restaurant, gym and new office space.

The plans have been recommended for approval at a meeting on May 10 after the council’s planning department released a report saying the redevelopment would “increase the vitality of this town centre site and prove beneficial in boosting Harrogate’s economy”.

Harrogate-based property developers Impala Estates are behind the proposals after purchasing the building for £4 million in 2020.
This came after the council moved to its new Knapping Mount headquarters in 2017.

At the time, the council announced it would sell Crescent Gardens to property developer Adam Thorpe who had plans for a £75 million redevelopment including luxury apartments, an art gallery, underground car park, swimming pool and restaurant.

But two years later, Mr Thorpe’s company ATP Ltd fell into administration with debts of almost £11 million, including £24,394 owed to the council.

Crescent Gardens

Crescent Gardens then went back up for sale and was eventually bought by Impala Estates.

Historic England objection

In the report to next Tuesday’s meeting, the council’s planning department said the latest plans from Impala Estates would “alter the locality but on balance are considered acceptable.”

An objection by Historic England questioned the public benefits and said the roof extension should not exceed one storey. The body also said the plans relate “very poorly” to the existing building.

However, the council has argued this view contradicts a previous assessment from Historic England’s predecessor body, English Heritage, which described the building as “poorly proportioned in classical terms” because it was originally restricted to two storeys.

These comments came when English Heritage refused listed status for the building in 2002.

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Meanwhile, the latest proposals have already won the support of Harrogate Civic Society which described the scheme as “excellent”.

The civic society previously said:

“The existing roof lends itself to a two-storey extension, something that was advocated many times to Harrogate Borough Council, making use of the original design that envisaged future extensions at roof level.

“We are pleased to see that the building will be retained and refurbished as offices, with a restaurant on the roof and meeting rooms within the historic core, as this will retain a degree of public access and use of the building.”

Police are appealing for witnesses after 64 sheep were stolen from a field near Boroughbridge.

Forty-eight ewes in lamb and 16 hoggs were taken from land off the A168 at Marton-cum-Grafton.

It happened between 5pm on April 27 and 7am the following day.

A statement by North Yorkshire Police today said the sheep were worth a total value of tens of thousands of pounds. It added:

“They were stolen from a field on Legram Lane. It is believed a wagon would have been used to take the sheep.

“Officers are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, they are appealing for information about any wagons in the vicinity in the early hours of 28 April, or anything else that may assist with the investigation.”

Of the 48 ewes, 39 are Beltex and 9 are Bleu du Maine. The 16 hoggs were all young Beltex sheep aged 9-18 months.

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Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Chloe Kinnear. You can also email chloe.kinnear@northyorkshire.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12220071650.