Andrew Jones MP hits back after Lib Dem rival Tom Gordon attacks schools funding

The Liberal Democrat bidding to be Harrogate and Knaresborough’s next MP has accused the government of failing local children after new figures revealed a decline in funding per pupil.

The National Education Union, which is the UK’s largest education union, published a county-by-county breakdown of school funding statistics last week.

It revealed school funding in North Yorkshire was set to fall by £14 million in 2024/25 compared with this year and 286 of 340 schools in the county will have less to spend. The cut will equate to a £188 reduction in funding per pupil in North Yorkshire.

Tom Gordon, who will bid to unseat Conservative Andrew Jones at the next general election, said the Lib Dems were calling for the government to review school funding after the Institute for Fiscal Studies said the purchasing power of school budgets in 2024 will still be about 4% lower than in 2010.

Mr Gordon said:

“This Conservative government has failed North Yorkshire’s children. Parents in our community should not have to send their children to schools which have had their funding decimated by a Conservative government that has lost interest in providing high-quality education.

“Investing in education is investing in our future but this Conservative government has let school buildings crumble and overseen a severe shortage of teachers. Far from preparing the next generation for the future, Ministers have totally abandoned them.

“The Liberal Democrats know that investment in education boosts our children’s futures. The Treasury needs to urgently look at increasing school funding”.

‘Hard facts’

But Mr Jones disputed the figures and said recent investments to local schools and colleges in painted a different picture.

He said:

“Rather than quoting figures produced by a national trade union we can look at some hard facts about local and national investment.

“The effect of educational investment since 2010 is clear in Harrogate and Knaresborough.  Harrogate High School has been completely rebuilt and we are about to see a £20m new campus for Harrogate college.  A new specialist autism school is opening on the site of the former Woodfield Primary School with a £3.5m investment from North Yorkshire Council.

“There is more evidence of local progress.  Look at the new sixth form centre at King James or the new lecture theatre at Harrogate Grammar.

“Rossett School and Bilton Grange have received grants to make classrooms warmer and more energy efficient.

“Just last year local schools received £2.5m to help with energy bills and teachers’ pay increases.”

He added:

“School spending was £35bn per year in 2010. For 2024/25 it is £58.8bn. That is a 68 per cent cash increase. The budget increase in 2022/23 was £4bn, for 23/24 it is £3.5bn. That is 15 per cent in just two years, taking the budget to a record high in real terms and per pupil.

“I am particularly pleased that the funding for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has risen by 50 per cent since 2019/20.”

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Woman’s decomposed body discovered at park home in Knaresborough

The partially decomposed body of a woman found at an over-50s retirement park in Knaresborough yesterday is believed to have laid undiscovered for about six weeks.

Neighbours at Nidderdale Lodge Park raised the alarm yesterday when they became suspicious about the length of time since they had seen the woman.

They alerted the emergency services after noting a smell when they lifted the letterbox to check on her welfare.

Bob Frendt, who lives at the 53-home retirement park for over-50s and used to chair the residents’ association, said:

“It’s really sad. It’s awful to think she died like this.

“People look out for each other here. The community spirit is very good but this woman kept herself to herself and nobody noticed she was missing until yesterday.”

Mr Frendt, who is well known for his aid trips to eastern Europe, said police checks indicated the woman’s phone had not been used since December 18, which was 41 days before her body was discovered.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“Police were called by the ambulance service at 10.30am on Sunday, January 28 following the death of a woman in her 50s at Nidderdale Lodge in Knaresborough.

“Officers believe there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

“A file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Nidderdale Lodge Park was established in the 1960s as a caravan park and began providing park homes in the 1980s.

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Police seek man after woman ‘sexually touched’ in Harrogate bar

Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak after it said a woman was “sexually touched” walking through a Harrogate bar.

In a statement today, North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened at Banyan Bar & Kitchen on John Street.

It took place at about 8.30pm on Friday, December 15.

The police statement said:

“Officers would like to speak to the man in the image as they believe he will have information that could assist the investigation.

“Anyone who recognises the person in the image or can help to identify them is asked to email katie.jacobs@northyorkshire.police.uk

“Or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Katie Jacobs or collar number 1131.”

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

Quote reference number 12230237996.

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Police seek woman after coats stolen at Harrogate TK Maxx

North Yorkshire Police has issued a CCTV image of a woman they would like to speak to after clothes were stolen from TK Maxx in Harrogate.

In a statement today, officers said a woman took four coats as well as a bag full of clothing without paying.

The items, worth £600, were taken from TK Maxx in Victoria Shopping Centre at about 3pm on November 29.

The statement added:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the woman in the image as they believe she will have information that will help the investigation.

“Anyone with any information is asked to email Jamie.Kennerley@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Jamie Kennerley.

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

Quote reference number 12230227510.

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Storm Isha hits Harrogate district

Strong winds battered the Harrogate district last night and continued to cause problems throughout the day. Our live Storm Isha blog below provided updates throughout the day.

2.40pm: Quieter night expected — but winds to pick up again

The latest Met Office forecast shows winds abating tonight although it will remain very blustery. Tomorrow night, however, is expected to see gusts of up to 51mph.

The number of local flood warnings has been reduced. There is currently a warning for the River Ure camping and caravanning site at Boroughbridge and less severe flood alerts for the lower River Ure at Ripon and the lower River Nidd catchment area.

12.48pm: Newby Hall miniature railway flooded

Newby Hall’s miniature railway looks more like part of the boating lake this morning.

The stately home between Ripon and Boroughbridge has posted a video on its Facebook page of the flooding, along with the message:

“The River Ure is so high this morning it’s completely covered our railway. The Ure is one of many rivers that drain the dales into the River Ouse.”

12.01pm: Masham road closed

The A6107 has been closed by police at the bridge entering Masham, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce chief executive Martin Mann has posted on social media.

11.01am: River Ure high in Ripon

Two photos indicate how high the River Ure is in Ripon. The first, put on social media by Tom Bulmer, shows the water level high on the bridge. The second, sent to us by Richard Taylor, co-chair of Ripon Civic Society, shows the metal sculpture of a soldier and horse on the flooded North Bank up to their necks in water. They can just about be spotted.

Pic Tom Bulmer

10.21am: Northern Powergrid says power restored to 84% of homes affected

Northern Powergrid, which distributes electricity for eight million people, has said in a statement about 32,479 customers have been affected by the storm so far. It added:

“We have, however, successfully restored power to over 25,260 customers, and we are working as quickly as possible to get the remaining customers’ lights back on.

“Our teams responded quickly and have already managed to reconnect 84% of customers who have been impacted. We will keep customers updated regularly via text message, on our website and on our social media channels.  “

It added Northumberland, which recorded the highest gust of 99mph, had been most affected.

9.25am: High local river levels

River levels are high on the Nidd at Knaresborough and Hunsingore, the Ure at Ripon and Boroughbridge, as well as the Crimple and Swinney Beck at Masham, according to the government. The middle reaches of the Nidd don’t currently appear too high. You can find out more here.

7.31am: Rail passengers ‘encouraged to check’

Rail operator Northern hasn’t issued any specific alerts to trains on the line passing through Harrogate and Knaresborough this morning but has said:

“Storm Isha is expected to cause disruption to our network, so we’re encouraging customers to check before they travel this evening and tomorrow morning.”

7.11am: Dishforth Road closed

Dishforth Road in Sharow, which had been described as ‘impassable’ on social media, has just been sealed off by the sign and cones at the dip near the sewerage pumping station.  Signs and cones are in place.  Drivers must now divert using Berrygate Lane.

6.50am: Gusts hit 56mph at Greenhow Hill

Nationally, the highest gust of wind recorded so far is 99mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland. Locally, gusts have hit 56mph at Greenhow Hill, near Pateley Bridge.

6.02am: Flooding expected along Ure

A Met Office weather warning is active until Wednesday.

The Environment Agency has issued flood warnings, which means flooding is expected, for the River Ure at Boroughbridge camping and caravanning site and for the River Ure at Masham.

The Boroughbridge update, issued at 4.52am today, said:

“River levels continue to rise at Westwick Weir and Boroughbridge as a result of heavy rainfall associated with Storm Isha.

“Flooding is affecting locations near the River Ure with low lying land expected to be most affected, particularly around Boroughbridge Camping and Caravanning Site. The river should peak this afternoon,”

The Ure at Masham warning, issued just before 1am, says:

“Flooding is forecast to affect locations near the River Ure, with low lying land expected to be most affected, particularly around Masham including properties on Mill Gate, Marfield Quarry and off the A6108. Flooding is expected in the early hours of Monday.”

Less severe flood alerts are in place for the lower River Ure at Ripon and for the upper and lower Nidd catchment areas.

There are unconfirmed reports online of Dishforth Road at Sharow, which is notoriously prone to flooding, being “impassable”.

National Highways posted on social media last night that the A66 was closed in both directions between Scotch Corner and the M6 because of strong winds.”

 

Readers’ Letters: Slippery Harrogate footpaths ‘unsafe’ for elderly

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

I do so wish that the council – or whoever is in charge — would sweep the footpaths and gutters.  Not just in the centre of Harrogate but out of the centre too.

We all pay our council taxes like everyone else, but rarely see anyone out of town.

The flowers are nurtured regularly but, frankly, it would be wonderful to see clean streets too. The dead, wet leaves make it slippery to walk on and the gutters are full of leaves too, which blocks the drains, meaning the water and rubbish just float down anywhere.

Harrogate has a high population of older people and it makes walking around much harder and unsafe.

Whilst I am about it, if the soil and muck around the bollards in the centres of the roads were cleaned up too, we would not have unsightly weeds sprouting around them.

Valerie Cooke, Harrogate.

‘Jaw dropping’ number of coffee shops in Harrogate

This letter is in response to a story published by the Stray Ferret about the amount of coffee shops in Harrogate.

I lived in Harrogate until 1990 and the amount of coffee shops mentioned in the article was jaw dropping.

I have left the town, but this is my hometown and it seems there are more coffee shops than before. I know Harrogate relies on the revenue from tourists which is a good thing.

The pandemic did a lot of damage to people and businesses which was not good, so I am pleased businesses are recovering.

I shall be making my visit when it gets warmer and busier, and no doubt test the coffee to see if it’s as good as our barista machine!

The best of luck to all businesses in Harrogate.

Andrew Fear.

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‘Unjust’ to blame littering on Harrogate drive-thrus 

This letter is in response to last week’s edition of Stray Views, in which one reader expressed concerns over road-side takeaways contributing to littering issues.

I find it a little hard to imagine that the local Costa tasks their staff  every morning with spreading the store detritus around the local area, just as I cannot accept that the McDonald’s manager requires their staff to do a similar daily job.

Let me assure him that my local chippy just does not have the time and my local pub manager right out refuses to scatter broken glass outside the pub, so I find it an unjust accusation to even imply that the new Starbucks store will be responsible for any rubbish up and down the Wetherby Road.

Alas, the fault is plainly that of us Brits; we seem content to live with rubbish up to our knees.

Just take a ride to any of our local beauty spots, of which we are more than blessed, and he will find they are all piled high with rubbish.

The problem is not a hard one to fix, take it home!

Angus MaGee, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Harrogate hero John Shackleton, 85, chops logs to fund 50th aid mission

It’s minus two degrees and 85-year-old John Shackleton is chopping logs in Starbeck.

John had a heart attack recently but neither that nor advancing years has stopped him doing what he has done for much of his life — helping others. He’s one of Harrogate’s most loved and admired citizens for his aid trips to desperate places. If ever anyone deserved an accolade, surely it’s John.

He’s now trying to raise about £20,000 for what will be his 50th trip driving an ambulance full of medical supplies. This time he will be heading to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to help Armenians displaced from their homes in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

John has talked about retiring more often than Elton John but here he is on a bitterly cold day toiling away outside some back street garages in sub-arctic Starbeck.

He says:

“I’m always saying ‘this will be my last one’. But it is so important. There are people living in tents with nothing. I really feel their pain. We are so privileged in Harrogate.”

Chopping wood in Starbeck.

John mainly uses a chainsaw these days but can still wield an axe when required. When we met this week, it was almost too cold to hold a pen, nevermind an axe, yet he and helpers Adam Rawson and Mick Stokes were working up a sweat. The chopped wood has to be loaded into ton-bags and delivered to customers. John says:

“It’s heavy work. There’s a lot to be done.

“Sometimes I have up to six lads chopping. They don’t receive any payment, besides the odd cup of tea. They are all here to help and I couldn’t do it without them.”

With Mick Stokes (left) and Adam Rawson (right) at the back of John’s ambulance.

Having a break with Alfie.

The logs are sourced from his daughter’s husband’s farm in Summerbridge. “We are desperately short this year,” he says.

So far he’s raised about £5,000 towards his latest target of £20,000. The main source of income for his trips is donations. Selling logs supplements it. John has also hit on a new way to raise money — doing trips to the tips in Harrogate for people who want to get rid of stuff. He says:

“If anyone wants anything sending to the tip give me a buzz. All contributions go to the poorest people on earth.”

John and many of his helpers are members of St Robert’s Church in Harrogate. They used to chop wood at a man called Pete the Pole’s place in Burn Bridge, until he died. Now they operate out of council garages in Starbeck. John is resigned to eventually losing them but he’s well connected and so well loved that he’s usually able to find someone willing to help.

The usual procedure is to buy an ambulance, usually from Amsterdam, then fill it with medical supplies and drive it to wherever it’s required before getting back to Harrogate however he can, usually with two co-drivers.

John has been doing this since his first mission in 1990 when he was moved by the plight of Romanians after the fall of Ceausescu.

‘I have to be busy’

Born in Gibraltar to a Harrogate-born father who fought in Spain during the Second World War, John moved to Harrogate with his family when he was 12. He served in the RAF and worked in bomb disposal before finding himself jobless with a young family. He says:

“I had no idea what to do. I had three girls so I had to put bread on the table. So I bought a greengrocers on Stonefall Avenue and ran that for seven years.”

He also opened a design studio and sold wall plaques, one of which his daughter presented to President Jimmy Carter when he visited Washington in Tyne and Wear in 1977.

Eventually he fancied a change and went to night school to learn some practical skills and used what he learned to convert a house on Victoria Avenue into four flats. He has been converting properties ever since.

His first wife died suddenly 48 years ago and his second passed away last year. He has 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John was up a tree with a chainsaw when he suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, he looks fit and robust now.

Besides doing this, he also collects bikes for Harrogate charity Resurrection Bikes, which brings old cycles back to life. He says:

“I have to be busy. I’m very active. It’s something I have to do because it’s the right thing to do and I’m fortunate to be able to do it.”

You can donate to John’s mission here. For details about tip trips, contact John at johnshackleton@aidtoeasterneurope.co.uk or call him on 01423871255.

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Yemi’s Food Stories: My favourite winter warmers

Winter is the season for comforting, hearty meals that warm the body and nourish the soul.

If, like me, you need help with getting through the cold blast, here are some dishes you can make to help keep your tummies full and boost your immunity.

Spiced citrus tea

To start the day, brew some spiced citrus tea.

To make it, use two bags of black tea; two whole lemons; one orange; three star anises; seven cardamom pods; seven cloves; a pinch of fennel seeds; pinch of coriander seeds; one thumb size piece of fresh ginger and one cinnamon stick.

Allow to boil for thee – five minutes and take off heat.

Once it cools down for a few minutes, add two bags of green tea and steep for another three minutes.

Sieve and serve with slices of orange and sweeten with honey.

It’s a comforting tea packed full of antioxidants and vitamin C.

Cinnamon oats

For a nourishing and warming breakfast packed with vitamin C, add fresh berry compote, berries, honey, toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds to your cinnamon spiced oats.

Yemi’s cinnamon oats with berry compote

Spiced parsnip soup

In the heart of winter, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a steaming bowl of soup.

One of my favourites is spiced parsnip soup with lemon.

To make it, sauté sliced onions and garlic in a light drizzle of oil, add sliced parsnips and one habanero or scotch bonnet pepper to taste.

Add some cumin seeds, turmeric and curry powder and fry for another two minutes before adding water or stock.

Season with salt and bring to boil. Allow to simmer until the parsnip is cooked through.

Blend and add fresh lemon juice from half or one whole lemon depending on the amount of soup.

Adjust seasoning and serve with some fresh bread.

Crisp and crunchy winter salad

I am not a fan of cold salads in winter, so I opt for salads with hot elements like flaked roasted salmon, roast chicken, warm roasted beetroot or spiced chickpeas.

For a salad that embraces the season, make a roasted Brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad.

Roasting the sprouts imparts a caramelised flavour, while the burst of pomegranate seeds adds a refreshing pop.

Toss in some toasted walnuts for an earthy crunch, and drizzle a vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a hint of Dijon mustard to bring it all together.

Serve with roast chicken thighs or pan-fried salmon.

Yemi’s roasted salmon with potatoes.

One pan dishes

Quick dishes like roasted tomato and garlic risotto topped with scallops and prawns makes a comforting and nourishing meal, that is quick and easy.

For a classic with a healthy twist, consider cooking fish en-papillote, which simply means cooking it in baking parchment paper which traps in the juices.

Simply top your fish with your choice of spices, seasoning, onions, lemon or orange slices, roasted tomatoes, sliced peppers and pepper flakes etc.

Serve with boiled or crushed potatoes and veggies, on a bed of couscous or pasta.

As we wait for warmer weather, I hope you try some of these easy and nourishing recipes with a focus on wholesome ingredients to tide you through the cold snap and boost your immunity.

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Editor’s Pick of the Week: reservoir charges and big news for Harrogate Convention Centre

Some people have long been calling for the somewhat run-down Harrogate Convention Centre to be sold to a private company.  But for the first time this week the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, which owns it, suggested it could happen.

The convention centre is undoubtedly at a crossroads and what happens next will have a considerable impact on Harrogate’s visitor economy.

Of equal significance to Ripon is the cathedral’s plans for a £6 million development on Minster Gardens. The cathedral announced this week it had paused its plans, which would involve felling trees, in a move that has been welcomed as a way of finding common ground.

We sought an update on Starbeck’s big planning issue — the redevelopment of the burned-out former Harper’s building. Our findings don’t suggest a swift resolution to this glacial-paced redevelopment.

This week’s big political story was the YouGov poll which suggested Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon is on course to unseat Conservative Andrew Jones in Harrogate and Knaresborough, but it’s a very tight call. Julian Smith is forecast to retain Skipton and Ripon.

Finally, don’t forget Yorkshire Water’s parking charges at Swinsty, Fewson and Thruscross reservoirs will be introduced on Monday.

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Starbeck’s female plumber who is breaking down barriers

Elisa Foyle is at a customer’s home in Pannal trying to find a leak in the bathroom while we chat on the phone.

She’s doing a day of small plumbing jobs and is so busy she asks if I mind her working while we talk. Since launching her business, PlumbMum, three years ago, she’s hasn’t advertised once and yet the phone never stops ringing. 

Elisa, from Starbeck, is among the tiny proportion of female plumbers in the UK.

Data from the Office of National Statistics shows that in 2022 the number of women working in plumbing was 3,500, just 2.5 per cent of the industry’s workforce. Although up on 2021 figures of 2,700 (1.9 per cent), it’s still shockingly low.

Boob-related comments

It would be easy to think women are facing too many barriers in a traditionally male-orientated industry, but Elisa’s general experience has actually been very positive. She says: 

“I’ve been really well received by both customers and other tradespeople. I did a plumbing course at Leeds College of Building in a class full of 16-year-old lads and it was fine.

“I’ve had a couple of male customers and plumbers who have been very chauvinistic and made the odd inappropriate comment, generally boob-related, and one elderly lady asked me if she should get her male neighbour round to give me hand. But, to be honest, I thought there would be more than there have been.

“Physically, it’s not so much about strength but about the demands on your knees and back, which gets harder for everyone as they get older. And I don’t think I’ve ever felt uneasy or unsafe visiting a customer’s home. If I did, I would make an excuse and leave.”

Mid-life career change

In fact, the biggest barrier for Elisa was nothing to do with being a woman; it was the lack of practical on-the-job experience she was able to access after her college course.

A single mum to three boys, now aged 9, 17 and 18, she was 42 when she decided to switch careers after her work as a frontline healthcare professional began affecting her mental health and time with her family. She took on cleaning and caring work to pay the bills through her college course, but this would have been unsustainable had she moved on to an apprenticeship after her studies. She says: 

“My course taught me the fundamentals of plumbing such as safety and regulations, but the biggest barrier for me as an older person was accessing training and practical experience afterwards. There’s a massive gap in the industry to support people like myself, both women and men, who are changing careers. With a mortgage, kids and other financial commitments, you don’t have the luxury of doing an apprenticeship.” 

Elisa saw no other option than to just start doing the job and learn as she went along. Surprisingly, one of her biggest challenges was knowing the language used for all the tools and parts, especially when visiting trade suppliers.  

“A lot of the time I knew what I needed but I didn’t know what it was called. I found a great plumbing merchant, James Hargreaves in Harrogate, who really listened to me and helped me work out what I was looking for. I don’t think I’d be where I am without their support.” 

After her first customer left a glowing review on the Nextdoor app, her work snowballed. She now offers a variety of services including general plumbing, taps and drainage work, bathroom installation and repair, and emergency call-outs.

She works alongside a professional tiler, joiner and handyman as well as passing on gas-related boiler work to trusted engineers. She recently received a ‘Neighbourhood Fave’ award from Nextdoor for being one of the most popular businesses on the app. 

“The barriers shouldn’t stop you”

Although wary of gender stereotypes, Elisa has found that being a female plumber sometimes works to her advantage:  

“Customers seem to have more natural trust in you when you’re a woman in this job, especially if they’ve had a bad experience with a plumber before. Whether it’s being a woman, having a people-facing role previously, or it’s just in my nature, I also take time to talk to my customers and explain what the issue is and what I need to do to fix it. A lot of plumbers don’t do that and it helps to create trust. And if I can’t do something I won’t attempt it and will try to find someone who can. Customers really appreciate it, particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable. 

“I also think women tend to look at things more holistically. I’ll check other things while I’m there and teach customers how to do simple things for themselves so they don’t have to call someone out or can turn the water off in an emergency. It goes down very well because it empowers people.” 

Elisa is now planning to use her experience to help others. She’s hoping to put aside a day a week to offer practical experience to someone, whatever their gender, in mid-life who is retraining as a plumber. She’d also like to set up a course teaching people basic plumbing skills, after spotting a need particularly among her female customers to feel confident and empowered in fixing small plumbing issues around the home. 

Now 47, Elisa laughs when I suggest she’s an inspiration, and not just for being a woman in a male-dominated industry. That in itself would be challenging enough. But doing it mid-life as a career change and also while a single mum to three boys? It’s not an easy thing to do. She replies:

“I think it’s never too late to change what you are doing and there will be barriers to it but they shouldn’t stop you. As much as you think that the world is against you or not prepared for you, there are always people on your team who will help and support you. You can do anything you want. You’d be surprised what you can do when you challenge yourself.”

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