Tim Forber, the current deputy chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, has been named as the preferred candidate to become the next chief constable of North Yorkshire Police.
Zoë Metcalfe, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire, today announced she had identified Mr Forber to succeed Lisa Winward, who is retiring from the £154,000-a-year role at the end of March next year.
The appointment has been mired in controversy because Ms Metcalfe’s role will be abolished shortly after the candidate she hired is appointed.
The commissioner’s role will be taken over by whoever is elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire in May 2024.
It means the new mayor will inherit a chief constable they didn’t appoint.
Lisa Winward will retire on March 31.
Ms Metcalfe rejected advice to delay the appointment by North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel, which scrutinises her performance.
The Conservative commissioner has also complained about Tory mayoral candidate Keane Duncan, who she claimed used “inappropriate language” to influence her chief constable recruitment. An investigation found no wrongdoing.
Today Ms Metcalfe’s office issued a statement which said Mr Forber had been selected “following a robust recruitment process” that ended yesterday.
The two-day process on December 11 and 12 involved a presentation to local internal and external stakeholders, a media exercise and a panel interview. It also included candidates having to design a presentation based on the results of an online survey conducted by Ms Metcalfe.
‘The right qualities’
Mr Forber joined South Yorkshire Police as assistant chief constable in December 2016 and was promoted to deputy chief constable in June 2021.
Ms Metcalfe will now put Mr Forber to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on January 11.
Ms Metcalfe said:
“His depth of experience and commitment to collaboration and local neighbourhood policing across rural and urban areas was clear from the interview process.
“I have every confidence he has the right qualities to drive forward North Yorkshire Police to be an outstanding service and to keep people safe and feeling safe.”
Mr Forber said:
“I am hugely honoured to be selected as the preferred candidate to be the next chief constable of North Yorkshire Police. I am looking forward to working tirelessly on behalf of the communities of York and North Yorkshire to ensure they have an outstanding police service. “
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Man hospitalised after assault outside Ripon bar
A man was taken to hospital with facial injuries after being attacked outside a Ripon bar.
North Yorkshire Police said today the man was attacked at about 3.40am on Sunday morning (December 10) outside Wonderland on North Street.
Wonderland is a late night bar that stays open until 4am at weekends.
A police statement said:
“A male suspect was arrested and has been released on conditional bail.
“We would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the assault and has any information that can help with the investigation.”
You can email amy.sharrad@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call 101, select option 2 and ask for DC 618 Amy Sharrad.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote reference number 12230233886.
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Beatles poster at Harrogate’s Royal Hall fetches £3,000 at auction
An original poster for The Beatles when they played at the Royal Hall in Harrogate has fetched £3,000 at auction.
The Fab Four performed their only Harrogate gig on March 8, 1963 — just as they were on the cusp of superstardom.
They were supported by two local Harrogate bands, The Apaches and The Mustangs.
One of the members of The Apaches kept this poster, and it was purchased in the 1980s by the vendor from a picture framer in Harrogate.
It sold for £3,000 at Tennants Auctioneers’ toys, models and collectables sale on Friday last week (December 8).
A copy of The Beatles White Album, autographed by Paul McCartney, also sold for £1,800.
The album was purchased by the vendor in 1968 from Wilson’s in Norwich, but he was able to get it signed by his musical hero in 2001 visited the University of East Anglia where he worked.
Tennants Auctioneers, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, holds over 80 sales a year.
Were you one of the lucky ones who went to this concert and can remember it? Send us your memories on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk
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Andrew Jones MP accuses Lib Dems of covertly targeting his movements
Andrew Jones MP has accused Liberal Democrats of covertly following him after his car was photographed in Harrogate without valid MOT.
Mr Jones has written to Lib Dem leader Ed Davey claiming the Harrogate and Knaresborough party has “gone off the rails” and is a “rogue political organisation”.
He has also contacted the police because of concerns of a breach of the nationwide security programme Operation Badger, which was set up to protect MPs in the wake of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016.
The Lib Dems have described his claims as “unsubstantiated” and called his attack “bizarre”.
Mr Jones’ intervention comes after the Stray Ferret published an article last month showing his car parked in Starbeck without valid MOT.
We were sent the photo from a person calling themselves Mrs T Neale, Lady Blueberry Blower of Ripon Town.
The Conservative MP said at the time he was “embarrassed by my oversight” but his letter to Mr Davey, seen by the Stray Ferret, says it “appears I may have been followed to a remembrance event” and this was “a covert act”.
It adds it was part of a pattern of behaviour.
The letter says:
“We can disagree on policy. That is normal in politics. But none of these things have been about policy. When the police have had to be involved I am sure you recognise that something has gone very wrong with standards.
“Your Liberal Democrat association in Harrogate and Knaresborough is a rogue political organisation.
“It is operating in an underhand and dishonest way. This is not merely a problem with one individual at one time. It is a systemic issue where within the organisation the norms of political discourse have been supplanted by attacks on the individual, anonymous briefings, campaigns to plant messages about me surreptitiously on social media and even the attempted weaponising of a person who most believe had severe mental health problems.”
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Mr Jones’ letter said he first met the Lib Dems chief whip in 2013 about local political opponents “publishing lies about my expenses” and thought at the time “this behaviour was a one-off act of silliness – maybe even a mistake”.
But he said he had now concluded that subsequent actions indicate it can’t be anything other than “locally inspired by the Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat association which has simply gone off the rails”.
The letter adds:
“These actions span a period of 10 years so it is clear that the behaviour is ingrained into their ways of working.
“Quite simply, this is a political organisation that has gone rogue.”
The letter was copied to Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary commissioner for standards.
A spokesperson for the Harrogate Liberal Democrats said in response to Mr Jones’ claims:
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP won’t say if he will support Rwanda bill“If Mr. Jones feels strongly about these unsubstantiated claims, then we would point him to our party’s independent complaints process.
“This is a bizarre letter, and surely it would be far better to have an MP focused on the issues which matter to local people, including a lack of NHS dentist appointments and a hospital with a crumbling roof.”
Harrogate and Knaresborough‘s Conservative MP Andrew Jones has declined to say whether he will support the government’s Rwanda bill tomorrow.
The Safety of Rwanda Bill aims to block legal challenges that prevent deportation flights of asylum seekers from taking off. The government is bringing forward the bill after the Supreme Court ruled its previous attempt to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful.
The verdict triggered the resignation of Home Secretary Suella Braverman and has led to threats of a rebellion from the right of the Conservative Party, which fears the new bill does not go far enough.
At the same time, some more centrist Conservatives are concerned the bill ignores international law.
If the Conservatives lose the vote, it would be a serious blow to the authority of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones if he would vote in favour of the bill.
He replied:
“We should not think of the Rwanda bill in isolation. It is part of a number of measures designed to deter people from making the dangerous journey across the English Channel.
“Among these measures are new returns agreements with Albania, enhanced deals with the French authorities, greater support for asylum application processing and more besides. These measures have led to crossings coming down by a third this year already.”
Mr Jones went on to say he “will be looking closely at the bill and any amendments which might be selected for debate by the Speaker”, adding:
“When considering those amendments my thoughts will be about how we break the people smuggling gangs and, most importantly, how we stop the grim certainty of more fatalities in our coastal waters.
“This issue is not confined to the UK; we see it again and again in the Mediterranean too. Breaking these gangs requires an international effort and I know we are working closely with partners on how this is done to the best effect.”
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‘Two in one’ burglars strike in Harrogate
Thieves broke into a house in Harrogate and stole car keys before making off with a Kia Picanto.
North Yorkshire Police said today it was investigating the ‘two-in-one’ burglary on Lindrick Way, in the Jennyfields area,
It happened last weekend between 11.15pm on Saturday and 3am on Sunday (December 9 and 10).
A silver Kia Picanto, registration RE17 KNG, was taken.
“Police are urging the public to get in touch if they saw anything that could help the investigation or have any CCTV doorbell footage.
“If you can help please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for PC822 Cleary.
“You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
Quote reference number 12230233921.
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Council increases some pest control fees in Harrogate district
North Yorkshire Council has increased the cost of some of its pest control services.
The cost of paying the council to treat ants has gone up from £56.40 to £87 and the cost of treating wasps has risen from £66 to £73.
However, council fees for tackling rats, mice and grey squirrels have been pegged at £108, £98.40 and £175.20 respectively locally.
It is part of a move by the new council to harmonise pest control fees in the county.
North Yorkshire Council replaced seven district and borough councils, including Harrogate, in April.
Four of the previous councils — Harrogate, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Ryedale. — treated pests, which is a discretionary service local authorities are not obliged to provide.
According to a council report, Harrogate Borough Council was the only one to make a profit from pest control. The other three councils subsidised the service.
Harrogate Borough Council spent £102,100 on the service in 2022/23 and generated £153,600 — a profit of £51,500.
Now the council has set a new set of fees, which it estimates will generate a £13,000 profit this year.
The report says:
“The benefit is not significant in terms of income, but it would achieve greater consistency in charges across localities.”
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Top US colonel due in court today over Harrogate schoolboy crash
The two-day trial of a highly decorated American colonel accused of seriously injuring two schoolboys in a collision in Harrogate is due to begin today.
Benjamin Oakes, 46, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate, is charged with causing injury by careless or inconsiderate driving on Yew Tree Lane on February 2 this year.
Two 15-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered serious injuries in the collision near Ashville College.
Mr Oakes’ LinkedIn profile, which was taken down before the case first came to court in August, stated he was chief of the space policy division for the US joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon.
The joint chiefs of staff consists of the most senior leaders in the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president.
Today’s hearing is due to take place at York Magistrates Court.
Mr Oakes pleaded not guilty when the case opened in Harrogate in August. Both he and the magistrates opted not to send the case to crown court, where he would have faced a jury trial.
The schoolboys are expected to give evidence via a video link during the trial.
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Flood threat remains after wind fells trees in Harrogate
Flood warnings remain active across the Harrogate district this morning after a wild night of weather that saw several trees fall.
The entire length of the River Nidd and its tributaries and the Lower River Ure are subject to flood alerts by the Environment Agency.
More severe flood warnings are in place at Hunsingore on the Nidd and on at Boroughbridge camping and caravanning site on the Ure.
Last night saw several trees crash down, including one outside Valley Gardens in Harrogate at the bottom of Valley Drive.
Helen Bagnall, who witnessed the incident, said:
“The tree has fallen on top of a car and is completely blocking the road, I tried to ring the police but there is nobody answering unless it’s an emergency. It just kept going round in circles, asking me if I wanted to report dog fouling.”
Grayston Plain Lane at Hampsthwaite was blocked next to the Northern Energy site due to a fallen tree.
A tree also came down at the Oval in Harrogate.
Last night saw firefighters rescue two people trapped in a car that got stuck in floodwater in Ripon shortly before 7pm.
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Knaresborough set for late night shopping
Knaresborough’s independent traders will stay open late for the next two Thursdays.
About 25 traders will welcome customers until 7pm on December 14 and 21 as part of an annual pre-Christmas boost for businesses.
Some hair and beauty salons, which regularly stay open late on Thursdays, will operate until 10pm.
Knaresborough and District Chamber organises the activity each year to help independent stores.
Chamber member and salon owner Kelly Teggin said:
“We have chosen a week night so not to clash with Christmas parties and Thursday was chosen as many of the hair and beauty salons open late so there’s a good number of footfall in town that evening.
“We have also chosen a night when the market’s not on so there’s plenty of free parking right in the town centre for shoppers.”
Knaresborough Christmas Market Weekend took place last weekend.
The town’s annual Christmas tree festival, which features about 70 trees individually decorated by community groups and businesses, is also taking place at at St John the Baptist Church until December 23. Entry is free.
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