North Yorkshire Council plans 4.99% council tax increase

North Yorkshire Council looks set to increase its portion of council tax bills by 4.99 per cent in 2024/25 — the maximum permitted before triggering a referendum.

The hike would mean the price paid by an average Band D property for council services would increase by £87.80 to £1,847.62.

The total council tax bill is made up of precepts charged by North Yorkshire Council, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and parish councils. Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has yet to finalise an amount but has proposed increases of up to 9.3%.

The council has also said it needs to make £46 million in savings across the next three financial years.

Of that figure, it expects more than £36 million to come from the impact of local government reorganisation, which saw seven district and borough councils, including Harrogate, abolished last year along with North Yorkshire County Council and the creation of North Yorkshire Council.

It plans to use £6.5 million of reserves to balance its books in the next financial year.

The details are contained in a report by chief executive Richard Flinton and corporate director for strategic resources Gary Fielding to the council’s Conservative-controlled executive next week.

The report says:

“North Yorkshire Council is facing the same spending and funding pressures as most other councils but it is not in financial distress so long as it delivers the savings opportunities arising from unitarization.”

It lists the rising number and costs of SEND provision; extreme volatility and distress in the adult social care market, children’s placement costs, home to school transport services, high levels of inflation and supply chain expectations and workforce retention and recruitment challenges as key financial pressures.

Among proposed savings are changes to home to school transport, meaning families would be given funding for pupils to attend their nearest school rather than in the wider catchment area, and fees and charges are also set to increase to reflect inflation.

Other changes include cutting commissioning costs by reducing, for example, the number of high value care packages, and by bringing together highways services.

Council leader Carl Les said:

“We have always been aware of the benefits of bringing services under the control of one council, and a great deal of work has been undertaken to ensure that these can come to fruition.

“The council is still not a year old, but we can see just what it means to have a single authority to cover the whole of North Yorkshire.

“As a council, we know the financial pressures which taxpayers are facing, and we are committed to ensuring that every pound of residents’ and businesses’ money is used as effectively and efficiently as possible.”

Cllr Gareth Dadd, the council’s deputy leader and executive member responsible for finance, added:

“I would suggest that the proposed savings are among the least controversial of anywhere in the country, and this has been brought about thanks largely to the opportunities of local government reorganisation and also prudent management of our finances over many years.”

Members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive are due to meet on Tuesday, January 23 to discuss the proposed budget.

If approved, it will be considered at a full council meeting next month, before it is adopted by the council.

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Harrogate robots could begin to monitor Earth’s biodiversity

Harrogate-based Synthotech is supporting a study that could see robots used to monitor Earth’s biodiversity.

The engineering business has partnered with biodiversity researchers and experts to evaluate the potential use of robotics and automated systems in monitoring global habitats.

Synthotech develops AI-capable robots currently used to detect harmful gas leaks and fix pipes. The robots can be deployed remotely and travel long distances so could be capable of monitoring biodiversity.

The engineering company is supporting this research to explore the challenges and understand how robots could be used in ecosystem conservation.

The project has meant the research team have established barriers that should be easy to overcome and provide new capabilities in conservation.

Simon Langdale, engineering director at Synthotech, said:

“Ecologists are increasingly calling on the help of robotics and automated systems experts to monitor the state of global biodiversity.

“The project shows just how crucial robotics can be in helping to monitor the planet’s biodiversity so that measures can be put forward for protection and preservation. It’s a real privilege that our work in robotics could help support biodiversity sustainability.”

In a paper put to the RAS-UK network several recommendations to inform future biodiversity strategies were outlined. It calls for the creation of a taskforce including academics and industry specialists to support the research.

Mr Langdale concluded:

“We are fortunate in the UK to have particular strengths in biodiversity research and robotics. We are also in an ideal position to integrate these strengths and become a leading force in the development and application of RAS systems. The valuable role that robotics technology and AI have to offer cannot be underestimated in this sphere.”

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Landlord-turned-councillor puts Harrogate pub on market

The Shepherd’s Dog pub on Otley Road in Harrogate has been put up for sale.

Michael Schofield has been the pub landlord since 2013. As a key member of the Harlow Hill community, he embarked on a political career as a councillor two years ago.

He was elected to represent Harlow Hill and St Georges for the Liberal Democrats in May 2022 and became an independent a year later.

Cllr Schofield said:

“We have been here 11 years and I feel I wish to work even more closely with groups and residents in my role as councillor.

“Having returned the pub to near pre-pandemic numbers we feel that the time is now right for someone else to take on the mantel of ‘Custodian of The Shepherd’s Dog’.

“We have had 11 fantastic years here forging new friendships and seeing our children grow up in this fantastic environment.

“We are not in a rush to sell. Sometimes you have to test the market.”

Cllr Schofield has run the pub since February 2013 alongside his wife Donna and their two children.

The pub has been a community hub for years and the family even ran a fruit and veg shop throughout the covid pandemic.

In a previous interview with The Stray Ferret, he said:

“Nothing is stronger than a good community and Harlow Hill is a special community close to my heart.”

The pub is listed for an asking price of £89,995 by business advisors Hilton Smythe, with a £332,000 turnover.

Hilton Smythe says it has “an excellent reputation and regular customer base”, adding:

“As seen by the online ratings and reviews, the business is extremely popular and highly rated within the community.

“Very rarely do pubs of this size come onto the market in this area and we therefore recommend early enquiry to avoid disappointment.”

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Bubble tea shop to open in Knaresborough next month

A bubble tea shop called Mai Tea is set to open in Knaresborough market place next month.

Bubble tea, also known as boba, a Taiwanese variation of tea made by blending tea with milk, fruit and fruit juice and adding tapioca pearls.

The drink comes in many variations, flavours and colours and brings a new texture to tea with tapioca, edible translucent balls.

Bubble tea has been popular since the 80s but has seen a recent resurgence thanks to GenZ culture with the phrase bubble tea having almost 200k likes on TikTok.

Owner, Shun Wang, said:

“Knaresborough is an ideal location for a bubble tea shop since there’s currently none in the vicinity, and I think the residents would appreciate the novelty, especially with the abundance of coffee shops in the area.”

Ms Wang is originally from Guangzhou, China and now lives in Harrogate. When she arrived 24 years ago, she had dreams to open a bubble tea store. With growing interest in bubble tea, she has decided it would be the perfect time to open the store.

She began cooking and baking when she came to England which allowed her “to bond with people and bring joy to not only me but others”.

She now hopes this joy will be shared with Knaresborough through her store. She said:

“The inspiration for bubble tea stemmed from our family’s love for it. I have two adolescent daughters who, along with most of their friends, have a strong affection for bubble tea. I am confident that my business will primarily attract the younger generation, offering a fresh spot for the community to explore and, hopefully, relish. I aspire for the place to be a comfortable and safe environment.”

Ms Wang added that she wants to provide a welcoming place for young people, not only her customers but for employees to.

“I believe as long as you work conscientiously and responsibly, they deserve to get as much as an adult wage. We hope to provide a happy and harmonious working environment for young people.”

She said the store will offer “an extensive selection of flavours, including customisable options”, adding:

“I plan to share my authentic Chinese bubble waffle recipe, hoping others will enjoy it as much as my family does.

“I think bubble tea is often overlooked despite its diverse array of flavours and benefits.”

The average cost of bubble tea and waffles at Mai Tea is expected to be around £5.

Ms Wang said she was initially anxious about opening the store but after seeing positive feedback on local Facebook groups her “excitement has soared”.

Bubble tea facts:

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£20,000 campaign launched to help Ripon boy walk again

A Ripon family is trying to raise £20,000 to help their 15-year-old son walk again.

On December 9, Ripon Grammar School student Alan Nowicki had a life-changing accident that left him paralysed from the waist down.

The accident happened in his bedroom at home when he fell from a pull-up bar. The bar fell from the door frame, and as Alan fell with it, he landed and hit his head on the hard floor.

His mum Kamila said:

“There was no warning, he couldn’t protect himself.”

She found him on the floor after the fall and he immediately told her he couldn’t feel his legs.

Kamila called an ambulance, but it took almost two hours for Alan to be taken to Leeds General Infirmary.

When they arrived at the hospital emergency surgeons were waiting for him, and he had CT and MRI scans. At 3am he was rushed to surgery to relieve some of the pressure on his spinal cord.

He suffered a spinal fracture with dislocation at T10-11 level resulting in a severe spinal cord injury.

Alan left Leeds General Infirmary 11 days later and was transferred to Wakefield Pinderfields Hospital.

Kamila said:

“We are just taking it day-by-day. We are grateful he is in no pain and there have been no complications, but we still don’t know what’s round the corner. We hope he can walk again but we don’t know, no one knows at this stage. It is pretty tough and it is always in the back of your head.”

When Alan arrived at Wakefield, Kamila was told his care plan would involve an hour of manual physiotherapy four times a week.

She sought a second opinion from a doctor who told her the first three months are the most important for a case like Alan’s because it is when the most intensive rehabilitation should be happening.

Since then, she has been set on transferring Alan to a specialist private rehabilitation centre. When trying to find treatment she approached private UK centres which quoted her a care package of up to £10,000 a week.

Realising the care he needed was out of their budget, Kamila decided to approach a centre in her native Poland. Donum Corde is a technology centre offering hydro and electro therapy where Alan can start intensive rehabilitation as soon as possible.

Kamila said:

“I couldn’t sleep knowing there is something we could be doing and weren’t trying our best to do it. If we never give him the chance, I would never forgive myself.”

Alan’s main goal is to be back at school sitting his GCSEs as normal with his classmates at Ripon Grammar School, so he can achieve his dream of becoming a Royal Air Force pilot. His teachers have visited him in hospital, given him mock exam papers and call home weekly to check in.

She said:

“He keeps saying he will be walking soon he is so motivated. He is handling it amazingly, he never complains and takes everything as it comes, I am gobsmacked with how he is coping. I hope he will continue this, it is good for all of us, I would hate to see him struggle any more than he is.”

If they have sufficient funds Kamila hopes to be able to fly out to Poland this weekend on an accessible flight from Manchester and begin Alan’s rehabilitation on Monday.

She urges anyone considering donating to

“Just give him a chance. If not to walk again just a chance to achieve the best outcome, even if it’s a partial recover we just want to keep him healthy.”

To find out more and donate to the cause click here.

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Northern Aldborough Festival announces headline acts for 2024

Headline acts at this year’s Northern Aldborough Festival will include violinist Viktoria Mullova and Majesty, a Queen tribute band, organisers revealed this week.

The annual festival near Boroughbridge was established in 1994 and its 30th anniversary will take place from June 13 to 22.

The festival punches above its weight for a small village event: its patron is Dame Judi Dench and It has been described by the Times as ‘well on its way to being one of the leading fixtures on the classical music calendar’.

The artistic director is an operatic countertenor Robert Ogden, who runs the family’s jewellery store in Harrogate. Before taking on Ogden of Harrogate.

The festival aims to bring exceptional music to new audiences, in intimate rural locations where it would not normally be heard, making the village an unlikely epicentre for classical music.

Each summer, the Northern Aldborough Festival welcomes opera singers, acclaimed pianists, and jazz ensembles.

Fantasia Orchestra, who will play on the opening night

This year, there’s a focus on championing young classical talent.

The opening night will see 25-year-old Tom Fetherstonehaugh conducting Fantasia Orchestra, alongside pianist Alim Beisembayev, who at 23 won the last Leeds Piano Competition, performing Tchaikovsky and Chopin.

There’s also the return of its nationwide hunt for the best classical vocal talent. The New Voices Singing Competition, which launched last year, has a top prize of £5,000, and live semi and grand-final in front of a judging panel; it’s a unique opportunity to catch rising stars in their ascendence.

Other acts include Armonico Consort with a semi-staged production of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, leading British jazz pianist Julian Joseph, and classically trained comedienne Amy Webber.

Aldborough’s late night venue The Shed also returns for concert goers who want to continue in a relaxed environment with a variety of live entertainment and refreshments.

The Last Night Outdoor Concert will see the UK’s biggest Queen tribute band, Majesty, perform to festival-goers, who descend on the grounds of Aldborough Manor. Audiences are invited to bring a picnic and dance the night away, ending with a spectacular orchestrated firework display.

To find out more about the festival click here.

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Dog park with a difference planned for Harrogate

A man has revealed plans to open a secure dog field on land off Skipton Road near Hampsthwaite in spring this year.

The Rescue Fields is a community interest company, which means profits will be given as donations to rescue centres across North Yorkshire.

The five-and-a-half-acre plot will have three fields. Two rescue fields at the front of the site will be open to the public at a charge of £12.50 an hour at weekends and £5 on weekdays.

The third will be a foster field, a place for foster dogs and rescue organisations to bring their dogs free of charge.

The proposed plan for The Rescue Fields

Fraser Macleod, founder of The Rescue Fields, said:

“I’m doing it for my love of dogs really, I adopted a dog that saved my life so I’m trying to pay it back in anyway I can and help dogs in need whenever I can.”

Mr Macleod has six rescue dogs, affectionately known as the barkland pack. He aims to achieve £40,000 in profit in the first year to give to rescue centres. The money will help the centres buy food, toys, bedding and equipment.

He said that often foster dogs arrive with “just a collar if they’re lucky”, putting the cost on foster owners who are just trying to help support the dogs.

To raise funds for the site Mr Macleod and one of his dogs, Peaches, are taking on the three peaks challenge and running a campaign to donate £3 to “buy a dog a puppuccino”

He said

“People spend £3 on a coffee from Café Nero, Costa or Starbucks but I’m asking people to donate £3, the same amount you’d spend on a coffee to help the dogs.”

While raising funds to secure the site, Mr Macleod has been in talks about planning permission. He shared:

“I’ve had very positive talks with the planning authority and whilst they can’t give me a cast iron guarantee, there is a precedent set as there is a small dog field on the opposite side of the road a little further down, which has no objection to us opening.

“I plan to enclose the site with hedging and a native tree-line with a partial grant from the Woodland Trust to reduce road noise and create a nice visual from the roadside as well as protect the privacy of the neighbouring property.

“This would also be part of the agreement of sale so should this site for any reason not be granted planning we would continue the search for another site – but given the access and the fact this side of Harrogate is not well served for secure areas, as well as the growing population with the copious new builds nearby I’m confident we can win through.

“I have contractors ready to start installing the recommended 6ft fencing and website with online booking and calendar ready to go, subject to how quickly the council approve the plan we could be open within a month once funding has been secured.”

To learn more about The Rescue Fields click here and to donate click here.

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Nidderdale Greenway cleaned by local volunteers

A group of 26 volunteers cleared 1.3 miles of the Starbeck link of Nidderdale Greenway this week.

The clean-up took place on January 9 when volunteers cleaned leaves and sludge from the path, cut back overgrown vegetation and unblocked ditches from Starbeck through to Bilton Lane, almost as far as the Nidd Viaduct.

Several groups were involved in the community effort including the Harrogate branch of Sustrans, the charity that makes it easier for people to walk and cycle.

They are mainly cyclists from the Wheel Easy leisure cycling club which meets monthly to clear footpaths and cycleways around Harrogate. Members of the Starbeck Greenway Conservation Group also joined the clean-up on Tuesday.

Steve Wright, task day organiser for the Harrogate area of Sustrans, said:

“A lot of our helpers are cyclists but we have support from all over the area and from local businesses who allow time off to support charitable causes.

“At the moment we go out once a month to clear cycleways around Harrogate — particularly the greenway which can get overgrown and sludgy from fallen leaves. This is something that the council do not do.

“It’s very rewarding to have the large turnout of 26 people who joined us last Tuesday. We got so much done and were able to help the Starbeck Greenway Conservation Group.”

A stretch of the cleared greenway. Image: Wheel Easy Harrogate

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Former Ripon Grammar student rows the Atlantic

A former Ripon Grammar School student is among an all-women team of three rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in one of the toughest races in the world.

They are taking on the World’ Toughest Row to raise money for charities that help against climate change. The team are raising money for charity as part of Your Planet campaign by Vodafone which is aiming to raise £1 million to help conservation and protect the planet.

The funds raised from the row will be split between WWF’s climate crisis fund which defends wild places, restores forests, and keeps our oceans healthy and UNHCR’s climate crisis work which provides humanitarian aid to refugees displaced by the climate crisis.

Bobbie Mellor, 34, former Ripon Grammar school student, confesses she was never sporty at school and only took up rowing during the pandemic. She has joked that her old PE teacher would be astounded to see her now.

Bobbie is global head of sustainability for Vodafone, and her Wavebreakers teammates Hatty Carder and Katherine Antrobus have been training for more than two years to join the ranks of fewer than 100 women in history to attempt the journey, which they hope to complete on January 27.

Having set off from La Gomera in the Canaries in December with a fleet of 38 other crews from around the world, the team are 2,000 miles into their journey as they make their way to Antigua in the Caribbean.

Team Wavebreakers, Left to right: Hatty, Bobbie, and Katherine. Image: World’s Toughest Row

Bobbie and the team she skippers have been battling sleep deprivation, salt sores, physical extremes, and the psychological challenges of the open ocean, with their sights set on raising money to help protect those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

In the past, she has cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for Cancer Research, and she has also climbed Kilimanjaro for charity.

Bobbie said:

“I’m rowing the Atlantic in support of charities tackling the climate crisis. What better way to raise money and awareness, than to go back to basics and cross an ocean powered just by our own oars? I’ve always been quite adventurous, but the pandemic really gave me a new hunger to do big things with the life we have and jump on every opportunity that comes my way.”

Her mother, Bridget, who has been cheering her on from home in Burton Leonard and plans a welcome home party in February, has been fundraising and lighting candles at her local Catholic church as she prays for their safe return.

Bridget said:

“Bobbie has always had a sense of adventure and at first, I was absolutely terrified at the thought of them rowing unsupported. They row two hours on and two hours off through the night and have to swim under the boat to scrape off barnacles every two days.

“I am very proud of her, and all the girls in the team. They have worked really hard and done lots of training. It’s very uplifting to know there are still young people willing to push themselves to the limit and challenge themselves for good causes.”

Just getting to the start line required extensive technical, mental and physical preparation with the team completing many hours of training rows around the UK coastline to qualify for the start.

The team are tackling waves of up to 30 feet high, at one point their boat capsized and two of the team fell in the water but managed to get back on board once the vessel self-righted. The trio are surviving on freeze-dried food and drink ocean water filtered through a desalinator. Communication to home has also been extremely limited.

Bridget Mellor said:

 “I’ve had three emails and spoken on the phone on Christmas Day. What she misses most is good water, all she wants is a nice glass of sparkling water.”

“She seems to be in good spirits, they are just focused on getting across the ocean. She says the most annoying thing is getting hit in the face every night by flying fish.”

“Bobbie said it was like living in a live action movie for the first week. Everyone in Burton Leonard is in awe but I’ll be glad to see them back safe and well.”

Team Wavebreakers are currently sitting in 10th place overall and in second place for teams of three. They have reached £74,500 so far towards their £140,000 fundraising target for the two climate crisis charities close to their hearts.

Team Wavebreakers with 3,000 miles to go. Image: World’s Toughest Row

Facts about the challenge:

You can follow their progress here and donate here.

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New Harrogate bakery and coffee shop will be ‘a game changer’, says owner

A man with a background in designer fashion has pledged to open “arguably the coolest and most stylish boutique bakery and deli in Harrogate centre”.

Rod Harman plans to fuse fashion and food at Grane Coffee and Bakery, which is set to open on Station Parade on January 30.

Mr Hardman said the business, which will be in the unit formerly occupied by The Chocolate Works next to Everyman Cinema, will have designer foods displayed in a deli “rather like Selfridges” and a “beautiful state of the art Vostok coffee machine” all the way from Naples.

The artisan bakery will open seven days a week and have freshly baked patisserie products with “a New York laid back feel” on Sundays, he added.

Mr Hardman said he was aiming for the café to be the “talk of Harrogate”, adding:

“The response so far has been quite overwhelming, and we hope to attract a younger, cooler, trendier crowd.

“After speaking with younger people in Harrogate it became apparent they feel forgotten about, they wouldn’t be interested in visiting the more traditional outlets. They told us there isn’t anywhere for them to go that doesn’t include alcohol. We aim to change that and will most definitely be opening later into the early evenings, and hope to gain a younger mindset.”

Mr Hardman has worked with brands including Hugo Boss, Missoni and Prada, which he said had heavily influenced the vision for the store.

He said:

“I feel fashion and food are starting to work together more and more. Our team are heavily influenced in music, art, theatre and the local food scene. We have already secured the Dolce and Gabbanna pasta range for example and expect many more over the coming days.

“Hopefully Harrogate will love what we are trying to achieve.”

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