Who is the man set to lead North Yorkshire Police?

Tim Forber says it will be the honour of his 27-year career if he becomes the most senior police officer in York and North Yorkshire.

The current deputy chief constable of South Yorkshire Police will present himself for the first time to councillors on the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel next week in Northallerton.

Mr Forber is set to replace the outgoing chief constable Lisa Winward who is officially retiring in March but ended her role before Christmas.

He has been chosen as the preferred candidate for the £154,000 position by Tory crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe.

This is despite advice from councillors that the appointment should be delayed until after elections in May when her brief will become the new mayor’s responsibility.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Forber has submitted a personal statement that outlines his background and motivations for applying for the top job at North Yorkshire Police.

Cross-party councillors on the panel will quiz him about the role and make a recommendation on his appointment.

Born and bred in St Helens, policing runs in the family as his father served as an officer for 36 years before retiring in 2000.

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He studied for a law degree before joining London’s Metropolitan Police Service in 1996.

In 1997, he won a Royal Humane Society award after he rescued a woman from drowning in freezing waters in the River Thames.

During his time at the Met, he worked as a detective and was commended for helping to bring to justice a criminal gang who committed high value antique burglaries against elderly vulnerable victims across the country.

In 2005, he first came to Yorkshire when he joined West Yorkshire Police on the force’s homicide and major inquiry team.

Five years later he moved to Greater Manchester Police where he was was chief superintendent.

In 2016 he returned to Yorkshire as the assistant chief constable at South Yorkshire Police and helped oversee a turnaround where it’s now one of the highest rated forces in the country.

He is married to a serving detective constable in West Yorkshire Police and has a daughter and two sons.

Mr Forber said:

“I am passionate about policing, and it is all I have ever known in terms of my professional career. I believe that North Yorkshire Police has the potential to be truly outstanding.”

Council approves staff accommodation plan at Follifoot equestrian centre

North Yorkshire Council has approved a plan to convert stables at Follifoot Park Riding Centre into accommodation for staff.

The stables that will be converted into a one-bedroom flat are currently home to three horses. The proposal will also see a barn extended to replace the space lost in the conversion.

The family-run equestrian centre near Harrogate has been in operation since 1986 and offers riding tuition for beginners to advanced riders.

It’s also home to the Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group and Follifoot Park Young Riders club.

The centre has 36 stables, an indoor arena, outdoor flood-lit menage, function and teaching rooms, as well as a simulator horse to practice riding.

However in a statement submitted to the council by applicants Mr and Mrs Pedley, it says the business does not offer significant salaries so an accommodation package is important for staff retention.

It will mean staff can be on site around the clock to check on horses and deter thieves.

According to the statement, there was a recent incident at the centre where three men in balaclavas attempted to steal a quad bike and there have been numerous other break-in attempts.

The statement added: 

“The application property would be offered to one of the three full time staff members who currently commute from outside the Harrogate district and cannot afford to move closer due to house prices.

“This would then provide two full time members of staff on site and alleviate some of the pressure of the applicant’s family to cover such a significant operation.”

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Crime commissioner warns council tax hike needed to protect police from cuts

York and North Yorkshire crime commissioner Zoe Metcalfe has warned residents they would have to pay an extra £20 a year through their council tax to protect the police service from cuts.

Ms Metcalfe, who represents the Conservatives, is currently consulting on what the annual police and fire precepts should be from April.

These are charges that every household pays through their council tax for services.

Around half of the crime commissioner’s budget comes from council tax with a government grant making up the rest.

Currently, Band D households in York and North Yorkshire pay a precept of £295.09 towards the police force.

It’s likely to increase later this year with four options put forward including a precept freeze and increases of 3.4%, 5.1% and 6.8%.

But in a report that will be discussed by councillors in Northallerton next week, Ms Metcalfe said only the highest increase of 6.8%, which would raise an additional £6.2m, could guarantee current service levels.

Smaller increases would lead to reductions unless savings could be found, she added.

However, this year government is only allowing crime commissioners to increase the police precept by up to 4.4%, which equates to an extra £13 a year for a Band D properties.

The report adds that the government has increased this year’s grant for crime commissioners by £150m however the money has been ring fenced to hire new police officers.

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The report says police finances “continue to be exceptionally tight” with staff pay awards and inflation contributory factors.

The bulk of council tax is set by North Yorkshire Council however the authority is yet to say if it will increase its precept this year.

Ms Metcalfe also sets the precept for the fire and rescue service. Further details are available here, with the consultation open until January 21.

Ms Metcalfe said: 

“It is never easy to ask residents for more money, and I know that many individuals and families are facing financial pressures once again this coming year, but our emergency services are also dealing with rising costs as they continue their vital work to keep us all safe.

“And again, this year the decision will be challenging, as I have to balance the burden on taxpayers and the growing demands for services from our police and fire and rescue services, so it’s vital that I hear your views.”

Ms Metcalfe’s role will be taken over by whoever is elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire in May next year.

The 4 biggest decisions for North Yorkshire Council in 2024

2024 is the first full year for North Yorkshire Council after it took over from Harrogate Borough Council, the other six district councils and the former county council in a huge shake-up of local government last year.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service looks at four key decisions it is set to make that will all have a big impact for residents living in the Harrogate area.

Harrogate Convention Centre’s £40m redevelopment

Ever since what is now known as the Harrogate Convention Centre opened in 1982 there have been questions over its future.

The facility has struggled to return a profit with successive council administrations wrestling with what to do with it, conscious of its cost to council tax payers.

A council report two years ago said it is the largest driver of economic impact in the area with many bars, restaurants and hotels depending on the business through conferences and exhibitions.

Harrogate Convention Centre.

Harrogate Convention Centre.

However, critics have long argued the convention centre would perform better under private ownership.

In recent years, new conference venues have opened up in the north so Harrogate Borough Council announced plans for a transformative £40m upgrade to help it keep up with the competition.

A decision on whether the redevelopment goes ahead was passed over to North Yorkshire Council but it won’t be an easy one for the cash-strapped authority.

It’s facing a budget shortfall of £25m this year and has other priorities such as adult social care, schools and housing.

Ripon Cathedral’s new song school and cafe

A storm has been brewing since Ripon Cathedral unveiled plans for a new two-storey building on its public open space known as Minster Gardens.

The cathedral remains one of the city’s best-loved attractions but the plans have left a sour taste for some local business owners and residents.

The Dean of Ripon says the new building is much-needed and will provide a new song school for its choir, a cafe, toilet facilities and disabled access.

An aerial photo of Ripon Cathedral.

Ripon Cathedral viewed from the air.

Controversially, the plans include chopping down a veteran beech tree as well as 10 other trees on the gardens which has energised campaigners.

There have also some business owners have said they fear the scheme could “funnel” tourists away from city centre, taking away income from cafes and shops.

All eyes will be on councillors in the Skipton and Ripon parliamentary constituency area who will make a decision on the plans soon.

Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion

Over the last 25 years, Harrogate Spring Water has grown to become perhaps the town’s best-known international brand.

Some in Harrogate look at the Danone-owned company’s success as a badge of pride whereas others wince at the town’s association with plastic water bottles.

The firm’s success means it wants to produce more water bottles at its factory on Harlow Moor Road and create 50 more jobs.

Three years ago, councillors rejected a bid to chop down trees in Rotary Wood next to its headquarters in order to expand the factory.

It captured the imagination of the national media and was billed as a battle between business and the environment.

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The previous plans became a PR nightmare for Harrogate Spring Water so since then, the company has been carefully drawing up new proposals in at attempt to win over councillors and the Harrogate public, particularly around the emotive subject of trees.

Late last year it published new plans for the expansion and is proposing to plant 1,200 young trees in an area behind the Pinewoods to replace the 450 that will be chopped down at Rotary Wood.

The area will be open to the public and the new proposal goes much further than what was previously being offered on land behind RHS Harlow Carr.

The company hopes the application will be decided by Harrogate & Knaresborough councilllors as early as February.

The new settlement Maltkiln 

Controversy over a potential “new settlement” near Cattal, Green Hammerton, Kirk Hammerton and Whixley has rumbled on for almost a decade.

Thousands of homes and two new primary schools could be built there to change the face of the rural villages forever.

The future of the scheme was thrown into disarray last January when a farmer which owns fields around Cattal train station, making up around half of the proposed site, pulled out of an expected deal to sell land to developer Caddick Group.

It has left North Yorkshire Council scrambling to try and rescue the troubled scheme.

As Maltkiln will deliver so many new homes, the council has a say in how it’s being developed and officers have been working on a Development Plan Document (DPD) for several years ahead of a submission to government who will inspect the plans to judge if it’s still viable.

Last month, the authority said it would even be willing to use a compulsory purchase order (CPO) as a “last resort” to ensure that Maltkiln is built.

If it came to that, it would likely cost millions of pounds and would be an unprecedented step for North Yorkshire Council.

Financial benefits of Ripon Cathedral expansion ‘uncosted’, claims planning expert

A planning expert has issued an objection to Ripon Cathedral’s plans for a £6 annex, arguing the financial benefits of the expansion have not been properly costed.

The cathedral submitted plans a year ago for a two-storey structure on part of Minster Gardens, a public open space close to the ancient building.

It said the building is much-needed and would provide a new song school for the choir, a cafe, toilet facilities and disabled access.

Ripon Cathedral said it currently welcomes 100,000 visitors a year, which could increase by 33% if the expansion went ahead, bringing in crucial revenue.

The application is yet to be considered by councillors on North Yorkshire Council but it has been controversial in the city, particularly with business owners who fear the new cafe will take trade away from them.

The plans have received an objection this month from Peter Eggleton, a planner based in Ripon with two decades of experience who has conducted more than 1,000 planning appeals as an inspector.

Mr Eggleton wrote in his objection letter that the application has left him “astonished” due its financial implications and impact on the Old Deanery hotel and restaurant which stands next to the cathedral.

The Old Deanery

After studying planning documents submitted by the cathedral, he said there is “no suggestion” of what profits the new building might make. He also questioned if the returns from the cafe would even cover the running costs of operating the new building.

Mr Eggleton said: 

“The financial ‘promise’ of this proposal is not costed. There is no supporting financial information at all. Profits simply may not happen. It may be a financial liability. The applicants have already stated how many other buildings they have that they struggle to maintain.

“In any event, unless there is a mechanism for ensuring that profits are directed back into the cathedral, they would not secure anything of benefit to outweigh the proposed harm.”

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The planner also strongly criticised the position of the new building, which he said would be “unacceptably overbearing” on the grade two listed Old Deanery.

Mr Eggleton added: 

“This is not a heritage-led design as suggested. It is the architect providing the client with everything on their wish list without proper consideration for the surrounding heritage assets.”

Ripon Cathedral declined to respond to Mr Eggleton’s comments but it issued the following statement about the plans last month:

“Research suggests that visitor numbers to the cathedral could increase by more than a third in the first five years (as outlined in our submission on the economic impact), which will have a significant effect on visitors to the city overall – and 47% of visitors to a city referenced the cathedral as their driver for the visit.

“This will obviously have a positive knock-on financial impact on businesses within the city, as well as support the long-term financial sustainability of the cathedral. As the dean and others have made clear in public statements and in conversation with business and café owners around the city – this project is good for everyone and isn’t intended to impact anyone in anything but a positive way.”

Flaxby eco-homes plan refused

Councillors have refused a plan to build four environmentally-friendly homes at Flaxby, near Knaresborough.

It follows two larger applications that were refused by the defunct Harrogate Borough Council in 2021 and 2022, with those decisions upheld on appeal.

The plots on York Road were identified for people who want to build their homes. According to documents submitted by developer Ben Holmes from Holmes Planning Ltd, utility bills would have been reduced to “as close to zero as possible”.

This would be achieved through solar panels on the roofs and air-source heat pumps instead of gas boilers.

The homes would be designed according to Passivhaus principles, which is an innovative design code that prioritises insulation so that a home doesn’t need any heating or cooling at all resulting in minimal energy bills.

The developer also said the homes would adopt rainwater harvesting technology to reduce water consumption.

North Yorkshire Council has a waiting list of people wanting to build their own homes in the county and the developer said the scheme would help meet a demand.

The proposed site at Flaxby.

Councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Selby and Ainsty planning committee met yesterday at Selby Civic Centre to consider the latest application.

The plans received several objections from villagers in Flaxby.

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Caroline Greenhalgh, a councillor on Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council, told the committee she believed the site was unsuitable for development.

She added:

“There’s no infrastructure, services or adequate public transport.”

Mr Holmes addressed councillors and said the homes would be built to an “incredibly high standard”.

He said:

“These are going to be extremely green properties. It’s not a perfect site, I accept that, but it’s a good site.

“People will use their cars to get there however does that outweigh the benefits the site will bring? I say no it doesn’t.

“I firmly believe if you ask the public what they think, the majority would support this application.”

Ahead of the meeting, the plans were recommended for refusal in an officer report due to harm to the countryside and the loss of agricultural land.

Councillors ended up backing the recommendation and unanimously voted to refuse the plans.

Mark Crane, the Conservative councillor for Brayton and Barlow, said:

“I strongly support self-build however it’s clear as clear can be that this is not the site for it. Seldom have I seen so many reasons for refusal.”

Warning 4,000-home Maltkiln scheme ‘could become North Yorkshire’s HS2’

Councillors have been warned that the proposed 4,000-home Maltkiln housing scheme could become North Yorkshire’s version of HS2 if taxpayers’ money is used to compulsory purchase land.

In Northallerton this morning, North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative-run executive agreed to give the council the ability to issue a compulsory purchase order to buy the land near Harrogate required to ensure houses are built.

But the power to buy land without the consent of the landowner would only be used as a last resort if an agreement with landowner is not reached, according to a report prepared for councillors.

A key landowner who owns fields around Cattal train station, making up around half of the proposed site, pulled out in January which has thrown the scheme into doubt.

The potential town and two primary schools would be constructed towards York near the villages of Cattal, Whixley, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

Three parish councillors spoke at the meeting today with each questioning whether future compulsory purchase orders would be an appropriate move for the authority.

Kevin Bramley from Hunsingore, Walshford with Great Ribston & Cattal Parish Council compared the housing scheme to HS2, which saw its northern leg scrapped despite millions being spent on compulsory land purchases.

Clare Beckett, chair of Whixley Parish Council, also questioned whether it was “sensible use of public money” to proceed with the plans.

Paul Townsend, chair of Kirk Hammerton Parish Council said it was “time to draw a line and move on” from Maltkiln.

He said: 

“We urge the executive to be very cautious spending taxpayers money at a time when many councils are on the verge of bankruptcy. Does North Yorkshire Council really have the money available for speculative development proposals?”

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Councillors also heard from Richard Holliday, an associate at Carter Jonas, who spoke on behalf the landowner Mr Dent who pulled out earlier this year.

Mr Holliday claimed Caddick Group, which is developing the scheme, had an option to purchase the land from his client but then decided not to exercise it.

He said: 

“Its difficult to see how a CPO can be justified even in principle when the land could have been purchased by agreement. CPO is a drastic tool when the agreement fell away due to the decision of the developer.”

The council’s Conservative executive member for open to business, Derek Bastiman, emphasised that a CPO would only be used as a last resort and was not being suggested as a threat.

According to the report prepared for councillors, Caddick Group has agreed to discuss underwriting the costs of a CPO.

If the council were to purchase the land through a CPO, it could also enter agreements with other developers such as the government’s housing agency Homes England.

Cllr Bastiman said a development document that has been worked on by officers for the last few years will soon be able to be submitted to the Secretary of State who will scrutinise whether the scheme is deliverable.

He added that the council has commissioned specialist advice to “show Maltkiln is a viable scheme”.

Conservative executive member for housing Simon Myers said CPOs have been used by public bodies throughout history to deliver housing.

He said: 

“Without compulsory purchase powers, going back to the 19th century, slums wouldn’t have been demolished and social housing wouldn’t have been built. 

“If push comes to shove, we have a responsibility to deliver housing. We have 8,500 people on housing waiting lists in North Yorkshire.”

Council cancels another Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee

North Yorkshire Council has cancelled another Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee due to a lack of planning applications to consider.

The meeting was set to take place next Tuesday at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.

It means since the new council was formed in April, just four out of nine planned meetings have taken place with none happening since the last meeting on September 26.

The ability to approve or reject planning applications is a key responsibility of elected councillors, with cross-party planning committees based around parliamentary constituencies scheduled to meet each month.

But there have been concerns across the county that power has been concentrated centrally with unelected officers making the decisions instead.

Last month, the Harrogate & Knaresborough committee chair Pat Marsh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the council was making a “nonsense” out of the current planning system.

In a statement published this week, the council’s assistant director of planning services, Trevor Watson, said one reason for the paucity of meetings was that planning applications in the former Harrogate district area are now been heard by councillors in the Skipton & Ripon and Selby & Ainsty constituency areas instead.

This includes plans for an eco home development in Flaxby tomorrow, which is a resubmitted version of a scheme previously refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

Mr Watson said: 

“We are committed to open and transparent governance and always endeavour to hold planning meetings where possible.

“Unfortunately, due to a lack of agenda items, the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee meeting scheduled for December 19 had to be cancelled.

“However, as the former administrative boundary of Harrogate Borough Council is split over three area constituency planning committees, a number of applications were considered at the Skipton and Ripon planning committee last week.

“A further two items are scheduled to be considered by the Selby and Ainsty committee on Wednesday.”

The next Harrogate & Knaresborough planning committee is set to take place on January 30.

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Licence granted for bar in Knaresborough industrial estate

Councillors have granted an alcohol licence for a bar in a Knaresborough industrial estate that will be run by Harrogate Brewing Company.

But North Yorkshire Council’s statutory licensing sub committee added a condition to ban a proposed beer garden after concerns were raised about reversing HGVs at Hambleton Grove Industrial Estate.

The family-owned brewery specialises in craft ale and operates from a different industrial estate on Hookstone Chase in Harrogate where it operates a small bar, also called a taproom.

Martin Joyce from the company said it will use the industrial unit in Knaresborough for storage as well as for a second taproom so people can try beers brewed in Harrogate.

He said he wanted to create a “community environment” for Knaresborough and councillors met this afternoon in Harrogate to consider whether to grant the bar an alcohol licence.

Mr Joyce said:

“To set up a pub these days is significant whereas I can utilise the space I’ve got for storage and a taproom, That creates business sense to me and gives back to the community.”

During the meeting, councillors heard from environmental health officer John Mathews who warned there had been instances of HGVs reversing into cars at the industrial estate — close to a proposed outdoor area for drinkers.

This forced the council to issue a health and safety improvement notice to the landlord of the industrial estate in November 2022.

Since then, improvements have been made but Mr Mathews said the safety of customers visiting the bar could be put at risk by a new reversing area.

He said:

“It presents a risk for customers who are likely to be near large reversing vehicles, possibly under the influence of alcohol.”

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In response, Mr Joyce proposed alternative opening hours so that customers would only be able enter the premises at a time when HGVs are prohibited from entering the industrial estate.

Cllr Andy Paraskos, who represents Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale and Tockwith for the Conservatives, raised concerns about out-of-hours deliveries from other businesses at the industrial estate impacting on the bar. 

He said: 

“Surely some of these businesses will want out of hours deliveries at some point. I’m sure there will an issue there.”

However, councillors ultimately agreed to grant the alcohol licence with a condition attached to ensure that all activity at the bar takes place inside to reduce any risk of vehicles reversing into customers.

The approved opening hours are as follows:

Liberal Democrat councillor chosen as next Harrogate charter mayor

Councillor Chris Aldred, who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley for the Liberal Democrats, has been confirmed as the Harrogate charter mayor from next year.

Cllr Aldred will be the town’s second charter mayor, which is a role created by North Yorkshire Council following the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council in April.

The non-political, unelected role involves promoting the historic and ceremonial traditions of the Harrogate area during events such as last month’s Remembrance Sunday.

Cllr Aldred was chosen this morning by the Harrogate charter trustees, which are 10 councillors who represent divisions covering the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

He will be supported by deputy charter mayor Michael Schofield, who represents Harlow and St Georges as an independent.

The mayoral tradition will pass to a future Harrogate Town Council but this is not expected to happen until at least 2025.

The current charter mayor is Cllr Michael Harrison, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate for the Conservatives.

Cllr Harrison said:

“As charter trustees we’ll still be in play for at least one more year.

“We asked for nominations and I’m delighted to report that there was one nomination for charter mayor to be Chris Aldred as charter mayor and Mike Schofield for deputy mayor. I’d like to congratulate both of those people.”

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Cllr Aldred and Cllr Schofield will become charter mayor and deputy at a meeting in May.

The charter mayor role differs from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayoralty, which covered the whole of the former borough with the mayor undertaking a wider range of engagements.

The charter mayor is not entitled to expenses such as a chauffeur driven car that the former Harrogate Borough Council mayor could benefit from.

Although the charter mayor is still entitled to wear chains and civic regalia as worn by previous mayors.

At the meeting this morning, councillors approved increasing the annual budget for charter trustee business from £12,100 a year to £12,800, with most of the money set to be spent on North Yorkshire Council staff costs.

It means a Harrogate resident living in a band D property will spend 46p on the charter trustees and charter mayor next year through council tax.