Knaresborough’s grass verge vigilante fed up with council

A Knaresborough man is so frustrated at Harrogate Borough Council not cutting grass verges in the town that he’s picked up his shears and done it himself.

Daniel Perkins, who is 26 and works as a landscaper, has been tidying up his hometown for the last two weeks and estimates he’s spent around 20 unpaid hours scything down the tall grass, weeds and nettles.

He said:

“It’s so overgrown. It’s a nightmare for children or wheelchairs.

“People shouldn’t have to walk through a jungle.”

The Harrogate district’s wild new look continues to divide opinion, as swathes of land are left to grow several feet high. Now that some areas have been cut the contrast is really starting to show.

Mr Perkins has so far taken his shears and pitchfork to areas in Knaresborough including by the allotments, the corner of the Spinney field down to Hay a Park bridge, Charlton ginnel, Aspin Lane and from the railway track to Hambleton Grove.

HBC has previously defended its rewilding strategy, saying they have left areas uncut to improve biodiversity and attract bees and other insects.

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Mr Perkins said rewilding is the right approach for large fields or meadows, but to suggest leaving verges or ginnels uncut would make a difference to biodiversity is a “bogus” argument. He believes it’s off-putting to visitors and could damage Knaresborough’s image to tourists.

He also says when the council does cut grass they do it with a motorised strimmer or mower, which he thinks can damage wildlife and animals.

Before and after. A ginnel near Hambleton Grove.

The proud Knaresborough resident also accused the Harrogate-based council of “neglecting” the town ahead of its “crown jewel” of Harrogate.

Many passers-by have offered him the same advice:

“Everyone says invoice the council, it would be great if I could.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesman was unable to confirm whether the areas cut by Mr Perkins are owned by the council or privately. Although the spokesman believes some of the verges are owned by Network Rail.

He said:

“We are cutting verges and green spaces in Knaresborough that we manage and have a programme of works.”

Green Party stands down in Knaresborough by-election to support Lib Dems

Harrogate & District Green Party is to ask supporters in Knaresborough Scriven Park to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the upcoming by-election.

The by-election was called following the resignation of Conservative councillor Samantha Mearns, who said she was moving to Wales for family reasons.

She will resign from Harrogate Borough Council and Knaresborough Town Council.

The full list of candidates for the by-election, which will take place on July 29, was revealed last week and did not include a Green.

At the last election in 2018, Mearns defeated Liberal Democrat candidate Matt Walker by just 16 votes in the borough council vote.

A spokesperson for the Harrogate & District Green Party said it had met with Lib Dem candidates Hannah Gostlow and Andy Bell and it “supports their attitudes on crucial issues” and would therefore not put forward a candidate “for the greater good”.

The spokesperson said:

“The Green Party welcomes the opportunity to support the excellent Liberal Democrat candidates Hannah Gostlow and Andy Bell in the elections for Knaresborough Town Council. The Green Party has met with and support the candidates’ attitudes on crucial issues.

“The Green Party looks forward to reciprocal support from the Liberal Democrats in future elections as both parties recognise the fundamental problem of a first-past-the-post electoral system which negates the vote of the majority of people in this country. The Green Party will always seek out opportunities to work collaboratively for the greater good.”

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The move by the Greens could be a sign that local parties are more willing than in previous years to work together to defeat the Conservatives, whose councillors currently dominate Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

In the recent county council by-election in Bilton, parties to the left of the Conservatives won more collective votes but Cllr Matt Scott took the seat.

Harrogate Liberal Democrats county councillor David Goode told the Stray Ferret that he welcomed the Greens stepping aside.

He said:

“We appreciate what the Greens have done. There’s an understanding that opposition to the Tories splits the vote. We’ve agreed to work together on a local level but it will still be a close call.”

Sharon-Theresa Calvert will stand for the Labour Party in the by-election.

Chris Watt, a spokesman for the local Labour Party, described on Twitter the Greens and Liberal Democrat electoral pact as a “dodgy backroom deal”.

However, in a statement, Labour said it would be “happy to work with people of all parties”.

“Labour has a strong and positive vision for our area, exemplified by our candidate, Sharon Calvert, who is a well known community champion in Knaresborough.

“If that’s something that supporters and members of other parties want to get behind, we would welcome their backing.

“We are happy to work with people of all parties and none on issues of common concern for the good our local area and do so on many subjects, from our local environment to leisure facilities to education, among numerous others.”

The Conservatives have announced Jacqui Renton, a former landlady of The Union pub in Knaresborough, as its candidate. Harvey Alexander will stand for UKIP.

Crime commissioner defends local MP for voting against dog theft law

North Yorkshire Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner Philip Allott has defended fellow Conservative, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones MP, after he voted in Parliament against making dog theft a specific offence.

Mr Allott repeatedly called for the crime to be put into law during his recent campaign to become the new commissioner.

As part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that is currently going through the Commons, the Labour Party put forward an amendment that would have for the first time made dog theft a crime.

Currently, the law doesn’t distinguish the theft of a dog from that of an inanimate object.

MPs voted the amendment down on Monday with a majority of 113. Four Tory MPs rebelled against the government.

Mr Allott told the Stray Ferret that he wouldn’t have voted for the amendment if he was an MP.  He said this was because the government is currently consulting on its own law which he believes will be tougher on criminals than the one Labour suggested.

He said:

“I strongly support a law for pet theft, but I want to wait for the consultation”.

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Mr Allott, who lives in Knaresborough, previously highlighted a survey showing dog thefts increased by 250% last year due to gangs cashing in on the demand for puppies during lockdown.

Sought-after breeds, such as French bulldogs, can sell for more than £5,000 and a litter can fetch £35,000.

Mr Allott accused Labour of “mischief-making” and said the offence could include cats as well as dogs.

He added:

“I’ll be interested to see Andrew Jones’s understanding on this but he does care about pets. He did the right thing waiting”.

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones to comment but did not receive a response.

Captain Tom memorial walkway opens at Army Foundation College

A memorial walkway dedicated to Captain Sir Tom Moore was opened yesterday at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College by members of his family.

Captain Sir Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, her husband and children, visited the college on Pennypot Lane to cut a ribbon and unveil a plaque that includes details of his life.

Junior soldiers marched under the walkway on their way to the graduation parade. The college said the dedication was a “fantastic way” to mark the Captain’s legacy.

The Captain Tom plaque.

The college posted on its Facebook page:

“We think it is a fantastic way to mark the legacy of Capt Sir Tom and the future of our junior soldiers”.

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Captain Sir Tom was made an honorary colonel of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate last spring.

He later visited the college to speak to junior soldiers and was invited back for their graduation in September.

He raised almost £33m for NHS Charities Together by walking lengths of his garden in Bedfordshire, hitting the headlines in the process. He died aged 100 in February this year.

Knaresborough and Starbeck pools to reopen this month

Harrogate Borough Council said today it will reopen Knaresborough Pool on Monday next week and Starbeck Baths on July 19.

However, Starbeck’s reopening depends on government social distancing measures being lifted that day as anticipated.

The council tweeted the news this afternoon to end months of uncertainty, questions and suspicion over the venues’ futures.

Lockdown restrictions eased on April 12 to permit swimming pools to re-open.

However, a problem with the pool filters at Knaresborough forced it to remain closed and the council blamed social distancing restrictions for the delay in reopening Starbeck.

Frustration has grown in recent weeks, particularly over the future of Starbeck Baths, with residents questioning whether it would ever re-open.

The news that Starbeck Baths would finally reopen was welcomed by local resident Chris Watt, who has been at the forefront of the campaign to reopen the pool.

He was due to ask a question about it at tonight’s full council meeting.

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He told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s good to know my little campaign has had a result. It’s a bit of a shame it’s due to local residents putting pressure on the council.

“Let’s just hope they stick to it, they have promised to reopen it before so we will have to wait and see.

“My son will be so happy: he’s been asking constantly, ‘When can I swim again?’ so he’ll be delighted.”

‘It’s about time’

Philip Broadbank, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Starbeck, told the Stray Ferret “it’s about time” the pool reopened.

“I’ve been asking consistently since last summer when the baths will reopen so it’s good news that they are doing.

“It’s about time. I’ll be holding them to it. A lot of local residents have been campaigning with me for the baths to open so they’ll be very pleased too”.

Sessions at Knaresborough can only be booked through the council’s website from 10am on Friday. Details on how to book for Starbeck will be announced at a later date.

Trevor Watson, director for economy and culture at the council, said:

“It is fantastic news that the swimming pool in Knaresborough is set to open ahead of the school summer holidays, as I know local parents and children are keen to jump back in the pool.”

He added that being required to self isolate had presented staffing problems at the pools.

“For many of us, this doesn’t present a problem as we can work at home. But for our leisure centre staff this isn’t possible and sadly has an unavoidable impact on the services we provide.

“We are doing what we can to recruit staff, fill these gaps and return to normal as soon as it is safe to do so. I’d like to thank residents for bearing with us.”

Harrogate council to bypass procurement process for £125,000 contract

Harrogate Borough Council is set to appoint a Hull-based firm to service its heating and air conditioning units on a £125,000 contract without going through its normal procurement process.

A report today will go before HBC’s cabinet member for economic development, Cllr Graham Swift, that asks him to approve the appointment of Airco Refrigeration Limited on a 12-month contract.

Work involves issuing gas safety certificates for commercial boilers, replacing filters in air handling units and servicing of pumps at the council’s heating and refrigeration sites.

The previous supplier, Harrogate-firm Robinson Facilities Services Ltd, was appointed on a five-year contract in 2019. However, the company terminated its contract with 30-days notice on April 19 this year, leaving the council without anyone to provide emergency repairs.

The report said due to the short notice, HBC was unable to undertake a formal procurement exercise, complete market research or benchmarking.

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However, it says Airco has agreed to provide services at an equivalent cost to the outgoing supplier.

The Stray Ferret asked HBC why the company cancelled the contract but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.

The report says:

“It is of the upmost importance that an alternative service provider is appointed without delay as the council is required to hold a valid gas safety certificate for each property in its ownership. Planned preventative maintenance is essential to ensure the council’s operational buildings are safe and fit for purpose.”

The report says that the fixed-term contract will give HBC 12 months to complete a procurement process to appoint a new long-term supplier.

Viper Rooms owner: Young people in Harrogate can ‘celebrate life’ again

The owner of Harrogate’s only nightclub, The Viper Rooms, has welcomed the government’s announcement that nightclubs will finally be able to reopen on July 19 without masks or social distancing.

Paul Kinsey told the Stray Ferret that he is looking forward to reopening but added he was still skeptical that the reopening plans won’t be delayed again.

He also sympathised with young people in Harrogate who he believes have suffered over the past 18 months and said having a nightclub again will give them a chance to “celebrate life” again.

He said:

“I think it’s a great outcome if it actually goes ahead.”

“It allows all of the 18 to 25-year-olds who have suffered the most in terms of lost education, lost jobs and lost leisure the opportunity to do what they love most….celebrate life!!”

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The club has been one of the hardest-hit businesses in Harrogate since the covid pandemic hit. It’s been closed indefinitely since March 2020, except for one night on Halloween.

Mr Kinsey was looking forward to reopening on June 21 until the government decided to delay the easing of lockdown restrictions for another month.

It meant the nightclub had to put its plans on ice.

He called on the government to offer a package of financial support to the nightlife sector in a previous Stray Ferret article.

A covid-19 leaving drinks party will now take place on July 19 at 10pm.

Harrogate man says ‘outrageous, camp and wild’ garden saved his life

Paul Ivison says his “outrageous, camp and wild” garden in Harrogate saved his life following recent mental health battles.

Mr Ivison’s loud and proud garden may be small but it is hard to miss as you walk up Mayfield Grove to where it meets Mayfield Terrace, just a short walk from the town centre.

He designs a themed garden each year and this year he has gone with for mental health.

On the wall outside the garden are messages and advice for people on how to cope with mental health problems and who to contact if they need help.

As well as a wide array of plants and flowers his garden is also interspersed with and eclectic and colourful range of items including the Philippines flag, to represent his partner, photos of the Queen and Prince Philip, fairies, gnomes and bowling pins.

Mr Ivison, 61, took an overdose to end his life in January and the garden has given him the strength to carry on. He said:

“If it wasn’t for this garden, I wouldn’t be here.”

“It’s been a tough time but the garden clears my mind.”

Mr Ivison was in the Royal Navy during the late 1970s and early 1980s and recently began suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to what he witnessed.

He works part-time at Asda in Harrogate and also receives Personal Independence Payment for people with a disability.

After a review in January, the money he was entitled to was drastically cut which led to financial worries and a risk that he would lose his beloved home and garden. This led to his suicide attempt.

After providing more evidence, and support from Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones, he had his full entitlement reinstated.

Mr Ivison is critical of the Department for Work and Pensions and said PIP reviews  were responsible for dozens of suicides. He hopes his garden will highlight what he believes are the government’s shortcomings in tackling mental health and its approach to benefits.

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Mr Ivison, who has lived in the house for 15 years, said 95% of the objects in the garden have been recycled.

He enjoys sitting outside with a coffee and a cigarette watching the world go by while speaking to neighbours. One woman who lives nearby called in during the Stray Ferret’s visit to say the garden has helped with her own mental health.

Mr Ivison said:

“I’ve had some amazing comments. It brightens up their day.”

His garden is open to anyone who wants to visit.

“A lot of people say — pull yourself together, or exercise — but it’s not as easy as that. We all have friends who suffer. The best thing you can do is listen.”

He’s already thinking about next year and said he has decided on a new theme for the garden.

“Next year it will be a Pride garden. It will be camp as hell!”

Harrogate district joins national thank you to NHS

Residents and staff at a care home in Harrogate raised flags yesterday to say thank you to NHS staff, care workers and other front-line workers.

After showing their support, the residents at Larchfield Manor residential home on Leadhall Grove observed a two-minute silence and a rendition of The Last Post.

They later raised a toast to those who have helped others during the pandemic and enjoyed a celebratory afternoon tea.

The activities were held to mark the UK’s first-ever national Thank You Day on Sunday, which was created to recognise those who have helped the country during covid.

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Yesterday also saw the bells of Ripon Cathedral ring out to say thank you.

The team of bell ringers, which included retired and current NHS employees, sounded the bells 73 times on what was the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the NHS.

Firefighters battle blaze at farm in Beckwithshaw

Firefighters have been battling a blaze at a farm in Beckwithshaw this evening.

A firefighter at the scene told the Stray Ferret a pile of hay caught fire next to a barn at Whin Hill Farm, opposite the West Harrogate Household Waste Recycling Centre on Pennypot Lane.

Smoke from the fire was visible across Harrogate and people on social media said they could smell burning as far away as Jennyfields.

The incident was brought under control quickly and no people or farm animals are believed to have been hurt.

The firefighter praised the farmer for getting his machinery out of the way quickly before the fire service arrived.

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