Andrew Jones MP should be ‘shaking in his shoes’, says local Lib Dem leader

The leader of the local Liberal Democrats says Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones should be “shaking in his shoes” after a shock by-election result yesterday.

In Chesham and Amersham the Lib Dem Sarah Green overturned a 16,000-vote Conservative majority in a seat that has always voted Tory. It’s being described as being part of a “blue wall” in the south of England.

Cllr Pat Marsh told the Stray Ferret she was “delighted” with the result, which she said has given the local party hope that it can overcome a 9,000-vote majority in Harrogate and Knaresborough at the next general election.

Like Harrogate and Knaresborough, the Buckinghamshire constituency has a reasonably affluent and older demographic.

Cllr Marsh said:

“It’s given us a positive boost. It’s shown us that it’s not impossible and it can be done. He can’t be complacent any more.”

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Mr Jones has won four general elections in Harrogate and Knaresborough and first took the seat in 2010. It was held by Liberal Democrat Phil Willis from 1997 until 2010.

In yesterday’s by-election, housing and planning concerns were cited as the biggest reason voters turned their backs on the Conservatives.

Cllr Marsh said she expects housing to be a factor for voters at the next election in Harrogate and Knaresborough, which is currently seeing an unprecedented growth in new build housing developments.

She said Mr Jones “doesn’t listen to people” when it comes to housing concerns:

“Central government has allowed developers free rein throughout this country. It’s had a devastating effect in parts of Harrogate.”

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones for a response, but he did not reply by the time of publication.

Could Harrogate get its first bus lane?

Harrogate’s first bus lane could be built on Leeds Road from Pannal towards the town centre, according to North Yorkshire County Council.

The council has had long held ambitions to build a park and ride scheme in Pannal to reduce traffic and ease congestion.

Land near Pannal Golf Club and near Buttersyke Bar roundabout south of Pannal have been identified as potential sites for the park and ride.

A key factor in the location is that it is on the 36 bus route that runs regularly between Leeds and Harrogate. Leeds Road is one of the main routes into Harrogate.

Cllr Don Mackenzie told the Stray Ferret that creating bus lanes in Harrogate town centre itself would be a “struggle” due to the road layout.

He added one could be built on parts of Leeds Road if the park and ride proposal comes to fruition but stressed the plans were still at an early stage.

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Meanwhile, the council is putting together a bid for a share of the government’s £3bn investment in bus services that is part of its National Bus Strategy.

The government has told all councils to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan before November.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Service earlier this week, Cllr Mackenzie, said:

“In Harrogate we’re looking at park and ride, which will involve a bus contract, and we’re looking at bus priority systems such as bus lanes. So the National Bus Strategy just gives us an extra incentive to press on.

“We would be totally supportive of avoidance of the motor car and reliance upon public transport, whether that is road or rail or sustainable transport with a bit more walking and cycling.”

Eriksen cardiac arrest inspires a Harrogate football club to crowdfund defibrillator

Pannal Sports Junior Football Club has raised over £2,000 in just four hours for a life-saving defibrillator.

The fundraising campaign followed the shocking scenes of footballer Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest on the pitch during a Euro 2020 game last week.

The club said the event “really hit home to a lot of people” how important having a defibrillator on site is for any sporting facility.

More than 100 people donated money to the successful crowdfunding campaign which means the club can install a defibrillator at their ground on Leeds Road.

Currently, it would take 10 minutes to get to the nearest defibrillator, which could be the difference between life and death.

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Nick Viles, chair of Pannal Sports, said:

“The recent events at Euro 2020 have highlighted the importance of having this life-saving equipment close at hand in an emergency. With Pannal Community Park used by almost 1,000 people each week, either recreationally or as part of organised sport, we want to be able to provide immediate pitch side access to a defibrillator.

“This funding will allow us to install a defibrillator that will be accessible 24/7 to those using the facilities and to the wider local community.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported our campaign by donating and helping us reach our target so quickly, meaning we can install a new defibrillator as quickly as possible.”

Donations are still being received and the club plans to use these additional funds to deliver first aid training for its junior football players.

Harrogate council leader: Sustainable transport ‘will always cause controversy’

Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper says schemes to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in the town “will always cause controversy” but they are essential to reduce emissions.

Cllr Cooper was speaking yesterday evening at a Q+A session for members of the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Coalition, of which he is vice-chair.

Proposals such as the Station Gateway scheme have divided opinion in Harrogate with some welcoming it as a bold step to encourage people out of cars but others believing it will hurt local businesses and shops.

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Cooper why these schemes have been so divisive and what local politicians can do to ensure they bring all residents along with them.

In response, he said local politicians have “to be honest with people” about the climate challenges ahead and accept that they will not please everyone.

He said:

“You can’t say we support sustainable transport but on the other hand carry on using cars. The two things are not able to be done at the same time.

“Sustainable transport means taking away tarmac from cars to buses, bikes and walking. That will always cause controversy.

He added:

“People want to carry on as they are. If we carry on we’ll never get to net-zero. Travel is one of the biggest emitters. It’s about being honest with people and the putting facts in front of people.”

“Whenever you change things it’s going to be divisive. You’ll never get everyone agreeing with you.

“If people are committed to net-zero they have to realise that we can’t have no change and expect things to get better.”

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Cllr Cooper also responded to a question about the impact of new housing developments on the environment in Yorkshire.

He said that in Harrogate he gets housing developers together with residents to discuss environmental issues.

“I try and get developers together with local residents to talk about how we can get cycle routes or how we can put green barriers in. 

“Every developer wants residents to support their development. They will usually be amiable to discussion with residents.”

The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Coalition was set up earlier this year to bring public, private and third sectors together to support climate actions across the region.

Other members include Liz Barber, the CEO of Yorkshire Water, Dan Jarvis MP, the Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, and Professor Andy Gouldson from the University of Leeds.

Harrogate Fake Festival cancelled

Harrogate Fake Festival, which was set to be held on the Stray on July 17, has been cancelled.

Organisers said on its Facebook page that the easing of lockdown restrictions “was paramount” for the event to go ahead.

It has been held inside a marquee on the Stray every summer since 2015, except for 2019 when it was moved to Killinghall Moor Country Park, and last year, when it was cancelled.

This year’s edition was due to feature tribute acts for artists including Green Day, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Queen.

The company Fake Festivals runs similar events across the country during the summer.

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A post on its Facebook page said:

“To all our loyal fans that have supported us, bought tickets and then had your festivals cancelled… Thank you for trying, we will be back next year and we can’t wait to see you then.”

The company added that ticket bookings will be automatically refunded within the next 14 days and tickets will not be carried over to 2022.

Police search for missing woman who may be in Harrogate

Police have appealed for information about a missing woman from Wetherby who they believe may be in Harrogate.

Judith Holliday, 72, was reported missing this morning.

West Yorkshire Police described her as 5ft 2ins tall and slim. She is believed to be wearing floral trousers, a blue-t-shirt and black shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote log 309.

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Mystery as Sphynx cat from Wakefield found in Knaresborough

An adventurous Sphynx cat has been found in Knaresborough — 35 miles from her home in Wakefield.

It’s not known how India, who is two and has no fur, managed to cross county lines but one theory is she snuck into a delivery van that was doing the rounds in the area.

Gareth Cole found the cold and shaking feline outside his home in Knaresborough at 2am one night recently.

He said:

“I looked over and could see this…thing.

“I realised it was a cat. We got some milk for it and it was so friendly.”

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Gareth and his partner Katie took the Sphynx, which cost on average £1,500, to Pets at Home, which managed to track the microchipped moggy’s owner in Wakefield.

She made a one-hour drive to collect her yesterday.

Gareth and his son Hugo playing with India.

Gareth said the owner was “very, very happy” that India was returning home and had a huge smile on her face when they were reunited.

He added:

“I have to say we fell in love with her so much and would have kept her in a heartbeat if the owner had not have been found. We we are truly grateful and over the moon we found her family and could reunite them.”

However, one family member was less pleased about the reunion… Gareth’s three-year-old son Hugo burst into tears when he was told the cat had to return home to West Yorkshire.

Harrogate district unemployment falls by 10%

The number of people on out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district fell by over 350 in May, a decrease of 10% on the previous month.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show 3,185 people were claiming out-of-work benefits as of May 13 — down from 3,545 in April.

This accounts for 3.4% of the local population, which is below the UK average of 6%.

From May 17, indoor hospitality venues such as bars and restaurants were able to reopen with social distancing measures in place.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said:

“Any drop in the number of people unemployed has to be welcomed. However, I do fear that when furlough comes to an end the figure could well creep up again.”

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Financial support for those out of work includes Universal Credit and Job Seekers’ Allowance.

Figures in the district have remained stable throughout the pandemic, which suggests the government furlough scheme has protected many staff from redundancy.

Fresh plans for 68 retirement apartments in Knaresborough

Fresh plans have been submitted for a major new retirement apartment complex in Knaresborough, after a similar scheme was refused by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee earlier this year.

Adlington, part of the Gladman group, wants to build 68 apartments with additional care facilities on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road, alongside the River Nidd.

Cllr Phil Ireland, who sits on both Knaresborough Town Council and Harrogate Borough Council, criticised the original application for 69 apartments when he spoke at the planning committee in February. He said:

“The size and scale of the development is overpowering. The visual intrusion will be evident to all entering Knaresborough”.

Councillors on the committee agreed and voted overwhelmingly to reject the bid.

Grimbald Bridge is a pressure point for congestion and the original proposals also faced objections from both Knaresborough Civic Society and Knaresborough Town Council on transport grounds.

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In planning documents attached to the new application, the developer said it “strongly refutes” the reasons for refusal:

“The fact that the proposal would introduce a substantial building on the site, does not mean that it would lead to the building being dominant, inappropriate in its setting, or harmful in views, just because it would be visible in parts”.

The developer has made changes to the original plans including removing four apartments from the top of the building to reduce its height and adding ten electric vehicle car parking spaces. The housing mix will be changed to regain the lost apartments.

It said the need to provide this type of accommodation for older people in the area was “critical” due to an ageing population.

HBC’s planning committee will consider the scheme at a later date.

Conservatives enlist Andrew Jones MP to help fight Batley by-election

Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has been spotted in Batley campaigning for the Conservatives in the upcoming by-election.

The Batley & Spen by-election is being held after Labour’s Tracey Brabin stepped down to become the first Mayor of West Yorkshire.

A photo emerged on social media of Mr Jones eating fish and chips in the town alongside the Tory candidate Ryan Stevenson.

Current betting odds make Mr Stevenson favourite, ahead of the Labour candidate Kim Leadbetter who is the sister of the constituency’s former MP Jo Cox. She was murdered by a white supremacist in 2016.

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It appears Mr Jones was back in West Yorkshire over the weekend as the MP stopped for a selfie with a young Conservative activist.

A spokesperson for Harrogate & Knaresborough Liberal Democrats said:

“It is disappointing that he prioritises Batley and Spen over dealing with important local issues.

“But he’s free to do this as long as he’s not doing it at the expense of the public purse.”

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It’s not the first time in recent months that Mr Jones has been enlisted by his party to bolster support. He revealed in the House of Commons last month that he spent time knocking on doors in Hartlepool for the recent by-election there.

Political parties of all stripes often send in big hitters and high profile politicians during by-elections. The Guardian reported the Labour Party sent “dozens” of MPs to campaign in Hartlepool, which was won by the Conservatives.

The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Jones for comment but he did not respond.