York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority is advertising for its first chief executive, who will be paid a salary of £124,656.

The organisation, which was launched in February and commands public funding of £540 million over 30 years, is currently led by James Farrar, interim head of paid service.

A notice on the authority’s website advertising the role closes on May 12, with interviews due to take place on June 3.

The role requires the candidate to have “strong commercial skills, business acumen and experience of operating in a business development role”.

The chief executive will also be required to work closely with the newly elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and council leaders from North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.

Meanwhile, the combined authority is also advertising for a director of resources, who would be paid a salary of up to £105,000.

David Skaith signing the declaration of acceptance of office with James Farrar, director of economy and interim head of paid service, and Rachel Antonelli, head of legal and interim deputy monitoring officer at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The move comes as David Skaith was sworn in as the new mayor yesterday.

Mr Skaith also signed the declaration of acceptance of office, which formally recognises the mayor’s responsibilities for the police and crime commissioner role.

He said:

“I’m honoured to take on the role of mayor for York and North Yorkshire. I’m looking to bring together York and North Yorkshire as one.

“This new role of mayor, and the combined authority, presents a great deal of opportunities to the region. We can attract new investment, and tackle keys areas such as affordable housing and transport. This is just the start, and I’m looking forward to working with partners, businesses, and communities.”

Read more:

• Tense day ends in clear victory for Labour’s Harrogate-born mayor
• Keane Duncan defends campaign as Conservatives lose North Yorkshire mayor election
• How Labour defeated the Tories in North Yorkshire’s first mayor election

This story is sponsored by Neuhaus.

An overview of Neuhaus

Belgian chocolatier Neuhaus opened its first shop outside of London on James Street, Harrogate, a few months ago.

The luxury chocolatier that was founded in 1857 is known for inventing Belgian praline and offers a high-end chocolate experience.

Customers can learn about the history of each product in store – find out more about the stories behind Neuhaus here, while you can discover how you can get involved in the Insiders club where you can receive up to 10 free chocolate gifts per year below…

What is Neuhaus Insiders?

As a Neuhaus Insider, customers are the first to sample the latest innovations, limited edition collections and new ranges each month on a complimentary and commitment-free basis, as well as receiving a free box of birthday chocolates.

Neuhaus Insiders are also the first to be invited to exclusive preview events and find out more about its special promotions too.

How do I become a Neuhaus Insider?

All you need to do is sign up in store or online here and you can redeem your gift online or by visiting your local Neuhaus boutique.

FIND OUT MORE:

Neuhaus is located at 5 James Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QS. To find out more visit the website.

The Stray Ferret details everything you need to know about this candlelit event taking place in Harrogate on Friday that has been trending on social media.

It’s set to be an evening of The Beatles’ greatest hits, accompanied by a string quartet, and later joined by the captivating vocals of Alistair Griffin who is the founder of Ignite Concerts. We speak to him ahead of the show…

When did you first know you wanted to become a singer songwriter? 

I was always keen on writing and knew I could sing, but it took quite a while for it to become a possible career. The turning point was when I was at university in York when I started busking, playing open mic nights, and performing with other artists.

You’ve performed other candlelit concerts in the past, can you tell me more about these and why this time you decided to perform The Beatles hits? 

I created Ignite Concerts just under a year ago. As a performer I’ve seen the music world change a lot, so I started to create and produce my own shows, starting small and growing bigger, culminating in some big shows across Yorkshire and beyond.

Now I’ve got a team and we’ve added the candlelit element. We go to beautiful venues and light them up with 1,000 candles. Of course, great music is always the heart of what we do but we want to create an atmosphere and an experience people remember. So that when they walk in, they feel they’re part of something really special.

We aim to play iconic music in a slightly different way using string players. What’s more iconic than The Beatles? That’s how I learned to play the guitar, strumming Lennon and McCartney classics.

Alistair Griffin, founder of Ignite Concerts

How do you feel performing another artist’s music?  

It’s always different than performing my own songs. My own songs have a personal angle. I’ve never had a problem covering other people’s songs and I hope I do them justice.

You can never better the original, but you can give it a new take. Singing The Long and Winding Road with a string quartet behind you is pretty amazing.

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Which Beatles song holds the most significance for you? 

There are so many special songs but I think Let It Be was the first Beatles song that really moved me. It has a hymnal uplifting quality that I often look for in a song.

Many moons ago I was on a BBC talent show called Fame Academy and got to sing this song in the final. Remarkably, it was introduced by Paul McCartney himself. A surreal moment.

How many candles do you have in the church and how do they add to the atmosphere?

We have 1,000 candles. Now, you might be thinking how does it pass health and safety rules, but they are all LED candles. But don’t let this put you off, when the light goes down people often don’t realise the difference. It is a remarkable sight and creates an amazing effect and a unique atmosphere.

How does the orchestra add to the songs? 

The string quartet really takes the songs to a different place. They can be so dynamic taking you from an intimate sound to a much bigger anthemic sound. And just hearing some of the songs played instrumentally without the words allows the audience to fill in the rest for themselves. You can sing if you want to or just take it in and listen.

You live in York, do you come over to Harrogate often?

I have friends in Harrogate so get over quite a bit. I like to go for a pint in The Old Bell.

If you weren’t a singer-songwriter, which career avenue would you go down? 

Well, I’ve always said the best job I ever had was being the milkman in the village of Staithes. But as far as another career I would have loved to have worked in sport.

From £25, doors open at 7pm, concert is 7.30pm-9.30pm, May 10, Christ Church, High Harrogate, HG1 4SW. 

READ MORE:

• 5 things to do in Harrogate and the district this weekend
• Did you know there’s a hidden tipi nestled in the woods near Harlow Carr?
• Did you know that Everyman in Harrogate screens National Theatre Live productions?
• Did you know there’s a hidden Spa Room in Harrogate’s Turkish Baths?

This week, we spoke to Tim Brown, owner of Brown Trout on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate.

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does. 

We’re a fly-fishing emporium and country clothing outdoor specialist shop. We also do quite a lot of destination fly-fishing trips. I’ve just come back from a month on the River Spey in Scotland.

What does it take to be successful in business? 

In my business you’ve got to have a complete passion for what you do. Hopefully, that comes through the instant you walk in the door.

So long as you’re honest and sell well and you’re competitive, you should be fine.

Brown Trout is one of the longest-established and most recognisable shops on Cold Bath Road in Harrogate.

What drives you to do what you do every day? 

It’s a passion. This is definitely not work!

What has been the toughest issue your company has had to deal with over the last 12 months? 

I think the increase in mortgage rates has put a little bit of a damper on people’s spending. On the other hand, all the wet weather we’ve been having has meant I’ve sold lot of wellies! You’ll never have the perfect trading year.

Which other local firms do you most admire, and why? 

Jeremy [Beaumont] at Rhodes Wood at the bottom of Parliament Street has had a wonderful business for many years – centred on himself, of course. When people come out of the convention centre and see all the takeaways, it’s one business that really represents Harrogate.

Ben at Ogdens, the jewellers on James Street, has done very well too. To keep a family business going for that long is remarkable.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders? 

Anybody who volunteers their spare time to get kids into sport.

Tim Brown also runs fly-fishing trips to some of the best salmon rivers in Scotland.

What could be done locally to boost business? 

Get the traffic and parking sorted out in Harrogate. We need somebody who knows what they’re doing to get to grips with it. Bring back disc parking!

Best and worst things about running a business from Harrogate? 

The hospitality businesses in Harrogate do a very good job of making sure that we get an awful lot of visitors here. It amazes me how far people come – I’ve just served a gentleman from the United States. This is a conference town, and a lot of people explore beyond their hotel and find me here – I do very well out of it.

The worst thing is that the traffic is pretty grim, but I do appreciate that it’s pretty bad in most towns.

What are your business plans for the future? 

To keep going. As you get older, you realise how fragile life is. Health and happiness are the most important things, so you’ve got to make sure you do something you enjoy.

What do you like to do in your time off? 

Fly-fishing. Close to home, on the Nidd, Wharfe or Ure, which are both good for trout, or further afield, the Wear for sea trout and salmon.

Best place to eat and drink locally? 

William & Victoria’s – it’s an institution. David [Straker, the owner] does a great job.

This is the latest in a regular series of weekly Business Q&A features. If you’d like to suggest someone in business in the Harrogate district for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Read more:

• Business Q&A: Gemma Aykroyd, The Cheeseboard
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A  Harrogate primary school has received an ‘outstanding’ rating in its latest Ofsted report.

Inspectors praised Western Primary School on Cold Bath Road for its “rich and inclusive curriculum” in a report that also said “the school ensures that all pupils achieve well”.

It said pupils “behave consistently well” and that the school “supports pupils’ emotional needs well” and ensure “all subjects are well sequenced and progressive”.

The report added:

“Pupils are extremely proud to attend this happy and vibrant school. Pupils flourish here. They talk with enthusiasm and interest about their learning.”

The 500-pupil school, which is part of the Red Kite Learning Trust, is praised for promoting a love of reading and learning and for providing “highly effective, targeted support to pupils who need it.”

The report says last year’s published outcomes in mathematics “were not in line with previous years” but adds:

“Overall, however, the school’s implementation of the planned learning in mathematics is strong. The school is swift to intervene if pupils are struggling to master a particular concept. Pupils speak very positively about mathematics.”

Inspectors said “trustees and governors provide highly effective support and challenge to the school” and also praised leaders.

Headteacher Tim Broad, who is retiring this summer, said:

“I am delighted with the outcome of our recent inspection, which validates not only the tremendous, day-to-day work of our wonderful staff team, but also the remarkable nature of the entire Western community which works together tirelessly in the best interests of all our pupils.

“I am very proud to lead such an exceptional group of staff and pupils and would like to extend my gratitude and admiration to everyone associated with our school for the contribution they have made, and continue to make, to the success story that is Western Primary School.”

Headteacher Mr Tim Broad

Formed in 2015, Red Kite Learning Trust has 14 schools in north and west Yorkshire including Oatlands Junior School and Harrogate Grammar School.

Western was also rated ‘outstanding’ in its previous inspection in 2018.

Red Kite Teacher Training receives ‘outstanding’ rating

Red Kite Teacher Training, based in Harrogate, has also received an ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted.

Red Kite Teacher Training works in partnership with schools across the region, as well as the University of Leeds, to train primary and secondary teachers.

Ofsted Inspectors found that “trainees flourish at Red Kite Teacher Training” and “experience high-quality training.”

Red Kite Teacher Training 

The report said:

“Training is driven by a strong vision of excellence that is shared and exceptionally well realised. Trainees are enthused by these experiences and by the programme as a whole. They are truly excited about embarking on their teaching careers.”

Victoria Lickley, director of Red Kite Teacher Training. said:

“We are delighted to receive such high praise from Ofsted, which reflects our strong partnerships with schools and dedication to providing an exceptional training experience for our aspiring teachers.”

Read more:

• Harrogate charity hails ‘heroine’ Elaine for saving its building 
• Harrogate Station Gateway: consultants’ fees rise to £2.1 million 

Above: Ripley Decorative Home and Salvage Show

Go to the Decorative Home and Salvage Show

Shop for charming and unique pieces for your home and garden, with a wide range of designs coming from country-wide traders and home buyers at the Decorative Home and Salvage Show at Ripley Castle.  

There is food and refreshments to buy onsite so that you can make a day of it. Dogs are also welcome. 

£15 per person on Friday, £10 per person on Saturday and Sunday. Free for accompanied under 16-year-olds. 12-5pm May 10, 10am-5pm May 11 and 12. Ripley Castle, Ripley, HG3 3AY. 

Go to Jo Caulfield’s stand-up comedy

Laugh along with Jo Caulfield at her Here Comes Trouble performance at Masham Town Hall.  

Having showcased two extremely popular Edinburgh festival performances in 2022 and 2023, attendees will get to experience her bold attitude and greatest one-liners. 

With appearances on Mock the Week and The John Bishop Show, she is sure to fill your weekend with priceless wit. 

From £15 per person, 7.30pm, May 10, Masham Town Hall, Little Market Place, HG4 4DY. 

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• Did you know that Everyman in Harrogate screens National Theatre Live productions?
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Shoot your shot at Harrogate’s National Shooting Show 

At Harrogate’s National Shooting Show, the aim of the game is to have fun. Enjoy the day with activities such as archery, bushcraft, and a shooting range to name a few.  

There will also be food, and a chance to speak with licensed representatives and the UKPSA, United Kingdom Practical Shooting Association, if you wish to learn more about the sport.  

Tickets in advance cost £24.70 per adult, £5 for children aged six to 15, and free for children five and under. Weekend tickets in advance are £32 per adult, £10 for children aged six to 15 and free to children five and under. 8.30am to 5.30pm May 11, 9am to 4pm May 12. Great Yorkshire Showground, HG2 8NZ. Book tickets here.

Attend The Dales String Quartet and Ensemble 

Fill your evening with stunning music played by The Dales Ensemble, performing an arrangement of J. S Bach’s Goldberg Variations which is certain to bring a harmonious end to your week.  

The Ensemble is being played in memory of dramatist Ian Curteis who lived at the property and helped to reinstate the historic Great Hall into a beautiful library.   

From £20, 7.30pm on May 11 at Markenfield Hall, Ripon, HG4 3AD.  

Unwind at May Gong Relaxation Session 

If you’re looking for a way to treat yourself after a busy week, the May Gong Relaxation Session at Killinghall Methodist Church offers a relaxing afternoon; an opportunity to recover from stress and claim back your energy. 

With soothing background sounds, it can be a beneficial way to improve both your physical and mental wellbeing. 

£20 per person. 4pm, May 12. Killinghall Methodist Church, Ripon Road, Killinghall, HG3 2DF. 

Do you have an event that you’d like us to potentially feature in the future? Drop an email to francesca@thestrayferret.co.uk

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This story is sponsored by Victoria Shopping Centre.

Excitement has started to build in Harrogate town centre with the Celebration of Fashion set to take over next week.

The event will be back on the Piazza outside the Victoria Shopping Centre on Saturday, May 18, from 11am onwards, to highlight Harrogate’s retail and fashion offer to visitors and residents alike.

With a wide selection of Harrogate retailers taking part from independent and national sectors, the event promises to be a fantastic celebration of the town’s excellent businesses.

Following feedback from BID Member businesses, there will be three catwalks held over the course of the day, displaying outfits in categories including ‘Summer Season’, ‘Activewear’, ‘A Day At The Races’, ‘Harrogate on the High Street’, ‘Prom Season’ and ‘Wedding Season’.

Each walk will showcase every category in the celebration to ensure nobody misses out on viewing the clothing and accessories on display.

Not only will there be a range of elegant outfits on show, but in between the walks two presentations from Space, West Park Antiques and Rituals will wow the crowds as they wait for the models to re-take the stage.

A spokesperson for Victoria Shopping Centre, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to be hosting the Harrogate Celebration of Fashion on the Victoria Shopping Centre piazza for the second year running.

“The event brings together and celebrates some of Harrogate’s best retail – and it is an event we are so proud to be a part of. We have no doubt this year’s event will be another huge success.”

Sponsorship opportunities for each of the categories in this year’s Celebration of Fashion remain open. Included in the set price will be presenter mentions on the day, dedicated social media posts and adverts on the big screen.

The Stray Ferret will resume their role as media sponsors for the Harrogate Celebration of Fashion 2024.

Any further questions ahead of the event should be sent to the Harrogate BID team on info@harrogatebid.co.uk.

Consultants’ fees for the £12.1 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme have risen to £2.1 million, the Stray Ferret can reveal.

We have also discovered Conservative transport chief Cllr Keane Duncan wanted to share the latest gateway plans with the Stray Ferret to avoid “public discontent” but was advised against it by a council director.

The findings are contained in a North Yorkshire Council response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted to find out who made the decision to keep the latest plans secret.

Work on the watered down scheme is due to start in September.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways, revealed some details in January, as reported here. But the full plans have not been released, despite considerable public interest in the scheme.

Our FOI request asked for details of correspondence relating to the decision not to release the plans — and for the latest spending on consultants.

The council gave the following breakdown of consultants’ costs to global consultancy firm WSP to November 2023.

It said since then it had spent a further £82,358.64, making a total of £2,088,567.27.

‘Public discontent’

Emails reveal Cllr Duncan was unaware the cost of the gateway had risen to £12.1 million when reported by the Stray Ferret.

He emailed Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment on March 8 asking for clarification and suggesting the council request a correction.

Mr Battersby pointed out the £12.1 million figure was contained in a report by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which was overseeing the funding allocation from the Department for Transport, even though North Yorkshire Council is leading on the scheme.

Richard Binks, head of major projects and infrastructure at the council, then said the full business case now included £1,489,442 for risk/inflation/contingency. Details of the other costs of the scheme were redacted in the response to us.

Cllr Duncan then referred to requests to see the revised plans by the Stray Ferret, which is referred to as ‘SF’ in the correspondence:

“On another point, do we have plans we can share now or in the near future?

“I feel like we need to do some sort of explanation piece as the lack of information is just creating public discontent.”

In a further email he says “I am thinking I connect the SF and share these plans?”

Cllr Duncan then said:

“Just spoken to Carl [council leader Carl Les], and we were wondering if we could get any impressions together of what the revised scheme would look like?”

But Mr Battersby replies:

“The plans will shortly be available as part of the TRO [traffic regulation order] consultation. I wouldn’t provide the SF with anything over and above what the public will see.”

Cllr Duncan replies to say “OK, I agree”.

Two months on from the exchange, the plans remain secret.

New update

The council is progressing gateway schemes, which are mainly funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, for Selby and Skipton as well as Harrogate.

In an update report to next week’s full council meeting, Cllr Duncan says it “continues to make progress on work on transformative gateway schemes to improve access to three of North Yorkshire’s rail stations”.

It adds:

“Full business cases have been submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Department for Transport for all schemes and all three have now been approved with conditions.

“Final works pricing is currently in progress by contract partners prior to a final approval stage, with work expected to commence in Skipton in the summer and Harrogate and Selby later in the year.”

Read more:

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A third consultation has been opened on plans to create a Harrogate town council.

The town council would be formed for administrative purposes from April 1, 2025, and the first elections would be on May 1, 2025.

North Yorkshire Council has said residents could expect to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year to pay for the new council.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only part of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council.

Harrogate was due to get its own town council this year but it was delayed for a year after councillors asked to redraw the ward boundaries.

Officers had recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate, which were based on current North Yorkshire Council divisions, be represented by two councillors per ward on the town council with the exception of Saltergate, which would have one councillor.

But Conservative councillors raised concerns, including Cllr John Mann, who represents Oatlands and Pannal. He said accountability to residents would be better served by single councillor wards. 

He told a council meeting at the time:

“These arrangements will be with us for many decades to come and we need to get it right.”

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat councillor subsequently told the Stray Ferret the concern over ward arrangements was a “red herring” and later urged the council to speed up the process.

Cllr David Chance, the council’s executive member for corporate services, said in a statement yesterday:

“The public consultation already carried out has shown that there is widespread support for town councils to be created for both Harrogate and Scarborough.

“We now want to get the wards right so are asking for views on that before the end of this month. Then we can take a final decision to introduce the town councils which will provide more democratically-elected voices for both areas which is vital as we deliver key services.”

You can take part in the consultation here.

Read more:

• The long wait for Harrogate Town Council
• Tense day ends in clear victory for Labour’s Harrogate-born mayor

The quick-thinking of a member of staff prevented major flooding at the headquarters of a Harrogate mental health charity.

Wellspring Therapy & Training provides affordable short and long-term private counselling for the Harrogate and district community.

During Monday night’s downpour that flooded about 30 homes in Knaresborough, Wellspring employee Elaine Wright decided it would be wise to check on the building at 78 High Street, Starbeck.

She and her husband Ian discovered water had got into the Garden Room and the downstairs basement area, causing extensive damage.

They were then able to alert others and act to prevent more severe damage.

Nick Garrett, Wellspring’s interim chief executive, said:

“Thanks to the foresight, heroics and commitment of Elaine, a major disaster has been averted. Had she not checked, it is likely the flood damage could have affected the whole building. That would have severely comprised all our counselling sessions, with devastating results.

“As it is, we will be able to carry on as normal, although some training sessions which are normally held in the basement will have to be relocated.

“Thankfully a water pump helped to contain the damage, but if it continues to rain heavily, we are vulnerable to further flooding. We are now busy drying out the whole affected area, assessing the damage, working out short-term prevention measures and sourcing new locations for bookings in the Garden Room and basement.

“She found it flooded and immediately rang me and Paul Tinsley, our operations manager. She then, together with her husband Ian and Paul, spent hours cleaning up all the flood damage. I can’t thank them all enough.”

Wellspring, which currently counsels 170 people, offers affordable counselling that is not widely available on the NHS.

Ms Wright added:

“As soon as I saw the rain, I said to my husband we need to get round to Wellspring double quick. The flood damage was awful, but we managed to stop it getting worse. I’m so glad we can stay open.”

Wellspring flood damage

Wellspring’s counselling sessions are unaffected, but the Garden Room and the downstairs basement area are expected to be out of action for months.

A charity spokesperson said the estimated cost of the repairs is £6,500.

Read more:

• ‘Our home is ruined’: residents face up to aftermath of Knaresborough floods
• Community diagnostic centre opens at Ripon hospital 
• Harrogate pub to expand accommodation