Community groups in the Harrogate district could win up to £3,000 in a new photography competition.

The competition, which has opened for entries, celebrates the work of voluntary organisations in North Yorkshire.

It is being run by Two Ridings Community Foundation, which coordinates charitable giving in North and East Yorkshire, in conjunction with Clare Granger, the Birstwith-based High Sheriff of North Yorkshire and professional artist.

The contest, which is open until September 5, seeks the best amateur photographs that capture the essence of community. There are two categories: our people and our place.

Bec Horner, communications manager at Two Ridings, said:

“We really want groups to show off the people of our region and what community means to them.

“They say a photo says a thousand words, and we want to see that! We know that community organisations in the region do such vital work for local people. We want them to capture the energy, the vibrancy and the magic that is happening all over.”

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A panel of six judges will shortlist the three most impactful photos in each category.

The shortlisted groups will be invited to a photography exhibition in October where final decisions will be made.

The first prize in each category is £3,000, second prize is £2,000 and third prize £1,000. These are unrestricted funds groups can use to fund anything they choose.

The photography exhibition will take place on October 25 at Allerton Castle, near Knaresborough, where the winning and highly commended photographs will be enlarged and displayed.

More information is available here.

North Yorkshire Council has rejected plans for nine new homes in Killinghall.

Newett Homes, which is based in Wetherby, submitted a planning application for a site north of Skipton Road, near to the junction with the B6161 Otley Road.

The proposal would have seen a mixture of three, four and five-bedroom houses.

However, council officials have refused the plan on the grounds that it fails to provide an appropriate mixture of housing and concerns over surface water flooding.

In a decision notice, Trevor Watson, assistant director of planning at the council, said:

“Parts of the site are identified as being at risk of surface water flooding. No sequential test has been submitted as part of the application. 

“Therefore, it has not been demonstrated that there are no reasonably available alternative sites appropriate for the proposed development that would be at lower risk of flooding.”

The council added that it had not been demonstrated that the site would be “all sources of flooding for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere”.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the council, Killinghall Parish Council said residents had concerns over access to the site from Skipton Road.

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The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate rental company has confirmed its chief executive will retire next month.

Neil Stothard, who is CEO at Beckwith Knowle-based VP, has informed the firm’s board of his decision to step down on September 30.

Mr Stothard joined the company as group finance director in 1997. He later became managing director in 2004 before taking up the post as chief executive.

In a board statement, VP confirmed that Anna Bielby, who is currently chief financial officer, will take over as chief executive on September 1 and work with Mr Stothard to ensure an “orderly handover”.

Jeremy Pilkington, chairman of the company, said: 

“I want to record my personal thanks to Neil for his service to the company and me since joining Vp in 1997 as group finance director and in 2004 assuming the role of managing director and subsequently chief executive.

“Working with Neil to exit the general plant hire sector to focus on a specialist rental offering created the platform for our continued success and growth.

“Neil’s dedication and strong leadership has been central to Vp’s prosperity and enables us to look to the future with confidence and optimism.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service apprenticeship scheme rated as ‘good’

An apprenticeship scheme at Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been rated as good by inspectors.

Ofsted inspected the scheme in June and found that it had good quality of education, as well as outstanding personal development.

Inspectors rated it as good overall.

The trust currently has 587 apprentices, including ambulance support workers, associate ambulance practitioners and paramedic degree apprentices.

It also employs apprentices in corporate services such as finance, operational support, learning and development.

Dawn Adams, associate director of education and organisational development (Interim) for Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: 

“I am exceptionally proud of our apprenticeship provision in YAS. Our achievement rates are strong and distinction rates are excellent.”

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Four members of an organised crime group involved in county lines drug dealing in Harrogate and surrounding areas have been jailed for a total of 31 years.

Ermal Biba, 39 of Trafalgar Court, Harrogate, Allaman Tatariku, 26 of Chatsworth Grove, Harrogate, Klajid Lleshi, 23 of Kinloss Court, Barnet, and Adam Sarkowski, 41 of Wedderburn Close, Harrogate, appeared for sentencing at Leeds Crown Court this morning.

Their activities were uncovered by Operation Logic, a police investigation into the supply of cocaine and cannabis in Harrogate and Rochdale, Greater Manchester, which commenced in September 2021.

The operation led police to Ashfield Road, Harrogate on May 5, 2022. where suspects Biba, Tatariku and Lleshi were discovered. 

After attempting to escape and assaulting officers, they were all arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs. Drugs and related items were seized along with cash and cannabis growing equipment.

A search of Sarkowski’s home resulted in mobile phones and sim cards being seized. 

These revealed information about county lines, drug-dealing activity and vehicles used, as well as many messages with customers relating to purchasing drugs. Forensic tests on cash found at the property also revealed cocaine traces.

Evidence uncovered by Operation Logic also connected Biba, Lleshi and Woodley to a large-scale cannabis production facility at Sherwood Business Park, Queensway, Rochdale. 

The site, uncovered by Greater Manchester Police, grew cannabis with a street value of £1,440,000.

In court this morning, Biba, who was described as the ring leader, was jailed for 13 years and six months.

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Tatariku was jailed for seven years and one month and Lleshi was jailed for six years and three months.

Sarkowski was jailed for four years and seven months.

Biba, Tatariku, Lleshi and Sarkowski pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs.

A fifth man, Gavin Woodley, 45, of Fairfax Avenue in Harrogate, was given a suspended sentence in March after pleading guilty to allowing a premises to be used under the Misuse of Drugs act.

Speaking after sentencing at Leeds Crown Court, Sinead Brocken, detective constable at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“We are delighted to have put a stop to this organised crime group, headed by Biba, who were responsible for supplying cocaine and cannabis to Harrogate and the surrounding areas for a period spanning between 2019 to 2022.

“Drug rings such as this have a ruinous effect on our society leaving a trail of misery. These individuals acted out of pure selfishness, disregarding the damage caused by drugs to both our communities and those addicted to them.”

Plans to open a £3.5 million school for children with autism in Harrogate have received strong support in a consultation.

North Yorkshire Council revealed plans in May to open the school for up to 80 pupils aged 11 to 19 on the site of the former Woodfield Community Primary School.

The six-week consultation, which ended on July 24, saw 90 out of the 105 responses – a total of 86 per cent – support the proposal.

Supporters said the site would be “ideal” for providing a safe learning environment, and that a special school was “absolutely necessary”.

But the consultation also highlighted a number of concerns.

Some people were disappointed the school won’t cater for primary school children.

Others asked why the existing special needs school Springwater School in Starbeck was not offered the Woodfield site as a satellite, or why the special education needs Forest School in Knaresborough wasn’t developed.

The school closed in December.

The Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire Council’s executive will discuss the consultation next week.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, the council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, said:

“The new facility would help meet a rising demand for special school places in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and the surrounding area.

“Currently there are 432 children with the primary need of autism accessing existing North Yorkshire special schools and we are committed to providing further support.

“If given the go-head, the redeveloped school would provide children and families with a more local offer of provision that is currently unavailable without significant travel.”

The target opening date for the school is September next year. There are no planned changes to the community library and children’s centre on the same site.

Woodfield Community Primary School closed at the end of December after an “inadequate” rating by Ofsted and a decline in pupil numbers.

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Police have issued CCTV image of a person they would like to speak to after a burglary in Harrogate.

The incident happened at a house on Kirkham Grove in the Bilton area on July 14.

A person claiming to be carrying out maintenance on behalf of the landlord forced their way into the property.

North Yorkshire Police has appealed for the public’s help in identifying the person in the CCTV image.

A police statement added:

“Anyone who can help identify the person is asked to email chloe.winter-atkinson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and enter collar number 1820.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote reference number 12230131089 when passing on information.”

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More than 6,000 people attended Ripley Show yesterday.

The event, which dates back to 1849, is a traditional village show held each year in the grounds of Ripley Castle.

Despite dark clouds, the day stayed mainly dry as visitors enjoyed everything from terrier racing to axe throwing and giant tortoises.

Organised by Ripley and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society on the second Sunday of August each year, there was also sheep dog trials, ferret racing and the judging of numerous animal classes and homemade produce.

Here are some photos from the day.

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Axe throwing was among the activities on offer.

Terrier racing was a big hit in the main ring.

There were more than 100 stalls to browse.

The sheep dog trials are a major part of the show.

More than 600 sheep were entered for judging.

The show is held in the grounds of Ripley Castle.

A judicial review has today been launched against the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

Planning lawyers have been instructed by Hornbeam Park Developments to challenge North Yorkshire Council‘s decision-making on several grounds.

They include the council’s alleged failure to disclose documents relating to climate change, and a failure to properly consult upon the scheme as a result.

The judicial review threatens to de-rail the controversial scheme, which would see James Street partly pedestrianised and a 300-metre section of Station Parade reduced to single lane traffic to make way for new cycling routes.

A spokesperson for Hornbeam Park Developments said:

“Residents deserve to be fully informed on a major scheme with significant environmental and economic impact on our town.

“This judicial review challenges the decision-making process and lack of crucial information provided to the public as part of previous consultations.

“The impact of this disastrous scheme will be felt across the district, but specifically on the businesses on James Street, and residents nearby. These groups should be confident the correct processes and information was provided to help inform the public. Our investigations show this is not the case, so we are challenging this”.

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Councillors approved plans to proceed with the gateway in May.

Most Liberal Democrat and all Conservative councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee supported the scheme although the Liberal Democrats later withdrew support.

How James Street would look.

A statement sent today on behalf of Hornbeam Park Developments said the scheme “has proved unpopular with the majority of residents and local businesses due to potential impact on the local economy and on town centre congestion due to increased waiting times throughout the day”.

It adds:

“Redirected traffic from the town centre gyratory could also make residential streets nearby less pedestrian friendly, fuelling concerns across the town centre.”

Key climate data not released  

Today’s legal challenge claims a council-commissioned climate change appraisal, which concludes the scheme is predicted to result in an increase in 1,356 tonnes of CO2e over its lifetime, was not made available during public consultation or taken into account by the council when it decided to go ahead.

Instead, consultation materials indicated the initiative would be beneficial in terms of climate change.

The judicial review also claims a plan showing proposals for traffic regulation orders on highways such as James Street was incorrect and should have triggered a public inquiry.

The spokesperson continued:

“The decision to omit the damning independent analysis into the predicted carbon emissions of this scheme will contribute during public consultation is shocking.

“In this climate emergency, information around environmentally damaging schemes should be front-and-centre to help people appraise the scheme.

“Instead, we have a document which states that the reduction of Station Parade to one lane and the part-time pedestrianisation of James Street will reduce general traffic capacity and force drivers onto longer alternative routes – predicted to result in an increase in 1,356 tonnes of CO2e over the project’s lifetime.

“Everyone in the town wants to see improvements to the area, but it needs to have a democratic mandate that we can all get behind, and be fully thought through.”

North Yorkshire Council has been approached for comment.

Three missing girls from Harrogate have been found safe.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed that two 13-year-old and a 16-year-old girl were found in Leeds and returned to their families.

The girls were last seen at 5pm on Thursday (August 10).

One of the 13-year-old girls was found on Friday and the other two were returned to their families yesterday.

A police statement said:

“Protecting vulnerable people is of paramount importance to North Yorkshire Police.”

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Police are investigating a suspected hate incident after a Nazi swastika flag was hung from a flat overlooking Harrogate Train Station.

The swastika appeared on Saturday and was visible to commuters until police removed it that night.

It was displayed from the window of a flat on East Parade, high above the train station.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement last night:

“Police in Harrogate are investigating a suspected hate incident after a swastika flag was placed in the window of a flat near Harrogate Train Station on Saturday.

“Two separate complaints were made to North Yorkshire Police.

“Following enquiries, officers attended the property just before 10pm to remove the offensive item.”

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The spokesperson added:

“The matter is now subject to an investigation and the occupant of the flat, who was not present, will be spoken to in due course.

“Officers will also be taking formal statements from the two complainants during the week, as well as conducting further enquiries in the neighbourhood.”

‘We couldn’t believe it’

Harrogate man Thomas Norman, who reported the incident to police, was travelling to the Harrogate Brewing Co. beer festival on Saturday evening when he noticed the swastika at the station. He added:

“We couldn’t believe it at first and had to ask each other if it was what we thought it was, it was uncanny, I’ve never seen that in a real life context.”

It is the second time in just over a year a swastika has been displayed from a property in Harrogate.

On the previous occasion, the man responsible said it was a kriegsmarine flag which he put up to mark the sinking of the Bismarck ship.

Police asked witnesses to the latest incident, or anyone with information, to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101, option 4.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or make an online report.

Quote reference number 12230151540.