Celebrations mark Rossett School’s 50th anniversary

Rossett School‘s first headteacher and former pupil Rachel Daly featured in celebrations to mark the Harrogate school’s 50th anniversary.

Jack Kennerley, who is now 87, sent a video message of congratulations that was played during a whole school assembly at which two other former headteachers, John Whittle and Pat Hunter, were among the special guests.

Mr Kennerley attended later in the day to plant a commemorative tree.

He recalled how Rossett had been due to launch at the start of the school year, but he had refused to open because there were no blackboards, chairs or tables. The first day eventually took place on September 24, 1973.

Mr Kennerley plants a commemorative tree.

England footballer Rachel Daly, who left Rossett in 2010, also sent a video message of congratulations. She will be visiting in person on Thursday to unveil the 3G sports pitches renamed in her honour.

The day of celebration and reminiscences, which took place on Thursday last week, also included a retro lunch of chicken in a basket and 1970s fancy dress.

About 150 former pupils attended a party for former students and staff that rounded off the celebrations.

Current headteacher Tim Milburn, himself a former Rossett student, said:

“The whole day was really special and it was wonderful to welcome so many people back to Rossett and to hear so many fantastic memories.

“There was such a fondness and appreciation for the school and its many inspirational staff and students.”

“There was a delightful atmosphere at the party, with lots of memories being shared and connections made. It was also lovely for me to see some of the teachers I remember from my time at Rossett.”

Rossett recently joined the Red Kite Learning Trust.

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Missing Harrogate girl found

Police are searching for a missing Harrogate teenager have confirmed she has been found.

The 13-year-old was reported missing yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement this morning that she has been found safe and well.

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Inquest opens into 15-year-old girl killed in A61 crash at South Stainley

An inquest opened this morning into the death of a 15-year-old girl who was killed in a crash on the A61 between Harrogate and Ripon.

Anastasia Bartienieva died following a three-vehicle collision that involved a double decker bus on Ripon Road at South Stainley on September 3.

Her step-mother, Daria Bartienieva, 35, and her younger brother, Ihor Bartienieva, 6, also died as a result of the crash.

All three were from Ukraine and living in Ripon.

An inquest into the death of Anastasia was opened at a hearing in Northallerton this morning.

The court heard the teenager was a front seat passenger in a car involved in the collision. A provisional cause of death was given as multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma.

The inquest was adjourned to a full hearing at a later date.

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Jon Heath, senior coroner for North Yorkshire, opened inquests for Daria and Ihor in Northallerton on September 25.

Mr Heath said both were killed as a result of a road traffic collision. The provisional cause of death was given as multiple injuries due to blunt force trauma.

Holy Trinity School paid tribute to former pupil Ihor after the collision.

A fundraiser set up for 15-year-old Liza Bartienieva, who was orphaned following the incident, raised £48,000.

Long queues in Harrogate as roadworks begin to bite

There were long queues on the roads into Harrogate this morning as a seven-week programme of roadworks got underway.

Four-way traffic lights and lane closures at the junction of Parliament Street and Crescent Road caused the main blockage.

Traffic heading into town on Ripon Road and vehicles heading in the opposite direction on Parliament Street were caught up in the disruption.

On Ripon Road, traffic backed up all the way to New Park roundabout and beyond, with queues almost as far back as Killinghall. Skipton Road was also even busier than usual.

Traffic approaching New Park roundabout this morning.

Here’s what motorists can expect in the weeks ahead.

Crescent Road lane closure and traffic lights 

A lane closure will be introduced on Crescent Road and Ripon Road along with four-way lights at the junction of Crescent Road, Parliament Street, Ripon Road and Kings Road for two weeks. The existing lights will be bagged, and temporary traffic lights will be in operation from 7am to 7pm.

Montpellier Road (roundabout) & Montpellier Hill Lane closure

A lane closure will be implemented on Montpellier Road (roundabout) and Montpellier Hill Lane for two weeks.

Cold Bath Road traffic lights and parking suspensions

Multiple two and three-way lights will be introduced on Cold Bath Road for five weeks starting from Monday.

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Wellington Square Road closure

A road closure will be implemented on Wellington Square for two weeks.

Northern Gas Networks saud traffic lights will be manned seven days a week between 7am and 7pm “to ensure a smooth flow of traffic”.

Harrogate and Knaresborough trains to trial leaf-busting jets

Trains passing through Harrogate and Knaresborough will be fitted with water jets this autumn to blast leaves off the line.

Fallen leaves frequently cause delays this time of year by sticking to rails and reducing trains’ grip.

Rail operator Northern said the trials on five trains operating on the line between Leeds and York, which runs through Harrogate and Knaresborough, could prevent this.

The trial, which will also take place on routes between Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester, is being funding by Network Rail’s performance innovation fund.

The technology, called Water-Trak, is based on the discovery that leaf-coated rails only become slippery if damp, noting that trains still stop safely in heavy rain.

Water-Trak creates rainy-day conditions on the rail surface by spraying a small amount of water from the train onto the track when a slippery rail is detected. This cleans the rail and makes the conditions better for braking.

Rob Cummings, seasonal performance improvement manager at Northern, said he hoped it would lead to a more reliable service.

By next autumn, a further 11 trains will have the Water-Trak system fitted.

John Cooke, co-founder at Water-Trak, said:

“Slippery rails are a massive problem for the rail industry, and we hope to play a big part in resolving this issue.

“We’re hoping that by working with Northern we can make autumn disruption a thing of the past.”

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Former homeless hostel in Harrogate to be converted to flats

Councillors have approved a plan to convert former homeless hostel Cavendish House in Harrogate into six apartments.

The hostel on Robert Street was operated by Harrogate Borough Council from 1983 until its closure in November 2021.

In 2021, the council opened a new homeless centre called Fern House in Starbeck.

Cavendish House had nine bedsits which will be converted into six self-contained flats and sold by the council through shared ownership schemes.

A-two storey flat roof extension to the rear of the building will be demolished under the plans.

The application from North Yorkshire Council was considered by councillors on the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee last week.

Air source heat pumps will be fitted to the building but Paul Haslam, the Conservative councillor for Nidd Gorge and Bilton, said the council could do more to make it energy efficient for residents.

He said:

“We need to add a condition so that this is retrofitted to the highest standard, particularly as we own it”.

However, Cllr Haslam was told by council planning officer John Worthington that internal alternations were not planning matters.

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The decision to fit UPVC windows was criticised by Hannah Gostlow, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough East, who said she would prefer them to choose wood.

But John Mann, the Conservative councillor for Pannal and Oatlands, said UPVC windows were cheaper and more effective than traditional windows.

He said:

“We do need to save the planet and try and reduce emissions. In my experience, what people are looking for is warm homes that save electricity and don’t cost a fortune to heat.

“One of the advantages of UPVC windows is they are really warm if they’re double-glazed and save on electricity bills. Wooden windows cost a fortune and they’re not very warm.”

The plans were approved by six votes to none with Cllr Gostlow abstaining.

North Yorkshire Police officer sacked for abusing and controlling women

A North Yorkshire Police officer has been sacked for gross misconduct after subjecting three women to abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour.

The officer, who was referred to as “constable Z” at the hearing, appeared before a police disciplinary panel held in Northallerton on August 30 and 31.

The hearing was held in private after chairman Gerald Sydenham found that the public interest in holding the panel in open session was “outweighed to a considerable degree by the need to protect the health of those involved”.

Police misconduct panels are normally held in public with officers named.

The hearing included Constable Z, who was diagnosed with “mixed depressive and anxiety disorder”, as well as other “vulnerable persons”.

Abuse and coercive behaviour

It was alleged that the officer subjected the women, who were not named, to numerous instances of abuse over three separate time periods.

The first victim, who was referred to as “female person A”, was verbally abused, monitored by constable Z as to how she spent her time and subjected to physical abuse such as having a knife placed to her throat and strangled.

The hearing report said it was also alleged that constable Z threatened that her son, aged 8, “would end up in a ‘body bag’ or words to that effect”.

Those offences took place between 1998 and 2001.

Meanwhile, female person B, who was abused between December 2005 and March 2016, was subjected to seven allegations of abuse and controlling or coercive behaviour.

The report said that constable Z “attempted to belittle her and/or reduce her confidence by telling her that she was fat, lazy, ugly and other such insults”.

It was also alleged that he isolated her from her friends and family, controlled and monitored how she spent her time and turned up at her workplace unannounced “in furtherance of your attempts to control and/or coerce”.

Person C was also subjected to five allegations of abuse between July 2016 and February 2017.

These included physical abuse, monitoring how she spent her time and accusing her of cheating or being interested in other men.

She was also subjected to verbal abuse, which included “accusing her of having a mental health problem and/or being an alcoholic, making reference to her weight and telling her she was unable to “keep her legs shut” or words to that effect”.

The hearing, which was chaired by Mr Sydenham, Amanda Harvey and Superintendent Fran Naughton, found the allegations amounted to gross misconduct.

Constable Z was dismissed without notice.

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The hearing gave “significant reasonable adjustments” for the officer to attend the misconduct panel after it was found he suffered from “mixed depressive and anxiety disorder such as being sufficient to constitute a disability as defined by law”.

However, in its reasons, the panel found that constable Z was “highly culpable and blameworthy for his own repeated gross misconduct even after allowing for a significant recognition of his disability and health issue”.

The report added that his behaviour amount to significant harm to the reputation of the force.

It said:

“The harm caused was very significant both to the reputation of officer Z and the reputation of the police service.

“Officer Z fundamentally harmed his own reputation and the trust placed in him by North Yorkshire Police.

“The effect of his gross misconduct upon the three female victims of his behaviour, the police service, his colleagues, public confidence in and the trust placed in the police service was extremely damaging and it is likely to continue to be corrosive in undermining public confidence in policing for a considerable time.”

Following the hearing, deputy chief constable Mabs Hussain said: 

“There is absolutely no place for this behaviour in the police service. 

“We demand the highest level of integrity from our officers and staff to ensure that the people we serve can have complete trust in us. 

“The misconduct outcome sends a clear message and reassurance to the public that we will not tolerate such appalling behaviour from anyone within our ranks and will ensure action is taken.”

Business Breakfast: Harrogate marketing agency hires new head of social media

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, 26 October at Banyan in Harrogate between 8 am – 10 am. 

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 marketing agency has appointed a new head of social media.

The Big Bamboo Agency, which is based at Windsor House, has hired James Pilkington to the position.

Mr Pilkington, who brings with him 10 years’ experience of working in specialist social media roles, will oversee the strategic direction of social media platforms and content for the firm’s clients.

Nicola Stamford, the company’s owner and founding director, said:

“I am delighted that we have attracted James to join the business, especially as he contacted us to see if any opportunities were available.

“His primary focus will be on ensuring we continue to look after, add value to and nurture our client base when it comes to their social media presence and how they are perceived online.”

Harrogate insurance firm launches rebrand

A Harrogate insurance company has rebranded.

A-Plan, which is based on Princes Square, will now be renamed Howden Insurance as part of the rebrand.

The company said the move marks the next chapter for the branch – and over 100 of its counterparts on high streets across the country – after joining the Howden Group two years ago.

Chris Bishop, Manager at Howden Harrogate said: 

“We’re so excited to mark this new chapter with our new name – and new look and feel of our branch.

“That’s why we’re hosting our own launch events during October, open to all in our community to attend.”

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Harrogate fitness instructor qualifies for Miss England

Harrogate personal trainer Chloe McEwen has been crowned Miss Yorkshire and is now set to compete in Miss England.

Chloe, 21, was chosen by the judges at The Earl of Doncaster Hotel last night. 

The level 3 fitness trainer hopes to use the title to inspire others facing mental health issues to embrace fitness and a healthier lifestyle.

Photo of Chloe McEwen, who is entering the Miss Yorkshire beauty contest.

Chloe McEwen

At the age of 16, Chloe was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her weight soared by almost four stone during an eight-month spell in hospital.

But by embracing a healthier lifestyle, the former Rossett School pupil regained control of her life and now helps others to use fitness to overcome their problems.

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Campaigners ‘cautious’ over Yorkshire Water £7.8 billion investment plan

Campaigners say they are “cautious but positive” over Yorkshire Water plans to invest £7.8 billion in infrastructure over five years.

The company announced the move today as part of investment plans for 2025 to 2030, which have been submitted to industry regulator Ofwat.

It includes £3.1 billion to improve resilience in the water network, £4.3 billion to protect river and coastal water quality and investment in customer service and financial support for customers.

However, it would mean average bills would rise from £438.12 in 2024/25 (£36.51 per month) to £518.76 in 2025/26 (£43.23 per month) with increases each year thereafter.

The proposals come as water companies have been under increasing public pressure at the amount of sewage being discharged into rivers and seas.

In the Harrogate district, campaigners say they are cautious at the plans but welcomed planned investment into the country’s water network.

Dr David Clayden, chairman of the Nidd Action Group, which is co-ordinating efforts to clean the River Nidd, said:

“Any investment in cleaning up our rivers, particularly the River Nidd and its tributaries is to be welcomed.

“Cynics amongst us may say something like ‘too little, too late’ and ‘we will be paying twice for something that should have been done years ago’, but I’d like to strike a more positive, if cautious, response to this announcement by Yorkshire Water.

“It’s a plan, not yet a reality, for actions possibly starting in 18 months time. Ofwat may yet dial down the ambition — and the cost to us as citizens — along with the much hoped for improvements in water quality. 

“As citizens we need to keep the pressure up on our politicians not to settle for any scaling down of  ‘improvements’.”

Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, said the plans were the company’s largest ever investment into the network.

She said:

“This submission marks our largest ever environmental investment and illustrates our commitment to deliver what our customers expect. The programme will protect and improve the quality of water in rivers and at coasts, leading to cleaner, safer water environments that support recreation and biodiversity across the region.”

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