Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 340 of 1136

Concerns over lack of planning applications going before Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors

The chair and vice chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee have raised concerns about the number of applications being decided by councillors after another meeting was cancelled.

In April, North Yorkshire Council created six planning committees organised by parliamentary constituency areas where a group of cross-party councillors meet about once every six weeks to approve, refuse or defer large or controversial planning applications.

Previous planning committees organised by Harrogate Borough Council would regularly have an agenda of three or more applications for councillors to debate.

However, next week’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee has been cancelled, as was July’s meeting, due to a lack of suitable applications.

The issue is countywide and the Local Democracy Reporting Service has reported similar concerns from councillors on the committees in Skipton and Ripon and in Scarborough.

Councillors are able to ‘call in’ contentious applications in their areas so it goes to committee but only if there are sound planning reasons.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough committee chair, Pat Marsh, who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone for the Liberal Democrats, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she wants to see councillors more involved in the planning process.

Cllr Marsh said:

“My concern for a very long time is the scheme of delegation in which officers make the decisions on certain applications without needing to refer it to committee.

“I have raised this point at a meeting at Northallerton. I would like the scheme to be reviewed to make sure democratically elected councillors are more involved in planning.”

The committee’s vice-chair, Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, Paul Haslam, said he was awaiting feedback from officers into why the number of applications going to committee has decreased.

Cllr Haslam said:

“The reduction in planning applications going to planning committee has been reported across the whole of North Yorkshire Council. Clearly this needs to be checked to see whether this is an anomaly with applications or that the process of delegation is not quite right.

“It’s been picked up and is being reviewed currently. Feedback to councillors is expected shortly to tell us what’s changed, why it has changed and what modifications need to be made. Councillor inspection of all council activities is a crucial part of the democratic process.”

Nic Harne, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director of community development, said:

“Under the council’s constitution, there are a range of specified types of applications that need to be considered by a planning committee.

“In addition, if any member believes that an application raises significant material planning issues, they can request such an application be considered by committee.

“Furthermore, senior officers can also refer applications to councillors.

“It is our aim to ensure that all items that should be considered by members are put in front of committees. Since April, all the area planning committees and the strategic committee have met and have considered more than 40 applications.

“We are committed to keeping the scheme of delegation under review and we are carefully monitoring the number of items going to committee and requests for call in by councillors.

“We are aiming to ensure that decisions are made in the right way and will be making recommendations to councillors based on evidence from the first 12 months of the new council.

“As is common in the summer months, delays in getting information from applicants and consultees meant that there were no applications ready to be put before councillors at the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency planning committee scheduled for 29 August.

“As such, the meeting has been cancelled.”

Council ‘urgently’ considers policy on recognising local people

North Yorkshire Council has said it is urgently considering coming up with a policy that recognises local people;

However, it has no said whether it will rename Harrogate Hydro as the Rachel Daly Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The Hydro is due to reopen on September 4 following a £13.5 million refurbishment as Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

But Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club is campaigning for it to be named after their former player and England star.

The council-owned leisure centre in Ripon set a precedent when it was renamed after Olympic diving champion Jack Laugher.

Daly, who has 428,000 Instagram followers, was part of England’s Euro 2022 winning team last year. This year she has won the Golden Boot for being the top goalscorer in the Women’s Super League and played in the Women’s World Cup final. She is also on the shortlist for the PFA Player’s Player of the Year award.

The former Rossett School pupil has retained close links with Killinghall Nomads, whose ground is close to the Hydro, and even sent a message to the club on the eve of the World Cup final.

The Stray Ferret is supporting the club’s campaign calling for the council to honour Daly. You can sign the petition here.

North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said last week the council “will consider a policy for how we might recognise the achievements of local people”.

We subsequently asked whether the council had any plans to consider naming the Hydro after Daly before it reopens in less than two weeks.

A council spokesman said today:

“We can add to Cllr Les’s statement that we are looking at this matter with some urgency.”

Memorial service for long-serving Harrogate councillor

A memorial service will be held this week for a long-standing councillor and former Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate.

Jim Clark served for 20 years on North Yorkshire County Council, representing the Harlow Hill division, and was the organisation’s chairman during the covid pandemic.

In this role, at the age of 73, he was among the first to have a covid vaccine in February 2021, wearing a tartan face mask for the occasion.

He was also a Harrogate Borough Council member, representing the Harlow ward for the Conservatives from 1998, and served as its mayor.

Mr Clark took a particular interest in health matters during his time as a councillor, representing North Yorkshire County Council on the West Yorkshire Health Scrutiny Panel.

He called for an enquiry into the Nightingale hospital set up at Harrogate Convention Centre in April 2020, and for staff at Harrogate District Hospital to be allowed to continue to park free in its car park after the initial months of the pandemic.

Professionally, Mr Clark was an accountant, achieving chartered status and being appointed head of entrepreneurial services at Ernst and Young.

He was a keen supporter of the arts, serving as chairman of the Harrogate Theatre board for a decade.

He also took an interest in community organisations, including the Friends of Valley Gardens

Mr Clark stepped down as a councillor in May 2022 and moved to be closer to family in Scotland, where he died in December.

He left two sons, Andrew and James, a daughter-in-law, Pamela, and three grandsons.

He was posthumously awarded the title of honorary alderman of Harrogate on the abolition of the borough council in March.

A memorial service for Mr Clark will take place at St Wilfrid’s Church on Duchy Road on Friday, August 25 at 2pm, followed by refreshments at the Old Swan Hotel.

The occasion will be a celebration of his life, so his family have requested that attendees do not wear black.

Anyone who would like to attend should contact Andrew Clark on 07710 709172, or by email.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate law firm appoints new commercial property solicitor

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 law firm has appointed a new solicitor as part of its commercial property team.

McCormicks Solicitors, which is based on East Parade, has hired Janice Colley to the department.

She will be tasked with offering advice on commercial property matters and acquisitions and disposals, including specific expertise in licensed premises, especially pubs and hotels.

Claire Baker-Kemp, the senior associate at McCormicks who heads the department, said:

“Having both worked with and instructed Janice in the past, I know she brings unrivalled levels of experience and competence which will undoubtedly be an enormous benefit both to our clients and as we build the team here.”

Harrogate business installs community defibrillator

A Harrogate environmental company has installed a defibrillator outside its offices for public use.

Adler and Allan, which is based on Victoria Avenue, put up the device so it can be used in emergencies such as cardiac arrest.

Adler and Allan office on Victoria Avenue, with the defibrillator pictured on the right.

The company said it invested in the defibrillator in order to support staff and the local community.

Henrik Pedersen, chief executive officer at Adler and Allan, said:

“Keeping our staff safe is of the utmost importance to us at Adler and Allan.

“That’s why we have invested in 20 automated external defibrillators for key depots and offices across the group. Being a responsible business and supporting our local community is key for us, so making this device accessible to everyone in Harrogate was a logical decision.”

Harrogate musician died from poorly-managed diabetes, inquest finds

A talented Harrogate musician diagnosed with diabetes at 18 died eight years later from the disease, an inquest heard today.

Aaron Joseph Bertenshaw was 26 when he went into a diabetic coma and died at his home in Dene Park in December 2021.

At the inquest in Northallerton, coroner Catherine Cundy heard evidence that he had struggled to come to terms with his diagnosis and the condition had not been well managed.

Mr Bertenshaw, a popular musician who also worked as a barber, was admitted to the emergency department of Harrogate District Hospital 40 times over a period of five years.

Of those, 36 admissions were because of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which occurs when the blood glucose level is dangerously high.

Following his high frequency of admission to hospital, a multi-disciplinary team meeting was called in April 2021, involving the GP practice as well as the hospital’s diabetes team.

As well as his poor diabetes control, health professionals were concerned that he failed to keep appointments or respond to attempts to contact him.

The meeting considered whether Mr Bertenshaw had the mental capacity to make decisions in his own interests and it was agreed this would be assessed whenever contact was made with him in future.

However, the psychiatry team at Harrogate District Hospital never felt that Mr Bertenshaw had an underlying mental health problem that would have impacted on his ability to make decisions.

Mental health

The consultant psychiatrist, Dr Akram, told the court Mr Bertenshaw had had a number of referrals to mental health services over several years, the latest in October 2021.

He said patients in acute episodes of DKA can lack judgement and behave strangely, but this does not mean they have a mental health disorder.

Nor, he said, can someone be detained under the mental health act to force them to accept treatment, which Mr Bertenshaw’s parents had suggested could have been done for him.

The community mental health team felt that Mr Bertenshaw was struggling to accept his diagnosis, but was not deliberately misusing his insulin.

Dr Akram added:

“His intention was not to hurt himself. He just wanted to be on a different type of diabetic medication.”

The inquest also heard that the diabetes team at the hospital had discussed different options with Mr Bertenshaw to help him manage his condition.

He had requested going onto an insulin pump, which diabetes consultant Dr Sutapa Ray told the inquest had been “on the table” for him.

She said Mr Bertenshaw was told he first needed to have his sugar levels under control, which he had not been able to do.

Mr Bertenshaw’s mother, Sammy Oates, told the court he had lost a significant amount of weight and vomited after every meal, causing her to suspect he had an eating disorder.

However, Dr Ray said this was a common symptom in cases of poorly controlled diabetes, and Mr Bertenshaw had not engaged well with the diabetes team to help him manage the condition.

She said:

“It was very much the case that we would reach out to Aaron and we would do whatever he allowed us to do to engage with him to make the changes that needed to be made…

“Type one diabetes is such a burdensome condition. People adjust in different ways. Some take years and years, and some never come to terms with it.

“It’s probably one of the most difficult conditions to live with for the person and the people around them. it’s not at all uncommon [to struggle with it].”

The court heard Mr Bertenshaw had avoided emergency admission to the hospital for most of 2021.

When he was admitted in early October, he said he had been drinking and taking cocaine following the death of a friend. Having initially refused tests and treatment, he did later agree to accept help.

He was again referred to the mental health team but, despite repeated attempts to contact him, he failed to respond.

Aaron Bertenshaw was a well-known musician who gigged around Harrogate

On Thursday, December 2, 2021, Mr Bertenshaw’s mother went to his house, having not been able to contact him or seen him active on WhatsApp since Monday, November 29.

She found him on his living room floor, and paramedics attended to confirm his death.

Police officers who were also present reported signs of a “chaotic” lifestyle, including an unhealthy diet, and use of alcohol and drugs.

The post-mortem and toxicology reports found that while there was some cocaine in his system, it was not in large enough quantities to have put him at risk of death. However, the court heard use of cocaine is thought to be linked to a higher risk of DKA.

Concluding that Mr Bertenshaw had died of natural causes relating to his diabetes, Ms Cundy said she had not seen any evidence that more could have been done to intervene by the organisations caring for him.

She said she accepted that sectioning him to force him to take medication was not appropriate, adding:

“People cannot and should not be detained in psychiatric institutions simply because they make what others of us might consider to be unwise choices about how they live their lives.”

Emergency workers rescue person trapped after crash in Pannal

Firefighters and paramedics rescued a person who was trapped following a two-car collision in Pannal today.

The crash happened on the main A61 at about 10.30am.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough responded to the collision, which involved a Range Rover and a Mazda.

It added:

“Male occupant of Range Rover was not trapped or injured.

“Two occupants in Mazda, one of which was trapped. Released by fire crews under paramedic supervision and taken to hospital with minor back and hip injuries.”

Firefighters made the vehicles safe and left the incident with police.

‘Regret’ after 300-year-old oak tree felled in Harrogate

North Yorkshire Council has said it is “regrettable” that a 300 year old oak tree in Harrogate was felled yesterday due to its decaying condition.

The authority has also claimed it is possible that work carried out by Northern Powergrid in April near to the oak on Woodfield Road in Bilton “would have accelerated the death of the tree”.

The council carried out an assessment of the tree at the junction with Bilton Lane in June.

It concluded that due to decaying roots the “risk to the public” was considered too great for it to remain in place and it was destroyed yesterday.

Cllr Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on the council, said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of the tree.

Northern Powergrid, which manages the electricity network, carried out emergency work to repair a cable fault in the area in April this year.

The work included excavation of the roots of the tree to dig a trench.

Council officials said although the work did not contribute to the tree’s decay, it is possible that it would have accelerated its death, which led to the authority’s decision to remove it “earlier than we would have otherwise”.

Jonathan Clubb, North Yorkshire Council’s head of parks and grounds, said a “thorough examination” would now be carried out into the tree.

He said:

“It is always regrettable when we have to remove a tree and we do not do so lightly. However, after a detailed assessment of the risks posed, a decision was taken to remove this specimen due to its condition.

“Oak trees can live for centuries and this particular tree was around 300 years old.

“However, the extent of the root decay meant the stability of the tree may have been affected. Because of its location on a main road, the risk to the public was considered too great to allow it to continue to stand.”

Mr Clubb added:

“We were aware of the decay as the tree has been regularly assessed over the years as part of our active tree surveys.

“While the work undertaken by Northern Powergrid did not contribute to this decay, it is possible that it would have accelerated the death of the tree, leading to our decision to remove it earlier than we would have otherwise.

“Now the tree has been removed it will be subject to a thorough examination and if experts confirm this view then we will look to take the matter further.”

The Stray Ferret approached Northern Powergrid to ask for a response to the claim that the work carried out contributed to the council’s decision to remove the tree.

A spokesperson said:

“Our engineering team attended Woodfield Road in Harrogate in April 2023 to repair a low voltage cable fault.

“Northern Powergrid’s remit was to repair the low voltage fault, which our teams did safely, to keep our customers connected.”

Councillors agree to create new school for autistic children in Harrogate

The former Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton will become a new special school for children with autism, councillors confirmed today.

North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative-run executive unanimously approved the creation of the school, which will cater for up to 80 students and is set to open in September next year.

The results of a six-week consultation over summer revealed considerable support, with 86% of 105 responses in favour.

The council has pledged a £3.5m investment into creating the school.

The meeting was held this morning at the Civic Centre in Harrogate — the first time a North Yorkshire Council executive meeting has taken place outside of Northallerton.

Michael Harrison, the Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, said the council was doing a “wonderful thing” by opening the school, which he said would help meet demand for special educational needs places locally.

Cllr Harrison said:

“Our commitment to education in the area and at that site specifically, and for children with autism, is evidenced in that we are proposing to reopen a school on that site so soon after Woodfield closed.”

Since 2016, the number of children in North Yorkshire with identified special educational needs and disability and a legally-binding education, health and care plan has increased by more than 110%, leading to a shortage of special school places and numerous children being taught by independent providers.

Independent day sector placements typically cost the public purse up to £70,000 annually and the average cost of a special school placement is about £23,000.

Paul Haslam, the Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said he “very much welcomed” the proposals and has already heard from parents interested in sending their children to the new school.

The Woodfield site also includes large playing fields and Cllr Haslam called on the council to allow them to be used by the local community in Bilton.

He said:

“I wondered whether we can consider making the playing fields dual access with separate changing rooms so the community can also have access when it’s not in use by school.

“It’s more benefit for my area which has a lot of outdoor space but no playing fields. It could also create additional revenue for the school.”

Lib Dems call on Keane Duncan to resign over Harrogate Station Gateway

Liberal Democrats councillors have called on North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative transport leader Keane Duncan to resign after the council pressed pause on the £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway project.

Last week, the council said it had “rescinded the decision to proceed” with the controversial active travel proposals, which have been years in the works, due to a legal challenge.

In a statement, the council said it would not be proceeding at the moment to avoid “further costs and delays” after a judicial review was launched by Hornbeam Park Developments over the way the council consulted residents and businesses about the scheme.

The company, owned by businessman Chris Bentley, is a major commercial landlord in Harrogate and owns properties on James Street, which would be part-pedestrianised under the proposals.

The future of the Station Gateway is now in doubt with Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones describing it as a “timed-out dead scheme”.

The traffic order for James Street to be part-pedestrianised.

In an email to Cllr Duncan that has been shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the Lib Dems said he should now resign from the council’s Tory-run executive after “failing to deliver” for Harrogate.

Cllr Duncan has been selected by the Conservatives as its candidate for the York and North Yorkshire mayoral election next year.

The letter says:

“At an executive meeting in July, you reaffirmed the commitment of yourself and your colleagues to the gateway project. You confirmed your ‘focus was delivering this landmark £11million investment into Harrogate.’

“You have failed to do so. Harrogate deserves better from the lead member for highways and transportation. You had the opportunity to develop and deliver a bold and innovative comprehensive integrated transport plan for Harrogate but you have failed.

“There is a very real concern that as a result of your mismanagement the potential investment will be lost.

“Harrogate needs meaningful improvements that will boost travel opportunities for local residents, business and visitors. This cannot happen without well managed and significant investment. It seems you are not capable of delivering this.”

The Lib Dems initially backed the scheme at a meeting in May, before withdrawing their support just a month later.

‘Petty point scoring’

In response to their email, Cllr Duncan accused the party of playing political games.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“I have been consistent throughout that I would take the gateway project forward only if a majority of local councillors supported it.

“The Liberal Democrats’ decision to vote in support the gateway then withdraw their backing just weeks later can represent nothing other than blatant political game playing.

“Their failure to stick by their own decision undermines not only this much-needed £11m investment but future investment too. Such weak and inconsistent leadership lets down the people of Harrogate.

“As the Liberal Democrats play games with the gateway, I remain focussed on working towards solutions and securing investment for Harrogate. If the Liberal Democrats wish to join me in that then I will welcome them, but the evidence so far shows that they are more interested in petty point scoring.”

Safety audit rules out traffic lights at notorious Killinghall junction

A safety audit at a notorious Killinghall junction has ruled out introducing traffic lights.

North Yorkshire Council, which conducted the audit after a pedestrian was badly injured in February, has also rejected installing a mini-roundabout.

Instead it has recommended repainting the yellow box junction and investigating other measures, such as shortening the length of the Ripon Road bus shelter to create more space for cars going in and out of the Tesco car park.

Councillor Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, updated residents in a recent email.

Cllr Harrison instigated the safety audit after February’s accident heightened longstanding concerns about the Ripon Road and Otley Road junction.

The new Tesco has added another dimension to the issues facing motorists and pedestrians in the centre of the village.

His latest email said the council discovered about 4,600 vehicles exited the B6161 Otley Road junction every 24 hours. of these, 90% turn left to Ripley. A third of the right-turning traffic then go to Tesco.

Cllr Harrison’s email concluded that “we know this junction is not ideal, but working out what to do about it remains a challenge”.

Villager Tom Beardsell remains in favour of traffic lights. He said:

“I feel a fully smart signalised junction is the most sensible and safe before there is a fatality at this junction.

“There is far too much going on around that junction especially now the Tesco connivence store is in full swing.

“Re-painting the road markings and yellow box area will help initially, but it doesn’t distract from the fact there is limited visibility from the Tesco carpark in both directions especially when a bus is at the stop.”

The Ripon Road entrance to the Tesco car park.

Mr Beardsell added he didn’t see any benefit in widening the Tesco entrance and would prefer to see the bus stop moved elsewhere.

He said:

“I first reported the issues at this junction in late January this year, eight months later we are here and there continues to be incidents. How long will it take to make the solution clear and be implemented?”

Asked by the Stray Ferret what he would like to see done, Cllr Harrison said:

“I would like to see a bypass for Killinghall – that is the only solution to remove all of the issues.”

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Harrogate business installs community defibrillator

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Mental health

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‘Petty point scoring’

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