North Yorkshire Police have asked people to “stop and think” before dialling 999 for non-emergencies after a significant increase in demand over the past two days.

The force said a combination of good weather, the start of half term and an influx in visitors to the county have resulted in a rise in calls to its control room.

The advice is to call 999 for an emergency and for non-emergency matters contact the police  through its website or call 101.

If someone accidentally dials 999, the advice is to stay on the line. In a “pocket dial” situation the force said its 999 operator will pass the call to the control room.  The call handlers will then ring the number back to establish whether it is a genuine emergency.

Superintendent Fiona Willey,  head of customer contact said:

“The staff in our Force Control Room are working extremely hard to deal with the increased demand.

“The sunny weather will inevitably lead to more calls so we’re urging the public to consider if their call is necessary and if it’s a non-urgent matter, could it wait until after the weekend.

“It’s also important that members of the public consider which service they need. There are many agencies out there that can offer help and support.

“If it is a genuine emergency then we are here to help. Our staff are trained to triage every call through a threat, risk and harm assessment which leads to that call being prioritised accordingly.”

Further details on how to contact us can be found here. 

Nominations have opened to elect governors to Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust are seeking nominations from members of the public who are interested in representing three constituencies in Harrogate and surrounding villages;  Wetherby & Harewood, Alwoodley, Adel & Wharfedale, and Otley and Yeadon; and Ripon & West District.

Currently, the Council of Governors comprises 26 governors, consisting of 14 public members, six staff classes, and six partner/stakeholder organisations, such as North Yorkshire Council.

Governors provide a vital link between the public, staff and partner organisations, representing the views and interests of local people and making sure they are considered by the trust’s board of directors.

Sarah Armstrong, chair of the trust, said: 

“Our governors play an essential role, providing a bridge between our members, our community and our Board. They help shape our Trust’s future direction and the services we provide.

“Governors serve a term of three years and have key responsibilities including liaising with the Board of Directors and collectively holding them to account for the performance of the Trust.

“They are involved in the appointment of the Non-Executive Directors on the Board of Directors, and helping us to develop our membership.

“They are also responsible for regularly feeding back information about our Trust, its vision and its performance to the constituencies and stakeholder organisations that elected and/or nominated them.

“HDFT is committed to providing the best possible healthcare service for our community and we have a number of exciting projects over the next few years which will help us to further improve on the service we offer. It is an exciting time for our Trust and we would love to hear from anyone interested in becoming a governor.”

Read more:

• Harrogate hospital pledges to maintain services amid junior doctors’ strike
• Harrogate knee surgeon’s breakthrough gains national interest

Nominations close on Monday, June 5, and elections will open on Friday, June 23, when voting packs will be dispatched to members.

The final day of voting will be Thursday, July 13, with declaration of results taking place on Friday, July 14.

Anyone interested in standing can obtain more information and a nomination form by visiting www.cesvotes.com/hdft2023, calling 0208 889 9203 or emailing ftnominationenquiries@cesvotes.com.

To be eligible to stand in the elections, nominees need to be over 16, reside in the constituency they wish to represent and be a member of the Trust. It is free to join and an application form is available on the trust’s website.

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Victoria Avenue needs the whole road resurfacing not just the potholes. There are many other roads that are in dire need of resurfacing but will miss out on necessary repairs.

Is there an agenda by Highways North Yorkshire to discourage motorists and cyclists from visiting Harrogate? 

Maybe we can encourage Chinese investors to Harrogate, they have built many excellent roads all around the world.

Simon Kirby, Harrogate

Re-wilding should be more than ‘not bothering’

Re-wilding should not just be not bothering. 

Much of the re-wilding on the edges of the Stray, with splashes of colour from such as buttercups, also manage to look good and purposeful. 

The verges on Beech Grove with their proliferation of dandelions and docks, do not.

Chris Graville, Harrogate

Read More:

• Stray Views: Station Gateway decision sparks outrage
• Stray Views: Negative views about Station Gateway ‘outdated and unrealistic’

The equivalent of 317 Olympic pools of raw sewage were discharged into the River Nidd at four sewage treatment works in 2020, according to a study.

The sewage was released into the river at Pateley Bridge, Harrogate, Darley and Kirk Hammerton.

Professor Peter Hammond, a mathematician who analyses data on sewage discharges, conducted the research, according to an article in the Guardian.

It says Prof Hammond studied four of seven sewage treatment works on the Nidd so the amount of raw sewage pumped into the river could be significantly higher.

The study aimed to reveal the volume of discharged effluent released from storm overflows by water firms.

Water companies are currently required to reveal the number of discharges and how long they lasted — not the actual volume of raw sewage discharged.

Prof Hammond studied 30 treatment works in 2020 run by nine of England and Wales’ 10 water companies in England and Wales to calculate the volume of raw sewage discharged.

Four of those were on the Nidd, which is currently the subject of a clean-up campaign following reports of bathers falling ill last summer.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and the Nidd Action Group are leading the campaign to achieve designated bathing water status at Knaresborough Lido, which would oblige agencies to take action.

David Clayden, secretary of Harrogate Flyfishers’ Club and a member of the Nidd Action Group, told the Guardian he saw no reason water companies could not reveal the volume of raw sewage being discharged into rivers.

He said.

“It is extraordinary to see estimates of the volume being discharged. I am very disappointed that the government did not follow the recommendations of the environmental audit committee and make water companies fit volume monitors.”

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP appeals for help at ‘critical time’ for River Nidd bathing water bid
• Yorkshire Water chief executive apologises for sewage failures

Members of Unison who work for North Yorkshire Council have been asked to back strike action after the local government union said the latest pay offer amounts to “yet another pay cut” in real terms.

Unison is asking for a pay rise of 2% above the retail price index (RPI) for 2023 which would result in an increase of 12.7% per employee.

However, the the National Joint Council (NJC) for local government services, which determines pay for council workers, has offered a flat rate increase of £1,925.

RPI is one of the two key measures for inflation, which the Office for National Statistics said this week was at 8.7% in the year to April. This was lower than in March when it was 10.1% but above the 8.2% figure some economists had expected.

David Houlgate, Unison branch secretary for Harrogate, said that over the last 12 years council staff have lost 25% from their pay when measured against the RPI.

Unison, which also represents school staff in North Yorkshire, closes the ballot on strike action on July 4.

Mr Houlgate said:

“Unison has been campaigning for a decent pay rise for council and school workers.  We called for a pay increase of inflation plus 2% – based on the Treasury’s annual forecast for RPI for 2023, this would amount to approximately 12.7%.

“However, the local government employers have responded with an offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925, with less for part-time and term-time workers, which when compared to the rate of inflation amounts to yet another pay cut.

“This simply is not good enough when public service workers are relying on food banks and struggling to afford heating. Furthermore, poor pay is a major factor in the recruitment and retention issues that impact on these vital public services.

“So we are asking members to vote for strike action. This is not something we do lightly or, for that matter, often and it’s always our last resort, but after years of declining pay, the feeling is enough is enough.”

Read more:

• Harrogate district rail strikes to hit half-term holiday travel
• Harrogate hospital pledges to maintain services amid junior doctors’ strike

Rachel Daly won the Women’s Super League golden boot today by finishing as the season’s top goalscorer.

Daly was on the scoresheet again in Aston Villa Women’s 2-0 final day defeat of Arsenal Women.

It took her total for the season to 22 — two more than Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw.

The prestigious golden boot is awarded to the league’s top goalscorer and Daly’s total equals the all-time record.

It capped another remarkable week for the England player, who was yesterday named Barclays’ Player of the Season.

Daly, 31, joined Villa from Houston Dash last summer and was a member of the England Lionesses team that won Euro 2022 last summer.

She started her career at Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club and returned to the club this month to open a cafe named after her.

Read more:

• Harrogate hails returning hero Rachel Daly
• Harrogate’s Archie Gray set for Euro quarter final with England

Harrogate’s Archie Gray will be part of an England squad aiming to make the UEFA European Championship semi-finals tonight.

Gray featured in England’s last group match against Switzerland, which confirmed their place in the knockout stages.

The Three Lions will take on France under-17s in the quarter finals tonight, kick off is 7pm.

The match can be watched on the BBC website here.

Gray has featured in all three England group games so far against Croatia, Netherlands and Switzerland.

England won the group with two wins and a draw.

Read more:

• Harrogate man’s 40-year love affair with Leeds United
• Harrogate’s Archie Gray signs professional deal with Leeds United

Gray will be hoping to help his side into the semi finals and onto the final in Budapest on June 2.

Gray completed his GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate last year.

He is also great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

The man who owned Harrogate’s last nightclub has spoken of his frustration at trying to operate in the town.

It is now six months since Viper Rooms was re-possessed by landlord North Yorkshire County Council.

It has remained empty since, despite repeated claims by the council of “significant interest from potential tenants”.

Viper Rooms owner Paul Kinsey said he had been in protracted negotiations over a new lease with the council before it re-possessed the building.

Mr Kinsey added he still owned the fixtures and fittings and had continued to negotiate with the council about re-occupying the site.

But a deal has not materialised and his frustration has prompted him to speak out.

The Viper Rooms unit was part of the grade two listed Royal Baths, which the council bought for £9 million in 2018. The baths also includes the former Potting Shed unit, which has been vacant for five years.

Still vacant: the former Potting Shed and Viper Rooms — both part of the Royal Baths.

Their ongoing closure led Mr Kinsey to claim councillors “haven’t got the commercial experience or knowledge” to run large commercial assets and they were making unrealistic demands on tenants.

He said he spent £370,000 refurbishing the club pre-covid and the council was now requesting £150,000 a year on rent and service charge even though the landscape had changed post-pandemic. He said:

“If they think they can get £150,000, good luck to them. It’s a difficult market. The council grossly overpaid for the Royal Baths without doing proper due diligence. It was a trophy asset.

“I can understand them wanting to get a good deal because of that but they have to get real.”

Read more:

• Harrogate nightclub Viper Rooms closes suddenly
• New tenants soon for Harrogate’s Viper Rooms and nearby bar?

‘Crippling overheads’ on Parliament Street

Mr Kinsey, who lives near Wetherby, said he still wanted to have a venue in Harrogate and had his eye on one site.

But he questioned the appeal of the town to leisure operators, adding the main reason he was so keen to return to the Royal Baths was because he owned the fixtures and fittings and had spent so much on refurbishing it pre-covid.

He said many commercial landlords over-estimated the value of Harrogate and pointed to the number of failed ventures on Parliament Street as evidence of “crippling overheads”.

“I don’t think Harrogate is on many people’s target list. You get more bang for your bucks in other places.

“People who don’t know the area believe the streets are paved with gold. There is a good wealth profile but they spend elsewhere — Leeds, London or abroad.

“Look at how many businesses haven’t been able to make it work on Parliament Street. These are good operators, not cowboys, but even they couldn’t make it work.”

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council, which succeeded North Yorkshire County Council on April 1, if it had a response to Mr Kinsey’s claims but it did not issue one.

The Viper Rooms site is being advertised

Asked for an update on the Viper Rooms, which is now being advertised by agents Savills, and the Potting Shed, it said it had nothing to add to its last statement two months ago, when Gary Fielding, the council’s corporate director for strategic resources, said:

“A unit which did house the Viper Rooms is continuing to attract significant interest, and an agent has been appointed to co-ordinate discussions with potential tenants.

“A lease has been signed for the final unit and a dialogue with the tenant is continuing to establish when the new venture will be launched.”

The council’s £9 million spending on the Royal Baths also included the JD Wetherspoon pub and the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant.

From surviving relegation to building a young squad, Will Bates has seen a lot in his short time as Harrogate Cricket Club captain.

The 32-year-old captained two sides prior to joining the St George’s Road club.

However, his time at Harrogate has proved pivotal in the two years since taking up the position.

As he sits in the beaming sunshine next to the home pitch, Will reflects on a whirlwind period as Harrogate’s first XI captain.

Formative years in Letchworth

Growing up in Hertfordshire, Will played an array of sports including football, cricket and tennis.

But it was the bat and ball which stuck in the end.

He started playing for Harpenden Cricket Club, before going onto the adults game.

“I played all sports really. Football, cricket and tennis were my main sports.

“But cricket was the one I stuck with the most and enjoyed the most.”

Will started out as both a batsmen and off-spin bowler. However, nowadays, he says he’s more of an occasional bowler and only bowls “if required”.

He describes himself as a “classical batsman”, a contrast to some of his younger teammates who prefer the aggressive technique exemplified by Brendan McCullum’s England side.

Much of his adult career was spent at Letchworth Garden City Cricket Club.

Will describes the seven years at Letchworth as some of his formative years as a cricketer.

“As a club, it was quite formative in terms of my ethos on cricket.

“A few weeks ago they put out a first team and they had an overseas player and they had 10 other players between the ages of 18 and 40. Every single one of them had only ever played for one cricket club and come through the youth system. None of them were getting paid.

“I loved my time playing cricket at Letchworth and that’s the kind of cricket club I want to be a part of up here.”

Captaining Harrogate

Much of the ethos that Will saw at Letchworth has carried over into his time in North Yorkshire.

He moved to Harrogate five years ago to take up a job as a solicitor in the disputes department at LCF Law.

He took on the captaincy two years ago and grasped the opportunity.

“I thought there was a lot that we could do to improve things and we had a lot of young players. I was quite excited.”

Harrogate Cricket Club, pictured after their Addison Cup win in 2021.

Despite his excitement, Will was thrust straight into a season where Harrogate found themselves in a relegation battle.

The club stayed up on the last day after beating York. Will scored 90 in a captain’s innings to help see Harrogate over the line.

While the stress of avoiding relegation would be enough for some players to put behind them, Will sees it as one of his best games.

“We needed to win to stay up and York are traditionally our big rivals.

“I got 90 not out in that game when we were chasing about 230. In terms of satisfaction and pressure situation, that would be the one that I pick out.”

Will Bates with his man of the match award after the Addison Cup in 2021.

Among the club’s other achievements in his time include winning the Addison Cup in 2021.

Harrogate eased to victory over Wetherby Carr Manor after scoring 131 for 7 and bowling the opposition out for 99.

Will won man of the match after scoring 59 in his innings.

Building a culture

Since surviving relegation, Will has sought to help the club in its ambition to improve.

One of the aspects of that is bringing young players through and giving them opportunities in the first team.

Will points to wicketkeeper Isaac Light as an example of one of the young players that he and the club are trying to bring through.

He also wants to build a culture at Harrogate which is “close nit” and where players feel invested in the side.

Read more: 

• How Pateley Bridge man won two league titles with Leeds United
• Knaresborough Town pair championing women’s football after remarkable season

For Will, this is an example of the setup he says he wants to be a part of – as he had at Letchworth.

The decision the club made over paying players exemplifies that, he says.

“Some teams we play against probably pay most players.

“But we made a conscious decision where we only pay an overseas player. Nearly every team in the division has an overseas player. Then we have one club professional who is Matt Pillans, who used to play at Yorkshire.

“The justification for both those expenses is the benefit the whole club gets from training with them and playing with them.

“They’re not just paid to play cricket and for us to win. We made a conscious decision that we didn’t want a first team where everyone is a paid cricketer.

“We are now seeing the benefit of that policy.”

While Will wants to grow Harrogate beyond what it is, does he have any ambitions?

“To get Harrogate’s first team to reach its potential.

“Although we made progress last year, we did slightly underachieve. It’s hard to say what that is because at the end of the season you know if you have won the right number of games or not.

“But I’d certainly see at as being a top four finish in the league, it could even be better than that with the team that we have got at the moment.”

For Will, he feels he has found his place in Harrogate.

As the club sits third in the league and prepares for another showdown with York this weekend, the team appears to be on an upward trajectory.

Does Will think he’ll still be in Harrogate at the end of his career?

“I can’t see myself playing for anyone else. I probably do feel quite at home here.”

This is the third article in a series of Sporting Spotlight interviews. If you have any local sporting heroes who you think should be featured, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The leaders of an organised crime gang that flooded Harrogate with heroin and crack cocaine have been jailed for over 25 years.

The Bradford gang operated a county line drug dealing set-up known as the Pat Line through which they targeted vulnerable drug users in Harrogate.

They recruited Harrogate drug dealers Natalie Hullah, 33, previously of Harrogate, but now of St Edmund’s Street, Manchester, and Melissa Nicole Barnwell, 49, of Skipton Road, Harrogate, to sell the drugs locally in return for payment in heroin or crack cocaine.

The Pat Line was one of three lines shut down by North Yorkshire Police through a Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Order in 2020.

Qasib Hussain, 25, of HMP Wetherby, previously of Idle Road, Bradford, dictated the movement of large quantities of class A drugs from West Yorkshire into North Yorkshire.

Qasib Hussain

This was done through the use of couriers who travelled from Bradford to Harrogate where the drugs were sold following a bulk text message sent from Qasib Hussain to users in Harrogate.

The Pat Line predominantly remained with Qasib Hussain in Bradford where he conducted his operation but on occasion it was passed to others to manage such as his brother, Aqib Ali Hussain, 24, of Killinghall Road in Bradford.

Aqib Ali Hussain

Aqib’s role included topping up the county line handsets and travelling to and from Harrogate to oversee the smooth selling of the drugs belonging to Qasib.

Hussain Khan, 25, of Greenway Road, Bradford, would step into Aqib’s role if Qasib was elsewhere.

The investigation was able to show that Aqib Ali Hussain had made multiple journeys to Harrogate, including 16 separate journeys over three consecutive days, each one lasting around half an hour before he returned to Bradford.

It showed the top trio were linked to the two phone numbers of the Pat Line through analysis of phone data messages, CCTV of them topping up the phones at local shops, and text messages between the group and their local dealers talking about how much they had made.

Hussain Khan

All five were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs and pleaded guilty in 2021. They were jailed for:

Qasib Hussain – nine years and nine months

Aqib Ali Hussain – six years and nine months. He was also sentenced for an additional two years and three months in relation to another investigation in West Yorkshire that targeted York, bringing the total term of imprisonment to nine years and two months (consecutive).

Hussain Khan – six years and three months

Melissa Barnwell – 16 months suspended for two years, six months’ drug rehabilitation requirement and complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity

Natalie Hullah – 21 months suspended for two years, and must complete 21 days of rehabilitation activity

Read more:

• Man arrested after weapons and drugs found at Starbeck property
• Headteachers unite to warn of vaping dangers to children in Harrogate district

‘They flooded Harrogate with drugs’

Detective Chief Inspector Fionna McEwan of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Today’s outcome is a result of a lengthy and painstaking investigation. We are pleased to finally see the results at court.

“They flooded Harrogate with drugs, making money at the expense of local users, the majority of whom were vulnerable due to their socioeconomic background and mental health conditions. They have no conscience and no concern whatsoever for the people they are putting at risk of serious harm. They now have ample time to reflect on their life-choices and the damage it causes.

“Drug dealing and the violence and exploitation that accompanies county lines remains a foremost priority for North Yorkshire Police. We are committed to disrupting the offenders and taking those responsible off the streets.

“We urge anyone with information to continue to report information about drug dealing in their area. It’s vital in helping us piece together the bigger picture.

“No matter how insignificant you think the information is, please call us. And if you don’t want to speak to us, you can pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers.”

County lines

‘County lines’ is the term given to a form of organised crime in which drug dealers, usually from urban areas, such as West Yorkshire or Manchester, target smaller towns and cities. It takes its name from the mobile phone lines used by dealers to advertise drugs for sale. Violence and intimidation is prevalent within county lines.

A major concern for North Yorkshire Police is a practice known as cuckooing, which is where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person and use it to store and sell drugs. They often use violence and intimidation to achieve this.

Members of the public provide invaluable information that helps shape our operational activity and we urge residents to look out for the signs of cuckooing in their neighbourhood and report any concerns they have.

Signs of “cuckooing” to look out for include:

Increased callers at a property
• Increase in cars pulling up for short periods of time
• Different accents at a property
• Increased antisocial behaviour at a property
• Not seeing the resident for long periods of time
• Unfamiliar vehicles at the property
• Windows covered or curtains closed for long periods
• Communal doors propped open