Exclusive: Hackers demand ransom after breaching North Yorkshire Council computer systemInternational hackers have breached the trading standards computer system at North Yorkshire Council and demanded a ransom.
The Stray Ferret was tipped off by an anonymous source at the council who said the hackers had encrypted large amounts of data and were “demanding a ransom to decrypt it”.
The source added:
“Backups have also been encrypted so this is a big problem. This systems holds a lot of data and this breach could impact on a large number of crime investigations within the area.”
The Stray Ferret asked the council for further details about the breach, which is believed to have happened in March.
We asked how much data had been compromised and how it was able to happen, as well as what action the council was taking to resolve the situation, and the likely cost and timeframe.
The council issued a statement that included quotes from Mike Andrews, the National Trading Standards eCrime team’s national co-ordinator, and Madeline Hoskin, the council’s assistant director for technology.
The National Trading Standards eCrime team investigates fraud on behalf of local authorities.
The statement confirmed there had been “an incident”, which it said had been “contained” but did not clarify the extent of the breach.
Mr Andrews said in the statement:
“We are working with national agencies and other partners to investigate this incident.
“Fortunately, we became aware of the incident at a very early stage and swift action was taken.
“Protecting personal data remains our top priority and steps were taken to contain the potential impact.
“As the investigation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment any further at this stage to avoid jeopardising any future legal proceedings.”
Ms Hoskin said in the statement:
“We take considerable precautions to prevent and detect cybercrime and take our responsibilities extremely seriously.
“We worked with an independent team of digital forensic specialists which helped ensure a swift recovery from the incident.
“No information related to the council’s customers outside of the data held by the National Trading Standards E-Crime Team has been affected.”
The council declined to comment further.
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Harrogate History: VE day 1945 – a day of rejoicing after the dark years of war
Malcolm Neesam (1946 – 2022) was a writer, archivist and historian, specialising in Harrogate and North Yorkshire history. He was born in Harrogate and studied at the University of Leeds as a professional archivist and librarian. He subsequently worked in Hereford, Leeds, London and York where, for twenty-five years, he was North Yorkshire County Music and Audiovisual Librarian. In 1996 Harrogate Borough Council awarded Malcolm the Freedom of the Borough for his services as the town’s historian, preserving much of the town’s heritage.
This article was first published October 2, 2020 as part of Malcom’s Harrogate History series for the Stray Ferret.
On Tuesday 8th May 1945, a full-sized likeness of Adolph Hitler gazed across West Park Stray surrounded by a replica of his Mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden.
It had been placed there as the crowning display of a huge bonfire and assembled by the Harrogate Home Guard, who, at dusk, stormed the display, and to frantic cheering from the assembled townspeople, captured the effigies of Hitler and his cronies, before the Mayor lit the bonfire that burned ‘Berchtesgaden’ to the ground.
Beyond this scene of rejoicing, Harrogate was a sea of bunting and the flags of allied nations, which filled not only the town centre, but nearly every suburban street as well. In the main shopping streets at the town’s centre were displayed large portraits of the King and Queen, Prime Minister Churchill and allied leaders, Field Marshall Montgomery and other military luminaries.
Joyous crowds surged through the town centre that day, whose drab and neglected appearance, the result of five years, eight months and five days of wartime austerity, was temporarily brightened by brightly coloured displays, although the need to conserve energy precluded the use of gas or electric power, exceptions being made at the Royal Baths, and Municipal Offices where Mayor G. Spenceley had greeting the crowds gathered in Crescent Gardens.
A street party in 1945
People continued to surge through the centre of the town throughout the day, despite heavy rain showers, although the streets cleared in time for both the Prime Minister’s broadcast, and the King’s speech.
The borough court continued to function on VE Day, the main business being concerned with granting licences for dancing and extensions for liquor and music, all essential aspects of the coming celebrations on the following Sunday, which at the request of the King, would be a day of national thanksgiving and prayer.
A service was planned at St. Peter’s Church attended by the Mayor and full Corporation, followed by a brief ceremony at the War Memorial in remembrance of the fallen.
In the afternoon, a grand parade was to occur on West Park, when participants would include American military personnel, units of the Home Guard and Civil Defence, representatives from the British Legion, St. John Ambulance Brigade, the Scouts and the Guides. Flag bearing youth groups present included the Sea Cadets, Army Cadet Corps, Air Training Corps, Girls Training Corps, Boys Brigade, and the Civil Defence Messengers.
Neighbours and friends celebrating
After a short open air service, the parade marched via West Park and Parliament Street to the Municipal Officers in Crescent Gardens, where the Mayor took the salute from a specially constructed platform.
The Mayor’s rousing speech reminded the townspeople of the ordeal they had undergone, and that until Japan had been overcome, the resolve of the people must be continued. He ended his speech with the sincere thanks of the entire Corporation for what the townspeople had achieved through their great sacrifice.
Memorable though the Peace Parade had been, for some of Harrogate’s residents, their most exuberant celebrations were reserved for the town’s many street parties, which involved whole communities.
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North Yorkshire combined authority advertises for £125,000 chief executiveYork 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.”
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Business Q&A: Tim Brown, Brown TroutThis 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.
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Harrogate school judged ‘outstanding’ by OfstedA 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.”
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Harrogate Station Gateway: consultants’ fees rise to £2.1 millionConsultants’ 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.”
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Third consultation begins on Harrogate town councilA 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.
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Harrogate charity hails ‘heroine’ Elaine for saving its buildingThe 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.
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Councillors defer decision on Crescent Gardens road closure planCouncillors have deferred a decision on plans to erect bollards and planters outside the former Harrogate Borough Council offices at Crescent Gardens, leading to the eventual closure of the road.
Impala Estates, which bought the building from the council for £4m in 2020, wants to block traffic from entering to the front of the building, running between Swan Road to the west and Montpellier Road to the east.
The developer already has planning permission to convert Crescent Gardens into office and restaurant space.
However, to close the road in front of the building would also require a separate ‘stopping up order’ from the Department for Transport, requiring a public consultation.
Councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee considered the application to erect the planters and bollards this afternoon in Harrogate but were uneasy at the potential ramifications of their decision.
The road would be closed to the public.
Local resident Patrick Turner urged councillors to refuse the scheme and said he and other residents use the road to get to their homes.
He said:
“It’s a useful road providing access to and from the Duchy estate and beyond. It also takes some traffic away from busy roads nearby. It’s a quiet road, so why is there a need to stop it up?”
Planning agent Hamish Robertshaw spoke on behalf of Impala and described how measures would be put in place to stop vehicles from entering.
He added:
“[The application] conforms to relevant policy, causes no harm or impact and provides benefits to town centre and Crescent Gardens development.”
But Cllr Robert Windass, a Conservative who represents Boroughbridge and Claro, said he didn’t understand why the application had been recommended for approval by a council officer in a report.
He said:
“Are we going to be anti-car totally so we don’t let cars down roads? There have been numerous objections to this. A lot of people feel very strongly. It’s absolutely bizarre.”
Cllr Philip Broadbank, a Liberal Democrat who represents Fairfax and Starbeck, added his concerns and said a public right of way that has existed for almost a century could be lost.
Councillors heard that a deal had been agreed between Harrogate Borough Council and Impala Estates to sell the road but Cllr Paul Haslam (Independent, Bilton and Nidd Gorge) said he wanted the plans to be deferred so more information could be received about the deal and whether the restrictions would be limited to vehicles.
He added:
“We will make a small decision with potentially enormous consequences.”
Councillors unanimously voted to defer the application to a future planning committee pending another report.
Meanwhile, at the same meeting councillors were due to consider a plan for 8 apartments at Stockwell Road in Knaresborough but the developer withdrew the application before the meeting.
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Zoe Metcalfe departs as crime commissionerZoe Metcalfe’s term as North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner ended at midnight last night after the role was transferred to the new Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.
Labour’s David Skaith, who won the inaugural mayoral election on Friday, will now take on responsibilities for policing and crime.
Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative who held the post since November 2021, was the final directly elected commissioner for the county.
She was elected after the departure of Philip Allott, who succeeded fellow Tory Julia Mulligan — the county’s first commissioner from 2012 to 2021.
David Skaith, newly elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire who will take on the commissioner’s responsibilities.
Ms Metcalfe pledged to tackle issues such as violence against women and girls.
She also oversaw the controversial introduction of the risk and resource model for the fire service, which included plans to cut the number of overnight fire engines based in Harrogate from two to one.
The move was met with criticism from the North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union, which warned that such a decision would lead to a “second-rate emergency response service that will put lives at risk”.
The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Ms Metcalfe to reflect on her tenure as commissioner, but a spokesperson for her office said she was unavailable due to “the volume of her commitments in her final few days”.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Metcalfe said it had been an “absolute privilege and pleasure” to represent York and North Yorkshire.
The commissioner’s office has now been rebranded the York and North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning after the mayoral election.
Mr Skaith is expected to make a decision on whether to appoint a deputy mayor to take on policing and crime powers.
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