Residents of the Harlow Hill and Pannal Ash areas of Harrogate will gather tomorrow night to discuss the issues they face as a community.

From housing developments and cycle lanes to the upcoming reorganisation of local government in North Yorkshire, Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association (HAPARA) has a busy agenda for its AGM.

Chairman Rene Dziabas said the long-delayed West Harrogate Parameters Plan – setting out a plan for infrastructure to support thousands of new homes in the area – was likely to be among the topics generating the most interest.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We still have over-riding concerns about the infrastructure for these successive developments – public transport, paths, cycle paths, hospitals, schools.

“We work with a number of parish councils and they hold similar views to us.”

This will be the first time HAPARA has held an in-person AGM since 2019, thanks to the covid pandemic. In the intervening three years, many new households have arrived in the area, and the group is keen to welcome them alongside long-standing residents.

Though it encourages people to sign up as members, anyone can go along to the AGM and, unlike a parish council, it has no defined geographical boundary, so is open to anyone who wants to join.

Read more:

• Contractor for Harrogate’s Otley Road cycle route to be appointed in autumn
• Council approves long-awaited West Harrogate Parameters Plan

As well as the changes that have taken place in the area in recent years, the group will look at what is ahead for local residents.

While phase one of the Otley Road cycle path has been largely completed, and phase two is scheduled to begin “shortly”, according to North Yorkshire County Council, phase three – from Harlow Moor Road to Cardale Park – remains contentious among residents, according to a survey of residents by HAPARA this year.

Mr Dziabas said he hoped the new North Yorkshire Council would keep to its word of engaging added:

“We are also trying to introduce some local issues. A couple of residents are doing a presentation on low traffic neighbourhoods.

“If we can get something like that, an idea from grass roots, and if we can make the beginnings of something, that would be nice.

“Money is going to be tight and there is going to be less money around over the next few years than there is now.

“If you engage with local organisations, the people you are engaging with are doing it for free and there’s a lot of knowledge and a lot of professional people in those organisations. If you keep an open mind, you can tap into it.’

The HAPARA AGM takes place at Harlow Community Centre (The Green Hut) on Harlow Avenue on Wednesday, October 12 from 7pm. The full agenda is available here.

There is set to be some glitz and glamour injected into Sunday evening as Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK sashays into Harrogate.

The tour of the popular BBC Three show is hitting the convention centre at 8pm, with all 12 queens from series three appearing live on stage.

Acclaimed for its impressive production values, the audience can “expect the unexpected in this glittering tour”, which will include series three finalists Kitty Scott-Claus, Krystal Versace, Vanity Milan and Ella Vaday.

Ben Hatton, director of theatre touring for event promoter Cuffe and Taylor, said:

“RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is an exciting show and it will undoubtedly be an incredible and outrageous night of live entertainment.”

Tickets are available here.

Read more:

• Council explores move to protect Harrogate Convention Centre with limited company status
• Bill posters from Harrogate’s Royal Hall reveal varied past

Food waste organisation Resurrected Bites has issued a plea for help to businesses after warning it might not survive another year.

The community organisation, which saves food from landfill, has helped thousands of people struggling to get by since it started in January 2018. It operates Give As You Can cafes and shops in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Founder Michelle Hayes appealed for support at last night’s Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce meeting. She said Resurrected Bites had generated £87,000 and spent £91,000 this year, adding:

“A huge number of people rely on us so we need to look at ways we can still be around in 12 months’ time.

“Since the jubilee, our food supplies have dropped off. We are going to have to start paying for it.”

Michelle Hayes speaking at last night’s chamber meeting.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret afterwards, Ms Hayes said Resurrected Bites currently had sufficient income to survive another six months.

She said it was becoming harder to find supplies because more people were buying reduced price items from supermarkets that might otherwise go to Resurrected Bites.

Ms Hayes also said some supermarkets’ decisions to scrap best before dates was a good move overall but it contributed to there being less food waste in the system for organisations such as Resurrected Bites. She said:

“Fundraising is more challenging because of the economic challenges people are facing.

“We’ve got six months’ income left. I don’t wan’t to go much below that.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough concert raises £800 for Resurrected Bites
• Loss of 15-day festival will have ‘limited’ economic impact on Harrogate

This story is sponsored by The Hearing Suite.

The Hearing Suite’s new clinic in Ilkley is proving to be a major success following its launch last month.

Located at No 6 The Grove, the state-of-the-art practice has a dedicated wax removal room on the ground floor, along with a full testing suite on the first floor.

Founder Emily Woodmansey set up the Ilkley site following rapid growth at the Harrogate branch on East Parade.

The business has continued to expand and now offers a team of three audiologists and an ENT consultant.

Emily Woodmansey, managing director of The Hearing Suite.

Having grown up in Ilkley, Ms Woodmansey recognised that many of the town’s residents were making the journey to Harrogate and a closer practice would be more convenient.

She said:

“Our Harrogate practice is thriving. Our ethos is firmly grounded in having a small group of very happy people, and I thought it was about time Ilkley had its own full-time, dedicated audiology practice.

“The pandemic has reminded people how precious communication is and it has been exciting to share our brand of audiology with the people of my home town.

“Since opening a few weeks ago, we have been quite overwhelmed with the number of people wanting help with their hearing. The local business community has been really welcoming too. We are just so grateful for everyone’s support.”

The Hearing Suite’s employee Olivia, a former NHS senior audiologist, has been appointed as the practice’s head of audiology.

The new branch offers the same services as Harrogate, including wax removal, hearing consultations, tinnitus management and hearing aids.

A solicitor from Harrogate has been remanded in custody after breaching a restraining order preventing him from contacting his ex-wife.

Richard Wade-Smith, 66, appeared at York Crown Court this morning via video link from HMP Hull to be sentenced after pleading guilty to the breach at York Magistrates Court last month.

The court heard he had previously been sentenced to a community order and restraining order on September 15, after ramming his car into his ex-wife’s house at Slingsby Walk, near the Stray in Harrogate. He had admitted harassment causing fear of violence, damaging property, and drink driving.

Just four days after being sentenced, he breached the order, turning up at his ex-wife’s house as well as visiting her neighbour.

Prosecuting, Kelly Sherif said:

“[His former wife] said that ‘I knew that when Richard was released, that he would not abide by any orders and here we are, four days later…

“I sit in my house with the curtains closed, too scared to venture outside in case I see him’.”

The prosecution said Wade-Smith had knocked on his ex-wife’s door at 8.15am, but left when she failed to answer. He then returned at 10.30am and knocked, as well as calling to his wife and saying it was “Susie” at the door.

When she recognised his voice and again did not open the door, he went to the neighbouring house. The neighbour answered the door but told him he should not be there because of the restraining order.

Wade-Smith said he had nowhere to go, but the neighbour repeated that he was not allowed to be near his ex-wife’s home.

Read more:

• Man jailed for biting police officer in Harrogate
• Harrogate woman gets suspended prison sentence for ‘appalling assault’

In mitigation, Alasdair Campbell told the court Wade-Smith had been unable to access temporary accommodation following the sentencing on September 15.

It had taken a long time for arrangements to be made for him to leave HMP Hull, by which time Harrogate Borough Council’s offices had closed and he was unable to get a place at a homeless hostel.

He slept rough that night and the next night, then paid “a lot of money” for a hotel the third night. He slept rough again the following night, but woke up in hospital, having been drinking and apparently been robbed, with his bank card and cash taken.

Recovering alcoholic

Wade-Smith, a recovering alcoholic, admitted breaching the restraining order, though he argued he had only visited his former wife’s home once.

Mr Campbell said:

“When I asked him why he did that on that particular occasion, my instructions are that, faced with what he was going through, [he chose] the option of breaching the restraining order to get himself locked up so he had somewhere to stay that night…

“In hindsight, it may have been a foolish option.

“If someone is prepared to breach a serious court order, it does give one some idea of the desperate position he perceived himself to be in.”

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York — who heard Wade-Smith’s original case in September — adjourned sentencing until November to allow a full victim impact statement to be taken from Wade-Smith’s former wife.

He told Mr Campbell that Wade-Smith should have gone back to the council the day after his release to access the hostel place that had been arranged for him by the court.

He added:

“He isn’t stupid, this man. He should have gone the next day.”

Wade-Smith is due to be sentenced on Friday, November 18.

Council tax bills for a Band D property in Harrogate are set to fall by £23.47 for the next two years as part of the transition to the new North Yorkshire Council.

Harrogate Borough Council currently charges the highest council tax of the seven district councils in North Yorkshire.

An average band D property in the district is currently £1,723.27, compared with £1,586.83 in Hambleton, which has the lowest level of council tax in the county.

The seven councils will be abolished on April 1 as part of the government’s devolution agenda and North Yorkshire County Council is to meet next week to discuss ways to harmonise the level of payment across the county.

Under plans being drawn up, Band D bills in the Harrogate district would fall by £23.47 a year for two years while Hambleton’s bills would increase by £89.49.

However, the rises and falls due to harmonisation do not take into account the annual increase in council tax bills, which is set to be approved by county councillors in February. The figures also relate to just the precept for county and district authorities, and do not include money for North Yorkshire Police, the county’s fire brigade and parish or town councils.

If a Harrogate town council is formed, the precept for people living in the town council area would increase.

Decision on Tuesday

The advent of a new council covering the whole of the county in April means there is a legal requirement to ensure all council taxpayers in North Yorkshire are charged the same amount.

The proposals to phase this in over the next two years will be considered by members of North Yorkshire County Council’s decision-making executive when they meet on Tuesday next week. They are based on recommendations by a cross-party working group of councillors.

The working group, which was established by the county council’s executive in June, considered a range of proposals, including harmonising council tax bills over a period of up to eight years.

Read more:

• Harrogate council refuses to say if chief executive will get payout package
• Councillors vote to defer decision on 53 homes in Bilton

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for finance, Cllr Gareth Dadd, who is also the authority’s deputy leader, said:

“The challenge to harmonise council tax bills across the county is obviously a significant one, but it is an issue we have to address before the new North Yorkshire Council is launched in April next year.

“We are acutely aware of the financial pressures which everyone is under not just in North Yorkshire, but across the whole country, as we see inflation rising and the cost of energy soar along with the price of food and drink and other essential items.

“A great deal of work has gone into the proposed scheme to harmonise council tax bills across all seven districts, and we believe that the plan that has been drawn up to introduce the changes over the two years represents the fairest way forward for everyone involved.”

There would be huge variations in the amount of funding generated if the decision was taken to opt for moving council tax levels to the lowest amount seen in Hambleton or choosing to adopt the highest level in Harrogate.

If council tax bills were brought in line with Hambleton, there would be an annual reduction of funding in the region of £21 million, falling from the current level of £401.8 million to £380.4 million.

By comparison, an extra £11.3 million would be generated by increasing council tax bills to the level currently paid in the Harrogate district, with the average across North Yorkshire for owners of a Band D property paying £1,723.27 instead of £1,676.32.

Funding from council tax is used to finance services ranging from waste collection and recycling to highways maintenance and adult social care.

Major gasworks which were due to start on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road have been rescheduled until Monday.

Northern Gas Networks is due to carry out maintenance work on the road which is set to last for five weeks.

It will see temporary traffic lights put in place in the area, which is likely to cause delays for motorists.

The work was scheduled to start on Thursday last week.

However, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council confirmed that the roadworks have been rescheduled until Monday, October 17.

Read more:

• Some Harrogate train tickets sold for £1 in Northern ‘flash sale’
• Northern’s new timetable includes early Harrogate to Leeds trains

The move comes as Northern Gas Networks has been carrying out major maintenance work on main routes through Harrogate, including Ripon Road and Kings Road.

Russ Kaye, business operations lead for the company, said previously:

“We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during these essential works. However, it is vital we complete them in order to continue to maintain a safe and reliable gas supply to the residents of Harrogate.

“We want to assure residents and road users that we will be working hard to complete this essential scheme as safely and as quickly as possible.”

The director of Harrogate Convention Centre has said the loss of the 15-day International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival will have a “limited additional economic impact” on hotels in the town.

Festival directors Janet and Neil Smith announced last week they will stage next year’s event at Buxton Opera House in Derbyshire from July 29 to August 12.

Harrogate’s Royal Hall had hosted the festival, which attracts thousands of visitors from around the world, since 2014. It provided a major boost to the town’s hospitality sector.

The directors claimed the cost of the Royal Hall had doubled and that no compromise had been forthcoming. By contrast, Buxton Opera House had “pulled out every stop to accommodate the festival,” they claimed.

The absence of Gilbert and Sullivan aficionados for 15 days will be keenly felt by numerous Harrogate hotels, bed and breakfasts, bars and restaurants. But Paula Lorimer, director of the convention centre, said the summer timing would reduce the impact.

Ms Lorimer also said the event had received “a discount of over 90% on venue hire”.

Read more:

• Major blow to hospitality sector as Harrogate loses 15-day festival
• Police start two-week speeding crackdown in Harrogate district

In a statement, she said:

“Over the past eight years, Harrogate Convention Centre and the Royal Hall has been proud to have supported the Gilbert and Sullivan festival to the tune of over £200k of in-kind services and support.

“We have also supported the festival with a discount of over 90% on venue hire.

“We tried to explore with the organisers how their event could change to reduce the costs to the venue however the organisers wished to retain the same event with the same levels of support despite dwindling numbers attending.

“Our feedback from the hospitality sector indicated that the timing of the festival, in the middle of the summer holidays, was at time when hotels are generally at capacity resulting in limited additional economic impact from the festival.

“We regret to see them leave but respect their commercial decision and wish the festival all the best for their future.”

A survey of all police forces in England and Wales has revealed motorists in North Yorkshire are the third likeliest to record speeding offences.

The average number of speeding offences in the county is 4.54 per 1,000 residents, according to the research.

Only Lincolnshire, where the rate is 5.43 offences per 1,000 residents, and South Wales, where the figure is 5.23, are above it in the league table of 43 police force areas in England and Wales.

At the other end of the scale, Durham has the fewest speeding offences committed on average each year, with just 0.95 per 1,000 people.

Price comparison website Forbes Advisor compiled the latest speeding offence data from data.police.uk spanning 2010 to 2020 across each police force area in England and Wales to establish an annual average of speeding offences made.

This was cross referenced with population data from ONS to find the areas with the most speeding offences per 1,000 residents.  

Read more:

• Police start two-week speeding crackdown in Harrogate district
• Harrogate Poppy Appeal urgently searching for volunteers

North Yorkshire was found to have an average of 3,774 speed limit offences per year from a population of 831,600.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Aon has renewed its sponsorship of Harrogate Town for the 2022/2023 Football League season, and also remains the women’s team’s main sponsor.

The investment from the professional services firm will support Town with kit provision, additional media equipment, as well as its business strategy and player development centre.

James Fell, head of office for Aon Leeds Tingley and Harrogate, said:

“We have a long relationship with Harrogate Town Football Club, which has grown year-on-year. Last season we became the main sponsor of the women’s team and it’s great that we are continuing our partnership with the whole club and help make a positive difference in the local community.

“Colleagues in Aon’s new Harrogate office are looking forward to watching the teams this season and collaborating closely with the club on a number of initiatives.”

Pic: Gerard Binks

Joanne Towler, commercial director, Harrogate Town AFC said:

“Aon is a key partner for Harrogate Town Football Club. The partnership over the years has made a significant impact on the club, from the players’ performance on the pitch, to our football academy and most recently to our women’s team.

“Without sponsorship the club would not be where it is today, nor would we be able to support our local community and future players.”

Aon employs more than 115 insurance and risk management specialists across its Yorkshire offices, which include a branch at Harrogate’s Cardale Park.

Commercial litigation solicitor Alex Harrison joins McCormicks

Harrogate-based law firm McCormicks Solicitors has appointed commercial litigation solicitor Alex Harrison to its team.

Mr Harrison has brings experience in a wide range of commercial litigation matters, including disputes in contract, debt recovery, property, IP and construction. He also has experience in professional negligence claims, harassment, defamation and insolvency (individual and corporate) matters.

A keen mountaineer, cyclist, wild swimmer and rugby player, he said:

“I was looking to join a firm with good clients and varied work and the prospects of long-term career progression and McCormicks ticked all the boxes.”

Senior partner Peter McCormick said:

“Alex has made his presence felt already thanks to his positive ‘can do’ attitude and he will be an asset to the team.”