Harrogate town council referendum will be held ‘as soon as possible’

A referendum to decide whether Harrogate should create a town council will be held “as soon as possible,” the county’s leader has said.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only major places in North Yorkshire not to be parished and could be given control over areas including parks, tourism and events when the seven county and borough councils are abolished in April.

Councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said he has faced calls from local politicians, businesses and community groups for the town councils to be created.

But he added it would be up to residents to decide via a vote whether the plans should go ahead.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“I’m a great advocate of parish and town councils, and I do believe Harrogate and Scarborough would be well served if they had them.

“That said, it is for the people to decide whether they want them or not.

“I’m very keen that we start the process as soon as possible and we will go to the public in Harrogate and Scarborough at the earliest opportunity.”

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The creation of town councils would require a community governance review and it is understood that legal powers to start the process have been handed to the county council’s new executive.

Cllr Les said the legislation was now being examined and the authority would work alongside Harrogate and Scarborough’s borough councils.

Could take a year

He also said it would be “logical” for the town councils to be created after the new North Yorkshire Council launches next April.

His comments come after Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of Harrogate’s Liberal Democrats, called last week for the process to start “within the next couple of months”.

When asked when the referendums could be held, Cllr Les said this was currently unclear but he added it would be “as soon as possible”. He said:

“We are getting a lot of requests about town councils made to us from people including local politicians, as well as the business community and groups like Harrogate Civic Society.

“There is clearly an appetite to do something about this.

“And of course the sooner we can do it, the sooner we can find out whether there is an appetite amongst the general population.

“They are the key people in all of this. They have to be asked for their opinion and will say yea or nay.”

Councillor Les also said there was a possibility that more than two town or parish councils could be created – if that’s what voters wanted. He said:

“Another aspect to this of course is – how many councils?

“Would Harrogate or Scarborough just want one town council each, or perhaps there are options to consider about the various parts of the towns being parished.

“This is all part of the work that will have to be done.”

North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable admits policing contains racism

North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable issued an apology today after admitting that policing “still contains racism, discrimination and bias”.

Lisa Winward was speaking in response to the publication of the Police Race Action Plan, which covers all forces in England and Wales.

The plan outlines proposals, such as mandatory training for all police officers and staff about racism and Black history.

However, although it admits failures, it does accept that forces are institutionally racist, which has drawn criticism from the father of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in London in 1993.

Chief Constable Winward said in a statement:

“On behalf of North Yorkshire Police, and all our current and former employees, I accept that policing still contains racism, discrimination and bias.

“I apologise for where North Yorkshire Police has fallen short of the standards we hold ourselves to, and the impact that this has had on individuals, communities and police colleagues.

“However, there is also frustration – both inside and outside of policing – that we have not been able to tackle the accusation of being institutionally racist.

“We have fantastic officers and staff supporting the communities of North Yorkshire who come to work every day to make a positive difference to the lives of everyone we have responsibility for.

“The national Police Race Action Plan proposes that racist bias continues to persist in policing due to our processes and systems. We can’t begin to tackle this issue until we accept that there is a problem in how our force operates.

“We are going to use the Plan to shine a light on the disparities that exist in how we police our communities and individuals and explain or amend our ways of working.”

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Chief Constable Winward added North Yorkshire Police would put plans in place “to challenge our own policies, procedures and practice” and would “work closely” with North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe on making changes.

‘Right and courageous’

Ms Metcalfe said in a statement:

“There should be no place for racism in North Yorkshire and York, and no place for racism in North Yorkshire Police.

“This action plan, the response of police forces nationwide and reaction of North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable is welcome.

“Unless we recognise there is a problem, not enough will be done to address it, so it is right and courageous for Lisa Winward to accept that policing still contains racism, discrimination and bias.”

She urged people to take part in a national survey on the plan, which has gone out for consultation. It can be completed here.

 

Three bins in Harrogate set alight deliberately last night

Harrogate firefighters believe three separate bin fires in Harrogate last night were started deliberately.

Firefighters were initially called to a fire in a bin on Cambridge Street at 6.25pm, which had been doused on arrival by a member of the public using a coffee cup.

Fire crews then used a hose to cool the bin down.

They were then alerted to another bin fire on Beech Grove an hour later. 

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The fire was put out using a hose reel.

Another deliberate fire was reported in a wheelie bin on Oxford Street at 8pm.The bin was close to commercial properties and fire crews used a hose reel to put out the blaze.

A spokesman for Harrogate fire station said they believed the fires were deliberately started by the same people and have informed the police.

Harrogate’s Sun Pavilion awarded Grade II listed building status

The Sun Pavilion and Colonnade in Harrogate has been given Grade II listed status as part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has announced six new sites across the country will be given the status.

The Sun Pavilion and Colonnade were constructed in 1933 to designs by Leonard Clarke, the borough surveyor, as part of a £60,000 spa development scheme intended to be one of the finest in Europe.

The classical building with Art Deco details was opened by noted medic Lord Horder of Ashford and the opening ceremony was captured on film by British Pathé. The pavilion was designed as a place to take refreshment and rest after taking exercise or after taking the spa waters in the town centre.

After a period of decline in the 1980s, the site was restored following a campaign led by local citizen Anne Smith and supported by celebrities including author James Herriot.

In 1998, the Sun Pavilion was officially re-opened by Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2018 celebrations were held to mark the 20th anniversary of Her Majesty’s visit.

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The five other sites given listed status include the M62 motorway, the Imperial Hotel in Stroud, Gloucestershire, All Saints’ Church in Shard End, Birmingham, the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, Greater London and the Hampshire Archives in Winchester.

The listings aim to highlight some of the important places from the Queen’s reign and to reflect the important social, technical and cultural changes which have taken place over the past 70 years.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England which advised on the new listed buildings, said:

“These new listings celebrate the diversity and richness of our heritage overseen by Her Majesty during her 70-year reign, showing how the fabric of the nation has changed and developed.

“These sites cover the length and breadth of the country – from All Saints’ Church near Birmingham, which she opened in 1955 when she was newly crowned, to the high-tech Hampshire Public Records Office, completed in 1993.”

Nigel Huddleston, heritage minister, added:

“These historic sites provide a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how much life in the UK has changed during Her Majesty The Queen’s 70-year reign. Listing them as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations is a fitting way to pay tribute to the longevity of her service.”

Bilton has ‘sufficient primary places’ if Woodfield school closes

Education officials have said there should be “sufficient primary places” in Bilton if Woodfield Community Primary School closes, even though most nearby schools are full.

A report to councillors today will recommend they approve beginning a consultation on closing Woodfield by December 31 this year at the earliest.

The report recommends the consultation is shortened from the usual six weeks to four weeks because of “the urgency of the position and the need to provide as much clarity as possible to parents before the summer holidays”.

It says parents and carers of the 37 pupils remaining at Woodfield will be asked to apply for the preferred school that they would like their child to transfer to in the event of closure, adding:

“Once the full picture of all preferences is known, the local authority would liaise with the schools regarding potential allocations, and seek to meet the highest stated preferences wherever possible.”

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Woodfield has a capacity of 150 pupils — 113 more than it currently caters for. Many parents have moved their children amid the ongoing uncertainty.

Nearby schools full

Nearby Bilton Grange Primary School, Grove Road Community Primary School and Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School are all currently operating beyond capacity, the report says, while St Robert’s Catholic Primary School is one pupil below capacity.

Woodfield’s closure would therefore put pressure on nearby schools but the report to councillors at tomorrow’s North Yorkshire County Council children and young people’s service committee says:

“There are no significant housing permissions within the Woodfield school catchment area, although there are several housing developments underway or planned in neighbouring school catchment areas.

“If the closure proposal went ahead, there would be a reduction of 150 primary school places available in the local area.

“Given current forecasts, including the likely demand from new housing, and current patterns of parental preference, there would appear to be sufficient primary places available in the local area, should the closure of Woodfield school be approved, as overall birth rates are falling in Harrogate district, and pupils living in the Woodfield school catchment area already attend a wide variety of primary schools.”

The report says pupil numbers determine school funding and Woodfield is forecast to have a budget deficit of £97,000 this year and a cumulative deficit of £229,000 by 2023/24.

Future of site unclear

A decision on the future of the school site has yet to be made. The report says:

“The county council owns the school site, which also accommodates Bilton and Woodfield Community Library, Harrogate Bilton children and family hub, and Oak Beck House.

“Decisions about the future use of the school premises will be taken after the closure proposal has been determined.”

Woodfield was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2020. It subsequently failed to find an academy sponsor and a proposed merger with Grove Road fell through this year.

Businesses stage sleepout to campaign against homelessness 

Eight local businesses completed a sleepout with CEO Sleepout UK to raise awareness of hidden homelessness in the district. 

The group of business leaders spent the night sleeping outdoors at Harrogate Rugby Club, and have raised almost £15,000 for CEO Sleepout UK, Ripon YMCA, Harrogate District Foodbank and Harrogate RUFC. 

The North Yorkshire based companies that took part were Nicholls Tyreman Estate Agents, Hudgell Solicitors, Ripon YMCA, Pavilions of Harrogate, Jorvik Design Group, Stratstone BMW, Carson Homes and Harrogate Borough Council.   

The participants included CEO of Hudgell Solicitors Rachel Di Clemente, Nicholls Tyreman director James Tyreman, and director of Jorvik Design Group Ady Rhodes.

The business leaders at Harrogate’s sleepout

Chief executive of CEO Sleepout Bianca Robinson said:  

“I was thrilled to see some of North Yorkshire’s biggest-hearted business people turn out for this event. Just because Harrogate is not a place where you might see many rough sleepers, it doesn’t mean homelessness doesn’t exist.  

“Hidden homelessness is increasing across North Yorkshire – families who can no longer afford private rental, young people, and single mothers living in insecure temporary accommodation.” 

She added:  

“It was a tough night and surprisingly cold, but by bringing those with lived experience to share their stories, and hearing about the vital work of charities on the frontline, we unlock understanding, compassion and inspire our business leaders to use their power to create greater social value.” 

CEO Sleepout stages fundraising events across the UK, and has raised £3 million for more than 100 charities.  

Student from Knaresborough achieves unprecedented full marks in hairdressing exam 

A hairdressing student from Knaresborough has achieved full marks in her practical exam.  

Penny Ledgeway, who is 20, completed her level two exam at Intuitions hairdressing college in Harrogate, with a perfect score of 700 marks.   

During the exam, she was asked to do a number of hairdressing treatments, including half a head of highlights, a restyle and cut, and a curly blow dry. 

When asked why she chose to pursue hairdressing, Ms Ledgeway said:  

“I’ve always wanted to do it really, I like to do a bit of everything but I am quite social anyway.

“I wouldn’t be able to just sit at a computer all day.”

Michelle Oliver, director of Intuitions college, said it was “unusual” for someone to get full marks in the exam, adding:

“Both me and her educator are really proud, she’s worked really hard.

“It’s good for us at Intuitions, but also for the employer to have someone with that skillset from the apprenticeship programme”.

After completing her level two exams, Ms Ledgeway is now a fully qualified hairdresser, and currently works at Kelly Teggin Hair & Beauty in Knaresborough.

She is now hoping to move on to a further stage of qualifications, which she said are more advanced and creative.  

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Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night

Harrogate fire station’s overnight capacity looks set to be halved under new proposals.

The station, on Skipton Road, currently operates two fire engines 24 hours a day. But under plans put forward today, it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am when fewer incidents usually occur.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has suggested the move as part of a three-month consultation on proposed changes to fire and rescue services, which she launched today.

Ms Metcalfe wants to get rid of the station’s tactical response vehicle and have two emergency appliances instead. But only one emergency appliance would operate at non-peak hours overnight.

If approved, the move could result in some Harrogate firefighters facing redeployment elsewhere in the county.

Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Ms Metcalfe’s new Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service would deploy its people, equipment and resource, comes against a worrying financial backdrop.

‘Struggling to buy the basics’

Three months ago the Fire Brigades Union warned North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was “struggling to buy the basics” and in need of a £25 million loan.

Ms Metcalfe, who will discuss her proposals at her monthly public accountability meeting tomorrow, said in a statement:

“The role of a fire and rescue service has changed and continues to change, with only 26% of our incidents last year relating to a fire emergency.

“We want to ensure we are addressing our current and future challenges and that we have the capacity to prevent and protect to stop incidents happening in the first place and prevent harm before it can take place, while also having the capacity to respond to emergencies when they do take place. We are confident these proposals would do that.

“Inevitably, there are some areas where the setup of the service would change but I’m confident the right people, right equipment and the right support would continue to be available to everyone.”

fire service cuts

The proposed change in Harrogate.

Ms Metcalfe’s office said in a statement today that there was a higher demand for services during daytime hours than at night, and the proposed change in Harrogate would offer “increased ability to respond during daytime hours, as well as boost resilience more widely”.

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However, it declined to answer questions from the Stray Ferret about how many firefighters faced redeployment, saying Ms Metcalfe would address questions in tomorrow’s meeting.

Ms Metcalfe will hold 12 events in North Yorkshire to discuss the proposals, including one in Harrogate, as well as running an online questionnaire.

Chief fire officer Jon Foster said:

“The risk and resource model would support the transformation of our fire and rescue service and enable a greater focus on prevention that is underlined by our assessment of community risk. It would also facilitate increased investment in our on-call service.”

The Stray Ferret has approached the Fire Brigades Union for comment.

Jennyfields has Harrogate’s noisiest neighbours

The Jennyfields area of Harrogate had the most noisy neighbour complaints across the Harrogate district last year, figures reveal.

Calling the council might be the last resort when a noise is driving you to distraction, but a freedom of information request shows residents in the district made more than 500 complaints during 2021.

Nine of the complaints were in the Saltergate council ward, higher than any other area.

The three most common objections across the district were about neighbours making a racket, barking dogs, and noise from construction sites.

The early months of last year were spent in lockdown and 84 complaints were made about annoying noises from next door such as babies crying, DIY or loud dance music.

Yapping dogs

An explosion in dog ownership since the pandemic has also tested the patience of Harrogate district residents, with 104 complaints made about yapping dogs.

Those complaints were spread evenly across the area, with reports in almost every corner of the district, including Starbeck, Knaresborough and Ripon.

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Construction misery

With new housing developments going up across the district at a ferocious pace, it’s no surprise that noise from building machinery has been getting on people’s nerves.

There were 79 complaints about noise from construction sites, including three in the Granby area.

Last year, the Stray Ferret reported how a piledriver at a housing development on Granby Farm was ruining people’s day.

Other complaints included a summer fireworks display in Grantley and a bird scarer in Langthorpe.

Harrogate Borough Council has powers to take action against nuisance noise but a spokesperson recommends a more informal approach before the authority gets involved.

He said:

“We encourage people to try to resolve the matter in an appropriate informal manner before we get involved, as experience shows that, if done well, it will often lead to better and more permanent solutions.

“If this does not work, the environmental protection team can investigate your complaint.”

Harrogate youngster watches Leeds drama from bench…before sitting GCSEs today

Sixteen-year-old St John Fisher Catholic High School student and talented footballer Archie Gray enjoyed jubilant scenes in the Leeds United dressing room yesterday after the club secured their Premier League status.

But the celebrations didn’t last long as he had to be at school for 9am this morning to sit a geography GCSE.

Archie was an unused substitute in Leeds United‘s dramatic win over Brentford yesterday.

He’s in year 11 at the Harrogate secondary school and is still two years from legally being able to have a celebratory alcoholic drink with teammates.

Less than 24 hours after celebrating survival in Brentford with star internationals like Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips he was back in Harrogate to sit in a silent exam hall for his GCSEs.

St John Fisher deputy head Matthew Flanagan said Archie’s quick progress in his football career has been a “fantastic achievement”.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“From the school’s perspective, what impresses us about Archie is not just his sporting aptitude. He is polite, engaging and has a real humility about him.”

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The midfielder is yet to make his debut for the first team but scored a wonder goal for the under-23 team against rivals Manchester United earlier in the season.

In April he also captained England under-16s at a tournament in France.

Mr Flanagan called him a “wonderful ambassador” for St John Fisher.

“There is no sense of arrogance, he is popular with his peers. He’s a nice young man who deserves all the accolades and success that will come his way.”

Archie is highly rated by the club and was just 15 when former manager Marcelo Bielsa put him on the bench for a Premier League game.

He’s the great-nephew of Leeds legend, and Kirkby Overblow resident, Eddie Gray.

Spofforth puts up 130 hand-made plaques to mark Queen’s jubilee

A chance encounter in a charity shop has led to more than 100 commemorative plaques being put up in Spofforth.

June Geddes, vice chairman of Spofforth with Stockeld Parish Council, was drafted onto the village committee to plan celebrations to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

As well as the events during the bank holiday weekend, she was hoping to put decorations around the village to mark the occasion. She said:

“Our high street is quite difficult: because of the three roads into Spofforth, it’s hard to put bunting up.

“Last November I thought, ‘what about plaques?’ There were none online, and when I went to see a local carpenter, he said it was impossible.”

Ms Geddes thought she would have to abandon the idea and focus on the celebrations instead.

However, while she was working in a charity shop in Wetherby, she got chatting to a customer, Terry Wilcox, and discovered he was a hobbyist carpenter with a workshop in his shed at home near Rotherham. After seeing some of his creations, she asked whether he might be able to create a plaque.

Terry Wilcox's Queen's Platinum Jubilee plaque for Spofforth

Terry Wilcox’s Queen’s platinum jubilee plaque.

Within a week, he had sent a prototype. Ms Geddes promptly placed an order.

“We started with 70, because I thought that’s fairly optimistic and fits in with the platinum theme and so on.”

Subsidised by the parish council, the plaques were sold for £10 each, to be put on lampposts around the village until after the jubilee, when the owners will be allowed to keep them as a souvenir.

Once they began appearing around the village, demand soared, and Ms Geddes went back to Mr Wilcox to ask for another 20.

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They soon sold out too, so a final order was placed, bringing the total number of plaques made by Mr Wilcox in his workshop to 130. Ms Geddes added:

“I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s completely individual, you won’t see them anywhere else.”

Spofforth has four days of jubilee events planned. To find out more about them, and others taking place across the Harrogate district, visit our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee What’s On Guide.