Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones MP named as Tory ‘rebel’

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has been named in a Daily Mail article today about Conservative MPs plotting to oust Boris Johnson.

Mr Jones has told constituents asking about partygate that his “anger is not going to lessen”.

His also said:

“I understand the anger people feel. I feel it too. Most of all I feel intensely depressed that senior people in our political system have pretended, or somehow genuinely believed, that tables groaning with bottles of wine, as we have now seen pictured, were in some way allowed work practices.”

But Mr Jones has not called for the Prime Minister to resign and has not revealed whether he has submitted a letter calling for a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the backbench 1922 committee. Fifty-four Tory MPs must do so to trigger a leadership contest.

Mr Jones has declined to respond to questions about the matter from the Stray Ferret.

Nevertheless the Daily Mail includes him in a list of 41 Conservative MPs in an article about Tory ‘plotters’.

Read more:

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy is also named, along with former Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom and former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis.

The article claims the ‘rebels’ could get enough support for a confidence vote next week.

It quotes Home Secretary Priti Patel urging them to “concentrate on doing our jobs” rather than creating a “distraction”.

She adds:

“Writing letters is a sideshow, quite frankly, rather than focusing on the real challenges that we have to find solutions to.’

“Our job is to deliver on the people’s priorities. They won’t thank the Conservative Party for talking about itself at a time when people have anxieties, concerns, apprehensions. Our job is deliver for them.’

 

 

Carnival coming to Harrogate as part of summer programme

Harrogate is to hold a carnival for the first time in three years as part of a summer programme of cultural activities announced today.

Harrogate International Festivals will stage nine nights of events. starting on July 28 with the Brodsky Quartet at St Wilfrid’s Church.

Other highlights include the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, featuring authors such as Lynda La Plante, Michael Connelly and Ann Cleeves and the return of the Spiegeltent, including festivals favourite Graeme Park and a burlesque performance.

Mark Billingham (left) and Richard Osman (right) at the crime writing festival last year

Musicians and dancers will parade through the town centre on July 30 as part of a Rio de Janeiro-themed carnival.

The free family event, which has been commissioned by Harrogate Borough Council., will start with a parade through the town centre, featuring dancers and musicians.

It will finish in Valley Gardens where there will be street food stands, dance classes, jugglers, and live music.

This year’s programme also includes Oddsocks Productions’ performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet  at RHS Harlow Gardens, numerous classical and chamber music events and Berwins Salon North hosting a variety of TED talks discussing the power of influence.  

Read more: 

Harrogate International Festivals chief executive, Sharon Canavar said:  

“Our final event of our 2022 summer programme is a real show-stopper.

“Carnival is an all-day, free family event which will bring the world to Harrogate as we celebrate a wealth of different cultures through dance, music and food.”

Since the pandemic, Harrogate International Festivals has held most events online.  

Ms Canavar said:  

“Two years ago, covid shut the events industry down overnight — and our very future was left hanging by a thread.”

The full programme is available here.

Police and army officers amongst Harrogate district residents honoured by Queen

A Boroughbridge police officer and an army officer based at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate are amongst the local residents recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

In this jubilee year, the Queen has recognised the service of four Harrogate district residents.

Knighthood

Martyn Oliver, chief executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, has been knighted for services to education.

The trust sponsors 40 schools in northern England, including Outwood Primary Academy Greystone and Outwood Academy in Ripon.

MBE

Barry Appleton, at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, has been made an MBE for his military service.

The warrant officer’s role at the college is to take care of the welfare of the 300 military staff and their families.

The college provides basic training to 1,300 under 18s. The honours list describes how he uses his imagination to “engage with and support his community, providing constant oversight and support in excess of what seemed possible”.

He has worked at the college for more than a decade and in that time looked after hundreds of military and civilian families.

Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ellen Hughes, from Harrogate, has been made an MBE for services to sport during covid.

Ms Hughes is currently director of special projects at Sport England after starting her career in grassroots sport as a project manager at North Yorkshire County Sports Partnership.

She has been responsible for delivering the government’s £600million sports survival package to support spectator sports during covid when fans weren’t allowed in venues.

She has given funding to more than 1,200 organisations through this scheme and was also responsible for giving £32.7million worth of covid funding to rugby league teams.

Colin William Rodham, from Knaresborough, has been made an MBE for services to flood risk management in the Yorkshire region.

Mr Rodham currently works as a senior officer in the Environment Agency.

Read more:

BEM

Sharron Moverley-Homes, from Boroughbridge, has been made an BEM for services to policing.

Ms Moverley-Holmes is a special chief officer in the North Yorkshire Police Special Constabulary. Since joining the police in 1984 she has remained in the North Yorkshire force calling it “the family I could never leave”.

Over the three decades, she said she has worked in a number of departments but being out in the community remains the most rewarding part:

“The bread and butter of policing is being visible and speaking to members of the public. That could be walking the streets or it could be when they need us the most and are at the worst point in their lives.”

Ms Moverley-Holmes manages the special constabulary which is a collection of part-time volunteer officers. She said working with those willing to give up their free time is “truly rewarding” and dedicated her award to their hard work.

She said another passion of her’s is to ensure the force is as open and inclusive as it can be, she said to serve the community we must represent it, adding:

“Policing was very different when I started and so was the world. I hope my legacy is that we are open to everyone and inclusive.”

Talking about receiving the award, she said:

“I was shocked, surprised, I had to hide it away for a few hours and go back and check I hadn’t read it wrong. It’s a huge privilege to be recognised for a job I love.”

This weekend, on June 5, a group of special constables and Ms Moverely-Holmes will be walking 30 miles from York to Tadcaster to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Special Constable Glenn Goodman who was fatally shot whilst on patrol in Tadcaster.

Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service

Lisa Winward, the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, has been awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

Ms Winward joined Humberside Police as a regular officer in 1994, before transferring to North Yorkshire in 2008, and took the position of Chief Constable in April 2018.

She is a national ambassador for volunteering, taking the National Police Chief Council lead for Citizens in Policing for a number of years and is national lead for women’s health and the intelligence portfolio.

Ms Winward, said:

“I simply wouldn’t be where I am today without all of the people who have helped me, taught me, inspired and motivated me and worked alongside me in the wonderful team that is policing. It is a privilege to be a public servant and a police officer.”

 

 

Harrogate rail campaigner ‘optimistic’ early morning train could be reinstated

Rail campaigner Brian Dunsby has said he is “optimistic” that the 6.07am Harrogate train to Leeds could be reinstated sooner than expected.

Mr Dunsby, of the Harrogate Line Supporters Group, met officials from rail operator Northern last week.

The cuts, which came into force on May 15 and have also affected services across Yorkshire, led to widespread disappointment from commuters.

The early service from Harrogate was popular with business travellers as a way to get not only to Leeds but also to London King’s Cross before 9am.

However, Northern has maintained the cuts are necessary.

Read more:

Mr Dunsby and the group’s chairman, Andrew Whitworth, met with senior Northern officials Tony Baxter and Pete Myers to discuss the changes to the timetable.

Following the meeting, Mr Dunsby said:

“I am optimistic that the 6.07am early morning service from Harrogate to Leeds will be reinstated as soon as the threatened industrial action has been settled.

“Failing that happening in quarter three then I am confident that December 2022 will see the reinstatement of the original December 2021 timetable if all else is going to plan.”

Members of the RMT union, which includes Northern employees, voted to strike over pay last week with industrial action expected to take place this month.

Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern, said previously:

“The new timetables are designed to deliver high levels of reliability.

“We’ve made decisions about our timetables based on the levels of resource we have available.

“We’ve then prioritised the routes with the highest customer demand, and which support the region’s economic growth.”

28 Harrogate district street parties planned as jubilee nears

This article is sponsored by Boundless Networks

Jubilee excitement is increasing across the district ahead of the start of four days of celebration tomorrow,

This weekend will see street parties galore as neighbours and friends come together to commemorate the Queen’s 70-year reign.

Keep us updated on what you’re doing via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

4.40pm: 28 street parties in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire County Council has issued orders preventing traffic from entering 28 streets in the Harrogate district over the jubilee weekend.

Most orders are for Sunday, which is the main day for street parties, but there are some for Friday and Saturday.

Remember, many of these events are for residents living on the streets to enjoy so if you don’t live on the street check with the organisers before you attend.

3.56pm: Motorway works in Yorkshire paused for jubilee

Good news if you’re planning to head out on the motorways, including the A1(M) in the Harrogate district, over the next four days.

National Highways, the government-owned company that maintains the motorways, has halted most roadworks.

We’re lifting almost 1000 miles of roadworks ahead of the #Jubilee bank holiday weekend, meaning that 98% of our network will be roadwork free.
Information on the planned closures that are still going ahead can be found here:https://t.co/ytYaVU0s8b#WeAreWorkingForYou pic.twitter.com/UR06U0JHOP

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) June 1, 2022

1.30pm: Jubilee celebrations begin in Bilton

Jubilee Woodfield

A jubilee celebration took place this morning at the weekly coffee morning Thirst, held at Dene Park Community Centre in Woodfield and organised by St John’s Church in Bilton.

12.09pm: Weather forecast good – except for Sunday

There won’t be too much sunbathing but at least it will be mainly dry, although the forecast for Sunday doesn’t look great for the street parties.

10.15am: Preparations in place in Ripon

Preparations are also in place in Ripon ahead of the platinum jubilee celebrations tomorrow.

A road closure will be in place around Market Square in readiness for the stage where 24 acts will be performing.

Meanwhile, red, white and blue flags are flying in Kirkgate and across the city centre.

Ripon Cathedral is decked out in finery for tomorrow’s civic service. It will also host jubilee tea party on Friday afternoon with people born in every year of the Queen’s reign in attendance.

Dean John Dobson told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s going to be very busy few days, but everybody is looking forward to this special celebration.”

10am – Fresh bunting on West Park Stray

Fresh bunting has been put up this morning on West Park Stray as excitement builds up for the jubilee.

Preparations for Jubilee Square on the Stray are expected to continue throughout today.

9am: Harrogate Borough Council issues street party bins plea

Waste and recycling collections are happening as usual over the four-day weekend, prompting Harrogate Borough Council to say:

“If you’ve put bunting up in your village or across your street please ensure it is high enough for our vehicles – and emergency vehicles – to get past.”

We're operating a business-as-usual waste and recycling collection service this week.

If you're unsure you can check your collection day on the In My Area section of our website at: https://t.co/dkWa0QqOBn pic.twitter.com/yLvllUHmSY

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) May 30, 2022

Kirkby Overblow crafts its own jubilee beacon

People in Kirkby Overblow have come together to make a jubilee beacon.

The beacon has been designed, made and engineered by locals ahead of it being lit on Thursday night.

The groundwork and engineering plans were done by the Moortown group, ran by the McManus family from Kearby. The Oak Pole was made by Yorkshire Oak Frames.

The  horse shoe basket was made from old horseshoes from the Great Yorkshire Shoe by farrier Adam Fox, from Netherby, as a nod to the Queen’s love of horses.

The final step to get it in place was the job of local farmer Rob Parkes.

The village will also host a BBQ on Thursday ahead of the beacon being lit. Organisers say the beacon will be able to be seen as far away as Almscliffe Crag and the White Horse near Thirsk.

Windsor House rebrands as The House of Windsor

The Windsor House in Harrogate has rebranded itself to The House of Windsor ahead of the jubilee.

The period office building, near Valley Gardens, has also been decorated. Passers-by will now see the Queen, in cardboard form, stood alongside the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Karen Winspear, property manager at Windsor House said:

“We wanted to create something to celebrate the jubilee that the businesses in our building could enjoy, as well as those who will be visiting the number of events planned at Valley Gardens. With a name like ours, we couldn’t resist a royal makeover to mark such a fantastic occasion!”

Queen Mary’s jubilee hat parade

Students at Queen Mary’s School at Topcliffe wore straw hats when they took part in a jubilee hat parade.

Judged by hat maker Jonny Beardsall, the parade also included a performance of the platinum jubilee song.

There was also a picnic and a summer fete.

Read more:

Belmont Grosvenor School hosts jubilee garden party

Pupils, parents and staff at Belmont Grosvenor School held a platinum jubilee garden party.
The children enjoyed corgi-themed crazy golf, pony rides, bouncy castles, face painting and hook-a-duck. There was entertainment from a local brass band and there were Best in Show competitions for the children and parents to enter, including a Junk Model Castle competition, Design a Royal Crown, and bake a royal Showstopper.
Acting headteacher Emma Shea said:
“Our BGS Jubilee Garden Party was an afternoon to remember with all our school community, from the youngest in nursery, to our oldest pupils in Year 6, joining in and enjoying all the fun of the fair.
“There was some wonderful baking, and some most impressive artistic creations – thanks to our PTA for staging such a fabulous event.”
Harrogate district’s leisure and housing companies ‘will transfer’ to North Yorkshire Council

Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed its leisure and housing companies will be transferred to the new North Yorkshire Council, but questions remain over what will happen thereafter.

Brimhams Active and Bracewell Homes were launched in the last three years with the backing of just under £11 million from taxpayers.

The borough council said in a statement this week that “there are no plans to change how they’re currently run, albeit they will transfer” when the authority is abolished next April.

This comes as council officers from across North Yorkshire are working together on county-wide plans for how all services will work when they come under the control of the new North Yorkshire Council.

Currently, housing and leisure services across the seven districts are run in different ways through arm’s-length companies, management firms, charity trusts and by the local councils themselves.

Councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said the correct decision-making process would be followed for the future of services and that he would not be drawn on whether it would be better to scrap the current set-ups.

He said:

“Leisure and housing are two of our work streams going forward for the next 10 months and it would be wrong to try and prejudge what recommendations are going to be made for the new council to adopt.

“These are two important issues and we recognise that Harrogate has companies doing these pieces of work.

“But this has to be fed into our ongoing work which will then give recommendations to the executive and wider council.”

Brimhams Active launched last August when it took over control of leisure centres and swimming pools in Harrogate, Starbeck, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

‘New vision’

Harrogate Borough Council hailed the move as a “new vision for the future” of services and said it would save around £400,000 a year through business rates relief and VAT benefits.

Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the council’s opposition Liberal Democrat group and Brimhams Active board member, said the company has so far been a success despite challenges with covid closures and staffing shortages:

“Several local authorities have stopped even providing leisure services, it is not a compulsory service.

“Setting up Brimhams Active has meant the council continues to offer and develop the service for the benefit of our residents.”

However, Cllr Marsh was less praiseworthy of Bracewell Homes which launched in 2019 with the aims of turning the council a profit and delivering much-needed affordable homes.

She said:

“I had hoped that Bracewell Homes would deliver social housing, but that has not happened. It was never the kind of housing company that I was arguing for.”

Read more:

Confirming both companies will be transferred to the new council, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We are working collectively with the county council and neighbouring district councils to ensure a smooth transition to the new authority on 1 April.

“Part of this work involves looking at local authority controlled companies such as Brimhams Active and Bracewell Homes.

“Decisions on what they might look like in the future will be made by North Yorkshire Council.”

Woman dies following car crash in Harrogate district

A 92-year-old woman has died after being involved in a serious car crash in the Harrogate district at the weekend.

The crash happened just after 8pm on Saturday at the crossroads of Spring Road, Moor Lane and Wharf Lane in Netherby, which is near Harewood, on the fringes of the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire Police said after the incident that the woman had sustained serious injuries and today confirmed she had died in hospital. It said:

“Sadly the 92-year-old woman who was a passenger has passed away in hospital. Her family have been informed, our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

“We are continuing to appeal for information following this collision.”

Read more:

The collision involved a navy-coloured Jeep Cherokee and a Blue Volkswagen T-Cross.

The Jeep Cherokee was travelling down Moor Lane towards Spring Road and the Volkswagen was heading east to west on Spring Road.

Police are asking for anyone who witnessed the accident, saw the vehicles prior to the incident or have dash cam footage that may be relevant to contact them.

You can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for 917 Jon Moss, of the major collision investigation team. Or email Jon.Moss@northyorkshire.police.uk.

The crime reference number is 12220091836.

How stressful is it managing Harrogate Town?

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver has had many nerve-wracking moments during his 13 years on the touchline at Wetherby Road.

But he was recently fitted with a monitor to see how a 90-minute match affects his heart, in an experiment captured by Sky Sports.

Weaver was fitted with a heart monitor at The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate before the club’s final game of the season against Sutton United on May 7.

The game promised to be an emotional one as it was the last game for veteran midfielder Lloyd Kerry before he retired.

One moment in particular, where Jack Diamond rounded the keeper only to see his shot hit the post, saw the exasperated gaffer put his head in his hands.

Read more:

The cardiologist Professor Chris Gale showed Weaver the results of the heart monitor after the game, which thankfully showed his ticker was healthy and in good condition.

There were a few peaks, such as when Diamond hit the post and the manager’s heart rate rose to 115bpm.

Weaver told Sky Sports after the game:

“Now I know my heart’s in good nick, it comes as a relief. It’s interesting how excited you can get during a game. It can really raise that heartbeat so I have to stay fit to do this job.

“I try and transmit a bit of calm to the lads, we have our moments where we get a bit too excitable. It doesn’t do the players any favours if I’m off the Richter scale!”

Click here to watch the full video.

Decision on Harrogate town council could take two years

A decision on whether to create a Harrogate town council is unlikely to be made until at least 2024, a meeting heard last night.

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, outlined the lengthy legal process to members of Harrogate Civic Society.

Mr Sampson said North Yorkshire Council, which comes into existence on April 1 next year, would have to undertake a community governance review before any changes to Harrogate’s governance can take place.

This would involve two stages of consultation, likely to take place next year, followed by a final recommendation on whether to approve a town council.

If approved, a legal order would be made, followed by other processes before implementation.

Harrogate civic society meeting

Last night’s meeting.

Speaking at last night’s packed meeting, at which he and Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, discussed local government reorganisation and devolution, Mr Sampson said:

“It’s really difficult to say how long that process will take but our best guess is 15 months to two years. If it happened by 2024 that would be a good timeframe.”

Mr Sampson also said elections for a mayor for the combined North Yorkshire and York regions would “probably” take place in 2024.

Read more:

Last night’s meeting discussed the implications of the momentous changes brought about by North Yorkshire devolution and local government reorganisation.

Harrogate Borough Council and six other district councils, along with North Yorkshire County Council, will be abolished next year when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into being on April 1.

8,000 council staff

Eight thousand staff will be brought together into what will be one of the largest councils in the UK, in a move estimated to save about £30m a year.

The loss of Harrogate Borough Council has led to concerns that Harrogate may lack a political voice after the changes, with most key decisions set to be made by North Yorkshire Council in Northallerton.

Last month Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader for Harrogate and Knaresborough, called for the process to create a Harrogate town council to begin “as soon as possible, within the next couple of months” but this seems unlikely to happen.

Philip Broadbank, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harrogate Starbeck on North Yorkshire County Council, attended last night’s meeting and said afterwards the party would continue to push for the process “to be done as quickly as possible” but he accepted it would take time.

Cllr Swift told the meeting that Harrogate Borough Council’s civic centre at Knapping Mount “won’t be a white elephant” after the authority is abolished and would continue to be used by staff employed by North Yorkshire Council. He said:

“It’s going to continue to save you £1m a year forever.”

Ofsted returns to St Aidan’s for ‘very positive’ monitoring visit

Ofsted inspectors were back at St. Aidan’s Church of England High School for their first monitoring visit last week, following the school’s ‘inadequate’ report this year.

The report was published in January and was highly critical of the school’s leadership and management. It said pupils are “at risk of harm” due to its safeguarding measures.

The school was rated ‘good’ in four of the five areas assessed during September’s two-day visit. These were: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and sixth form provision.

But its ‘inadequate’ grading for leadership and management meant it automatically achieved the same overall outcome.

Read more:

Schools that receive an ‘inadequate’ rating are subject to regular monitoring visits by inspectors to check on progress.

A full inspection will take place within 30 months of the last report.

A St Aidan’s spokesperson said the school will provide more information about the visit before the end of term, but it was a “very positive experience” overall.

They said:

“As a result of our most recently published Ofsted inspection report, St Aidan’s is subject to monitoring visits to assess progress against our statement of action.

“We were pleased to welcome Ofsted back for the first of their monitoring visits recently. While this was a very positive experience we are unable, as is standard practice, to share any further details at this stage. We are hopeful that we will be able to provide more information before the end of term.

“We would also like to pass on our thanks and gratitude to our staff, children and young people, parents and carers, and all stakeholders, for their on-going support in making St Aidan’s the very special place that it is.”