Key dates revealed for elections to new North Yorkshire Council

Candidates could be able to put themselves forward as soon as next week for May’s elections to the new North Yorkshire Council.

The election will be one of the most crucial in the county’s history because it will spell out the end of North Yorkshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils in Harrogate, Selby, Scarborough, Craven, Hambleton, Ryedale and Richmondshire.

They will be replaced by the new unitary authority from April 2023.

Nominations are likely to open on Friday next week for candidates hoping to become one of the 90 councillors who will lead a new era of local government.

That date is subject to new legislation, which is currently passing through Parliament and once approved will fire the starting gun for voting to take place on 5 May.

Speaking at a public briefing last night, Ben Nattrass, elections manager at Harrogate Borough Council, said parliamentary approval of the legislation was expected next week as he also set out some of the next steps.

He said:

“We are waiting for the Structural Changes Order to pass through Parliament and we expect that to be done next week, which would allow us to open nominations on March 18.

“Each candidate who wishes to stand in the elections must submit a set of nomination forms and these must be submitted no later than 4pm on 5 April.”

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Once approved, the Structural Changes Order will be followed by an official notice of election, which is likely to be published on March 17.

Voting on May 5

Candidate nominations will then open the following day before closing on April 5.

After voting takes place on May 5, polling cards will then be counted and the results announced the following day.

The newly elected councillors will represent 89 new divisions on North Yorkshire County Council for one year before serving a four-year term on the new council.

They will play a key role in shaping how public services will work in the future, with all areas from bin collections to road maintenance being transferred across to the new council in what will be a mammoth task.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, previously said:

“The councillors elected on 5 May will make decisions on services that affect individuals, families and communities, so we want to make sure that anyone who wants to consider stepping forward as a candidate has all the information they need.

“These elections are important for everyone in the county, so if you are eligible to vote, please make sure that you are registered, then you can be sure that your vote will count.”

The deadline for people to register to vote is April 14.

To find out more on how to become a candidate, tap or click here.

Harrogate man jailed for historic sexual abuse of young girl

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing.

A child abuser has been jailed for nine years for the horrific sexual abuse of a young girl in the 1990s.

Kevin Chandler, 61, from Harrogate, preyed on the youngster after grooming her to satisfy his sexual desires, York Crown Court heard.

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, didn’t go to police for 20 years after the abuse stopped and was so psychologically scarred she needed counselling.

Chandler, who was in his 30s when he abused the child, was charged with six counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency with a child but denied all allegations. 

However, a jury found him guilty on all eight counts following a week-long trial in January. He appeared for sentence today.

Prosecutor Katherine Robinson said the abuse lasted almost six years, when the girl was very young.

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She said the victim, now an adult, would have made a complaint much earlier but she was “scared” of Chandler.

Groomed to think it was normal

He began the abuse by kissing and sexually touching her and then making her do the same to him. He went on to perform more serious sexual acts upon her and made her perform lewd acts on him.

Following the second assault on the youngster, she was so distraught she put a rope around her neck, said Ms Robinson.

In a separate incident, the victim was left “frightened, distressed and crying” after Chandler “kissed her like an adult” and forced her to touch him on an intimate part of his body.

Ms Robinson said the victim felt she was to blame and that, even at her tender age, she was made to feel “like it was an affair” or a “special relationship”.

She was described as “very vulnerable” and a “very troubled little girl” at the time due to an already-traumatic childhood. 

She had been “groomed” by Chandler to “sexualise” her and to make her “feel this was normal”. 

She was left “utterly distraught”, added Ms Robinson.

The victim, who told her husband years later but still didn’t feel able to go to the police, felt an inexplicable guilt and suffered panic attacks. 

Ms Robinson said the victim finally reported matters after “she managed to shake her fears, her shame…after all these years”.

Chandler, who is married with children, claimed the victim had “made up” the allegations.

“I have been robbed of years of peace and joy”

The victim appeared in court via video link to see her tormentor receive his comeuppance for years of abuse which had torn her life apart.

In a tearful and profoundly moving statement which she read out herself, she said the abuse had caused her “great stress, confusion and fear as I was psychologically abused by (Chandler)”.

She added:

“It has been 27 years now since (Chandler) started to sexually and psychologically abuse me.

“How do I find the words to describe 27 years of pain and fear and horror?”

The victim said she had received counselling and expected to continue receiving treatment “for years to come”.

She said the whole process of taking the case to court had been “excruciating for me” as it brought back all her “darkest memories and darkest thoughts”.

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The victim said that before Chandler started abusing her, she had been a “sweet and innocent” girl who was “full of potential for love and joy”.

She added:

“I was a kind and thoughtful girl, but he made me disgusting and horrible.

“What he did to me made me dirty and horrible and alone and unlovable. I’ve spent the rest of my life trying to undo that.”

The victim added: 

“When I see photos of myself from the time he was abusing me…I feel overwhelmed for the grief of what I should have been. 

“I should have been carefree and trusting and innocent. Instead, I was (pitched) into a dark and lonely and shameful place for years.”

The victim said she was left feeling “fundamentally worthless”.

She added:

“I have been robbed of years and years of peace and joy.”

Chandler “targeted and groomed” young girl

Nicholas Worsley, mitigating, said Chandler had led an otherwise blameless working life. He was a good husband and had been involved in voluntary work.

Judge Simon Hickey said it was “as clear as winter ice” that Chandler had targeted and groomed the young girl.

He added:

“In my judgement, you are a classic child abuser.”

Jailing Chandler for nine years, Mr Hickey told him he would have to serve two-thirds of that sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.

In addition, the judge made a lifetime sexual-harm prevention order prohibiting Chandler from having any advertent contact with girls under 16 years of age without the express approval of their parents, guardians or police. 

Chandler, of Lupton Close, Glasshouses, was also placed on the sex-offenders’ register for life.

Harrogate couple spend 3 days in vain calling Jet2 to rearrange £824 holiday

A Harrogate couple have spoken of their frustration at spending three days in vain trying to call Jet2 to cancel their holiday.

David and Celia Bishop, both 75, were due to fly to Faro in Portugal on Monday. But after realising their passports were about to expire, they tried to rearrange their flights.

The couple said they have been on the phone attempting to get through to Jet2 for about six hours since Monday. They have tried numerous different numbers but have yet to get through.

Mr Bishop admitted his “stupid error” had initially caused the issue but with a week to go and an appointment booked to get new passports next week, he hoped to be able to rearrange the flights.

The couple paid £824 for the week-long package holiday, which included flights and hotel. It would be their first holiday in two years.

Mr Bishop said:

“It was my own stupidity. After two years of lockdown I just forgot to check them until Monday.

“I’ve tried at different times but I also rang bang on 8am Tuesday and Wednesday, when the lines opened, but there was no answer for over an hour. Surely if I ring at the time they open there can’t be an hour’s worth of people ahead of me? I think the system may have crashed.”

Mr Bishop and his wife even drove to Leeds Bradford Airport on Tuesday to speak to a member of Jet2 staff. But they said when they arrived the woman on the desk told them they would have to ring the same number they had been calling.

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Mr Bishop said the terms and conditions of the deal mean it is possible to change the flight up to the day of departure if an administration fee is paid. There may also be costs for the new tickets.

Automated response

They say they are willing to pay these fees but with no word from Jet2 they are worried they could lose out on the £824 completely. Mr Bishop added:

“For such a huge tour operator to abandon their customers and provide no customer service just struck me as wrong.”

Ms Bishop also tried an email address but received an automated response warning of a 14-day wait. She said:

“We were both really looking forward to this holiday. We understand it was our fault initially but to not answer the phone at all is not on. Hopefully we can rearrange it when our new passports get here next week but I’m not holding out hope.”

Mr and Ms Bishop both said they will continue to call and wait to hear from the tour operator.

Since publication, a spokesperson for Jet2 has responded to say:

“We are pleased to confirm that we have since been in touch with Mr Bishop and the matter is now resolved.”

£500k in carbon reduction cash to be spent on Hydro instead of Convention Centre

More than half a million pounds in carbon reduction cash is to be spent on Harrogate Hydro instead of Harrogate Convention Centre.

The £583,000 was awarded to Harrogate Borough Council for upgraded lighting and air handling units at the convention centre, but the council has now said it won’t be able to complete the works before a funding deadline in June.

The money from the government’s decarbonisation scheme will instead be used for air source heat pumps and solar panels at the Hydro swimming pool.

A council spokesperson said:

“The money has been transferred as owing to market conditions, we cannot deliver the convention centre project within the grant timescales.”

The funding switch comes as the council is pushing ahead with plans for a major redevelopment of the convention centre, with upgrades at the venue’s studio two being made a priority.

These studio two works could start in October after a warning that the venue could miss out on up to £14.9million through cancelled events.

Overall, the full redevelopment plans could cost up to £47million if approved by councillors. The proposals include three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 square metre hall and a refurbished auditorium.

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Under separate plans, 1,077 solar panels will be installed at the convention centre in a move which the council said will save 24 tonnes of Co2 each year.

A further 420 solar panels will also be installed at the Hydro swimming pool. The council said these could reduce the venue’s annual Co2 emissions by 577 tonnes.

The Hydro is also in line for a major redevelopment which will cost £11.8million and get underway next month. These plans include a two-storey extension of the building, as well as a new entrance, cafe and reception area.

There will also be a new diving board structure, fitness suite and refurbished changing areas which could all be completed by April 2023.

New environmentally friendly business to open in Ripon

New business opens in Ripon

The Green House, Ripon

A new environmentally and ecologically-focused business will open in Ripon next week 

The Green House, at 11 North Street, is being opened on Tuesday by Patricio Maglio, one of Ripon’s hornlblowers, and his partner Rebecca Crallan.

With a planet-friendly ethos, the store will sell home and garden supplies designed to have minimal impact on the environment. 

Patricio Maglio

Patricio Maglio

Ms Crallan said:  

“Our aim is to make it easier for people in the city and surrounding villages to make greener choices without compromising on aesthetics or function,

“We have done our research on refillables that do the job, along with plastic-free sponges that don’t disintegrate and compostable cloths that have a luxury feel.”

Harrogate start-up launches sustainable skincare range

Anna Daniels

Anna Daniels

Harrogate firm Josie Rose has launched a luxury overnight face mask.

Anna Daniels founded skincare brand Josie Rose in 2019 and has now entered the emerging ‘skin minimalism’ market with its first product: a hydrating retinol overnight face mask.

The new product has already appealed to local retailers, such as Hoopers in Harrogate, and sells direct to the consumer via its website.

Anna Daniels, managing director and founder said:

“Multifunctional products such as our overnight face mask deliver great results due to the concentrated formulas, this enables a simpler skincare and beauty routine, saving customers time and money and of course meaning less products, which is a more sustainable option.

Harrogate firm wins major NHS contract

A Harrogate-based company has won an NHS contract to scale up remote patient monitoring across Scotland.

Under the three-year contract, Inhealthcare will provide technology to enable people to record relevant information in the comfort of their own homes and relay readings to NHS teams for analysis.

inhealthcare CEO Bryn Sage

The technology is being rolled out across Scotland’s health boards. The service can be used to manage illnesses including hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, depression, malnutrition, cancer and Covid.

Georgia Nelson, senior business development manager at Inhealthcare, said:

“Winning this contract represents another major validation of technology-enabled care and provides the foundations for many more citizens to benefit from improved health and wellbeing at home and better quality of life.”

Send your business news to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

New Harrogate bar for craft beer lovers could be coming soon

The owners of Husk Beer Emporium in Harrogate hope to open a bar this summer that showcases the best craft beers from the UK and abroad.

Danny Duckworth and Tom Gill, both 33, opened the shop on King’s Road just before the first covid lockdown. It sells a wide array of craft beers with idiosyncratic branding and flavours.

They said the next step is opening their own bar and they recently submitted plans to Harrogate Borough Council to do this.

The bar would be in a unit that was previously home to Greek restaurant Souvlaki on Station Square, opposite the Queen Victoria monument.

If all goes to plan, they said the venture could open by May. It will offer live music, meet the brewery nights, food, outdoor seating and an ‘Aladdin’s cave’ of unique beers.

The bar would open in this empty unit on Station Square

‘Weird and wonderful’ beers

The friends met as students at St Aidan’s Church of England High School and are excited by the prospect of moving into a more prominent location in the town.

Mr Duckworth believes craft beer can offer a more immersive experience for drinkers than traditional real ale, due to its taste combinations and flavours.

He said variety was the key to what they offer.

“We pride ourselves on weird and wonderful beers”

As well as selling more traditionally brewed craft beers, Husk also has a well-stocked range of alcohol-free and gluten-free options.

Mr Duckworth said:

“People come here on a Friday and buy eight bottles of beer and they will all taste different.”

Inside Husk Beer Emporium

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Craft beer trail

Craft beer muscled its way onto the drinking scene several years ago and the trend has proved that it has staying power.

Harrogate was once not known for alternative, DIY-style bars, but Mr Duckworth said Major Tom’s Social opened the door for places like the Disappearing Chin, North Bar and themselves.

Mr Gill said he hopes Husk bar can be part of a Harrogate craft beer trail, boosted by the Station Gateway scheme that would see the outside area at the end of James Street pedestrianised to allow for al-fresco summer drinking.

He said:

“More and more people are seeking places like this out.”

Mr Duckworth added:

“The craft beer scene in Harrogate is buzzing for us to open, we hope they can support us.”

Harrogate’s new vegan restaurant venture collapses

A vegan restaurant chain that planned to open a location in Harrogate has ceased trading.

Vertigo took over the space on Station Parade next to Farmhouse in July 2021 and advertised in its window that it was ‘coming soon’.

Since then there has been no sign of movement. The building has remained vacant with only Vertigo branding visible to passers-by.

When the Stray Ferret sought an update in January, we were told the company couldn’t confirm a date for the Harrogate opening due to covid uncertainty.

However, Vertigo has now posted on social media that it has now gone out of business. It said:

“It is with a heavy heart we have to announce Vertigo is no more.

“Sadly, we have ceased trading at all of our sites. The pandemic really took its toll on us, and trade is still well behind what it was pre-March 2020; and now with significantly increased costs (especially utilities) it is no longer viable for us to operate.”

The chain operated three eateries in Manchester.

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TV architect George Clarke will bring buildings to life at Harrogate’s Royal Hall

TV architect George Clarke will share stories from a ‘Life in Amazing Architecture’ at Harrogate’s Royal Hall.

He will visit the town on October 18 as part of his debut live tour, which will give fans a glimpse behind the scenes of Mr Clarke’s hit series, including The Restoration Man, Amazing Spaces and Remarkable Renovations.

The live show will include audio-visual features, as Mr Clarke shares tales from his childhood, how he was inspired to pursue architecture, and how he stumbled into TV, as well as talking audiences through some of the architectural highlights of their local area.

The Sunderland-born architect is no stranger to Harrogate, having filmed a number of TV episodes in the town, including the restoration of The Chapel on Grove Road and the transformation of a 200-year-old dilapidated barn.

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Mr Clarke said:

“I’m just a storyteller, about people and about buildings. So to be going on tour, to be able to tell my story is amazing.

“I already felt like the luckiest boy in the world to do architecture, but to travel the country talking about architecture and my life – it’s off the scale amazing.”

Tickets for George Clarke’s Life In Amazing Architecture go on sale at 10am on Friday, March 11 from www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Ukraine crisis: Guide to how you can help locally

As the war in Ukraine wages on, the Harrogate district has stepped up its response to help those fleeing the conflict.

The Stray Ferret will be providing updates on where to give donations and how the district is responding to the ongoing war.

If you have any details on where to donate to those fleeing the conflict or any other information, write to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate

Ukrainian woman opens house for donations 

Olga Whiting, from Ukraine, is opening up her home so she can take donations to be sent to her Mum’s village in Ukraine.

Ms Whiting now lives in Harrogate but is in regular contact with her mum who has said the items they’re most in need of are:

Ms Whiting has a friend who has been transporting donations into Ukraine every three weeks. Her friend will now add her native village of Nova Borava to his list of drop-off points.

People can drop donations off at anytime at 14 Yewdale Road, Harrogate, HG2 8NF. Ms Whiting has said if no one is in call her on 07307876103 and she will describe a safe place for them to be left.

Tiger Fifty 7 taking donations

The children’s store on Cold Bath Road has opened itself up as a drop-off point for donations.

It is asking for:

For anyone who would rather donate money via JustGiving link, click here.

Boroughbridge

Car dealer accepting donations

Charltons of Boroughbridge is accepting donations for those feeling the conflict in Ukraine.

Items collected will be sent to a large depot at Thirsk and then forward to Eastern Europe.

Organisers will accept:

The dealership has said it is open for donations from 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 8.30am to 5pm.

New nursery set to open its doors in Harrogate

This article is sponsored by Children’s Corner Childcare. 

An innovative new nursery – complete with a refurbished loft space and a breakfast bar for parents – is opening its doors near RHS Harlow Carr Harrogate.

Launching in April, Children’s Corner will be based at Central House, on Otley Road, making it an ideal location for parents who work at the business park.

It will also serve commuters to and from Harrogate, as well as those living in nearby villages, including Beckwithshaw and Pannal.

Lesley Anne Dawson, CEO and owner of Children’s Corner Childcare, said:

“This purpose-built nursery is the first of its kind in the area. Bright and spacious, the modern open-plan space will allow plenty of opportunities for children to explore.

“Beyond the welcoming reception area are two large rooms divided into nursery and pre-school, with staff and activities tailored to different ages and abilities.

“We also have a beautifully-refurbished loft space that local baby and toddler classes will be using throughout the week. The nursery also benefits from a wonderful outdoor space which will be used for outdoor learning and play.”

The family-run nursery, set to open on April 4, will be able to welcome up to 50 children from aged six weeks to five, from 7.30am to 6pm all-year-round. It will also offer 15 and 30-hour funded places.

Its many stand-out approaches to childcare include a sustainable, eco-friendly ethos, a focus on outdoor learning and flexibility for parents in a modern working environment.

Lesley added:

“We have commissioned sustainable wooden play equipment for both in and outdoors, and lean towards open-ended natural resources to encourage children to create their own play. There is also a covered area to allow for all-weather play and outdoor learning.

“Spending lots of time outdoors has proven benefits to children’s health and development. Our garden is surrounded by mature trees and we will be encouraging wildlife – the animals and insects we share our home with provide endless opportunities for learning.”

To make drop-off run as smoothly as possible, the nursery’s welcoming reception area is aimed at helping to set families up for a happy day ahead.

Lesley said:

“On arrival, children will go in for breakfast and parents can stay for a coffee while they catch up on emails at the breakfast bar.

“There are ample parking spaces right outside. The Children’s Corner operations manager will also be based onsite, so parents always have a point of contact.

“We are keen to be an integral part of the local community and we are offering our lovely loft space to local baby and toddler groups, who will be offering classes throughout the week. We plan to work with local schools to offer wraparound care.”

Lesley said an emphasis was also placed on mealtimes, which is seen as a chance to sit down with friends, develop communication skills and learn healthy eating habits.

She added:

“Our seasonal dishes are always freshly prepared and we explore different aromas, tastes and textures every day, helping young children understand what good food is, how it grows and that it tastes delicious.”

During the pandemic, the nursery, which has six other branches in Leeds, created a unique ‘Flexi-Day Pass’ to support parents who were juggling childcare and working from home.

Lesley said:

“We wanted to offer parents reassurance during a difficult time of uncertainty.

“The pandemic has changed the way we work. Now that many companies are returning to the office or adopting the hybrid approach, we aim to continue to offer flexible childcare with just 24 hours notice.

“Parents book a minimum of three days per month, and can choose those days flexibly. As long as we have availability we will do our utmost to provide the days requested.”

The nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and practices ‘in the moment planning’, which means that children are able to follow their interests.

Matthew Dawson, director of Chidren’s Corner Childcare, said:

“We cannot wait to open our first Children’s Corner nursery in Harrogate.

“Our goal is to offer the highest quality childcare to our families whilst also meeting the flexibility requirements parents need in the modern working environment.

“We want Children’s Corner Harrogate to feel like an extension of your own family and we will be running social events for parents who might not have been able to meet other parents because of the pandemic.

“We are a family-owned and operated business and love having that personal connection to all of the families in our care.”

The nursery is holding a series of open days in March, starting with an exclusive Central House show-round on Friday, March 11, where tenants can drop in for lunch between 12 and 2pm and meet the nursery manager.

It will be followed by two events for parents, who can enjoy a tour of the setting, on Saturday, March 12 and 19, between 10am and 2pm.