Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 833 of 1037

Pensioner with bladder issue wins Harrogate parking fine appeal

A pensioner with a bladder problem, who was fined after parking in Harrogate for four minutes to use the toilet, has won his appeal.

Lee Chadwick, 78, was able to get the fine overturned at the second time of asking by sending proof of his medication.

Mr Chadwick, who lives in Markington, parked at the back of the taxi rank on Station Parade to use the public toilet, leaving his wife in the passenger seat.

When he returned his wife was explaining the situation to the traffic warden. Mr Chadwick also talked to the warden but he still issued a fine.

Harrogate Borough Council wrote to Mr Chadwick saying he could either settle in the next 14 days at the discounted rate of £35 or pay £70 if he waited longer.

He thought the fine was unreasonable so appealed. The council initially rejected the appeal but asked for a doctor’s letter as proof of his bladder problem.

Mr Chadwick was not prepared to bother with such a request. Instead he sent proof of medication, which has now worked.

Mr Chadwick told the Stray Ferret his good news, adding:

“Harrogate Borough Council has just advised me that they have cancelled the parking penalty notice.

“It means that my anticipated appearance in the Supreme Court will not come.”

Businesses warn £7.9m Station Gateway project could be “hugely damaging”

Harrogate business organisations have said the £7.9 million Station Gateway project could have a “hugely damaging” impact on the town centre.

The project, which is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, could see James Street pedestrianised and reduce Station Parade to single lane traffic.

The county council is now set to progress both the James Street and Station Parade proposals to design stage with further consultation to follow.

But Harrogate Business Improvement District, Independent Harrogate and Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement this afternoon criticising the scheme.

Sara Ferguson, the Harrogate BID chair, David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and William Woods and Robert Ogden, Independent Harrogate co-founders, said:

“All three organisations, which between us represent hundreds of town centre businesses, are disappointed that our collective voices have not been listened to.

“In responding to the consultation, we put forward a number of alternative suggestions that we believe will help Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council achieve their objectives, give cyclists dedicated space away from the main A61 Station Parade, assist pedestrians by making changes to the top end of James Street, give priority to buses arriving and leaving the bus station, and protect the interests of town centre retailers.

“We are also strongly of the view the main gateway into the town centre from the bus and railway stations is Cambridge Street, and it is here that Harrogate Borough Council should be fully focussing its attention.

“Two months ago, Cllr Mackenzie shared our concerns about reducing Station Parade to one lane, therefore we are pleased to note more design work and further consultation is to be undertaken on this important issue.

“Cllr Ireland says ‘proposals for sustainable alternatives to the car’ have significant support from residents, businesses and visitors alike, yet this is not what we are hearing from the business community, in particular the retailers, many of whom fear what is being proposed will have a hugely damaging effect on their livelihoods, and the town per se.

“Despite many feeling the outcome is already a done deal, we will continue our dialogue with local councillors and officers, as the final outcome will change the face of Harrogate town centre forever.”

A proposal to pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate, which is being consulted on as part of the Station Gateway plans.

A proposal to pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate, which was consulted on as part of the Station Gateway plans.

Of the 1,101 who responded to the survey, 45% supported the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured the Station Parade one-lane proposal.

However, 17% said they favoured a part-pedestrianisation of James Street and 27% backed two lanes for Station Parade.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told the Stray Ferret that he was “mindful” that businesses had their own views on matters such as James Street pedestrianisation.

He said:

“Pedestrianisation is one of those things that divides opinion. I’m mindful that many businesses on James Street have expressed their own view on it.

“I wouldn’t like to second guess which option will be chosen when the county council’s executive meets next week.”

Harrogate and Ripon vaccine centres to close in August

The vaccination centres at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and Ripon Races will close in August after clinical leaders decided they were no longer needed.

The two GP-led sites have administered more than 120,000 jabs so far. The Harrogate centre will close on August 13 and the Ripon site will close on August 31.

The pharmacy-led centres in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge are set to play a larger role in the vaccine rollout as a result.

NHS England believes the pharmacy sites, along with regional vaccine hubs in Leeds and York, will provide more than enough capacity to administer vaccines after August.

Dr Chris Preece, a GP partner at Church Lane Surgery in Boroughbridge and clinical director of the Knaresborough and Rural District Primary Care Network, said the vaccination programme in the Harrogate District had been “phenomenally successful”. He added:

“As the programme moves towards vaccinating younger and more mobile cohorts, we’re already seeing evidence that people are choosing to travel to one of the larger, regional vaccination hubs, rather than waiting to be contacted by their GP practice.

“We would like to place on record our extreme gratitude to the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon Racecouse for their support and the generous use of their facilities.”

Dr Ian Dilley, a GP partner at East Parade Surgery in Harrogate and clinical director of the Mowbray Square Primary Care Network added:

“With the huge number of people now vaccinated in the local area, we feel August is an appropriate end date.

“We need to be mindful of the other pressures that will be placed on doctors’ surgeries as we head towards autumn and winter, and the annual flu vaccine campaigns that GP practices need to provide.

“We also need to enable our kind hosts at the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon Racecourse to provide their own events as restrictions continue to be eased and more public events are permitted.”

The primary care networks will continue to run vaccination clinics from both the Harrogate and Ripon sites for the next three months,

‘Victory for the people!’: Harrogate’s plastic grass removed this morning

Harrogate Borough Council has removed the plastic grass from planters on Cambridge Street after a huge backlash.

Workers have already taken out the fake turf as the council considers what to do next to brighten up the town centre. It said yesterday it hoped to have something vibrant in place by June.

Last night’s council apology prompted a big reaction on social media. Many praised the council for holding its hand up and admitting it had made a mistake while others called for it to collaborate more with people and groups to prevent a repeat.

Sarah Gibbs, an environmental campaigner who set up a petition calling for the removal of the fake grass, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s a victory for the people. This change shows that people power really does work.

“I was really pleased when I saw the council’s second apology. This is a real one this this time because they are actually doing something about it.

“The petition still stands though. It also called for the council to work with schools, businesses and others to manage the planters.”

So far, in just under two days, her petition has attracted about 500 signatures.

Shan Oakes, a spokesperson for the Green Party in Harrogate, said:

“It’s good that the council have apologised and accepted that they had done something wrong.

“I just hope the council will review its policy on biodiversity going forward, it needs to change its whole outlook.

“There should be a people’s assembly. If the council collaborated with people then this would have been avoided.”

How it looked before the plastic grass was removed.

While many called over the last two weeks for the council to remove the astro turf, Extinction Rebellion Harrogate took direct action last week when it replaced the plastic grass with plants in one of the raised beds.

Jess Thompson, who took part in the protest, told the Stray Ferret;

“We are pleased with the council’s apology. It is a positive step but there is still a way to go.

“Biodiversity needs to be the priority, not aesthetics. I do not know how much would have been done if we did not take action.

“Hopefully the council will use this as an opportunity. Hopefully the people will also continue to hold those in power accountable.”

Three men arrested in police drugs swoop in Harrogate

Police arrested three men on suspicion of drug offences in Harrogate yesterday as part of a crackdown on county lines drug dealing.

According to a statement today by North Yorkshire Police, plain cloth officers on patrol in the Avenue Grove area of Starbeck had their suspicions raised by the activity of a man.

He was stopped and searched and found to have class A drugs on him.

Officers then searched a nearby property where they found three other men who were also searched.

A police statement said:

“Officers recovered more drugs stashed in a mattress, £200 in cash from one of the men and other suspected drugs paraphernalia including three mobile phones. A fourth man was also arrested on suspicion of theft offences.”

A 39-year-old Harrogate man was arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs. Another man from Harrogate, aged 38, was arrested on suspicion of theft, possessing class A drugs and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

A Leeds man, aged 50, was arrested on suspicion of possessing heroin with intent to supply. He has been released on bail while enquiries continue.

A fourth man, aged 26, from Harrogate, was arrested on suspicion of a number of theft offences.

The three men arrested on suspicion of drug offences have been released while under investigation as further enquiries are carried out.

The police statement added:

“Members of the public are urged to report any suspicious activity about drug dealing in their neighbourhood to the police on 101. Or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 in an emergency.

“Police are also urging people to report any signs that someone they know is being exploited by criminals and forced to work for them.

“This can include what is known as ‘cuckooing’, where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person – who are often drug users themselves – and use it to store and sell drugs.”

Pedestrianisation of Harrogate’s James Street moves a step closer

Council bosses in North Yorkshire and Harrogate are set to press ahead with designs for James Street and Station Parade as part of the £7.9 million Station Gateway scheme.

The project, which is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, was consulted on back in March over plans to pedestrianise James Street and reduce Station Parade to one lane.

A report will go before the county council’s executive next week which will recommend progressing to a detailed design stage with further consultation.

Of the 1,101 who responded to the survey, 45% supported the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured the Station Parade one-lane proposal.

However, 17% said they favoured a part-pedestrianisation of James Street and 27% backed two lanes for Station Parade.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, said:

“We are grateful to everyone across each of the towns who took the time to share their views in the consultation. We have listened. The next steps we are considering take into account the feedback we have received.

“They take account of concerns raised while providing significant benefits to facilitate and encourage people to cycle and walk. There will, of course, be further consultation on detailed proposals before final decisions are taken.”

The main concerns raised during the consultation were the potential impact of increased congestion and the potential impact on businesses of reduced parking.

The county council said any pedestrianisation or part-pedestrianisation of James Street would result in loss of town centre parking.

How Station Parade might look under the new “station gateway” proposals.

It estimates that this would be no more than 45 out of 915 on-street pay and display spaces in the town centre. Currently, at peak occupancy, it is estimated there are 120 on-street spaces unused.

The pedestrianisation of James Street would also require a Traffic Regulation Order, meaning further consultation would be required.

Cllr Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said:

“I’d like to thank those who have taken the time to complete the TCF consultation and shared their views on the Harrogate proposals.

“It’s positive to see that the proposals for sustainable alternatives to the car, and an improved and exciting public realm, have significant support from residents, businesses and visitors alike.

“The benefit of carrying out a consultation early on in the process is that we have everybody’s feedback and ideas to feed in to the next phase of detailed design work. We can now collectively work together, review the feedback, explore our options and design a 21st century travel network that supports economic growth for the region and something people can be proud.”

Further public consultation will take place in the autumn to inform proposals for implementation.

Following the development of detailed designs, a final business case will be prepared, including the outcome of further consultation, before approval is sought to implement the finalised designs.

Funding for the project comes as part of the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund and the schemes must be complete by March 2023.

People urged to ‘think carefully’ before attending Harrogate hospital emergency department

People have been urged to think carefully before going to the emergency department at Harrogate District Hospital.

The hospital issued a statement yesterday saying the department had seen a significant increase in patient numbers over the past couple of months.

About 130 patients a day attended the department in March, compared with 160 a day in May.

This meant patients with less urgent issues were waiting longer to be seen.

Dr Matt Shepherd, consultant emergency medicine and clinical director long term and unscheduled care at the hospital, urged people to call NHS 111 first unless it was a life-threatening illness or injury.

He said:

“We are now seeing approximately eight per cent more patients attending our emergency department than were doing so before covid began, which makes it very difficult to ensure we can safely keep social distancing measures in place.

“Colleagues in the department – and the wider hospital – are working incredibly hard to provide care but we do ask that people think about other healthcare options available to them.

“The most urgent and life-threatening cases take priority, which means that unfortunately people coming in with less urgent issues are experiencing longer waiting times. Our emergency department is for emergencies only, such as severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, significant head injuries and broken bones.”

He added that alternatives, such as calling NHS 111, consulting a GP or visiting a pharmacist, could mean waiting less time to receive care. He added:

“You can also check any symptoms and find out what to do and when to get help using the NHS website – nhs.uk. It can find services near you, such as local pharmacies, who can offer advice for common health problems such as sore throats and headaches, aches and pains, bumps and bruises or sickness and diarrhoea.”

‘We got it wrong’: Harrogate council agrees to remove plastic grass

Harrogate Borough Council has made a dramatic U-turn this evening and agreed to remove plastic grass from planters in the town centre.

The council’s decision to install the artificial grass sparked a fierce backlash, which saw protesters from Extinction Rebellion replace the turf with plants.

The council initially defended the £800 scheme, claiming it had received “lots of positive feedback” despite complaints it looked “cheap and tacky” and was damaging to the environment.

It then said it had failed to communicate the move properly but now, after 400 people signed a petition in the last 24 hours calling for the fake grass to be removed, the council has issued a mea culpa.

It said in a statement posted on social media:

“We got things wrong with the artificial grass in the planters on Cambridge Street.

“The artificial grass was a last resort, and the decision to use it was made with the best intentions, but on reflection it was the wrong one.

“We will be removing the ‘grass’ and keeping the planters while we continue to find a better solution.

“We hope to have something installed by the end of June that provides a vibrant display of colour all year round.”

The statement added it considered using stone or bark instead of the plastic grass but ruled it out because “we felt it will most likely end up being used as an ashtray or thrown around”.

It added the saga had detracted from other initiatives, such as planting 5,500 wildflowers on the Stray and the upcoming white rose project, that will see thousands of trees planted.

Harrogate paedophile jailed for 22 years for 86 sex attacks

A Harrogate paedophile has been jailed for 22 years for subjecting four young girls to sexual abuse.

Jessica Brennan, who was listed as Allan Brennan by the court but is a trans woman who identifies as Jessica, groomed and then sexually assaulted the children, one of whom was just four years old, in separate incidents over a 17-year period from the late 1990s.

Brennan, from Harrogate, tried to rape one of the youngsters and one girl was subjected to systematic sexual abuse over 10 years which involved “multiple” incidents, York Crown Court heard.

None of the victims, who had been “haunted” by the abuse, can be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Philip Standfast said one of the victims came forward to police with allegations against Brennan, who has two children, as early as 2000 but no charges were brought.

He said there had been no fewer than 86 separate sexual assaults on the girls over a 17-year period.

The allegations re-emerged three or four years ago when the abuse finally stopped and other girls came forward. Brennan was finally charged with a raft of sexual offences which had “ruined” the girls’ lives, the court heard.

One of the victims said she had suffered anxiety attacks since the abuse, and she had been taking anti-depressants.

She had been unable to form proper relationships and felt an inexplicable guilt.

Another victim had been having counselling sessions due to anxiety after losing her “self-worth and self-esteem”. She said:

“It’s made it hard for me to trust people.

“This has affected my family. Anything that this evil man gets (in terms of punishment) won’t be enough for what he’s done to me and my family.”

Another victim spoke of her “pain and suffering over the last 21 years. I was sexually abused when I was four.” She added:

“I had minimum understanding of what was happening to me. The comprehension of what happened to me as a child makes me sick to my stomach.

“I’m constantly haunted by what happened to me.”

She said she got flashbacks to the abuse and was put on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication for panic attacks.

“At 12, I was taking medication I didn’t even understand.”

“It didn’t stop what happened ruining my life. It has affected every aspect of my life (including) forming a relationship with boys. I felt like my body was not my own.

“There just doesn’t seem to be any aspect of what happened to me that doesn’t live with me to this day.”

It had affected her college education and her work and left her with a “pit of depression”, she added.

She had to take time off work due to anxiety attacks, which meant that she had lost out financially too.

“My life was stolen from me when I was just four years’ old,” she said.

“I was abused and violated by an…adult.”

The fourth victim, a “vulnerable child”, said she “always felt (the abuse) was my fault”.

She too was signed off work last year for anxiety and depression.

Brennan, of Bowland Close, was charged with 16 separate offences including sexual assault of a child, indecent assault, sexual activity with a child and one count of attempted rape of a girl under 13.

She was found guilty after a trial earlier this year and appeared for sentence via video link on Monday. Three other allegations of sexual abuse were “severed” and not-guilty verdicts recorded.

Gillian Batts, for Brennan, said her client, who had been remanded in jail since the trial, had no previous convictions.

Judge Simon Hickey criticised Brennan for her chronic abuse of the children, who were aged from four to their teens:

“You attacked four separate young girls over (a) 17-year period.

“You are in my mind a dangerous offender (and) there is a risk of you causing (further) serious harm to young females.”

“You chose to hide behind these offences, claiming you had no memory (beyond) a few years ago.”

Brennan was jailed for 22 years, of which she will serve half behind bars before being released on parole.

However, the judge also imposed a four-year extended period on prison licence upon Brennan’s eventual release from jail.

In addition to the jail sentence, Brennan was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order limiting her contact with children for an indefinite period.

Three years for running over police officer in Harrogate

A man has been sent to prison for three years and two months after he ran over a police officer in Harrogate.

Llewellyn Mitcham, 30, was sentenced today at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

On March 16, police spotted a car on Bewerley Road in Harrogate that they believed belonged to a drug dealer.

They followed the car into a car park and then left their police vehicle to speak to the suspects.

Mitcham, of Harold Place in Leeds, drove off as the officers approached and hit PC Lister, throwing him into the air.

As a result of the impact, PC Lister suffered a severe fracture to his knee, which he is still recovering from two months later.

The court heard how Mitcham left the car park and was spotted speeding away before police brought his vehicle to a stop and arrested him.

Mitcham pleaded guilty to causing serious injury whilst dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.

North Yorkshire Police Detective Constable, Kirsty Smith, said:

“PC Lister has served as a North Yorkshire police officer for a number of years and on the day of the incident was carrying out proactive work to prevent drug dealers from surrounding counties entering the Harrogate area and committing crime.

“During this line of duty he was seriously injured following Llewellyn Mitcham’s actions trying to evade arrest. Mitcham gave no regard for PC Lister’s welfare and made good his escape where he was finally apprehended some 20 miles away following a police pursuit.

“When you suffer an injury like this although we may be able to heal physically, the trauma stays with you. As police officers we know our job comes with risk but Mitcham’s actions and the long-lasting impact of these should not be underestimated, a fact which has been clearly reflected in the sentencing.”

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