Harrogate guest house to be converted into a house

Alexa Guest House in Harrogate has received planning permission to be converted into a house.

Sandra Doherty, who sold the hotel for an undisclosed sum in March, had applied to Harrogate Borough Council for permission to convert it in February.

The council has now given consent, saying in a planning document:

“Due to the presence of a large number of residential properties located within the surrounding area, the proposal would not introduce an out of character use.”

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Ms Doherty, who owned the site for 15 years, had a previous proposal to convert the hotel into seven apartments refused.

It was sold last month after being on the market for just five days. Ms Doherty said she planned to move to Northumberland to retire.

Alexa House was built in 1896 by the renowned art collector Baron Conrad Adolphus du Bois de Ferrieres.

It was built as a hunting lodge for its London-based owners to spend time enjoying Harrogate’s spa and riding in the nearby countryside.

Video highlights issue of motorists parking on Oatlands cycle lane

A social media video has highlighted the long-running issue of motorists parking on Oatlands Drive in Harrogate and blocking a cycle lane.

Frequent parking in the lane has become a major frustration for cyclists, many of whom lament what they consider to be inadequate cycling infrastructure in the district.

Advisory cycle lanes run down both sides of Oatlands Drive. One side of the road has double yellow lines, which makes it an offence to park there.

But the other side doesn’t have any yellow lines, which means there are no parking restrictions. Cars often park on this side of the road, particularly at weekends when football matches take place on the Stray.

The video was shared with the Stray Ferret by a person who asked to remain anonymous. You can watch it below:

‘It really upsets me’

Several Harrogate residents criticised motorists for parking in the cycle lane when asked by the Stray Ferret.

Ruth Ker said:

“I cycle down there regularly and it really upsets me that people park over the cycle lane and onto the Stray.”

Zoe Oxley said:

“There’s not enough cycle lanes in Harrogate as it is without drivers parking over the few we have.”

Cyclist Ian Hallett on Oatlands Drive.

Ian Hallett, a keen cyclist who lives in the nearby Saints area, said:

“When occasional cars are parked in the cycle lane, it is very dangerous as cyclists have to move out into the flow of traffic to avoid them. This is all very frustrating as the road could form a good cycling link from a popular residential area into the town centre.”

Stuart Macintosh said:

“I’d strongly support double yellow lines along there. It would stop the cars parking half on the Stray as well.”

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Active travel scheme

As part of four active travel schemes in the county, North Yorkshire County Council has proposed various measures for the Oatlands Drive area, including painting double yellow lines on both sides of the road to stop people parking there.

However, NYCC scrapped one element of the proposals, a one-way system for Oatlands Drive, after receiving “overwhelming” opposition in its initial consultation.

The scheme has now entered its second consultation phase, but a one-way system around the Saints has proved unpopular with residents, which could throw the whole scheme into doubt.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at NYCC, told the Stray Ferret a decision on whether the plans go ahead will be made next month.

He said:

“We have sought to resolve this problem through the development of the Active Travel Fund scheme for Oatlands Drive, first by proposing one-way traffic management which would create sufficient road width for fully compliant cycle paths, then by proposing double yellow lines along Oatlands Drive as part of a later package of measures for the scheme, which excluded the one-way option.

“In the meantime, it is regrettable that drivers are deciding to block the eastern cycle path by inconsiderate parking.”

Harrogate Borough Council enforces parking restrictions but said it has no power to stop people parking on the Oatlands Drive cycle lane.

A council spokesperson said:

“We can only enforce if there are parking restrictions when a cycle lane is advisory, like they are in Oatlands Drive.

“Unless NYCC puts a double yellow line down both sides of the road, we can only enforce the restrictions on the one side.”

‘Quirky’ Starbeck mural could see Marc Almond floating on a teabag

A “quirky” mural has been proposed for a wall in Starbeck that could see famous former residents, such as the 14th-century Duke of Lancaster John of Gaunt and Soft Cell singer Marc Almond, painted as if they are floating on teabags.

Mark Leicester, who owns a block of buildings on Starbeck High Street, said such a mural would liven up a wall that was formerly the side of a launderette and joins Camwal Road.

Mr Leicester told the Stray Ferret his vision for the mural includes making the windows look like car windscreens and underneath depicting famous ex-residents flying on teabags as if they are magic carpets.

He said he wants the artwork to offer something different from the norm.

“We’re proud of Starbeck. A lot of unsung heroes have lived here.”

“We’re trying to do something that isn’t just a landscape, we want it to be quirky and interesting too.”

The mural would be painted on this wall.

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Mr Leicester has asked local residents to suggest famous people who lived in Starbeck that could be included on the mural.

Suggestions so far include John of Gaunt, William Slingsby, pub owner Sam Smith, Marc Almond and Henry Peacock.

Colourful murals have become increasingly popular in the area.

Local artist Sam Porter recently finished working on a nature mural at Cheapside in Knaresborough and a fox-themed mural was painted on the iron bridge at Bilton this month.

Mr Leicester said his son, who is an animator, has volunteered to help with the design and he is in discussions with local mural artists that might be able to do the work.

He added:

“I want it to make people smile when they see it. And for them to see Starbeck as a nice place.”

Work could begin on the mural this summer.

Harrogate man jailed for 10 years for child sex offences

A Harrogate man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to 17 child sex offences.

Dale Tyson’s crimes included sexual communication with a child and distributing indecent images of a child.

Tyson, of Christina Street, used an alter ego online to talk to children and get them to send sexual images of themselves.

York Crown Court heard he would pretend to be a young North American man to build stronger relationships with his victims in order to obtain more graphic images.

The 17 offences related to 10 children in the UK and USA. However, North Yorkshire Police said in a statement it believes there are many more.

Tyson pleaded guilty to seven counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, six counts of making indecent photographs of a child, three counts of intentionally encouraging an offence and sexual communication with a child.

North Yorkshire Police Detective Sergeant Steven Alderson said:

“This case really highlights the fact that it is almost impossible to know if the person you are speaking to online is who they claim to be.

“The young victims who came forward showed incredible bravery in speaking to the police about what happened to them and in speaking out they have helped protect many more young people from Tyson’s deplorable behaviour.

“The investigation spanned the UK and USA, with fantastic work from our investigators at North Yorkshire Police who managed to locate a number of these victims, without whom the case would not have been so strong.”

Tyson, whose trial was heard on Friday, is also subject to a sexual harm prevention order for an indefinite period.

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North Yorkshire Police added that anyone who thinks they or their child may have been a victim of online abuse should report it to the police.

If you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online and you would prefer not to speak to the police, you can report confidentially online through the child exploitation and online protection command centre here.

The NSPCC also has a range of resources for parents to help them keep children safe online.

Harrogate council publishes heavily redacted Turkish Baths responses

Harrogate Borough Council has today published heavily redacted responses to its consultation on single-sex sessions at the town’s Turkish Baths, after previously saying the information was restricted.

The council considered banning single-sex sessions at the 124-year-old council-owned baths but changed its mind after the consultation revealed 92% opposed the move.

A summary of the consultation’s 325 responses was published this month. But the council took the unusual step of not revealing individual responses on the grounds that they contained personal information.

After being questioned about this, the council today released a statement saying that because of its commitment to being “open and transparent”, it had decided to disclose the information after all.

But many of the responses are heavily redacted in black type.

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One person said:

“Single sex sessions are invaluable and help women feel that they can fully relax and enjoy the experience. It would be a huge loss for women if those sessions were removed.”

Another said:

“Don’t let down the majority by slavishly following a trend that may be short-lived. Harrogate has had the courage of its convictions for centuries.”

A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“When someone takes part in one of our consultations, they do so on the basis that the information they provide will be kept secure and treated in accordance with data protection laws.

“We also owe them a duty of care to treat their responses as private and confidential.

“In the case of this consultation, responses included highly sensitive information including stories from victims of violent crimes.

“However, in recognition of our commitment to be an open and transparent council, a redacted version of the responses has been published in the Have Your Say section of our website.

“All personal data, identifying or confidential information has been removed to maintain respondents’ anonymity.”

Harrogate transparency campaigner Peter Lilley, a long-time critic of the council, called the number of redactions in the document “ludicrous”.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“Harrogate Borough Council makes itself look more and more ridiculous every day.

“Considering council officers have had seven or eight months to process the information it received from the consultation on proposed changes at Harrogate’s Turkish Baths, it’s hard to imagine how the responses could have been presented more unattractively; with so many comments ‘blacked out’ that, in places, the document is totally unintelligible and unreadable.

“The sheer number of redactions is ludicrous. They must amount to several hundred – and on what grounds? The council has even blacked out answers to the question: how often do you visit the baths? How can that possibly be considered sensitive information?”

Record number of Oxbridge offers at Harrogate Grammar School

Harrogate Grammar School is celebrating a record nine offers from Oxford and Cambridge Universities to its sixth form students.

It is the highest number of Oxbridge offers in the school’s recent history and follows considerable disruption to schools caused by covid.

Headteacher Neil Renton said:

“We are incredibly proud of our students in securing offers at such world leading educational institutions.

“In the context of such difficult circumstances, students have shown resilience, independence and determination.”

“Much of their preparation and support took place remotely and this created different opportunities to support students in their application.”

The students participated in the school’s sixth form scholars’ programme, which helps to develop confidence, curiosity and independent thought to help succeed at top universities.

The programme includes presentations by academics, discussion groups, interview workshops, mock interview sessions and support for aptitude tests.

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Among those receiving offers are year 13 students Ruby Johnson and Lucy Bowman.

Lucy, who has an offer to study natural sciences at the Cambridge University, said:

“I can’t wait to start the next chapter of my life there. It has made all my hard work worth it and I finally have something special to look forward to at the end of these strange times.”

Ruby, who has received an offer to study philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University, said:

“I am very grateful to the school for the support they provided throughout the application process.”

The nine students that received offers from Oxbridge were for the following courses and colleges: mathematics at Downing College, Cambridge; natural sciences at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge; philosophy, politics and economics at St Peter’s College, Oxford; music at Keble College, Oxford; linguistics at Downing College, Cambridge; engineering at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; engineering at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge; psychology and behavioural sciences at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and geography at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

Harrogate council to review staff payouts after spending more than £600,000

Harrogate Borough Council will review how it agrees staff payout packages which have cost taxpayers around £632,000 over the past two years.

That is according to a report from independent auditors Mazars. The company has recommended a rethink on how payments including redundancy cash and compensation for loss of office are agreed for departing members of staff.

It comes after figures published in the council’s annual statement of accounts showed £354,000 was paid out to 19 former employees in 2019/2020 – an increase from the previous financial year when £278,000 was agreed for 15 staff.

Mazars has warned the current process, which sees payments signed off by a monitoring officer, risks a lack of balance between “inappropriate expenditure” and “allowing ineffective employment relationships to continue”.

The report said any staff payout packages should require a final approval from elected councillors before they are made:

“We encourage members to consider updating their risk management arrangements for employee settlement agreements to ensure that, for each case, members also approve payments after satisfying themselves that there is a clear rationale and payments comply with legislation, costs are minimised and available options have been considered.”

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In response, the council said in the report that it would carry out a review even though the current process already ensured there is a “clear rationale” for the payments which are “properly authorised”:

“Although the number of such cases has been small, and flexibility is sometimes needed to deal with them in a timely manner, the council will review its processes in order to ensure member involvement in future decisions.”

The statement of accounts shows one member of staff received a £62,000 exit package in 2019/2020, although it is not known what job title they had or how much they were earning before they left their role.

The only member of staff who was named in the document was former director of community Paul Campbell who left suddenly last year and was paid £55,065 in compensation for loss of office.

Mr Campbell had an annual salary of £89,727 and oversaw a range of council services including emergency planning, housing, parks, waste and health and safety.

He has not been replaced since leaving 13 months ago and his responsibilities are being shared by other directors, the council previously said.

Nearby in York, the city council has been forced on the defensive after a report from Mazars said a £117,000 redundancy settlement to ex-chief executive Mary Weastell was paid unnecessarily.

The report suggests the authority wanted to avoid defending a tribunal claim which Ms Weastell dropped after the payout was agreed.

Mazars said the council paid out £24,884 in redundancy and a £65,779 ex-gratia payment, effectively a gift, neither of which were required.

The city council has defended the payments saying they were contractual obligations.

In numbers: Harrogate Borough Council

Exit packages agreed for departing staff between April 2019 and March 2020 – 19 (at a cost of £354,000)

Exit packages agreed for departing staff between April 2018 and March 2019 – 15 (at a cost of £278,000)

Number of exit packages totalling less than £20,000 – 20

Average cost of exit package for single employee in 2019/20 – £18,632

Average cost of exit package for single employee in 2018/19 – £18,533

These figures include compulsory and voluntary redundancy costs, associated pension costs and payments in lieu of notice.

In a statement, a council spokesperson said:

“The council’s constitution currently provides for delegated approval by the monitoring officer for settlement agreements.

“Although the number of cases are relatively small, we will review the process in line with the audit recommendation.”

Otley Road cycle lane: work to start in next ‘two to three months’

Work will not begin on the new Otley Road cycle lane in Harrogate for at least another two or three months.

Cyclists who use the busy road have already waited a long time for the scheme. A total of £3.2 million funding was set aside in 2018.

The final remaining barrier, after delays caused by coronavirus and negotiations over Stray land, is the ongoing utility works.

An 11-week programme of works by Northern Powergrid is due to finish on May 17. But there will be some other smaller works taking place then.

Once all utility works are complete North Yorkshire County Council has said it can start the cycle route. The local authority will also make improvements to the junction with Harlow Moor Road.

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are planning to start work on the Otley Road cycle route in the next two to three months.

“The main set of works has been those by Northern Powergrid. They should be finished soon and there will be some more minor works after that.

“Once all of those utility works are out of the way then we can start work.”

Melisa Burnham, the highways area manager at the county council, added:

“A number of utility works are required to facilitate both the junction works and the cycle route. All necessary parties have been identified and programmes are planned in.

“If there are any further changes, we will provide an update on our web page. Affected residents will also be notified by advanced notification boards on site.”

WATCH: Harrogate blooms with cherry blossoms on the Stray

Harrogate’s cherry blossoms on the Stray have come out in full force in a sign of brighter times to come.

Lots of people were out enjoying the vibrant colours of the trees and the warm spring sun today.

The blossoms started to emerge over the weekend and are now close to full bloom.

Watch our video above to experience the cherry blossoms on the Stray. Have you been to see them yet? Send in your pictures to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Security guard racially assaulted in Harrogate

Police are appealing for witnesses after a security guard was racially assaulted in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police said today two men approached the guard on Oxford Street, who was assaulted but not injured, at 10.30pm on Thursday.

A man in his 20s was arrested but subsequently released from custody under investigation while enquiries are ongoing.

A police statement said:

“Officers are keen to hear from members of the public who intervened to try to protect the victim, and anyone else with information about the incident on Oxford Street.

“In particular, we are appealing for information from the outstanding members of the public whom have been identified through enquiries, who intervened and prevented further attacks.”

Both men are described as white. One had what police describe as ‘distinctive long, black curly/wavy hair’.

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Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Matt Carling. You can also email matt.carling@northyorkshire.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number NYP-22042021-0527.