Harrogate council pledges to resettle Afghan refugees under new government scheme

The leader of Harrogate council has pledged that the borough will help house Afghan refugees who are fleeing the country following the Taliban takeover.

Conservative Cllr Richard Cooper said the refugees are “in need of and deserve our assistance” as he pledged his support to a new government scheme to welcome up to 20,000 Afghans over the next few years.

His pledge comes after the council offered resettlement to 19 Afghans in June under a similar scheme which targeted former translators and others who worked for the UK military during the two decades that it has been fighting in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Cooper said this was the “right, humane and just thing to do”.

He said: 

“Back in June, Harrogate Borough Council pledged to take its fair share of the quota of Afghan interpreters who were seeking relocation to this country.

“We not only did that – we pledged to take more than our quota and we have done so.

“The government will now be coming forward with a new scheme for relocating Afghan refugees and on behalf of the council I want to make that pledge again that we will not only take our quota that the government suggests, but we will take more.

“Harrogate is a welcoming, tolerant and diverse place and these people are in need of our assistance and deserve our assistance.”

In June, senior Harrogate borough councillors agreed to offer resettlement to 19 Afghans, which amounts to four families.

The Harrogate district has previously taken part in other resettlement programmes, including welcoming 13 Syrian families between 2016 and 2017.

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Cllr Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing and safer communities at the council, said the families are not only offered a place to live, but also given opportunities to go to school, learn English and find employment.

He added that the authority would be prepared to resettle more families if it was required to do so.

Meanwhile, eight families are expected to be resettled across North Yorkshire under the same scheme.

Nationally, more than 3,000 Afghans are expected to be allowed to settle in the UK, joining 1,300 who have already done so.

£20m bid to replace Harrogate buses with electric fleet

An entire fleet of buses in Harrogate could be replaced with electric models as part of an ambitious £20 million bid.

North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) is working with the Harrogate Bus Company, part of Transdev, on a bid for more than £8 million in government money.

Transdev has also proposed to prop up the bid with £11.5 million of its own funds.

If successful, Harrogate would welcome a total of 39 zero-emission buses over the next three years.

The buses come with next stop announcements, USB power and free wifi.

There would be an even split of single-decker and double-decker electric buses which would come with supporting charging infrastructure.

Now, the Department for Transport (DfT) has asked the council to submit a business case for the project.

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The bid must be submitted by the end of January 2022 with a decision from the DfT expected by March 2022.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access at NYCC, said:

“We’re near the start of a competitive process and success is not guaranteed, but this action illustrates the scale of our ambition and commitment.

“This project aligns with the decarbonisation ambitions we share with partners across the region to protect the environment and counter climate change.

“It would accelerate improvements in air quality, as zero emission vehicles produce no tail pipe emissions, bringing health benefits to residents and visitors.”

Alex Hornby, CEO at Transdev, said:

“We have already created a low-emission bus fleet in Harrogate thanks to the huge investment we have made in the past few years.

“We hope this bid will lead to the next exciting step of our vision to create a completely zero-emission bus network, powered by a fully-electric fleet.

“With our partners at North Yorkshire County Council, we aim to create further improvements in infrastructure.

“This comes at a time when we believe our town is ready to embrace more sustainable forms of travel.”

Manchester firm set to take on Harrogate Christmas Market

A Manchester events firm is set to take on Harrogate Christmas Market this year after a row over health and safety concerns.

Harrogate Borough Council has now entered into formal talks with Market Place Europe, which is based in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

The council said that the company is planning to hold a 10-day event from  December 3 to December 12 rather than the usual four-day market.

At this stage it is unclear where the new Harrogate Christmas market will take place but it will be in the town centre.

It is also unclear if the 170 traders and 53 coaches booked in with the former organisers will move over to the new Christmas market.

Market Place Europe is behind the Christmas markets in Glasgow and Belfast. The company also organises a number of food markets across the UK.

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Gemma Rio, head of destination management at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“I am pleased to see that Market Place Europe has submitted an expression of interest to hold a Christmas market in Harrogate town centre this December.

“To have interest from an organisation with vast experience of operating successful markets across the UK is a great opportunity for the district.

“We look forward to working with them, and our local partners, to ensure this event is delivered safely and drives visitors into the town.”

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“From what I’ve seen, Market Place Europe have years of experience hosting events. So I know they’ll bring an abundance of knowledge to Harrogate this Christmas.

“You’ve only got to look at the photos online from markets they’ve hosted in major cities such as Belfast and Glasgow to see what they’ll bring is a first-class offering.”

This news comes just over two weeks after Harrogate Borough Council refused a licence for Harrogate Christmas Market run by Brian Dunsby OBE on Montpellier Hill.

Representatives from the founding organisers at Harrogate Christmas Market Ltd met with two council officers on Tuesday.

It was the first time the two groups met but after 90 minutes of talks the council issued a statement saying alternative locations “have been refused” by the current organisers.

The council also said it would “move forward to ensure Harrogate hosts safe, vibrant and attractive Christmas festivities this year”.

Ripon to host another weekend of free family entertainment

As the school summer holidays draw to a close, families can look forward to another free weekend of entertainment on Ripon Market Square.

The August Bank Holiday weekend, will see the return of fairground rounds for young children and a climbing wall for those a little older.

The event-staged by Ripon City Council on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 August, follows the Yorkshire Day weekend, that brought hundreds of people to the city centre.

The fairground rides and the climbing wall will be in place from 2pm until 8pm on the Saturday and 10am until 4pm on the Sunday.

Photo of fairground ride

All the fun of the fairground – for free

 

Following the same pattern as the Yorkshire Day Weekend, there will be musical entertainment from 7pm on Bank Holiday Saturday.

This will feature three tribute acts,  singing a selection of chart-topping hits from the best-known boy bands, Paloma Faith and ABBA.

On Bank Holiday Sunday, in addition to the fairground rides, Market Square will host another Little Bird Artisan Market.

Open from 10am until 3pm, it will again include stalls selling goods ranging from food to home furnishings, produced by local and Yorkshire-based traders.

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In addition, to activities in the city centre, two temporary toilets have been installed by the city council for families visiting the Borrage Green Lane paddling pool.

These will remain in place until the end of the summer holidays.

 

Harrogate neighbours of jailed Yoko Banks ‘planning a street party’

Residents of Scargill Road in Harrogate who lived near ‘nightmare neighbour’ Yoko Banks said they might have a street party after she was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison for drug offences last week.

The 73-year-old businesswoman rented out her properties on Alexandra Road, Woodlands Road and Somerset Road to an Albanian gang for “industrial” cannabis production.

Richard Heritage, who is close friends with an elderly couple who lived next door to Ms Banks on Scargill Road, told the Stray Ferret that neighbours have suffered years of bad behaviour from the guesthouse owner and her mastiff dog. He described Ms Banks as “infamous” in Harrogate.

He said:

“The first thing one resident of Scargill Road told me when they heard she was sentenced was, ‘we ought to get a street party organised’.”

Mr Heritage said Ms Banks lived in the house on-and-off for many years before moving into it full time before the first covid lockdown in March 2020. The street is off Ripon Road near the Harrogate Hydro.

He alleges her dog was allowed to roam the street unattended and would bite other animals.

“The dog tried, two or three times, to attack my friend’s cross-breed. The dog roamed the street. It could have been a child.

“People would call Harrogate Borough Council’s dog wardens and the police who would never do anything about it.”

He also alleges the dog even attempted to bite a postman, which led the Royal Mail to suspend deliveries on the street from December 2020 to February 2021. Residents had to go to the sorting office on Claro Road to collect their post.

The Royal Mail confirmed the incident took place when asked by the Stray Ferret and said deliveries only resumed when Ms Banks put a fence up to keep the dog away from postal staff.

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Mr Heritage said there would be arguments and shouting coming from Ms Banks house often late into the night. He also said she would pile her garden high with unwanted objects, including three abandoned vehicles.

“She felt she could do whatever she wanted without being questioned. She’d tell my friends to f*** off.”

He said whilst residents are relieved she is now behind bars, they are worried that she will return to Scargill Road when she is released.

“They’ve had 12 years of her. It’s been a hard 12 years for them. It’s never relaxed and it’s been constant all the time.

“People ended up not calling the police. They said, ‘Whats the point? they never come out’.

“Will prison will teach her a lesson? At 73 years old she’s very set in her ways.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We provided the dog owner with guidance and advice on how to properly manage her dog. Any enforcement action would be a police matter.”

North Yorkshire Police told the Stray Ferret that there was no investigation into Ms Banks’ treatment of her dog.

Plans to demolish and replace Harrogate’s former Debenhams building

The owner of the former Debenhams site on Parliament Street in Harrogate has unveiled plans to demolish it to make way for a brand new building that includes four floors of “high quality” apartments.

Wetherby-based property firm Stirling Prescient has posted a notice on the window of the former department store about its plans for the site, which has been empty since Debenhams closed for good in January this year.

It says the owner wants to build a new five-floor structure with retail, leisure and food and drink units on the ground floor and 1,2 and 3-bedroom apartments on the upper floors. There would also be a basement floor for car parking and bicycle storage.

The site had been a retail staple on Parliament Street for over a century. Before Debenhams, it housed the Buckley’s and Busby’s stores.

The statement adds there is no longer demand for the Victorian-era building to be used as a department store and it is not suitable for conversion to smaller units due to the building’s layout and age.

It warns if the building cannot be brought back into use the empty building could become an “eyesore” and “blight the high street”.

Another image of the proposals

 

How the store looked previously

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The statement continues:

“The site is in Harrogate’s conservation area and is surrounded by a number of Grade II listed buildings and monuments. These heritage sensitivities have informed the contemporary and high-quality design of the development from the outset.”

The Stray Ferret has approached Stirling Prescient for more information about the development.

No formal planning application has been submitted but the owner is inviting comments from the public at the following email address: planning@westminsterhouseharrogate.co.uk

Read Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam’s history of the Debenhams building here.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, happy Wednesday day. It’s Leah with you on this bright Wednesday morning. The roads have been a little quieter in the last few weeks but make sure to let me know if anything slows you down.

This blog, brought to you by the HACS Group, brings you live travel updates until 9am.

Were you stuck in a jam? Are there some new roadworks on your route? Let’s help everyone have a smoother journey by letting me know so I can add it to the blog.

Please give me a call on 01423 276197 or join our Facebook group ‘Harrogate district traffic and travel’ to give any updates.

9am – Full Update 

That is it from me this morning, Connor will be back with you tomorrow.

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build on the roads this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Traffic is building in these locations:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking quiet so far this morning. Make sure to keep checking in as the morning goes on.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Fire Ants’ fight to establish rugby league in Harrogate

A group of rugby league players struggling to establish the sport in the Harrogate district are taking on a fundraising challenge next month to raise money for their club.

Harrogate Fire Ants has had a short but turbulent existence. Founded last year, it first found it difficult to train because of covid and then at the beginning of this year the club had to rebuild from scratch after a change in personnel at the helm.

The team only had eight players for its first match in June but its fortunes picked up after Laura Symmonds, whose husband Tommy O’Sullivan plays for the Fire Ants, took charge and recruited new players.

The season has now ended and preparations for 2022 have begun. Weekly training takes place at Harrogate Railway FC in Starbeck, where the club is based, and there is also a weekly fun rugby-style fitness camp on the Stray for men and women of all abilities. Newcomers are welcome.

Some Fire Ants players are planning to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge on September 12 to raise funds for the club.

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Fire Ants player Jonny Binns said:

“it was tough at first and we thought we would have to fold. We were not in a great position. We had no one to run the club and were training on the Stray with very low numbers and struggling to recruit.

“Through Laura’s hard work we are now in a great position to build as a club and we are working hard to recruit new players.

“We have a new kit on the way and recently secured the help from a local coach. We have built a strong committee who are all very committed and hard working. We all believe that the Harrogate Fire Ants has a bright future ahead.”

You can support the Fire Ants’ Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge here.

Money raised from the challenge will also go towards Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

 

 

Appeal for information after £1,000 damage to Nidd Gorge car park barrier

The Woodland Trust is trying to track down a white van that caused £1,000 of damage to a barrier at the entrance to the Nidd Gorge car park on Ripley Road in Scotton.

Witnesses say they saw the van hit the height restriction barrier as it attempted to enter the car park on Saturday July 31 at about 10am.

The heavy gauge steel barrier was bent backwards and several visitors in the car park at the time gathered around the van. But the vehicle’s number plate has yet to be identified.

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The Woodland Trust owns the car park and maintains the woods in the gorge, which is a popular location for hikers and dog walkers.

A spokesperson for the Woodland Trust said:

“The Woodland Trust is a charity that protects woodland areas for the public good. It relies on donations to do this. Ideally, we would like to identify the driver or vehicle so we can try to recover the approx £1,000 repair cost and not divert it from other essential woodland protection work.

“We would be grateful if anyone can help us to identify the van or driver, by providing a vehicle number plate for example.”

Anyone with information can contact The Woodland Trust on 0330 3333300 or email: enquiries@woodlandtrust.org.uk . Emails should have the subject heading ‘Nidd Gorge – Height Barrier Damage’.

Starbeck food retailer fined £500 for messy bins

A Starbeck food retailer was fined £500 at York Magistrates Court in a case brought by Harrogate Borough Council after it failed to tidy up its kerb-side bins.

Good Food GF Limited was taken to court by the borough council after local residents complained about its untidy bins.

The company was served a Section 47 notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 by the council in November to ensure its waste was stored correctly.

Under the act, the council can insist that commercial or industrial waste is stored correctly to make sure it doesn’t cause a nuisance.

The order was served after a visit to the premises on Starbeck High Street. The council advised business owner Andrew Daly to replace a damaged bin and removed loose bags left either side of the bin.

However, a month later the bin hadn’t been replaced.

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The council issued Good Food GF Ltd a £100 fixed penalty notice. Mr Daly failed to pay the fine despite numerous requests.

The council said it then saw court as the only resolution. On July 16, the company was fined £500 and ordered to pay £125 as a contribution to the council’s costs.

Councillor Mike Chambers, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communities, said:

“Good Food GF Ltd and Mr Andrew Daly had numerous chances to address the concerns of local residents and the borough council.

“Failure to address something which could have been resolved quite easily has resulted in a significant financial penalty. And I’m afraid Mr Andrew Daly has only got himself to blame.

“The direct action of the council’s environmental health and legal teams, following concerns from local residents, has led to this prosecution and I’d like to thank both officers and residents for helping to address this matter.”