Harrogate councillor pays £2,000 of his own cash to cover cost of live streaming

A Harrogate councillor has agreed to pay more than £2,000 of his own cash to cover the cost of live streaming meetings after last year ripping up a cheque when the idea was rejected.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Aldred first put forward the idea to livestream in-person Harrogate Borough Council meetings in January 2020 but it was rejected because of claims that the “tens of thousands of pounds” needed to buy the equipment would have been too expensive.

At the time, the exact quoted costs were never made public although Cllr Aldred said they were “not excessive” as he offered to pay for the equipment himself and tore up a cheque in front of other council members when his failed proposal was put to bed.

More than a year on, and after the coronavirus pandemic forced the live streaming of both remote and in-person meetings, Cllr Aldred this month faced calls from Conservative council leader Richard Cooper to follow up on his offer of payment “as a matter of honour”.

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Speaking at a meeting of the council’s general purposes committee last Thursday, Cllr Cooper said:

“It was a genuine offer, I assume, made for a genuine purpose and not just for party political chicanery.

“If a councillor makes a genuine offer to pay for a service and that service is provided then I would expect the honourable thing to do is to pay.

“Otherwise, I think everyone will assume that the offer was never genuine in the first place.”

At Thursday’s meeting, councillor Aldred presented a cheque for £2,180 – the actual cost of live streaming equipment which was installed last month and is now to become a permanent feature of meetings.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Aldred later said he was happy to pay the money and that he had made a number of requests for all meetings to be livestreamed, publicised and archived, and that councillors are offered training for presentation skills.

He said:

“I am happy to personally facilitate this purchase by the council, as long as my ‘buyers conditions’ are met and as the council leader gave assurance at the meeting that they would be – and obviously that is now on record for all to see.

“Richard has now guaranteed this will all happen and a relatively small financial contribution on my part to ensure this is no hardship.

“I strongly believe that if these conditions I have requested are met then it will enable more residents to view and perhaps more fully understand our deliberations, not just at full council and planning as was originally envisaged, but across all council committees.

“I think leaving the meeting online for a longer period will increase the opportunity for meetings to be viewed at a time and place convenient to the public – and not the council.

“If my requests are not fully met, I would be looking for some sort of recompense from the council, but I have no reason to doubt they will not be.”

Mayfield Grove: house at centre of crime concerns allowed to re-open

A house at the centre of crime concerns on Harrogate’s Mayfield Grove is to be allowed to reopen.

North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council issued a three-month closure order on 38 Mayfield Grove in March.

The two organisations can apply to a court for a closure order if they have concerns about antisocial behaviour and criminal behaviour on premises.

At a community engagement session on Mayfield Grove last week, police and council officers revealed they do not intend to bid to extend the closure order, which expired yesterday.

Constable Kelvin Troughton, of North Yorkshire Police, told the Stray Ferret:

“Since the order has been in place there has been a reduction of incidents.

“There’s a dialogue now and we are working with the landlord to hold him to account and ask him what his intentions are for this property when the closure order ends.”

John Willis, the landlord, has divided 38 Mayfield Grove into bedsits. Constable Troughton said Mr Willis served eviction notices on all of the tenants after the closure order was issued.

He added:

“We hope we have illustrated we are not afraid to take action.”

Helen Richardson, community safety officer at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“We are working closely with John Willis to look at the tenancies being put in place.”

Ms Richardson added prohibition orders had been served on two of the bedsits and the council was working with Harrogate Homeless Project to address concerns.

Julia Stack, community safety and CCTV manager at the council, said its private sector housing team had inspected 38 Mayfield Grove:

“There have been challenges regarding that property and the management of the property by that landlord. The closure order was a proportionate response.

“We have robustly challenged the landlord about his property and who he chooses as his tenants.

“It is a challenging property. He is responsible for his choice of tenants.”

A closure order was served on the same property in 2005, when it was dubbed the House from Hell by neighbours.

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Residents on Mayfield Grove and nearby streets, including Mayfield Terrace, Strawberry Dale, Nydd Vale Road and Nydd Vale Terrace attended last week’s outdoor drop-in session.

Many had concerns not only about individual properties but also about crime in general in the area, with some saying they knew exactly who was responsible and where criminal activity took place yet nothing was done.

One woman told the Stray Ferret she was unable to sell her home because of the area’s reputation.

Mr Stack said the council was considering temporarily attaching a CCTV camera to a street light in the area as part of measures to tackle crime.

The Stray Ferret has attempted to contact Mr Willis for comment but has not received a response.

A man who lived in 38 Mayfield Grove died in March and another man has been charged with murder.

Do you live in the Mayfield Grove area and have concerns about crime? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

 

 

‘Care home of the future’ set to open in Harrogate in November

Vida Healthcare is preparing to open its third care home in Harrogate this autumn after construction delays partly caused by coronavirus.

The company has described Vida Court, which will cater for 100 residents living with dementia and employ 200 staff, as ‘the care home of the future’.

The home, near RHS Harlow Carr, will include a cinema, convenience store, hair salon, florist and coffee shop to provide residents with a little normality.

It was originally due to be completed in spring but the date has been pushed back to November 1.

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Interior design company Nanu Soda was hired to design the building, which includes sensory TV windows, walls and artwork that provide residents with opportunities to interact with different environments.

A computer generated image of one of the dining areas at Vida Court.

Learning from coronavirus, Vida has designed each bedroom with a large glass window.

Each bedroom has a large glass window and every house within the home has a garden room to help ventilation

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said:

“We hope that Vida Court, which integrates the most cutting edge facilities and technology, will end the perception of care homes as a last resort.”

Image Gallery: Replacing Harrogate Theatre’s 120-year-old roof

The £1million replacement of Harrogate Theatre’s ageing roof is well underway in preparation for the hopeful return of live shows this year.

A temporary roof structure has been erected over the building to keep out water and protect against wind during re-roofing and external works.

The project is due to be completed by the end of September with performances returning soon after, subject to covid restrictions.

Harrogate Borough Council has released some images of the works, which you can see below:

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Conservative councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, said:

“Our investment in this local asset will allow the fantastic performances to continue, promote cultural activity in the town, attract visitors and support the local economy at a time when it is needed the most.”

David Bown, chief executive of Harrogate Theatre (White Rose) Theatre Trust, added:

“Harrogate Theatre is a much loved local venue and we’d like to thank Harrogate Borough Council for investing in the building. This will allow us to put on performances, and connect with our audiences for many years to come.”

Harrogate Theatre is operating a summer season programme in various venues around the town while the theatre is out of use. Further details are available here.

Harrogate man cycles across Thailand for elephants

A Harrogate man who moved to Thailand has raised nearly £14,000 cycling across the country to aid a struggling elephant home.

Bruce Haxton was born and raised in Harrogate and attended Harrogate Grammar School. He moved to Thailand to run the Tuk Tuk Club adventure travel company eight years ago.

When his business was halted due to the pandemic, he dedicated his time to raising money for a home of elephants he has worked closely with.

Maevang Elephant Home in Mae Wang has been struggling to maintain its eight elephants with no visitors during the pandemic so Bruce set out to raise £16,000 for the home by cycling across Thailand.

He finished his 2,300km journey this month after riding for 18 days in total.

His journey took him through 22 provinces and back, through mountain ranges and rice fields in temperatures of up to 45 degrees celsius.

He also undertook absolutely no training prior to setting off, making his journey even more challenging.

Bruce flying the Harrogate flag in Thailand.

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He was assisted by his friend Mr Noom who runs the elephant home and followed him on his journey in a tuk tuk full of supplies.

So far he is just £2,300 off his fundraising goal, and is still taking donations on his JustGiving page.

Bruce said that his family and friends in Harrogate have continuously supported him and donated from home. He also spoke about what the elephant home means to him;

“I’ve known this group of elephants and the team who look after them ever since we moved to Thailand and have become very attached to them, both the elephants who are just such majestic animals with such distinct personalities and also the team living with and looking after them.

“They are such fantastic, down to earth, hard working people with great love for their elephants being incredibly stoic in their suffering during the economic devastation that covid is having here in Thailand.”

If raised, the £16,000 total will be enough to sustain the elephants and the families looking after them for 3 months.

 

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and welcome back, it’s Connor with you this morning with updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links.

Temporary traffic lights, train delays and traffic hotspots are all included in our blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group.

If you are experiencing delays, and it is safe to do so, please let us know or social media or call 01423 276197.

9am – Full Update

That is all from me today. I will be back tomorrow morning from 6.30am with all of your traffic and travel updates. Have a good day.

Roads

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8.45am – Full Update

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8.30am – Full Update

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8.15am – Full Update

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8am – Full Update

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The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

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7.45am – Full Update

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The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

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7.30am – Full Update

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The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

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7.15am – Full Update

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The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

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7am – Full Update

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The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

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6.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

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6.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

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Boom in padel tennis brings new centre to Harrogate

A new padel tennis centre could arrive at Harrogate’s Hornbeam Park as popularity for the sport grows.

With more than 6.000 padel players in the UK, according to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), the sport is one of the fastest growing in the country.

Plans have been submitted for a new six-court padel centre in one of Hornbeam’s new developments.

If planning is approved a new “boutique” gym will also open on the ground floor of the Matrix building with the padel courts on the first floor.

The building is currently empty but if planning is approved it could see the site transformed.

Unit M1 Matrix building, Hornbeam Park

The court would be housed in the Unit 1M Matrix building if plans are approved.

Here are ten facts you might not know about padel tennis, from the LTA:

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Planning documents have described the ground floor gym as “boutique with premium facilities”.

The centre will be opened by Coach Gyms Limited and Surge Padel Limited if planning is given the go ahead.

‘So happy’: Nidd Gorge memorial bench restored after vandalism

A Harrogate woman is keen to put on her walking boots and head to the Nidd Gorge after the council restored a memorial bench dedicated to her late husband.

Colin James died aged 55 from cancer in 2015. He was born in Manchester but moved to Harrogate to be with Sylvia and loved to go on dog walks in Nidd Gorge.

For that reason Sylvia bought the bench and was devastated earlier this year when she saw its slats had been broken.

Her family set up a fundraiser to replace the bench but Harrogate Borough Council offered to replace it for free.

Nidd Gorge Community Action, which protects the area, has now reported on its Facebook page that the bench has been restored.

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The broken bench, pictured in May.

The £540 raised for repairs will now go to St Michael’s Hospice, the charity that cared for Colin before he died.

Sylvia James told the Stray Ferret today she was “so happy” and added:

“I found out on Father’s Day so it could not have been better timing really.

“Ever since it was vandalised I have avoided going to visit the bench, I did not want to see it like that. It would have torn me apart.

“Now that it has been restored I cannot wait to visit.”

Harrogate district’s wild grass verges continue to divide opinion

The Harrogate district’s wild new look this summer continues to divide opinion, as swathes of land are left to grow several feet high. Now that some areas have been cut the contrast is really starting to show.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s bid to encourage rewilding has won plaudits but there is also concern about the state of some verges that have grown up to three feet tall in buttercups and wildflowers — sometimes hampering visibility at junctions.

A recent Stray Ferret post on Facebook about whether the grass should be cut attracted more than 300 comments.

Some praised the council for biodiversity but others raised concerns about aesthetics and safety.

Here is a selection of the hundreds of comments, in no particular order.

Maurizio Hales said:

“I really like it. Natural looking, good for wildlife.

“Don’t think of us all the time. Think of the wildlife that lives around us as well.”

But Lynne Oliver-walsh was less enthusiastic. She said:

“It’s a mess! Not safe for children to play in as it’s full of dog mess that to be fair to the owners it is difficult to clean up when the grass is so long.

“We pay a lot of council tax and it should be kept neat and tidy in residential areas so children are safe to play on it.”

Ben Askew, however, said:

“I love that the verges are being left to grow. Good for a bit of biodiversity and interesting to see what is coming up naturally.”

Abi Fulford raised the issue of road safety. She said:

“I’m not against it but do find pulling out at certain junctions very difficult! Some have been cut back slightly but not enough.”

Paul Mayfield gave a thumbs down:

“Absolutely scruffy scruffy scruffy. There’s plenty of greenery around without turning the Stray into a hay meadow.

“Perhaps the council support it because it reduces maintenance costs.”

Karl Richardson objected not only on the grounds of how it looks but also on the impact it has on dog owners.

“Certain areas look fine but the whole lot just looks scruffy.

“Plus as a responsible dog owner trying to pick up your dogs crap when you eventually find it is a task in itself. Stand in more than you pick up.”

Gill Thompson-Hammell said:

“Love love love it, more flowers, more crazy wildness, please stop spraying, let it grow, grow, grow!

“The ‘right’ place for wildlife is everywhere! Newsflash – buttercups and dandelions are flowers too!”

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Should Harrogate adopt the Rotherham approach?

Some readers urged Harrogate Borough Council to follow the lead of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, which plants wild flower verges.

For the last three years the Rotherham council has worked with Pictorial Meadows to create an eight=mile long stretch of colourful roadside meadows.

It has received praise for its environmental approach and saved about £25,000 in ongoing management expenses.

The colourful verges in Rotherham. Photo: Pictorial Meadows

What do you think of the new look for Harrogate’s verges? Send your thoughts to be included in Stray Views by sending an email to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate councillor resigns for “family reasons”

A Conservative councillor for Harrogate Borough Council and Knaresborough Town Council has resigned from both posts.

Samantha Mearns, who was also chair of the general purposes committee, sent out a leaflet to residents over the weekend.

She said she was resigning after her younger brother died and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

Her mother’s current prognosis is good but she has recently moved with her husband to Wales to be closer to her family.

She said:

“Sometimes things happen in your life which make you rethink your life plan. Just before the pandemic struck, my younger brother, my only sibling, died from abdominal sepsis.

“With my sister in law and mother I watched him pass away. This had a huge impact upon me.

“Shortly after my mother became seriously unwell and was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully due to our fantastic NHS her current prognosis is good.

“However this and losing my brother in such a short time has made me look at what I needed to do with my life for my family.

“Our moves have now finalised, and with lockdown restrictions lifting, now is the appropriate time for me to stand aside.”

The Stray Ferret understands that Knaresborough resident Jacqui Renton will stand in her place for the next election.

It is unclear at this time when the by-election will be held. It is also unclear whether Samantha Mearns will stay on as a case worker for Andrew Jones MP.

Police investigation into Gmund Cars Ltd

Samantha Mearns remains at the centre of a police investigation into missing Porsche cars worth more than one million pounds because she had “significant control” in the company which her husband owned.

Gmund Cars Ltd, which traded classic Porsche cars, was dissolved in September 2020.

The Stray Ferret spoke to six victims who took their cars to Gmund Cars Ltd on a sale or return basis. They said they never saw their cars again.

Samantha Mearns told the Stray Ferret last year :

“I was a shareholder in my husband’s business until December 2018.  When the business was put into administration in June 2019, allegations were made which resulted in a police investigation.  As far as I am aware the investigation has concluded with no further action being taken.  I was never interviewed in relation to any of the allegations.”

The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire Police this morning, the investigation has not concluded and is still ongoing.