Stray Views: Dangerous takeaway drivers and exclusion zones for pro-lifers outside abortion clinics

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

I was in town this afternoon and witnessed 3 different takeaway drivers, easily identified by the large insulated food bags they carry, completely disregarding all traffic signs.

They regularly drive down pedestrian areas, park in disabled spaces and in double yellow lines.

I heard another couple remark about it. Where are the police or traffic wardens? The town was very busy this afternoon and these drivers are a danger waiting to happen.

John Franklin, Harrogate

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Ferreters may be interested to know that local Tory  MPs Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) and Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) voted recently in the Commons to jail for up to two years volunteers offering alternative help to women approaching abortion clinics. It is believed the pro-lifers have saved  hundreds of unborn children’s lives at the very doors of the clinics.

The MPs’ vote was widely criticised across the House of Lords.

Lib Dem peer Lord Beith said: “[I]  cannot support a clause which criminalises a person who ‘seeks to influence, provides information or expresses opinion’m.”

He added: “This is the most profound restriction on free speech I have ever seen in any UK legislation.”

Similar sentiments came from Lord Frost (Con), a former government minister and Brexit negotiator.

The peers were debating  the Second Reading of the Public Order Act, controversially amended by a Labour MP to impose throughout England exclusion zones banning  pro-life actions of any kind  within 150 yards of an abortion clinic.

Lord McAvoy (Lab), quoting the grateful personal testimony of a woman helped by volunteers outside a clinic, said: “If we make it illegal to hand out a leaflet with offers of housing or support, we embark on a slippery slope to bans on other leaflets with which we disagree.”

Baroness O’Loan (crossbencher), a former Police Ombudsman, warned the proposed blanket ban was unnecessary and could even be harmful.

Home Office Minister Lord Sharpe, closing the debate, described the clause as a disproportionate response to pro-life vigils outside abortion clinics and not human rights compliant.

Jones and Smith were supporters earlier this year of making pills by post abortions permanent. This was despite repeated assurances to constituents that the practice was a temporary expedient because of the Covid pandemic–and despite many doctors’ fears of the dangers of coercion of girls and women by boyfriends, partners and relatives.

Both also voted in the past against an explicit ban on sex-selective abortion and against independent abortion counselling. In their 12 years in Parliament, abortions have soared in England and Wales  from 196,109 in 2010  to last year’s record of 214,256.

Tony Flanagan, Kirkby Malzeard

 

 

New BBC series pays homage to intrepid Victorian explorer from Boroughbridge

An intrepid Victorian explorer from Boroughbridge is to be the subject of a new BBC2 series starring Ruby Wax, Mel B and Emily Atack.

Isabella Bird, who was born at Boroughbridge Hall in 1831, travelled alone across the lawless American Wild West, riding 800 miles on horseback through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

She befriended outlaws, climbed mountains, and faced grizzly bears in what was a restrictive era for women in Britain.

Using her original 1873 book A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains as inspiration for their own adventure, Ruby, Mel and Emily pay homage to this forgotten pioneer in the series Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip.

They explore the people, places and curious customs of an ever-changing America, while reflecting on the changes in western society over the last 150 years and their own experiences of womanhood.

The new series starts on BBC2 on Monday at 9pm.

Linda Dooks, secretary of the Boroughbridge and District Historical Society, said:

“Isabella Bird was born at Boroughbridge Hall to the Rev Edward Bird and his second wife Dora Lawson in 1831. The Lawsons have been owners of the hall for several generations.

“The Birds actually only stayed about six months before moving to Edinburgh, where she is buried.

“An ill child in 1850, she had a tumour removed from her spine.

“Doctors advised a sea voyage to aid her recovery her father gave her £100  ‘to leave and stay as long as the money lasted’. Her bright descriptive letters home formed the basis of An English Women in America.”

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Ms Dooks said Isabella went on to marry John Bishop in 1881, inheriting a large income after his death, which she used to extend her travels.

She added:

“First she travelled to India where she help found The John Bishop Memorial Hospital. Then on to Tibet, what was then Persia and Turkey.

“The following year she travelled to Baghdad and Tehran with a group of British soldiers.

“By now her writings were figuring in books, journals and magazines and she became a household name.

“She was the first woman to be allowed to join The Royal Geographical Society

“Her final journeys  took her up the Yangtze River, in China, where there is now a memorial garden because of the missionary work she did there.

“She then went on to Morocco, where she was given a beautiful black stallion as a gift from the sultan.

“She died at her home in Edinburgh in 1901.”

Ms Dooks said Boroughbridge only became aware of Isabelle and her exploits in the 1980s when a group of Chinese tourists asked where Isabella Bird was born.

She said:

“A plaque has since been erected on the wall in Hall Square at Boroughbridge and her exploits recorded in the book A history of Boroughbridge, published by the Boroughbridge Historical Society.”

Nearly half of Harrogate council meetings cancelled in November

A lack of Harrogate Borough Council business has led to nearly half of meetings being cancelled this past month.

The authority will be abolished in four months time and replaced by North Yorkshire Council.

The cancellation of so many meetings raises questions over how effective the council will be in its final days.

It had been due to hold 13 meetings in November — not including informal meetings — which included senior cabinet member meetings and a planning committee.

However, five of those meetings were cancelled. Last week the council did not hold a single meeting.

Just three public meetings were streamed live onto the council’s YouTube in November.

This included a cabinet meeting, where senior councillors made a key decision over the progress of three strategic housing sites.

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The Stray Ferret asked the borough council why so many meetings had been cancelled and why so few meetings had been streamed for the public to watch.

A council spokesperson said:

“Provisional dates for meetings are added to the calendar at the start of the municipal year. 

“Should these not be required, as there are no items to bring to said meeting, then they are cancelled.”

The authority is due to hold 12 meetings in December—- one of which has already been cancelled.

 

 

Harrogate council apologises after publishing personal details

Harrogate Borough Council has apologised after leaking the personal details of people who commented on a consultation on its website.

The consultation over the proposed new settlement at Cattal, known as Maltkiln, has been open since October 3 and closes tonight.

However, one participant discovered this week that details which were redacted, including home addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, could still be accessed by members of the public.

Roger Owen, chairman of community group Better Wetherby, said the group became aware on Wednesday that his personal details were accessible on the site and immediately contacted Harrogate Borough Council.

He said:

“This is a very serious breach. GDPR [General Data Protection Regulations] is there to safeguard individuals’ identities among other things. I know Harrogate council has only a few months left before a unitary authority is created in North Yorkshire, but that’s no reason to become sloppy.

“Social media engenders sometimes extreme views and it makes it easy for people to get on the backs of those they don’t agree with. People can have extreme views on contentious matters such as Maltkiln and GDPR is there to prevent people whose views are violently opposed to those of Better Wetherby coming to my house and smashing the car up.

“This is a massive planning application which is going to have a major effect on Wetherby, amongst other things.”

Residents are required to give their contact details in consultations in order to ensure all responses submitted are genuine.

Roger Owen's letter was redacted, but his personal details were still accessibleRoger Owen’s letter was redacted, but his personal details were still accessible.

However, the council has a duty to protect their personal details and not to publish them.

The council blamed a “processing error” for the situation, which meant although black marks were placed over personal details on PDFs submitted by respondents, people viewing them could still copy the text underneath and paste it, completely visible, into another document.

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Arnold Warneken, a Green Party councillor representing Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, said those who had taken the time to provide their views to the consultation had been badly let down.

He said:

“This type of breach clearly puts people who live in the same communities off from making comments on matters that are very emotive and confrontational. My concern is that people will have pulled back from submitting comments.

“Like everything in this process, it is either being rushed or they haven’t got enough people to do it properly.”

A council spokesperson said a small volume of respondents had been incorrectly redacted due to “a processing error”.

He added:

“Where this happened, the contact details were not visible unless the consultation response was copied and pasted into a document.

“As soon as we were made aware of this, we took appropriate action and removed the information pending an investigation and resolution.

“We have also written to the residents involved, apologising for this error.”

Mr Owen said he was writing urgently to the council’s chief executive, Wallace Sampson, for an explanation of how the breach could have happened and whether any other documents were affected.

If he did not receive a satisfactory response, he said, he would take the issue further.

Boroughbridge church offers warm space every week

A church in Boroughbridge is opening its doors for 12 hours every Thursday to ensure nobody is cold or lonely at home.

St James’s Church will offer activities and hot drinks, as well as somewhere warm to be and to socialise, from 9am to 9pm each week.

The church already hosts Make Time for Music for babies, toddlers and their carers from 9.30am to 10am on a Thursday. Bell ringing, recorder and mindfulness groups also meet once a month.

Now, from 6.30pm until 9pm, people will be able to use the church for reading, playing board games or simply having someone to chat to, all with hot drinks served.

Rev Karen Gardiner said:

“It was our first day on Thursday. We had 16 families come in for our new music group this week, which is great.

“There is no fixed cost for anything, though people can make a donation to the costs of running these if they would like to and are able.

“The church is kept at a comfortable 18 degrees throughout the day with the loos open. We are open and warm at some other times of the week too.

“We’re keen that the message gets out to everyone who would either like to be somewhere free and warm, or who would like to just make friends and do something different.”

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The initiatives is part of St James’s “somewhere to belong” programme, which is aimed at ensuring anyone in the local area is made welcome at all church events.

This means there are no fixed entry fees for anything, so people can donate as much or as little as they are able, ensuring anyone struggling financially can still join in. There are also provisions in place to support people who have dementia, mental ill health, autism spectrum disorders, problems with substance abuse, and other health conditions, to help everyone feel as comfortable and welcome as possible.

The toddler, baby and carer music group in BoroughbridgeMake Time for Music is part of the warm space day every Thursday in Boroughbridge

The church is funding the weekly ‘warm space’ initiative through a grant from Leeds Diocese of £770.

Rev Gardiner said:

“That gives us the ability to open much more and keep the heating on.

“We still don’t know exactly how much it’s going to cost us, but we felt it was a matter of faith and principle. We are in a better position than most people to offer a warm space, so we want to share that with our community.”

For more information, visit the church website.

The Stray Ferret launches 2023 Business Awards

Does your business or workplace have a good story to tell? We’re looking to recognise the best and the brightest in the Harrogate district’s business community.

On March 9 next year, the Stray Ferret Business Awards will celebrate those businesses at a glittering black tie ceremony in the Pavilions of Harrogate and we want your entries.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards 2023, sponsored by local financial advisers Prosperis, are for businesses across all sectors in the Harrogate district including Ripon, Masham, Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Pateley Bridge and Knaresborough.

We are delighted to announce four of the region’s most influential leaders are on the Stray Ferret Business Award’s judging panel:

There are 10 award categories − from Dynamic Leader to Business Growth and Inclusivity.

It doesn’t matter if the business is large or small − the awards are to recognise excellent organisations, their leaders or unsung heroes.

It’s free to nominate and we will profile the great work of all the winners, so we would encourage you to put forward your business today.

You can see a full list of award categories on our Awards page. Entries close January 16.

In tough times we need, more than ever, to celebrate success and give individuals and teams the recognition they deserve.

Motorcyclist seriously injured in Harrogate district crash

A motorcyclist was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a collision in the Harrogate district this morning.

North Yorkshire Police attended a two-vehicle collision involving a car and a motorbike on the A59 at Moor Monkton at 5.49am.

According to police, the motorbike was travelling westbound along the road and the car — a white VW — was travelling in the opposite direction when they collided.

Further details of the injuries, or the man’s name, have not been released.

The A59, which is the main road linking Harrogate and York, was closed between Station Road to York Road and Maston Lane to York Road.

A police statement said:

“If you witnessed the incident, have dashcam footage or any other information which could help our investigation, please email: Richard.harrison@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, select option 2 and ask for TC Smith.

“Please quote reference 12220208147.”

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Boroughbridge resident receives 557 cards for her 103rd birthday

More than 550 cards have been sent to a Boroughbridge resident as she celebrated her 103rd birthday.

Marjorie Spiking, who lives at Borougbridge Manor care home, was inundated with greetings after staff appealed for cards from the community, with a story appearing on the Stray Ferret last month.

They hoped to receive 103 to match her age – but were overwhelmed by the 557 that came through the door from across the country.

Asked about the secret to a long life, Marjorie said:

“Plenty of biscuits and lots of tea.”

Marjorie marked the landmark occasion this week with a morning of pampering and fizz. A tea party was held in her honour at the home, with freshly-made cupcakes from Sunflower Bakery in the town.

She said:

“I have had a wonderful day, thank you to everyone for creating a special day for me.”

Mark Hurst, general manager of Barchester Boroughbridge Manor, added:

“We’re delighted to be celebrating a truly remarkable woman as she reaches this amazing milestone. Marjorie is such a popular resident who always has an interesting tale to tell, and we look forward to hearing many more.”

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Concern over lack of secondary school at new Harrogate district town

Concerns have been raised about the absence of a secondary school in plans for a new Harrogate district town of up to 4,000 homes.

The proposed town, called Maltkiln, will be built in the Hammerton and Cattal area and will include a GP surgery, shops and two primary schools — but not a secondary school.

According to a North Yorkshire County Council report, the scheme proposes to expand Boroughbridge High School, which has about 600 students, to meet demand for secondary school pupils.

Land in Maltkiln has also been “safeguarded” for a high school, but this would only be built in future should it be required.

Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn, told a Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee meeting today that plans to expand Boroughbridge High School to meet demand would generate its own problems.

He added that local residents were surprised the development did not have its own secondary school given that thousands of homes are expected to be built.

Cllr Warneken said:

“This is a massive impact on this community and everything needs to be in place that is going to address that impact.

“The pupils are not just going to come from the Maltkiln development, they are going to come from places like Whixley, Green Hammerton and Tockwith as well. All of those have experienced big developments as well.

“I am concerned that we are asking, as a result of Maltkiln, for a school to be further developed in Boroughbridge when I believe that Boroughbridge has its own set of problems in terms of levels of development and the number of pupils that will generate.”

Boroughbridge High School.

Boroughbridge High School.

Officials at the county council said in a report that it was “not expected” that the size of the development would “generate sufficient pupils” to require a new secondary school.

Sue Turley, strategic planning officer in the county council’s children’s and young people service, said the council had forecast that Boroughbridge High School would be able to meet the demand for secondary school pupils from the new town.

She said:

“In terms of the secondary provision, it is expected that Boroughbridge High School would be expanded because there is sufficient space at the school and to grow the school, which is part of a federation with King James School.

“However, it is important to realise that there is safeguarded land within Maltkiln for secondary provision as indicated should this be required in the future. There is that provision there and I think that everybody wanted to see that there was that provision in that development plan for the site, which is now being consulted on.”

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Cllr Pat Marsh, chair of the area committee, raised concern that the move did not meet the sustainable aims of the development.

She said:

“Why are we saying this is a sustainable community and yet expecting children to travel at 11 to Boroughbridge?

“Then this joining with King James becomes problematic because Knaresborough itself has got over 1,000 new houses and where is the secondary school there? It’s King James.

“So there is going to be a major issue with secondary schools.”

Extension of consultation

Harrogate Borough Council has agreed to extend a consultation into  Maltkiln until November 25.

Council officials launched a six-week consultation on October 3 into its draft new settlement development plan document, which sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how the town is designed and developed.

However, Cllr Warneken, who represents Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, called for an extension amid concern that the planning process was being rushed ahead of the new North Yorkshire Council coming into being.

He issued the plea after it emerged the consultation documents had been changed midway through — without people being told — and raised the prospect of a judicial review.

You can take part in the consultation over the new town here.

Lane closures and speed restrictions coming to A1 in Harrogate district

Lane closures and a 50mph speed limit are being introduced to a stretch of the A1 that passes through the Harrogate district.

National Highways is to carry out patching repairs on the southbound carriageway between junction 49 (Dishforth) and junction 51 (Leeming Bar) from Tuesday next week until mid-December.

According to a press release today by National Highways, during full closures a local signed diversion will be in place using the A6055 which runs parallel to the A1.

Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. Those affected will be contacted directly.

National Highways project manager Ted Chamberlain said:

“This work will ensure that we continue to provide our customers with a safe, smooth carriageway. We’ll be working overnight using a combination of full closures and lane closures. This will minimise disruption to the peak traffic flows during the day.

“When lane closures are in place there will be a 50mph speed restriction to protect road users and our workers. We advise drivers to anticipate delays and allow extra time for their journeys.”

National Highways is the government-owned company responsible for maintaining England’s motorways and major A roads.

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