This year, 13 complaints were made against Harrogate district councillors and only one councillor was found to have breached code of conduct rules.
The councillors have featured in a Harrogate Borough Council report which details how the complaints made during 2021/22 were investigated and dealt with.
This was councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, whose comments secretly recorded during a conversion with a resident amounted to an “unwarranted personal attack” on other councillors, council officers and Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones.
That is according to a separate report, which concluded that Cllr Marsh “had not treated others with respect”.
Cllr Marsh, who represents the Hookstone ward, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that a complaints panel hearing held in January was “not fairly balanced” because it was made up of two Conservative councillors and one Ripon Independent.
She also said she had a right of freedom of speech and that her comments were “not harmful or disrespectful”.
However, the report concluded that “whilst freedom of speech is important for elected members, there is a need for council to ensure that they do not undermine trust and confidence with ill-judged and inappropriate statements”.
All other councillors involved in the 13 complaints are not named because they are “treated confidentially” unless a panel hearing is held, the council said.
Bullying allegation
There were 11 complaints where a monitoring officer and independent person ruled that investigations were not needed. This included allegations of bullying by a parish councillor.
The report said there had been “historical and ongoing difference of views” between two members of the parish council and that another investigation was “unlikely to resolve the situation”.
A separate complaint alleged that a borough councillor tried to “cajole” the borough council’s planning committee by reading a pre-prepared speech at a meeting.
However, the monitoring officer and independent person ruled that this was “not a cause for concern as it merely demonstrates that a councillor has prepared for the meeting and marshalled their thoughts and arguments”.
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Another complaint claimed that a borough councillor adopted an “unhelpful and obstructive approach” by failing to answer questions during a public consultation.
But this complaint was also not referred for an investigation.
Accusations of lying formed the basis of one complaint which involved a parish councillor who allegedly distributed leaflets containing “inaccurate and misleading information” about a planning application.
This complaint was also closed after a conclusion that there was “no evidence” to support the claims.
Band of the Grenadier Guards performs in HarrogateThe world-famous Band of the Grenadier Guards has performed with young musicians in Harrogate.
The band joined schoolchildren from across North Yorkshire for a concert on Friday to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
People cheered and waved flags as the military band – famous for its scarlet tunics and bearskin hats — made a grand entrance at Harrogate Convention Centre, playing the traditional British Grenadiers marching song.
The concert, which was organised by North Yorkshire County Council’s school music service, featured about 350 pupils.
Pupils playing at the concert.
Trumpet player George Hirst, one of the Grenadier Guards taking part, is a former North Yorkshire student who was a member of some of the music service’s ensembles.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards’ history dates back more than 300 years and played a key role in this month’s jubilee parade in London.
They are taking part in celebratory concerts across the country this year and North Yorkshire’s school music service’s request for the band to join the concert was accepted.
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Ian Bangay, head of North Yorkshire county music service, said the event was a “huge success”, adding;
“The children really entered into the spirit of the event, waving their flags and cheering as the band marched in.
“They sang well and the musicians from the music centres performed superbly.”
“The guards were fantastic, interacting with our children throughout the day. They were happy to talk about their roles and even let the children try on their bearskins and have pictures taken with them. It was a great end to an enormous amount of work put in by music service staff and the teachers at the schools taking part.
“We are hoping to continue our relationship with the guards and are looking in to taking the county youth big band down to London to rehearse with them and watch changing of the guard.”
The evening featured popular music from each decade of the Queen’s reign.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards performed Crown Imperial, music from West Side Story, Symphony by Clean Bandit and rounded off the evening with Pomp and Circumstance by Edward Elgar and the National Anthem.
Online meetings during covid saved council £4m
The introduction of online meetings due to covid saved North Yorkshire County Council £4 million.
An officer’s report to a meeting of the authority’s executive tomorrow reveals the huge amount of money saved as well as environmental benefits.
The staff mileage bill fell by more than £1.7 million In the year to April 2021 compared with the previous 12 months.
Staff drove 4,117,062 fewer miles to meetings than in 2019/20.
The introduction of online meetings by the authority, which employs 15,000 staff, saw a total saving of almost £4 million, the equivalent to more than 2,700 average annual council tax bills.
The report estimates over the two years it saved 369,500 hours, or 49,200 working days, the equivalent to some 233 full-time staff.
It states:
“Over 2,000 employees had moved quickly to work from home at the start of the pandemic and the way in which teams can work remotely and virtually has been transformational.
“There has been a carefully considered approach to developing future ways of working post-covid following whole organisation engagement in 2021.
“Hybrid working has been welcomed by council staff. This new approach provides great flexibility for many roles.”
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The authority, which aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, reduced carbon emissions by 2,710 tonnes over the two years because of the reduced mileage.
The council aims to generate further post-pandemic savings by rationalising its extensive property portfolio as more work is completed virtually and demand for physical meeting spaces has been reduced.
The officer’s report states:
“It should also be noted these savings are just in terms of travelling to and from meetings.
“The savings to individual members of staff working from home, fuel cost and time, and to the environment, will be significantly bigger.
“Although some of these figures will start to increase again as staff return to the office on a more frequent basis, there will be many other benefits that new ways of working have brought us that can be retained.”
7m fewer documents printed
The report highlights other benefits of changed working practices, including improved attendance at multi-agency meetings, the ability to attend more meetings and arrange meetings sooner than if relying on getting people together at the same place.
With many staff working from home and attending meetings online, there has been a sharp reduction in the number of documents being printed.
In the year before the pandemic the council’s staff printed some 14.5 million sheets of paper compared to 7.6 million last year. Over the last two years the reduction in printing has saved the equivalent of 1,800 trees.
The authority’s deputy leader, Councillor Gareth Dadd, said while it remained unclear as to the level of savings that the work practice changes would produce in the coming years, how technology could be used to cut travel would “feature very heavily in our thinking moving forward”.
Borougbridge hotel owner plans £450,000 refurbishmentThe owners of the Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge have unveiled plans for a £450,000 refurbishment.
The Coaching Inn Group took over the historic 37-bedroom hotel back in February after its parent company, RedCat Pub Company, purchased it from Best Western for an undisclosed fee.
Now, according to planning documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the company looks set to refurbish the site.
The plans include a range of alternations both inside and outside the hotel including creation of cycle and motorbike parking, new external hanging baskets, new signage and painting scheme and an outdoor seating area.
It also includes proposals to refurbish the current facilities, including the bar, kitchen, office and reception area and the creation of a coffee lounge.
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JEH Planning, the agent which submitted the plans on behalf of Coaching Inn Group, said in a planning statement that the hotel had been in “decline as a business”.
It added:
“The Crown Hotel at Boroughbridge has been in decline as a business.
“The building has not benefitted from the level of investment commensurate with its high architectural and historic significance.
“Over the years piecemeal changes and additions have resulted in a situation that does not optimise the use of the building or serve to enhance its special character.
“The Coaching Inn Group have recently purchased the property and are keen to undertake sensitive refurbishment works. They have a significant budget of around £450,000 to invest in undertaking these works.”
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the planned refurbishments at a later date.
Fire warning to farmers after dung heap spontaneously combustsHarrogate fire station has urged farmers to check the temperature of baled hay and straw after a fire this week.
Knaresborough and Harrogate firefighters used breathing apparatus to tackle a blaze affecting dung heaps and about 70 hay bales at Thorpe Underwood on Wednesday.
There was also a large amount of straw used for bedding in the pile that caught fire.
Harrogate fire station said in a social media post that its thermal imaging camera identified hot spots at over 500 degrees. It added:
“Piles of straw like this can spontaneously combust. They self-ignite because of heat produced by bacterial fermentation. Once ignition temperature is reached, combustion occurs.”
The thermal imaging camera picks up the hotspots. Pic: Harrogate fire station
Hay spontaneously combusting is a common cause of summer barn fires. They usually occur just after the hay or straw has been baled.
Firefighters urged farmers to monitor the temperature of their hay and straw by using temperature meters, especially after collecting it from fields, and then taking steps to cool it if necessary.
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Green Shoots: On a mission to tackle food waste in Boroughbridge
Green Shoots is the Stray Ferret’s monthly feature that explores the people and places who are doing great things for the environment in our district.
Boroughbridge residents are queuing out of the door at Boroughbridge Methodist Church to pick up potatoes, bread, carrots and other kitchen essentials.
But it’s not a food bank, they are here to do their bit to tackle the food waste crisis, which is one of the most under-reported environmental issues of our time.
In the UK, 6.7 million tonnes of food, worth £10 billion, is thrown in the bin every year.
There is a hidden environmental price too with much of the unwanted food heading to vast landfill sites which emit climate-damaging methane into the atmosphere.
The community larder is run jointly by volunteers from Boroughbridge Lions and Boroughbridge Community Care. The food comes from Morrisons supermarket, Fink, Minskip Farm Shop and Great Ouseburn Post Office.
As well as fruit and veg there are tins, drinks and even some rather tempting-looking cakes, which really would be a shame to see go to waste.
‘All about the environment’
The larder has been running for 11 weeks and kicks off each Wednesday from 12pm.
It also doubles up as a social get-together for the Boroughbridge community who gather for tea and coffee whilst they wait for their turn to collect the food.
The volunteers recently totted up how much food has been handed over so far, they had saved a massive 1.6 tonnes of food from going to landfill. Not bad going for a couple of hours every Wednesday lunchtime.
Sue Johnson from Boroughbridge Lions is one of the key figures behind the larder. She said, “It’s all about the environment”.
“We are reducing food waste and surplus food that would normally go to into landfill and create greenhouse gases. That’s what we are all about.
“We also want to bring the community together. The buzz in the coffee room is fantastic. “
Residents having tea and coffee in the church
Some of the food in the larder
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‘It’s still good food’
Unlike a food bank, you don’t need a referral to visit. It’s open to everyone, which the volunteers are keen to stress.
Andrea Bryson, one of the volunteers, said:
“We’re preventing food from going to waste. It’s still good food. We’re protecting the environment so there’s less methane in the atmosphere. It puts a smile on everybody’s face.”
Mo, who has lived in Boroughbridge for many years, said helping the environment is the main reason she comes along. She said:
“A lot of people wouldn’t go to a food bank because they think they are not deserving. This is a win-win as you are helping the planet and stopping food from going to waste so the environment is benefitting.”
Boroughbridge resident Mo
Kirri said she enjoys the range of items on offer which helps give new ideas for meals to cook for her family. She said:
“I get different ingredients here to what I am used to so I am cooking lots of new things. I can’t believe some of it was being thrown away, it’s crazy!”
Kirri
Green shoots
The Stray Ferret didn’t leave empty-handed, either, and took home some potatoes and carrots, which will look good as part of a Sunday roast this weekend.
Tackling climate change can seem like a daunting task for the individual but lessons learned from groups like the Boroughbridge Community Larder might just be one way for us to slowly turn the corner, one bag of potatoes at a time.
National Open Gardens: Gardens taking part across the Harrogate district this summerThe temperatures have risen across the Harrogate district this week and that summer feeling has well and truly kicked in.
And what better time than to enjoy some of the stunning flora and fauna that our area has to offer.
There are lots of gorgeous gardens to explore over the next few months as part of the National Garden Scheme.
The initiative gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in the UK and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities. The scheme also promotes the physical and mental health benefits of gardens.
We have put together a list of the participating gardens in our district from now until August:
Birstwith Hall, Birstwith
When: Sunday, June 19, 2pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: A charming and varied four-acre garden nestling in a secluded Yorkshire dale.
A formal garden and ornamental orchard, as well as extensive lawns leading to a picturesque stream and a large pond. There is also a walled garden and Victorian greenhouse.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Yorke House and White Rose Cottage, Dacre Banks
When: Sunday, June 26, 11am-5pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: An award-winning English country garden in the heart of Nidderdale.
A series of distinct areas flowing through two acres of ornamental garden. There are also colour-themed borders, as well as a natural pond and stream with delightful waterside plantings. Secluded seating areas and attractive views.
The adjacent cottage has a recently developed garden designed for wheelchair access. There is a large collection of hostas and an orchard picnic area.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Prospect House, Burton Leonard
When: Friday, June 24, 1-.30am-2pm
Admission: Adults £35, children go free
Booking: A limited number of tickets have been made available for this special event. Tickets must be booked in advance here
About: Following a welcome by the owner, there will be talks on the development of the garden, the creation of a cutting garden and colour-themed borders plus demonstration of cut flower arrangements in the potting shed. Buffet lunch included.
Prospect House features a one-acre walled, landscaped garden with ornamental pond, pergola, large oval lawned area, cutting and vegetable beds.
There is a colour-themed herbaceous long border, ‘hot’ borders, and a physic bed. There is also mature hedging, trees and seasonal interest throughout. Additional new planting areas are being established.
A renovated outhouse has been converted into a potting area used for garden workshops.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Cobble Cottage, Whixley
When: Sunday, July 3,11pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £4, children go free
About: An imaginatively designed, constantly changing, small cottage garden full of decorative architectural plants and old family favourites.
There is an Interesting water garden, containers and use of natural materials. It also features a black and white courtyard garden and Japanese-style garden with growing willow screen.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Group openings – gardens that open on the same day
Grafton gardens, Marton-cum-Grafton
Well House.
When: Sunday, July 3,11am-5pm
Admission: Adults £6, children go free
About: These two gardens in adjacent rural villages are also connected by a public footpath.
Paddock House is on an elevated site with extensive views down a large sloping lawn to a wildlife pond. A plant lover’s garden where the house is encircled by a profusion of pots and extensive plant collections combining cottage gardening with the Mediterranean and Tropical. A curved terrace of Yorkshire stone and steps using gravel and wood sleepers leads to many seating areas culminating in a cutting garden and small greenhouse.
Well House, in Grafton, nestles under the hillside, with long views to the White Horse. This one-and-a-half acre garden was begun 40 years ago and is constantly changing. A traditional English cottage garden with herbaceous borders, climbing roses and ornamental shrubs with a variety of interesting species. Paths meander through the borders to an orchard with ducks. Refreshments are available at The Punch Bowl pub, a five-minute walk from Well House.
Dacre Banks and Summerbridge Gardens
Woodlands Cottage.
When: Sunday, July 10,12pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £10, children go free
About: Dacre Banks and Summerbridge Gardens are situated in the beautiful countryside of Nidderdale and designed to take advantage of the scenic Dales landscape.
The gardens are linked by attractive walks along the valley, but each may be accessed individually by car.
Low Hall has a romantic walled garden set on different levels around the historic C17 family home (not open) with herbaceous borders, shrubs, climbing roses and a tranquil water garden. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Riverside House is an atmospheric waterside garden on many levels, supporting shade-loving plants and features a Victorian folly, fernery, courtyard and naturalistic riverside plantings. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Woodlands Cottage is a garden of many rooms, with exquisite formal and informal plantings, and an attractive wildflower meadow which harmonises with mature woodland. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Yorke House has extensive colour-themed borders and water features with beautiful waterside plantings. The newly developed garden at White Rose Cottage is specifically designed for wheelchair users. The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
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The Priory, Nun Monkton
When: Thursday, July 7,11pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £6, children go free
About: A large country garden surrounding William and Mary house (not open), at the confluence of the River Nidd and River Ouse.
It features species trees, calm swathes of lawn, clipped yew, beech and box, formal rose garden and mixed borders.
There is a new area of soft perennial planting and informal parkland. There area also kitchen gardens with a greenhouse and swimming pool where teas will be served.
The Nun Monkton Ferryboat will be running a special service on this day, connecting Nun Monkton with Beningbrough and Moor Monkton, from the riverbank next to The Priory.
Markenfield Hall, Ripon
When: Tuesday, July 12, 2pm-3pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
Booking: By guided tour only (max 10 people). Tickets must be booked in advance here
About: The work of the hall’s owner Lady Deirdre Curteis and gardener Giles Gilbey.
Mature planting combines with newly designed areas, where walls with espaliered apricots and figs frame a mix of hardy perennials.
In 2018 the farmhouse border was replanted to eventually blend seamlessly with the hall’s main east border.
Goldsborough Hall, Goldsborough
When: Sunday, July 24, 11pm-5pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: An historic 12-acre garden and formal landscaped grounds in parkland setting around Grade II*, 17th-century house, which was the former residence of HRH Princess Mary, daughter of George V and Queen Mary.
Goldsborough Hall boasts Gertrude Jekyll inspired 120ft double herbaceous borders, a rose garden and a woodland walk.
There is a large restored kitchen garden and glasshouse which produces fruit and vegetables for the hall’s commercial kitchens.
Greencroft, Littlethorpe, Ripon
When: Sunday, August 7, 12pm-4pm
Admission: Adults £5, children go free
About: A half-acre informal country garden created by the owners. It features long herbaceous borders packed with colourful late summer perennials, annuals and exotics culminating in a circular garden with views through to large wildlife pond and surrounding countryside.
Special ornamental features include a gazebo, temple pavilions, formal pool, stone wall with mullions and gate to pergola and cascade water feature.
The gardens can also be visited by arrangement.
Knaresborough’s Dower House accelerates closure of spa and gymMembers of Knaresborough’s Dower House gym and spa have been told that the facilities will close next month, seven weeks earlier than originally planned.
The Stray Ferret reported last month the gym and spa were closing after the hotel was acquired by the Inn Collection Group (ICG) in December last year.
At the time the group said the gym and spa, which includes a swimming pool and sauna and provides beauty treatments, would close on August 31 as part of a “multi-million pound expansion” plan.
However, letters sent to members this week said the facilities will now close on July 11. Kate Bentley, rooms director for ICG, said the closure was brought forward due to a decline in users and rising operating costs.
She said:
“Since buying The Dower House in December 2022 we have spent a lot of time familiarising ourselves with the hotel and surrounding area while meeting and listening to customer feedback.
“Dower House — including the spa — is in desperate need of investment which is long-overdue. We have made the decision to accelerate the closure of this part of the hotel.
“We appreciate this may be disappointing for spa users, however we look forward to carrying out a significant investment in the building that a wide range of people can enjoy.”
The ICG has said that all Dower House members who chose to move to the Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge could have their joining fee waived. The Boroughbridge hotel is part of the Coaching Inn Group and also has gym, pool and spa facilities.
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Michael Ward, a member, said:
New pothole machine could be coming to Harrogate district roads“I am disappointed at the closure, and the way it has been handled. The first I knew about it was when the story appeared on the Stray Ferret. I am not impressed with the Inn Collection Group.
“I will therefore not be taking up their offer of joining the Crown Hotel at Boroughbridge, despite the joining fee being waived. It’s disappointing because the Dower House is the only facility of its kind in Knaresborough.”
A machine that can repair potholes and other road damage in minutes could be coming to the Harrogate district.
Highways engineers are trialing the JCB Pothole Pro, which is said to be able to repair a typical pothole more quickly than conventional methods.
The machine has different heads, which can plane off areas of road surface, chop out sections of carriageway and clear up debris when the repair is complete, providing options to deal with different types of repairs.
Because the processes are automated the risk of health problems caused by hand / arm vibration from using power tools is eliminated.
NYHighways, which is the arm’s-length company responsible for maintaining roads on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, is evaluating the machine in the Hambleton district.
The Stray Ferret asked how much the machines cost, how many the council was thinking of buying and when it would make a decision.
A council spokesman said it had nothing further to add. However, the machines have been widely reported to cost £165,000 each.
Council leader Carl Les (left) watches the machine in operation.
Keane Duncan, the Conservative councillor for Norton who is also the executive member for highways, said in a statement:
“We are putting this machine to the test so we can evaluate how it works in real-world conditions and a decision will be made later on whether NYHighways should add it to their fleet.
“Whatever the outcome, road users can be confident we are always aiming to provide them with the best service possible.”
Ross Bullerwell, managing director of NYHighways, said in a statement:
“The JCB Pothole Pro system is just one innovation we are trialling, with many more planned over the next year in order to find solutions that are the right place, right time, and right price for the county’s roads.”
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Body found in search for missing Minskip man
A body has been found in the search for a missing 31-year-old from Minskip, near Boroughbridge.
Luke Earnshaw was reported missing after leaving home on Saturday just before 2.30pm.
He was seen walking down Thorndikes Lane towards Staveley.
North Yorkshire Police said the body found today has not been formally identified but is believed to be that of the missing man. His family have been informed.
Posting on a local Facebook group, a family member thanked everyone who had helped in the search for Mr Earnshaw.
She also praised police officers’ support to the family, adding:
“He’s finally at peace after suffering with mental health for many years.”
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