The Stray Ferret has set new monthly records as it continues to reshape the face of local news in the Harrogate district.

Articles on our website attracted just over one million page views from 218,000 site users in July.

A further 574,000 page views were made by almost 4,500 people on the Stray Ferret app, which was launched at the end of last year.

The combined total of 1.6 million monthly page views is a new record, as is the number of people visiting the site.

Page views have more than doubled in the last year as increasing numbers of people tune in to our lively combination of rolling news, human interest stories and political analysis. Our social media engagement is also leading the way in the district.

Read more:

• Stray Ferret’s election coverage attracts record audience
• Five reasons why you should download the Stray Ferret app

Last month we ran live blogs at the Great Yorkshire Show and during the heatwave. We led on coverage of plans to reduce the number of fire engines in Harrogate at night time to one, reported on Harrogate-born England footballer Rachel Daly’s ascent to international superstar, showcased businesses such as the re-opened Coach and Horses pub in Harrogate, covered visits to the district by celebrities including Alan Carr and Helen Skelton, and provided live footage on our Facebook page of St Wilfrid’s Procession in Ripon.

We also published daily business news a well as traffic and travel bulletins, and provided unparalleled scrutiny of our local MPs, councils and courts.

Tamsin O’Brien, managing director of the Stray Ferret, said:

“The Stray Ferret has become an unmissable read for anyone interested in the Harrogate district.

“Thank you to all our readers in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge, Masham and all points in between.

“We will continue to strive to bring the best daily news and hold those in power to account.”

You can download the Stray Ferret app by clicking on the banner below.

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned and a leadership election was triggered in the Conservative party. Two of our MPs have backed Rishi Sunak, but Nigel Adams, who is a close ally of Boris Johnson, has yet to reveal his favoured candidate.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but, as usual, we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found out on Mr Jones:

• On July 6, Andrew Jones called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign. He said: “I think we have come to the end of the road with this Prime Minister”.
• On July 11, Mr Jones was elected to the executive of the Conservative party’s 1922 committee, which can be influential in determining the fate of party leaders.
• Mr Jones formally backed Rishi Sunak to be the new leader of the Conservative Party on July 13.
• On July 20, he took part in voting on a series of amendments to the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill. 
• Mr Jones spoke in the House of Commons to praise local agricultural shows on July 21. 
• Mr Jones held a surgery at Bilton Community Day on Saturday, July 30.

Read more:

• MPs watch: Vote of no confidence and overriding the Brexit deal

• MPs watch: ‘anger’ over partygate and Northern Ireland politics

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• On July 7, Julian Smith heavily criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson during an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He said Mr Johnson was causing a “constitutional crisis” by refusing to resign amid a series on ministers quitting his cabinet.
• Mr Smith tweeted the same day that the civil service had been “attacked and maligned” and had “held the country together” during the resignations of the cabinet.
• On July 10, Mr Smith tweeted that the European Convention on Human Rights was “key” to the Good Friday Agreement. He warned against the Conservative leadership contest undermining the agreement.
• On July 18, Mr Smith voted with the government on a confidence vote held in the House of Commons.
• Mr Smith met with local farmers in Boroughbridge to discuss agricultural, as well as food security and production.
• Following the resignation of Mr Johnson, Mr Smith declared his support for Rishi Sunak in the Conservative leadership contest on July 20.
• On July 24, Mr Smith was in attendance for Mr Sunak’s visit to Black Sheep Brewery in Masham as part of his leadership campaign.
• Mr Smith tweeted on July 29 that he had been to Ripon Tennis Club to try the facility’s new padel tennis courts.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

• Instead of tweeting about resignations in the government, Mr Adams posted a tweet on July 5 congratulating the England cricket team on defeating India by seven wickets.
• Mr Adams, who sits in Boris Johnson’s cabinet, has remained silent throughout the leadership election and has not yet revealed who has backed for leader.
• Reports emerged in the Observer on July 18 that Mr Adams could face a by-election as he could be offered a peerage by Boris Johnson.
• On the same day, he voted with the government on a confidence vote in the House of Commons.
• Mr Adams tweeted on July 27 that he had met AstraZeneca in Tokyo to “discuss innovation and partnerships”. He tweeted again the following day that he had met the 2025 World Expo organisers in Japan.

Harrogate district councillors are supporting the campaign to make York the home of Britain’s railways.

York is among six short-listed locations chosen by the government as potential locations to be the headquarters of Great British Railways.

The other shortlisted locations include Birmingham, Crewe, Derby, Doncaster and Newcastle.

Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green party councillors from across the Harrogate district joined other North Yorkshire County Councillors in a cross-party show of support at County Hall in Northallerton for York’s bid.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said York’s selection would “be of huge benefit not just for York, but for the whole of the region as well”. He added:

“The bid by York is ambitious and shows the intent in both the city and across North Yorkshire to bring real economic benefits and the prospect of hundreds of new jobs, and could prove to be a defining moment for the region.

“York has a long and proud heritage connected to the railways dating back to the Victorian era, and it would be fitting for the city to be at the forefront of attempts to reform the nation’s rail network in the 21^st century.

1,600 jobs created

Great British Railways will be a state-owned public body that oversees rail transport from next year.

Analysis has shown that the new headquarters would add an estimated £110 million to York’s economy, creating 1,600 new jobs with 320 of those roles in the 700 most deprived communities within an hour’s train journey of the city.

York is already one of the biggest rail centres in the country, with 5,000 employees linked to the industry and major train operators based in the city.

The city is also home to the National Railway Museum, and the York Central project, which is one of the largest brownfield sites in the country, is centred around the city’s railway station.

An artist’s impression of the proposed York Central development.

City of York Council leader Cllr Keith Aspden, said having Great British Railways’ headquarters in the city would open up opportunities across the whole of the region. He said:

“With 700 of the most deprived communities in the UK within an hour of York, the jobs created by locating Great British Railways in York could have a hugely positive impact on the levelling up agenda.

“Our rail heritage, expertise and skills from across the region and strength in innovation makes York the obvious home of rail.

People can vote to choose the town or city they would like to see host the new organisation but the final decision will be made by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps later this year.

Read more:

• Striking RMT union pickets Harrogate train station
• Harrogate and Knaresborough trains to Leeds to be reinstated in December

An historic agreement has been announced today that sees the biggest shake-up of local government in North Yorkshire and York for more than fifty years.

The 30 year devolution deal agreed by the government will mean North Yorkshire and York will see an elected Mayor in 2024 with £540 million pounds of government cash to focus primarily on skills, housing and transport.

The mayor will take over the role of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and have an annual £18m budget to spend.

The agreement has been described as “a one-in-a-generation chance to help tackle regional inequalities by not only reducing the North-South divide nationally, but also helping to resolve economic differences that are being felt between urban and rural areas”.

The aim is that the mayor and combined authority – which would be made up of North Yorkshire and City of York councillers – will be able to have more control of strategic investment for jobs and skills and infrastructure.

Key points to the deal are:

• Control of a £540 million investment fund in total over 30 years to drive growth and take forward local priorities over the longer term.
• New powers to improve and better integrate local transport, including the ability to introduce bus franchising, and an integrated transport settlement starting in 2024/25.
• Powers to better improve local skills to ensure these meet the needs of the local economy.
• Over £13 million for the building of new homes on brownfield land across 2023/24 and 2024/25, subject to sufficient eligible projects for funding being identified.
• £7 million investment to enable York and North Yorkshire to drive green economic growth towards their ambitions to be a carbon negative region.
• Powers to drive the regeneration of the area and to build more affordable, more beautiful homes, including compulsory purchase powers and the ability to establish Mayoral Development Corporations.
• The mayor will take on role and functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
  Integration of the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (Y&NY LEP) into York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. This will ensure there continues to be a strong and independent local business voice which informs local decision making.

The structure of the mayor and a combined authority will be similar that of the Tees Valley and West Yorkshire, which have already gone through the devolution process and have elected mayors.

North Yorkshire County Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said:

“The chance to secure a wide range of decision-making powers as well as bringing in millions of pounds of investment for North Yorkshire is a huge opportunity for us all to shape our own future for many years to come.

“It will make a real difference to the hundreds of thousands of people who live and work in North Yorkshire, driving future prosperity and much better opportunities that are so important to everyone.

“Whether it is improving skills and education, bringing in more investment to the region or helping improve transport links and providing much-needed affordable housing, the proposed deal would enable us to take far greater control of our own destinies.

“An elected mayor representing both York and North Yorkshire would be a powerful figure to have a seat at the table for further negotiations with the Government, bringing real and tangible benefits to the region.”

Read More:

• Have devolution fears that Harrogate will be voiceless come true?
• County Council’s ambition for devolution deal on Yorkshire Day

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Berwins up for award

Berwins’  residential property team has been shortlisted as finalists in the 2022 Yorkshire Legal Awards.

Judges said they were impressed by the way Berwins’ property team supports clients, offers high levels of service and uses an innovative digital solution to ensure this is both monitored and maintained.

Commenting on the development, Head of Residential Property, Jo Randall said

“I’m thrilled that the team has been recognised in this way.”

“We understand that the process of moving home can be a stressful one and, through years of experience, have seen the difference that genuine care and high service standards can offer.

That is why we never fail to place a real emphasis on how we deliver legal services, not just what we deliver.

To see that approach validated by being shortlisted for such a prestigious regional award is particularly pleasing.”

Read More:

• Business Breakfast: Care provider adds 120 staff to Harrogate team
• Report a Crime and make Harrogate a better place

Fund raising for Tech businesses

Co-Lab in Harrogate is to hold a free workshop to help tech companies access funding for business growth, product development or new services.

The workshop on September 28 is described as a “practical and delivered by the funding experts from NorthInvest, who work with tech and digital start-ups,  mentors and investors in the North of England”.

Hosted at Co-Lab, the workshop is part of the company’s celebration of the Leeds Digital Festival. To register click here.

Residents in Green Hammerton are being encouraged to join a village history and archaeological project after a section of a Roman road was discovered.

Tony Hunt, chair of the Yorkshire region of the Council for British Archaeology, recently spotted what appears to be the missing section of Dere Street, the Roman road that went from York to Aldborough and then on to Hadrian’s wall.

He did so while researching methods of identifying crop marks using multispectral cameras at Hull University.

Mr Hunt presented his findings at a meeting in Green Hammerton this month, which was attended by about 50 residents, along with members of the CBA committee, including Dave Went from Historic England and community archeologist Jon Kenney.

The meeting was shown images of the road and, as a surprise extra, it was also revealed that a previously unrecorded Iron Age settlement associated with the road had also been identified.

Read more:

• ‘Let’s make the best of it’: Hopes and fears for 3000-home Maltkiln settlement
• Councillors have ‘major concerns’ about plans to reduce Harrogate fire engines

Those interested will now begin preparations for possible field walking, geophysical investigation and, if possible, excavation.

Mr Hunt (pictured above) said:

“The project is open to all and those who have never been involved in archaeology before are especially encouraged.

“By the end, we will have a clearer idea of what people were doing in Green Hammerton in the first century AD and probably the first century BC and the community will have something it can be proud of.

“This road is the Roman version of the M1 — the main arterial route from north to south.

“Every emperor that came to Britain, including Hadrian, would have gone along it.”

To be involved, email chair@cba-yorkshire.org.uk.

Councillors said today they had “major concerns” about plans to reduce the number of night time fire engines in Harrogate to one.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe defended her plans at a special meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative, told the Liberal Democrat-controlled committee she would still consider a shake-up of Harrogate’s night time fire service even if she had “millions in reserves”.

Ms Metcalfe told the meeting the plans “were not cuts” but the right thing to do. She said:

“If they were cuts, they would have happened yesterday. We do have a balanced budget until 2026. Let’s be very clear on that.

“If I had millions of pounds worth in the bank of reserves, I would still be doing this. I would still be going out on consultation, because it is absolutely right that we identify our risk and where our risk is in the county and York and then put the right resources to cover that risk.”

Ms Metcalfe added that no fire stations were closing and no whole time firefighters were losing their jobs.

Her three-year plan for the fire service includes proposals on staff shift patterns, the number of fire engines operating at night and putting a greater emphasis on fire prevention.

Harrogate and Scarborough currently both have an emergency fire engine and a tactical response fire engine operating 24 hours a day.

Ms Metcalfe’s model proposes both stations have two emergency response vehicles during the day but only one at night. They would lose their tactical response engines altogether.

‘Race to the bottom’

Paul James, chair of the Fire Brigades Union in North Yorkshire, said the plan would leave Harrogate fire station in a “race to the bottom” on response times.

Mr James told the meeting the changes amounted to cuts and that Harrogate was an area of high risk due to its density.

He added that a cut in funding nationally “has dovetailed” with slow response times locally and criticised the lack of a response standard from the service.

Paul James, chair of the North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union branch, at today’s meeting.

Mr James said:

“Harrogate still requires two appliances during the night to cover serious fires, if positive outcomes are to be achieved.

“Under these proposals during the night time hours Ripon, Tadcaster, Malton, Northallerton and Selby will all have more fire engines than Harrogate.”

He added:

“We feel that the continuing avoidance of declaring a standard [response time] is the avoidance of transparency and accountability.

“These proposals will see Harrogate enter the response time race to the bottom that much of the rest of the county competes in.”

Dave Winspear, director of transformation at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, denied there was a “race to the bottom” on response times for Harrogate.

Read more:

• Fire Brigades Union ‘seriously concerned’ over cuts to Harrogate service
• Harrogate firefighter brands plans to rely on one fire engine ‘farcical’
• Harrogate fire station changes won’t increase risk to life, says commissioner

Meanwhile, some councillors were critical of the proposals.

Cllr Robert Windass, a Conservative representing Boroughbridge who was a fire fighter in Leeds for 30 years, said he did not feel the figures on night time fires “were right”.

He added:

“I did 30 years in Leeds and the most fatalities and the most people we had to rescue was during the hours of night.

“Not during the day, we did get them, but the majority was at night time when people were asleep and when something went wrong such as children playing with matches and things like that.

“So I won’t dispute your figures, but I don’t think they are right.”

As part of its response to the plans, the committee agreed to express major concerns over night cover but welcomed investment in prevention work.

You can find out more about the proposed changes and take part in the consultation here.

A schoolteacher from near Ripon has died after falling 100ft while hiking in the Italian Dolomites.

Louise Atkinson, 55, of North Stainley, reportedly found herself on a difficult route in the Rosengarten massif in northern Italy after taking a wrong turn.

Ms Atkinson, who was with her partner John Dickinson, had found herself at high altitude while hiking on Sunday.

A mountain rescue spokesman told the MailOnline that the couple ‘ended up on a more challenging route’ in the early afternoon after heading out on a hike.

They added that they had ‘turned back’ after realising they did not have the correct equipment to continue.

On the way back down, Ms Atkinson slipped and fell. She was pronounced dead when found by the authorities.

Tributes have been posted on social media to Ms Atkinson, who was a teacher at Roecliffe Church of England School near Boroughbridge and St Wilfrid’s Catholic School in Ripon.

One person posted:

“Heartbreaking news. This is so sad. She taught both our sons at Roecliffe. She was an amazing teacher and a lovely kind lady. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and pupils.”

Another said:

“Such sad news. My son loved her as a teacher and came home every Friday full of stories of what she taught him that day. Condolences to all her family and friends. RIP.”

Read more:

• Commissioner to be quizzed over planned cuts to Harrogate’s night-time fire crews
• North Yorkshire Police reveals scores of detective vacancies

Harrogate College has been awarded £16m of government funding to replace its main building on Hornbeam Park.

The college, which serves the Harrogate district, is one of five education institutions in Yorkshire to receive funding from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund.

The £1.5 billion fund was set up last year to upgrade further education colleges over the next five years.

It means the Harrogate district will get a new a purpose-built space for technical and vocational education.

The new energy-efficient building will include a workshop providing facilities aligned to industry needs. It will complement the college’s existing tech centre, which is home to its motor vehicle, electrical, joinery and welding workshops.

An existing £4m budget will be used to pay for the demolition of the old college building.

A statement by the college today said the move will support priority growth sectors for Harrogate and North Yorkshire such as advanced manufacturing, low carbon construction, retrofit, sustainable energy and bioeconomy, health science and hospitality.

Danny Wild

Danny Wild, principal at Harrogate College, welcomed the funding and said it will go a long way in improving the college’s facilities.

“Being able to work towards having a net zero carbon building, alongside a learning environment that will help our students progress on to university or the workplace is central to our strategic priorities, and this funding will be central in supporting us to achieve this.

“The development will also help us deliver a wide range of T Level qualifications, which will not only close the skills gaps, but will reinforce the government’s nationwide plan to strengthen technical education and give it the credibility it deserves.

“This upgrade will strengthen the work we are doing with businesses in the district to deliver an employer-led curriculum, alongside supporting the council’s aims to prioritise and support ‘good growth’ in the district, and achieve a sustainable economy.”

As part of the project, there are also plans to install green electric based heating systems, as well as a soft landscaped social hub, which will improve biodiversity on site.

The government says the investment will ensure that colleges are “great places to learn and students have access to modern, fit-for-purpose facilities”.

Contactless donation points which raise money for projects to tackle homelessness could come to Knaresborough and Ripon under an expansion of the Harrogate Street Aid scheme.

Street Aid was the first project of its kind in Yorkshire when it launched in 2019 and it has since raised over £20,000.

Three tap terminals have opened in Harrogate town centre and now more could be introduced in Knaresborough and Ripon.

It is a joint project from North Yorkshire Police, Harrogate Homeless Project and Harrogate Borough Council, which is looking into possible new donation points.

Helen Richardson, community safety officer at the council, said the money raised so far was having a positive impact on tackling begging and rough sleeping, and that there was now an opportunity to expand.

She wrote in a report:

“The number of reported incidents of street sleepers and begging has reduced in the time Harrogate Street Aid has been in existence.

“Street Aid continues to give a focus for agencies to work together to support those street sleeping and begging, and a reduction has been visible – particularly with regard to anti-social behaviour in Harrogate town centre.

“There has been much positive feedback and we can continue to work together to support those on the street or with a history of street sleeping.”

Why it started

Street Aid was introduced after the number of people begging in Harrogate town centre increased and residents became concerned.

It was based on schemes in Cambridge and Norwich which saw similar problems on the streets.

Donations made through the tap terminals are not given directly to homeless people, but instead made available for things like training courses, gym memberships and work equipment.

To highlight the project’s success, the council previously shared stories of how the money has helped individuals.

Read more:

• Homelessness in Harrogate — what’s the best way to help?
• Harrogate College to undergo £16m transformation

One homeless man who was mugged and had his driving licence stolen was awarded a £350 grant to get his replacement licence and take a refresher forklift truck course to start his journey back into work.

Another individual who had a history of breaking into shops and substance misuse told probation officers that being able to access the local leisure centre would help him get in a better routine.

He was granted £500 for a leisure centre membership, training sessions and a voucher for equipment and clothing.

Three other homeless people were given £300 each for computer tablets to apply for jobs, maintain their benefits and stay in touch with family.

Councillor Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing and safer communities at the council, previously said:

“Harrogate District Street Aid is about making a real change to people who find themselves on the street.

“Some people assume that giving a few pounds to a beggar is helping them.

“Sadly, in some instances it may actually keep them on the street.

“Through Harrogate District Street Aid, we can work with our partner organisations to make best use of the money that has been kindly donated, work with homeless people and make a real difference to their lives.”