A review is to be carried out into how stalking and harassment is dealt with in North Yorkshire.
The review aims to help police and partners respond better to such incidents.
It is being funded by £100,000 of government money secured by Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
The review will be conducted in partnership with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a charity that aims to reduce the level of violence and aggression in society.
A press release by Ms Metcalfe’s office said:
“It will see a victim-focused assessment of local systems, processes, training and practice carried out to help North Yorkshire Police and partners understand and respond better to stalking and harassment.
“Bespoke training will be provided to police officers and staff from partner organisations to become ‘stalking and harassment advocates’ and provide information, support, advice and guidance to their colleagues.”
Me Metcalfe has also secured £700,000 to prevent neighbourhood crime with an extension of her office’s Protect Your Home scheme.
More than 1,000 homes and 90 farms along the borders of Harrogate borough and Craven district will use the funding to prevent burglaries and protect individuals, families and businesses,
Security upgrades include new locks for vulnerable doors, windows, garages and sheds, and alarm systems for farms and small holdings.
Eligible residents will receive a registration pack through the post shortly.
North Yorkshire Police will also purchase additional Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras and upgrade Rural Watch signs in specific locations to detect and deter potential burglars.
Total funding of £809,095 has been secured for the two schemes from the Home Office Safer Streets Fund, which the government launched in 2020 to reduce and prevent crime.
Preventing neighbourhood crime and addressing violence against women and girls are two of Ms Metcalfe’s priorities as commissioner.
She said the schemes will have “a real, tangible impact on how safe people feel both in and outside their homes”, adding:
“This is the fourth time the commissioner’s office has secured additional Home Office funding to support residents across North Yorkshire and York be safe and feel safe and I am confident that what these two schemes will deliver will make a huge difference to individuals, families and communities.”
Parishes eligible for the Protect Your Home scheme are:
Free activities to do with the kids this summer in the Harrogate district
As the cost of living continues to rise, the thought of six weeks of trying to keep the children entertained on a tight budget can be daunting.
Fortunately you don’t always have to spend a fortune to have a fun day out.
We have put together a selection of free activities to enjoy with your family across the Harrogate district.
The Jubilee activities in Harrogate and Ripon were hugely enjoyed, so the summer programme organised by Harrogate Borough Council is sure to be popular.
There will be a chance for young people to enjoy juggling and circus shows, magicians, character meet and greets, and mini discos at three of the district’s picturesque parks and gardens.
Valley Gardens, Harrogate on Thursday, August 11 and Friday, August 12 between 11am and 4pm
Knaresborough Castle on Friday, August 26 between 11am and 4pm
Ripon Spa Gardens on Saturday, August 27 between 11am and 3pm
The venues are also all worth visiting for a free day out, even if you are unable to make the parties.
You could enjoy a picnic and play in the Valley Gardens, plus a walk up to the Pinewoods. You could grab an ice cream and head to Knaresborough Castle, before wandering down the steps to the riverside. Or you could play a game of crazy golf in Ripon Spa Gardens.
If you live in the district, chances are you have already visited the unusual moorland rock formations at Brimham Rocks.
However, the summer holidays are the perfect excuse to head up there again with a picnic.
If you haven’t been, you’re in for a treat as it really is nature’s playground for the whole family. Just make sure the kids are wearing decent shoes so they can climb the rocks. Also taking a photo of your children pretending to either push a huge boulder over or hold one up is essential.
The views over Nidderdale are stunning too.
There’s no admission charge at Brimham Rocks. Parking is free for National Trust members.
For non-National Trust members, car parking charges are £6 for up to four hours and £8 thereafter.
On a rainy day, nothing beats a free trip to the library, where you can lose yourself in all the amazing children’s books on offer.
A Summer Reading Challenge is taking place to encourage your children to pick up a book, which isn’t always easy in the holidays.
Children aged four to 11 years just need to call in at their local library to sign up.
The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has spoken of his hope that the government will agree a devolution deal this Monday on Yorkshire Day.
Councillor Carl Les said while it had been hoped devolution for the county and York would be agreed before the parliamentary summer recess started last week, work was continuing to finalise a deal after almost 20 months of negotiations.
He told a meeting of the authority that the Department for Communities and Local Government had launched a process known as a “write-round”, to get the consent from other ministries, such as the Treasury, and Department of Transport, without having to hold a cabinet meeting.
It is understood if all the government departments are happy, a devolution deal could be announced within days.
Cllr Les said he was hopeful a deal could be reached by August 1.
Cllr Les has repeatedly emphasised the county has no right to devolution and that North Yorkshire and York have had to develop a case for the government giving up some of its powers.
If there is an objection from any ministry it could delay the deal until September.
A meeting of the authority heard concerns over the potential consequences of the government missing the target date.
The concerns follow Michael Gove’s departure as communities secretary prompting fears within local government that devolution might be postponed.
However, local government analysts have reported Mr Gove’s replacement, Greg Clark, is determined to keep to his predecessor’s target of getting nine devolution deals signed before the autumn.
There have also been concerns the deal could be delayed by an unwillingness to ratify major decisions during uncertainty over who will become the next prime minister.
It is believed the deal for York and North Yorkshire could potentially unlock around £2.4bn of investment over 30 years, with a focus on improving economic prosperity, creating more affordable housing and lead to the area becoming England’s first carbon negative economy.
Key to the asks which were put forward in December 2020 are wishes to take charge of delivering improved digital connectivity and the amount of “gain share” or extra funding from government.Gain share is being viewed as a key part of the devolution deal as it will remain the same flat rate for the next 30 years, whereas the devolvement of powers could continue to be negotiated at a later date.
No council tax money used to repair roads reveals county councilNorth Yorkshire County Council has revealed it does not use any council tax revenue on road repairs, despite it being among residents’ top concerns.
The authority’s highways executive member, conservative councillor Keane Duncan, highlighted the decision to focus its spending on other areas after hearing further complaints about the parlous state of roads from elected community representatives.
The authority has recognised for more than a decade that it faces a road repairs backlog running into hundreds of millions of pounds and has responded by prioritising routes.
In response to recent complaints, cllr Duncan has started a tour of the county’s 89 electoral divisions.
Ripon councillor Andrew Williams said cllr Duncan should invite North Yorkshire’s MPs to join him on his “state of the roads tour”.
He said:
“Pressure needs to be borne at government level as well to increase the settlement the county.”
Cllr Williams said some of the savings identified in local government reorganisation should be used for the repair of roads, which was residents’ number one complaint.
He added it would be of concern to residents that none of the council tax they paid was being used for highways maintenance:
“I think they equate the council tax they are paying and the state of the roads.
“I think if we are identifying £67m of savings across the county, some of those need to be invested in our highway network. ”
Scarborough councillor Tony Randerson said he had spent years pressing the council for some roads to be resurfaced, but ones in certain areas, such as Scarborough and Selby, appeared to be lower on the priority list to those in the Harrogate and Knaresborough.
He said:
“Becoming a unitary authority is not going to be good for places like Scarborough and Selby, and Eastfield particularly, because it is difficult enough now to get the necessary services. What’s it going to be like when it becomes ruled through Northallerton?”
The authority’s highways executive member, Councillor Keane Duncan, said during the recent election campaigns, residents’ road maintenance concerns had been among the leading issues raised on the doorstep.
He said:
“We have a network of 8,500km of surfaced road. Very roughly, with the budget we’ve got we can treat 300km annually, through a combination of surface dressing, resurfacing and reconstruction.”
Cllr Duncan said the government road repairs settlement for the county had been fixed at £40m for the next three years by the Department of Transport.
“We currently do not supplement or support that £40m settlement with local council taxpayer money. None of the council taxpayers to North Yorkshire County Council goes into that road maintenance.
“Clearly, £40m this year will not deliver the same as what £40m would deliver in future years, so what I am trying to do is to ascertain – and obviously we have a very difficult financial climate – what we can do to get the same bang for our buck in future years. as this year, and exploring those opportunities.”
Four traditional pubs to visit in the Harrogate district
A new generation of drinkers are being drawn to craft beer and cocktail bars, sparking a decline in traditional pubs.
And while many of us love a good Negroni or an IPA, you can’t beat a good old fashioned British boozer.
Fortunately we are still blessed’ with some excellent ones in the Harrogate district.
We asked our readers for their favourites. Here are four of them:
Reputedly, the oldest pub in Harrogate has a history going back to the earliest days of the town’s emergence as a leading spa resort.
Originating as one of the first inns for spa visitors after sulphur wells were first established in the mid-18th century, sulphur springs still flow beneath the cellar and the distinctive odours occasionally percolate up to the bar area.
The premises were rebuilt circa 1827 and known as The Promenade Inn. At this time it was said to be a most successful coaching inn. It was enlarged in 1856 and known as Hodgson’s until 1882, when William Hales became the landlord.
The interior decor is reflective of the pub’s long history, with mirrors and fittings from the Victorian era, including traditional gas lighting and cigar lighters.
Stray Ferret reader Richard Dunston Brady said:
“Hales, is the best traditional pub for charm, atmosphere, friendly staff and a well pulled pint.”
Hales Bar, 1-3 Crescent Road, Harrogate, HG1 2RS
The One-Eyed Rat is a traditional pub, famous for its old fashioned charm.
It can be found on Allhallowgate, one of the oldest parts of Ripon.
A real ale destination over many decades, the One Eyed Rat was refurbished and re-opened under new management in the summer of 2020.
A Grade II listed building set within a terrace of 200-year-old houses, its narrow frontage leads to a warm and welcoming hostelry.
The pub has a long, narrow interior with traditional seating and an open fire, and there is a large garden at the rear, including a covered area.
You can also enjoy a traditional pie and a pint.
The historic building dates back to 1340 and goes back several centuries as an inn.
It was almost certainly known as the Ship in the 17th century, as there is a token copper coin in existence, dated 1671, which shows a ship in full sale with the inscription “John Briggs in Aldborough his half penny”.
Brian Rey and Elaine Howden, the owners of The Ship Inn, have been restoring the pub since January following a fire. They have served many high-profile guests, including Prince William and Harry.
The traditional country pub in the Roman town of Aldborough is well-known for Brian’s Yorkshire puddings and ‘real gravy’.
Low Rd, Aldborough, YO51 9ER
Heated public meetings, protests outside council offices and legal challenges in the high court couldn’t stop Harrogate Borough Council from deciding that 3,000 homes should be built around the villages of Cattal, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.
The decision was mired with suspicion and ill feeling but now residents are trying to look ahead to how the project can work for them and the people who will eventually live there.
The cold-sounding “new settlement” has been given the more homely title of Maltkiln and a draft document has been published that outlines how the the 3,000 homes along with roads, schools, shops and public spaces will develop over the next few decades.
Since 2016 the name Green Hammerton became synonymous with the new settlement, usually in debates that pitted the merits of developing land there versus Flaxby, which is closer to Harrogate and Knaresborough.
The council’s preferred option for the settlement is now centred around Cattal railway station, on the other side of A59 from Green Hammerton.
Chris Hay and James Veitch are shareholders of Green Hammerton’s Post Office, which also serves as a shop, newsagent and soon-to-be cafe.
The two have a grudging acceptance that the homes will be built but are concerned that Maltkiln will erode the village’s identity, which stretches back to Domesday times.
Green Hammerton
They have already seen Green Hammerton, population 675, swell with three new build housing schemes in recent years.
Mr Veitch said:
“The word inevitable comes to mind but you have to be grown up and make the best of it”.
A development plan document (DPD) drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council includes a vision for what Maltkiln will eventually become, which is a “garden village with a distinctive identity where people want to live, work and spend time”.
It conjures up a pastoral scene but with an eventual population larger than Boroughbridge, calling Maltkiln a village is misleading to some.
Mr Veitch said:
“They call it a village don’t they? How on earth can you call a 3,000 development a village? It’s a town, not an insignificant one at that. It will be big enough to create traffic jams on the A59”.
3,000 new homes is likely to result in at least 6,000 cars. Mr Veitch fears that much more investment in Cattal Station is required if commuters are going to leave their cars at home.
Cattal Station
He added:
“There will be a lot of commuting, that’s the bottom line. The A59 will be busy and the railway will not increase its capacity much more than what it is. I don’t buy the argument that it’s a hub where you can transport 10,000 people to anywhere.
“People will still use their cars, anyone who suggests otherwise is naive.”
Keith Welton and his wife Val have lived in Cattal for 16 years, close to the railway station that the developer Oakgate Group hopes will be one of the unique selling points of Maltkiln.
With homes set to be built in green fields that currently surround the family home, Mr Welton might be forgiven for feeling negative or even bitter about the development.
However, he’s taking a pragmatic approach and sees several benefits that it could bring to the area and the people who live in the villages.
Serious infrastructure investment is promised in the DPD, including improvements to the dangerous Whixley crossing on the A59. Cattal Station already saw £10m of investment in 2020 to increase the number of trains to Harrogate and York.
Kirk Hammerton will also be impacted by Maltkiln
Mr Welton has seen his children and their friends priced out from living locally and he hopes affordable housing can inject some younger blood into the area.
He also hopes the new North Yorkshire Council will be firm with the developers and ensure that affordable housing genuinely is affordable.
Mr Welton said:
“There’s an acute need for affordable housing. Many of our young people come out of university and want to go to Leeds, Manchester or London. They settle down, and they want to come back. We need to capitalise on that talent and make housing available for them.”
“I’m 74 and you can’t have a village full of 74 year olds!”
A criticism of HBC for choosing Green Hammerton over Flaxby was a perception that its residents will be heading in one direction towards York for work and leisure.
But Mr Welton said the majority of his family’s trips are to Harrogate to visit restaurants or the theatre.
He believes Flaxby is “one of the most desirable commercial sites in the whole of North Yorkshire” and that homes built next to a noisy motorway would have made it a poor choice for housing.
He added:
“I do think the location for Maltkiln makes sense. It’s now up to people to make the best fist of it. It’s easy to be negative. We should turn those energies around to get the sort of development that will be an exemplar and people think, wow”.
The DPD for Maltkiln is 88 pages long and the words ‘climate change’ are mentioned on 36 of them.
It’s clear that HBC hopes the settlement will differ from every other large housing scheme in the district it has approved in recent years that have done little to tackle the climate emergency or help the council reach its emission reduction goals.
The government is set to ban gas boilers in new build homes from 2025. It means the homes in Maltkiln should be powered by renewable energy sources such as heat pumps or solar panels.
The document also claims the development will offer a “biodiversity net gain”, which is a planning phrase that means it will leave the environment in a better state than it was before the homes were built.
But when Maltkiln will involve concreting over vast swathes of green fields, it’s an ambition that could appear impossible.
Land in Cattal earmarked for development
Arnold Warneken, Green Party councillor for Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, said he hopes the developer can be influenced to ensure go further than government regulations around the environment.
He said:
“It’s really, really important we don’t get into lip service and tokenism around biodiversity but it’s going to happen so let’s make sure it happens for best of our community, not just stand back and say I don’t agree with it.”
He added:
“The solution is not to concrete over it, but then the scenario is where do you build the houses? Some people say brownfield but people underestimate the biodiversity of brownfield sites, nature gets everywhere”.
Harrogate Borough Council will cease to exist in less than a year’s time but arguably the biggest decision it made during its existence was deciding to change the face of Green Hammerton, Kirk Hammerton and Cattal forever with the new settlement.
How successful Maltkiln will turn out could be HBC’s ultimate legacy.
Second Harrogate district MP declares support in Conservative leadership battleA second Harrogate district MP has declared his support for Rishi Sunak in the race to become the next Prime Minister.
Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, has publicly backed the former Chancellor of the Exchequer for the first time.
In a post on Twitter today, he said:
“Rishi has a proper plan to get us through the tough times ahead. He is committed to rebuilding the economy and delivering for our area.
“Only Rishi can unite our country and defeat Labour and he will have my full support in doing so.”
— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) July 21, 2022
Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has already given his support to Rishi Sunak.
Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams has yet to declare his allegiance. He has been a close ally of Boris Johnson, having publicly supported the outgoing PM on several occasions in recent months.
It has been reported that Mr Adams could be handed a peerage following Mr Johnson’s departure, which would then trigger a by-election in his constituency.
Mr Sunak will compete with Liz Truss to be elected leader of the Conservative party in September, after its members cast their votes.
The pair will take part in hustings events around the country over the next few weeks.
Business Breakfast: Harrogate’s Odeon cinema bought by property group
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Bramall Properties Ltd has acquired the freehold of the Odeon cinema in Harrogate from a property investment fund for an undisclosed sum.
The 1930s art deco style Grade II listed building was put up for sale for £7m in April and is let to Odeon Cinemas Limited on a 25 year lease which was originally granted in 2013 when Odeon sold its freehold interest.
The property includes part of the car park operated by Harrogate Borough Council to the rear of the cinema and the premises occupied by Harrogate Skills 4 Living Centre on East Parade.
The Odeon is in a prominent position within the town and has been acquired as a long term investment by Yorkshire-based Bramall Properties whose head office is in Harrogate. The building has been an iconic part of the town for many years.
Bramall Properties said it has no immediate plans to redevelop the site and it hopes Odeon Cinemas will continue to operate from the location for many years entertaining Harrogate residents with the latest blockbusters.
James Townsend with Oz Clarke and Susie Barrie at the awards.
A vineyard in the Harrogate district has been awarded the title of best wine in the Midlands and the North region in the WineGB awards.
Dunesforde Vineyard‘s Queen of the North was awarded the accolade by a panel of wine experts including Oz Clarke and Susie Barrie.
Speaking after the award ceremony in London, the company’s head of wine development Peter Townsend said:
“We are delighted to have received this prestigious award from WineGB.
“We are still a young vineyard compared to many in the UK and are immensely proud that our Queen of the North’s first vintage has been honoured in this way.”
The family-run vineyard, based near Upper Dunsforth, was founded in 2016 and grows solaris, bacchus, pinot noir précoce and pinot gris varieties.
Its Queen of the North classic cuvée was named after Queen Cartimandua, leader of the largest and most northerly tribe in England who formed an alliance with Roman invaders in the first century AD.
The wine is made using a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes harvested in the summer of 2018, with only 1,316 individually-numbered bottles produced.
Harrogate hospital records increase in heat-related illnessesHarrogate District Hospital recorded an increase in heat-related illnesses during this week’s record-breaking temperatures as it also warned of extra pressures from a further rise in covid patients.
The hospital saw a 10% increase in visitors with conditions such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke, while covid patient numbers have tripled to 33 since the end of June.
Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said demand on services was “higher than we would typically expect” for summer and that there is “no doubt” much of this was due to the pandemic.
He added:
“Extreme weather, such as heatwaves, also adds additional pressure on hospital services.
“We need to ensure that the people in our care and our staff are not unduly affected by increasing temperatures and we have severe weather plans in place to address any issues.
“Waiting times to be seen during these times can also be longer than usual due to demand.”
Temperatures are easing today after approaching 40 degrees in the district yesterday when North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a ‘major incident’ on the hottest day ever recorded in the county. It said today it had ‘stood down’ this status.
Gosh it was a hot one yesterday! ☀️ As you know we, like most other fire services around the country, declared a major incident due to the level of demand. The good news is we have now stood down this status and have returned to expected levels of demand.
— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) July 20, 2022
As well as causing a surge in demand for emergency services, the heatwave also led to cancellations for train services and forced some schools to shut.
The forecast for today is still warm, but cooler on Thursday and Friday with highs of 19C in Harrogate.
Covid infections and hospital admissions have been creeping up since the end of spring and after the emergence of the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants of Omicron.
Dr Shepherd said while most patients are not falling seriously ill with the virus, it was still causing pressure for the hospital which is battling long backlogs.
He said:
“Since we emerged from lockdown, our priority has been to reduce the backlog for operations and treatment.
“The increased number of planned operations being performed has added to the pressures, but it has meant we have been able to reduce our waiting lists and no longer have any patients who have been waiting over two years for treatment.”
The Harrogate district’s weekly infection rate has been climbing steadily over the last few months and currently stands at 288 cases per 100,000 people.
The latest figure is up from 52 in May, but well below the previous peak of 1,007 in March.
The increase comes as the government has announced that everyone aged 50 and over will be offered a booster vaccine this autumn to top up their immunity.
Younger people at high risk from covid, as well as health and social care staff, will also get the booster.
Dr Shepherd added:
Ripon Together unveils programme of free summer activities for children“Covid vaccinations have been extremely successful in reducing the severity of the virus, however, the highly infectious nature of the new variants is having an impact at our hospital.
“Thankfully, most patients who have tested positive are here for other medical issues or surgical procedures rather than having acute covid symptoms.
“However, in most cases it does mean that their treatment cannot be progressed until they test negative, which increases the time they need to stay in hospital and reduces the number of beds we have available.
“Whilst we are much better prepared at treating covid than we were two years ago, this virus has not gone away and it still has a significant impact on the hospital and is still a threat to people’s health – particularly vulnerable or unvaccinated patients.”
Ripon Together has unveiled its FunFest programme of free summer activities and events for the city’s children and young people.
It is working in partnership with Ripon Business Improvement District on the initiative.
Details about the activities, ranging from river dipping in the River Skell to an exhibition wheelchair rugby match at Ripon Grammar School, can be found by clicking here.
The programme, which runs from Saturday August 6 until Thursday August 18, is inclusive and open to people of all abilities at venues with good accessibility.
Simon Hewitt, of Ripon Together, told the Stray Ferret:
“We have built on what we learned from running the post-covid lockdown Summer of Fun 2021 and focused on events that proved popular last year, while adding new activities.”
Ripon Spa Croquet Club, whose lawns are located at Studley Royal Cricket Club (pictured below) is offering the opportunity for young people to try their hand at the sport and child-sized mallets will be available.
The huge natural amphitheatre with its clubhouse, is the principal FunFest venue for events and activities on August 15, 16 and 18, including junior cricket and athletics coaching, an inflatable obstacle course, air rifle shooting and archery and a free hog roast and ice cream, supported by Morrisons supermarket.
Steve Harris, a trustee at the cricket club, said:
“We are very pleased to work alongside Ripon Together, Ripon BID and croquet club members, to support these community activities, which will benefit children and their families.”
The FunFest programme starts on Saturday August 6, with Friends of Hell Wath running forest schools at the nature reserve, funded by the Skell Valley Project.
There will also be a drumming workshop and family groups are invited to see what they can discover about doing some river dipping.
Ripon Disability Forum in liaison with GB Wheelchair Rugby, has organised and exhibition match between Featherstone’s Yorkshire Lions and County Durham’s North East Bulls at Ripon Grammar School on August 13.
The school on Clotherholme Road will also be offering accessible swimming, a climbing wall and giant board games on that day while, in the city centre, Ripon Library will be the venue for a bicycle MOT, Lego event and sports and information roadshow.
David Ingham of Ripon Together said:
“We hope that as many children, young people and families as possible come to enjoy the free activities and we have made arrangements with YorBus for them to provide free travel to venues.
“This service can be accessed via the YorBus app and bookings for participation in the various activities that we have arranged can be made via the Ripon Together website.”