MPs Watch: River Nidd and King Charles coronation

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 May, the saga over designating bathing water status to the River Nidd rumbled on. Meanwhile, at the start of the month, the country celebrated the coronation of King Charles III.

We asked Ripon MP Julian Smith and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but we did not receive a response.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

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

When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent a list of his engagements for May.

Among those included meeting with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the National Air Traffic Specialists (NATS) to discuss upcoming changes to national airspace.

He also met with the met with the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce with other North Yorkshire MPs to discuss challenges in the hospitality sector. Mr Jones also visited Yorkshire Cancer Research at Grove Park Court in Harrogate to discuss their latest projects and collaborations with universities. 

Mr Jones’ office pointed out that his engagements and activities could also be found on his Community News website and his Facebook and Instagram feeds.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

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

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

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

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

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Business Breakfast: Staff welfare is focus of Stray Ferret networking event

The next Stray Ferret Business Club will focus on staff wellbeing and work culture.

The lunch at Manahatta on June 29 will hear a talk from Rebecca Gosling, HR Lead for LCF Law in Harrogate. The firm was recently named by the Sunday Times as one of the UK’s best places to work. 

The aim of the monthly Stray Ferret Business Club events is to network, share knowledge and business ideas.

Rebecca said:

“Creating a culture of wellbeing in the workplace is not just a luxury, it underpins our HR strategy.

“We are delighted with our achievement in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work accolade. This is a reflection of our focus on our people and culture.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to share LCF’s wellbeing focus with like – minded professionals.”

Tickets for the lunch are available here.

Cycling store focuses on women riders

Specialized Concept cycling store in Harrogate is to become the first store outside London to stock MAAP clothing.

Specialized said it was keen to support the growing number of women riders – 40% of the MAAP range in store will be women’s cycling apparel.

Assistant manager Felix Geldart said

“We see MAAP as a premium brand and I think it will represent a lot of the riders that we have coming into the shop.

“We’re having more of a focus on women than we have done previously – over the past few years we’ve seen more groups and avenues for women to get involved in cycling.”

Specialized is supporting the inaugural 2023 Women Race North Road Race league, across the North East, North West and Yorkshire.

The store is hosting a series of activities this weekend to celebrate MAAP’s arrival.

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Harrogate village school to close this summer, councillors agree

A primary school between Ripon and Boroughbridge will close this summer due to a decline in pupil numbers, North Yorkshire Council has decided.

Skelton Newby Hall Primary School will shut for good after the council’s executive members approved the move yesterday (Tuesday, May 30).

The school has suffered from dwindling numbers of children for several years and in autumn 2022 had nine pupils on its roll.

By February 2023, just one pupil remained at the school, and all teaching was taking place at Sharow Church of England Primary School, which is federated with Skelton Newby Hall.

Ofsted inspectors last visited the school in March 2020, grading it as “requiring improvement”.

A consultation on the proposed closure was carried out by North Yorkshire Council to allow parents, teachers, governors and local people an opportunity to share their views. A further statutory representation period ended on April 27. Following yesterday’s decision, the school will close on August 31.

The area formerly served by Skelton Newby Hall will now fall within the catchment area of Kirby Hill Church of England Primary School, just north of Boroughbridge.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said:

“North Yorkshire Council does everything possible to support our small schools. However, our priority must be the children’s education and that it remains fit for purpose to give them the best start to their lives.

“Unfortunately, falling pupil numbers at Skelton Newby Hall Primary School have been a concern for quite some time. Pupil numbers determine the school budget and we have a duty to ensure every child has the best possible opportunity to succeed.

“The school’s governing body, staff and parents have been active in their collective efforts to raise numbers at the school over recent years, but pupil numbers have continued to fall.”

Cllr Wilkinson added:

“To close the school has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, but we have to put the education of pupils first.”

North Yorkshire has about 50 schools and academies with fewer than 50 pupils. North Yorkshire Council said it would “continue to lobby the Government strongly for fairer funding for the county’s schools”.

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Teachers back plans for specialist autism school in Harrogate

Schools across the Harrogate district have given their backing to plans for a specialist school for students with autism.

The proposal for the site of the former Woodfield Primary School will be discussed by North Yorkshire Council leaders today – and teachers are urging them to support it.

Samina O’Brien, special educational needs coordinator (Senco) and inclusion manager at Ripon Grammar School, said a specialist facility for students with autism across the Harrogate district was badly needed.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We are getting so many more diagnoses of autism and a lot of these students can’t cope, to the point where they stop coming to school.

“When they come back, the school can’t change. The students can’t cope with the routine, the rigidity of the rules, and even when we make allowances they still struggle.”

Mrs O’Brien said schools did their best to help children with autism, but did not receive adequate funding to deliver the right support, such as one-to-one help or quieter rooms to work in.

She said Ripon Grammar School was not as badly affected by the situation as some schools because it was selective based on academic ability. However, she said many autistic students were highly academically able, but were unable to reach their full potential because they could not cope with the school environment.

When that was the case, specialist provision was often a significant distance away, she said, and students were not always able to make the journey.

There were private specialist schools students could attend, but cost was a barrier for most families. She added:

“There’s some stereotyping about the students in North Yorkshire, but the problems are the same wherever you are in the country. They don’t just change because you’ve crossed into an area that’s perceived as more wealthy or more rural.

“We’ve got a few students here who we know would be so much more suited to [a specialist school]. It would still be academic, but we would reduce the amount of stress the students went through.

“Our biggest concern is how unhappy some of those youngsters are. I think it would be so beneficial for all those students that are struggling.

“If this goes ahead, for some parents and more importantly the children, this will be what saves them and puts them back into mainstream where they should be and can thrive.”

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The proposal for the former Woodfield site is for a school catering for students aged between 11 and 19.  It would have capacity for around 80 children, who would not need to have a formal diagnosis of autism.

Rossett School is also in favour of the proposal. Newly-appointed headteacher Tim Milburn said:

“It is so pleasing to see significant investment being proposed for specialist provision in the area. This is such welcome news for children and families who have been seeking this support for a number of years.

“I will be really interested to hear how the investment will support children and families for whom mainstream education is the most appropriate setting.”

Liz Zoccolan, Senco and assistant headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, added:

“Any increase in provision which will meet the needs of the growing number of students with education, health and care plans is to be welcomed in the area. This would further enable potentially vulnerable young people and their families timely access to specialist support if that is their choice.

“We would be keen to work alongside and collaborate with the proposed provision so that as many students as possible may benefit.”

If the plans are approved by NYC’s executive member for children and young people’s services and corporate directors today, a consultation could be launched in two weeks’ time, running until late July.

Harrogate and Ripon beekeepers urge public to report swarming bees

The Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers Association has called on the public to get in touch if they come across a swarm of honey bees so they can be safely collected.

Now is the time of year when honey bees can swarm in search of a new home. During a swarm, thousands of bees can be found clustering on gates or in trees and hedges.

Diane Pritchard from the association told the Stray Ferret why the bees swarm. He said:

“A swarm happens when a colony gets busy and crowded. The old queen will leave with about half the bees to start a new colony. Before the old queen leaves the bees that stay have made a new queen.

“There can be up to 20,000 bees in a swarm but it’s normally around 5,000 to 10,000 bees.

“It can look quite alarming but unless you start to swat it they are not dangerous. They’re not being defensive they are looking for a new home.”

The Harrogate and Ripon association has 400 members and covers all Harrogate postcodes, as well as Skipton, Northallerton and Leeds. Each year, its members collect around a hundred swarms.

The association’s Swarm Team has two people at the end of phone line and, when a swarm is reported, the nearest beekeeper will don a bee suit and take specialist equipment to pick it up. The service is free.

If the swam is in a tree the beekeepers knock the branch or cut it down and let the swarm fall into a box. The box is then opened near an empty hive which the bees generally colonise.

A branch full of swarming bees is placed next to an empty hive

Honey bees have had a rough time in recent years with disease and pesticides impacting bee numbers.

More recently the bees have been threatened by a new foreign predator that has made its way to the UK – the Asian hornet, which eats pollinators such as bees.

Diane said:

“Honey bees have a much better chance of survival if they are looked after by a beekeeper rather than living in the wild. Diseases and pesticides are always a threat.

“We’ve had three confirmed sighting of Asian hornets in the UK this year – one in Newcastle. The aim of all the associations is to raise awareness of the Asian hornet so if you think you see one, please report it.”

The association’s Swarm Search co-ordinator can be contacted on 07471 784210.

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The Dishforth man who launched a Yorkshire watch company in lockdown

When Dishforth resident Simon Hebb met Chris Holder on their regular train commute from North Yorkshire to London, they discovered a shared passion for watches.

Then in 2020, during lockdown, the two made a decision to launch their own watch company in Yorkshire and The Winton Watch Company was born.

Simon Hebb told the Stray Ferret:

“During lockdown we both stopped travelling and spent more and more time at home.

“I ended up going down an internet worm hole and came across an opportunity to establish our own watch brand at sensible prices.

“It was bit of fun and it’s turned into something more than that.”

Chris Holder and Simon Hebb, founders of The Winton Watch Company

Winton watches began retailing in March 2021. It took time to get the first batch made.

The company currently has four models with a fifth titanium watch due to be launched later this year. The watches are all named after unsung British pioneers including Alexander Winton – a British engineer who was an early car maker in the US.

The watches are automatic, designed in Yarm and hand assembled in Switzerland using off the shelf Swiss watch parts.

Mr Hebb says he wants the watches to be worn and enjoyed – not locked away as an investment. The current models range from £585.00 to £850.00.

Mr Hebb said:

“Establishing a watch brand in England is a challenge. Winton’s aim is to stay small and exclusive – many of the best known watch brands sell millions of watches which erodes exclusivity.”

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The two men are currently focusing on building the Winton brand and selling the watches online.

The one retail outlet where they can be seen is in in Harrogate at the Jewellery Exchange in the Victoria Centre.  Mr Hebb said they wanted a physical presence  “where people can look and feel them.”

John Kirkland who runs the Jewellery Exchange said:

“The Jewellery Exchange is proud to be nominated as a northern stockist and service centre for the Winton Watch Company and sole distributor for their range in Harrogate, Ripon and the surrounding area.

“We look forward to showing this new and exciting British brand’s range of Swiss made exclusive watches to our new and existing clients”

Public asked to “think” before dialling 999 after increased demand

North Yorkshire Police have asked people to “stop and think” before dialling 999 for non-emergencies after a significant increase in demand over the past two days.

The force said a combination of good weather, the start of half term and an influx in visitors to the county have resulted in a rise in calls to its control room.

The advice is to call 999 for an emergency and for non-emergency matters contact the police  through its website or call 101.

If someone accidentally dials 999, the advice is to stay on the line. In a “pocket dial” situation the force said its 999 operator will pass the call to the control room.  The call handlers will then ring the number back to establish whether it is a genuine emergency.

Superintendent Fiona Willey,  head of customer contact said:

“The staff in our Force Control Room are working extremely hard to deal with the increased demand.

“The sunny weather will inevitably lead to more calls so we’re urging the public to consider if their call is necessary and if it’s a non-urgent matter, could it wait until after the weekend.

“It’s also important that members of the public consider which service they need. There are many agencies out there that can offer help and support.

“If it is a genuine emergency then we are here to help. Our staff are trained to triage every call through a threat, risk and harm assessment which leads to that call being prioritised accordingly.”

Further details on how to contact us can be found here. 

North Yorkshire Council staff could strike over pay

Members of Unison who work for North Yorkshire Council have been asked to back strike action after the local government union said the latest pay offer amounts to “yet another pay cut” in real terms.

Unison is asking for a pay rise of 2% above the retail price index (RPI) for 2023 which would result in an increase of 12.7% per employee.

However, the the National Joint Council (NJC) for local government services, which determines pay for council workers, has offered a flat rate increase of £1,925.

RPI is one of the two key measures for inflation, which the Office for National Statistics said this week was at 8.7% in the year to April. This was lower than in March when it was 10.1% but above the 8.2% figure some economists had expected.

David Houlgate, Unison branch secretary for Harrogate, said that over the last 12 years council staff have lost 25% from their pay when measured against the RPI.

Unison, which also represents school staff in North Yorkshire, closes the ballot on strike action on July 4.

Mr Houlgate said:

“Unison has been campaigning for a decent pay rise for council and school workers.  We called for a pay increase of inflation plus 2% – based on the Treasury’s annual forecast for RPI for 2023, this would amount to approximately 12.7%.

“However, the local government employers have responded with an offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925, with less for part-time and term-time workers, which when compared to the rate of inflation amounts to yet another pay cut.

“This simply is not good enough when public service workers are relying on food banks and struggling to afford heating. Furthermore, poor pay is a major factor in the recruitment and retention issues that impact on these vital public services.

“So we are asking members to vote for strike action. This is not something we do lightly or, for that matter, often and it’s always our last resort, but after years of declining pay, the feeling is enough is enough.”

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Headteachers unite to warn of vaping dangers to children in Harrogate district

Headteachers from across the Harrogate district have issued a joint letter to all parents warning of the dangers of vaping.

The unusual move by secondary school leaders was prompted by “an increase in the number of incidents in our local community”, the letter said.

The heads of Boroughbridge High, Harrogate College, Harrogate Grammar, Harrogate High, King James’s, Nidderdale High, Ripon Grammar, Rossett, Springwell, St Aidan’s and St John Fisher schools have all put their names to the letter, which says:

“We are aware that there have been reports of young people becoming unwell and needing medical attention after using vapes.

“Vapes can come in a variety of different forms, shapes, and sizes. Some common styles of vapes include ones which look like a thick pen or highlighter pen.

“These devices are usually very small and can be concealed on a person or blend in with school/college equipment, therefore they can be easily mistaken or missed.”

Respiratory problems

The letter warns that vaping from a young age may lead to respiratory problems in later life, and recent research shows children could be inhaling unsafe amounts of lead and nickel. There have been reports of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis, being used in vaping, the letter said.

The headteachers also said young people could view vaping as a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes, but the nicotine is still addictive.

The letter points parents towards information from Ash, Kids Health, and West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, and says anyone with concerns can speak to their child’s school. It concludes:

“We are sure that you agree that the possession and use of vapes on any school/college premises is something that we simply cannot tolerate.

“Any student found in possession of a vape will be subject to a serious school/college sanction, including the risk of suspension. Please note that we will report possession of any illegal substances to the police.

“We hope that you welcome this letter in the spirit with which it is intended and that you share and understand our shared concerns about this potentially harmful issue.

“We want to be open about the risks involved and we encourage you to have a conversation with your child about this subject matter.”

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Tories maintain slim majority on North Yorkshire Council after by-election

The Conservatives have maintained their slender majority of two on North Yorkshire Council after a by-election yesterday.

Tony Randerson was elected to the Eastfield division in Scarborough with 499 votes — 46 per cent of the vote.

Liberal Democrat Erica Willett was second with 281 votes and Labour’s David Thompson polled 169 votes to finish third.

It means the Conservatives still hold 46 of the 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council.

The Liberal Democrats are the next largest party with 13 councillors, followed by Labour with 11 and the Independent group with nine.

The Greens have five councillors and there are four unaffiliated independents. There is also one Liberal Party councillor. Conservative candidate Eric Batts received 69 votes in fourth.

The Scarborough by-election was caused when Cllr Randerson resigned from the Labour Party after criticising the party’s direction and leadership under Sir Keir Starmer.

According to his Facebook page, he now represents the Social Justice Party but his affiliation on the ballot paper was left blank.

Richard Flinton, the returning officer for North Yorkshire Council, declared the result at the count in Scarborough.