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.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate beauty brand records improved profits

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is lunch at Manahatta, on June 29th at 12.30pm.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate-based hair and beauty brand has recorded strong profit results for the last financial year.

CloudNine, which is based at Hornbeam Park, reported a turnover of £35 million and pre-tax profits of £8.6m – a 20% rise on 2021 – for the year ending December 2022.

The firm, which employs more than 60 staff at its headquarters in Harrogate, has credited its results to a combination of continued growth in the UK, significant growth in Australia and New Zealand and the strengthening of its online and in-store presence.

Martin Rae, chief executive of CloudNine, said: 

“This is a very pleasing set of results which cements our position as one of the world’s leading hair and beauty brands.

“We are very proud of everything we have achieved, with the ultimate aim of providing the tools to help people feel like the best version of themselves, which is what we are most passionate about.

“We are also very passionate about the environment. We launched the industry’s first hair iron recycling scheme, which has saved over 2,800kg of hair styling tools from landfill so far.”

Business networking event to be held in Boroughbridge

A networking event is set to be held for businesses in Boroughbridge.

Held at the Crown Hotel on Thursday, June 15, the session will focus on supporting local firms.

It will also include guest speakers Alison Laws, business relationships manager at York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, and Alice Ingram, business engagement manager at West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

The event will start at 5.30pm with refreshments and networking and will include a question and answer session.

For more information on the event, contact the Boroughbridge and District Chamber of Trade here.

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A third of callers give up on police 101 calls in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire’s police commissioner has criticised the force after new figures today revealed more than a third of 101 calls were abandoned.

Statistics for April showed 16,939 non-emergency calls were made to North Yorkshire Police.

Of that number, the average answer time was five minutes and 27 seconds.

The force has a target to answer 90% of calls within 120 seconds. Last month, 60% were picked up in time and 34% were abandoned.

At a North Yorkshire Police online public meeting today, Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner, said:

“It’s just not good enough for the public at all that we are having a 34% drop-off rate here in 101.

“I really would like to know when are we going to see an improvement.”

The meeting can be viewed here.

The criticism comes after the commissioner awarded the force control room £1.8 million a year to improve response times.

Figures for 101 calls in April. Data: NYP.

The money was earmarked to fund the appointment of 36 additional communications officers, 12 additional dispatchers, six established trainers and two additional police inspectors.

Elliot Foskett, assistant chief constable at the force, said he was optimistic the performance would start to improve.

“We would agree, we think 34% is high. You will start to see an improvement, commissioner, with those resources landing in the control room.

“I can’t stress highly enough that we monitor this every single day. Not only within the chief officer team, but at the force daily management meeting and in the local meetings in the force control room.

“I am optimistic that by the summer time as we start to get more people in and towards the end of the summer, we will should see that come down. I absolutely understand the frustration when people are hanging on the phone and trying to get through to us as well.”

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Meanwhile, Mr Foskett pointed to “massive improvements” in the force’s 999 response times.

The force control room answered 76% of calls over the last three months on time.

The figure is in stark contrast to November 2022, when just 44% of 999 calls were answered within that time frame.

However, it is still short of the police national target to answer 90% of calls in under 10 seconds.

£6m spent on transition to North Yorkshire Council so far

North Yorkshire Council has revealed £6 million has been spent so far on the transition from eight councils into one.

Local government reorganisation has seen the biggest change in local government in the county since 1974.

District councils in Harrogate, Craven, Hambleton, Scarborough, Rydedale, Richmondshire and Selby, as well as North Yorkshire County Council, were abolished on March 31.

The next day, a new unitary council called North Yorkshire Council based in Northallerton was created to provide all of the services previously delivered by the former councils.

To pay for the transition, £38m was allocated into a one-off fund, with the money coming from reserves held by the former North Yorkshire County Council.

The council allocated £16.9m to be spent between 2021/22 until 2024/25 and North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for resources, Gary Fielding, said £6m of this has been spent so far.

Mr Fielding added a “significant proportion” has been spent on technology and digital systems, with nearly £2.3m allocated during the last financial year and a further £1.5m earmarked in the current financial year.

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Other areas of spending include £4.9m on delivering local government reorganisation over the previous and current financial years.

A further £3.4m has been allocated for finance and £1.8m for human resources with most of these costs due to upgrading IT systems.

The council is facing a £30m shortfall in its first year and is targeting savings of up to £252m in its first five years.

Earlier this month, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that the council will save £3.8m a year by cutting the roles of 24 senior managers.

Another one of the new unitary council’s early cost-cutting programmes will be to sell off some of the former district, borough and county council properties, which comes to more than 3,500 properties excluding schools.

Mr Fielding said:

“We remain committed to ensuring that the move to North Yorkshire Council presents the best value for money for taxpayers.

“The new authority is set to bring about annual savings of between £30m and £70m through the streamlining of services and bringing together eight councils into one organisation.”

Business Breakfast: Local firms sponsor Harrogate International Festivals

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. Our next networking event is after-work drinks at Manahatta, on May 25th at 5:30.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Two Harrogate companies have announced sponsorship contracts with Harrogate International Festivals.

Harrogate Family Law, which is based at Victoria Avenue, has signed up as premier partners for the festivals alongside Rudding Park, Nicholls Tyreman and Theakston.

Meanwhile, IT company Croft Communications has agreed to be communications partner for the event.

Andrew Meehan, managing director at Harrogate Family Law, said: 

“We are delighted to be renewing as a premier partner and supporting the festivals for another year. Harrogate International Festivals is renowned for putting on a selection of world class entertainment with some of the best industry talent.”

Sharon Canavar, Harrogate Festivals Chief Executive, pictured with Mark Bramley, CEO at Croft Communications.

Sharon Canavar, Harrogate Festivals chief executive, pictured with Mark Bramley, CEO at Croft Communications.

Mark Bramley, Croft Communications chief executive, said: 

“As a new sponsor, our business is proud to be playing a part in the line-up of exciting events Harrogate International Festivals is due to be hosting.

“We look forward to seeing the amazing cultural experiences brought to life in Harrogate this year.”

Company sponsors Boroughbridge Junior football team

A Boroughbridge company has agreed a sponsorship deal with a local junior football team.

The Martin Bell Partnership, which provides strategic and practical support for healthcare, has sponsored Boroughbridge Juniors Under-16s boy’s football team.

It will see the squad wear the company logo on their kits next season.

Borougbridge Juniors Under-16s.

Borougbridge Juniors Under-16s.

Martin Bell, owner of the company, said: 

“I am delighted to be able to support the team with sponsorship. They have had a solid year and can look forward to the new season with a strong squad of local lads who love their football. 

“The new kits will provide a boost to the players and give them confidence as they compete in the Harrogate and District Junior League and regional cup competitions.”

Chris Fahy, Boroughbridge Juniors FC chair added: 

“Without the support of the community and sponsorship from organisations like The Martin Bell Partnership we would not have such a thriving club, so we thank them for their support.

“That support allows us to provide football experiences for more than 150 children at the club aged six to 18 years.”

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