Local democracy in North Yorkshire ‘destroyed’ by devolution, says peer

Devolution in North Yorkshire has made local government an “incoherent mess” and “destroyed” democracy, a Liberal Democrat peer has claimed.

Harrogate Borough Council was one of seven district authorities, along with North Yorkshire County Council, abolished on March 31 to pave the way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

The single-tier system has vastly reduced the number of councillors in North Yorkshire from almost 400 to 90.

A combined authority for York and North Yorkshire is due to be created next year, led by an elected mayor, as part of the UK government’s devolution agenda.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire said in a speech in the House of Lords on Thursday the structure of local government across England was now “an incoherent mess” and accused the government of “imposing mayors on places that did not want them”.

He added:

“I find what has happened recently in North Yorkshire the most appalling, and when I heard someone assure me that no councillor in North Yorkshire would need more than two hours to drive from the ward they represent to council meetings, it showed me just how far we have gone.

“Decent places such as Harrogate, Scarborough, Richmond and Craven, which had working district authorities and which represented real places, have been dismantled and they are now trying to set up very large town councils for them.

“We have the prospect of a mayor, somehow, for North Yorkshire and, incidentally, one for East Yorkshire. That is the effective destruction of local government and I really do not understand the rationale for it.”

Read more:

He contrasted the situation with Fenland District Council, where councillors represented far fewer people, and therefore had more time to deal with their issues.

Lord Saltaire said:

“After the next election, a reform of the way in which the governance of England is conducted at all levels is a vital part of what any new government must be. If we want to regain trust in politics and re-engage some of our citizens more, that is part of how we do it.

“Let us all recognise that we face a situation of deep popular disengagement and disillusionment with the democratic politics we have in this country.”

Old system ‘confusing and expensive’

Carl Les

Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, described the old two-tier system as “confusing, inefficient and expensive”. He added:

“Over half of the country is governed by unitary local government now. Where Lord Saltaire lives has been unitary for years.

“Yes, we no longer have 390 local councillors. Some might say that’s a good thing.”

Cllr Les said the council’s plans for “double devolution”, whereby powers would be handed down to local level, would ensure it was “not only the largest geographic council in the country but also the most local as well”.

 

Yorkshire Party mayoral candidate quit after ‘chicken policy disagreement’

The Yorkshire Party candidate to be North Yorkshire mayor next year quit the party after a disagreement over a policy to hand out free chickens.

Keith Tordoff, who is from Pateley Bridge, pledged in an interview to give three chickens to 20,000 households in North Yorkshire.

But the policy had not been discussed in detail with the Yorkshire Party and thus Mr Tordoff will now seek election as an independent candidate.

He announced his resignation from the party this week.

Other disagreements included the Yorkshire Party’s website ‘not being up to date’ and there not being enough volunteers.

Mr Tordoff said:

 “They don’t like stories like the chicken story.

“They really tried to clamp down and said that shouldn’t have been released.

“I’ve been contacted by one of the largest egg producers in the country saying they want to offer help.

“It stimulated the imagination of people but the Yorkshire Party leadership didn’t think it was appropriate and would make the party look a bit foolish or silly.”

Read more:

Mr Tordoff also said he recorded a promotional song based on the lyric in Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing ‘your chicks for free’.

He said:

“They didn’t want me to release that.

“It’s not going to diminish anything but unfortunately they couldn’t quite see through it.

“I don’t think they quite have the drive, the vision, the imagination, or my appeal to people to work on projects.”

Although he wished the Yorkshire Party the best, Mr Todoff said its leadership “went over the top” on their crackdown of his policy.

He said:

“They couldn’t grasp it.”

Yorkshire Party co-leader Bob Buxton said: 

“Keith is used to being independent.

“He came up with the chicken story and that perhaps took away the emphasis from more substantial policies.

“I’m not saying it’s a bad policy but I would have liked to have fleshed it out a bit more.

“He’s very autonomous.

“It was all very polite but he felt and we felt it was best to part ways.”

The party will field a different candidate following the by-election in Selby and Ainsty triggered by Boris Johnson ally Nigel Adams.

Labour names candidate for local by-election

Labour has selected 26-year-old Keir Mather to fight the Selby and Ainsty by-election, triggered by the resignation of Conservative MP Nigel Adams.

Oxford history and politics graduate Mr Mather is a former parliamentary researcher who works as a senior public affairs advisor at the Confederation of British Industry.

Mr Mather, who would become one of the youngest MPs, was born in Hull and grew up near Selby.

His candidacy was supported by the unions GMB and Unison.

Many villages close to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, including Spofforth, Follifoot, Kirkby Overblow, Goldsborough, Little Ouseburn, Nun Monkton, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton, will go to the polls on July 20.

The Conservatives, who will defend a 20,137 in the by-election on July 20, have named Michael Naughton as their candidate while the Greens have selected Arnold Warneken.

It is expected to be a close contest between the Tories and Labour, with political forecasting website Electoral Calculus predicting a 55% chance of Labour victory and a 45% chance of Conservative victory.

A by-election in Boris Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency will also take place on the same date.

Mr Mather said:

“It is an honour to have been selected to fight to represent this brilliant constituency. Whilst the Conservatives are too distracted by their own chaos to deliver, the people of Selby and Ainsty have been left without a voice.

“We are facing the worst fall in living standards in a generation. Mortgages are up, our public services are broken, and the economy is stagnating.”

Read more:

 

Pateley Bridge man resigns as Yorkshire Party mayoral candidate

A Pateley Bridge man who was selected to stand for the Yorkshire Party for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has resigned from the party.

Keith Tordoff announced his candidacy for the role just over a week ago.

However, in a statement, he said he had decided to resign from the Yorkshire Party “with immediate effect” in order to stand as an independent.

Mr Tordoff, a former police officer, detective and specialist fraud investigator who owns Tordoff Gallery in Pateley Bridge, said the move would allow for “freedom and flexibility” in his campaign.

His statement said:

“The freedom and flexibility of being an independent candidate allows for Keith to appeal to all sections of society and members of all political parties as well as deliver on all relevant issues affecting the people who live, work or visit North Yorkshire.”

The move comes after Mr Tordoff, 67, released a list of pledges last week, which included giving 2,000 households three chickens each.

He said this would save 100 tonnes of food waste each month and improve the health of poorer households.

Mr Tordoff also said his priorities would be to make North Yorkshire an economic powerhouse; improve transport links and connectivity, especially for rural communities; making North Yorkshire a safer place to live, work and visit and to make North Yorkshire a world leader in sustainability.

Read more:

The 67-year-old, who was born and raised in Leeds, was awarded an MBE in 2018 for services to business and the community.

Mr Tordoff has also previously stood as an independent candidate in both 2021 North Yorkshire Police, Fire Crime Commissioner elections, finishing in third place.

Zoe Metcalfe, the current North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner who lives in Aldborough, has announced she hopes to be selected by the Conservatives in the mayoral election.

Andrew Jones MP to vote for Privileges Committee recommendations

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has said he will vote to accept the recommendations of the parliamentary investigation into Boris Johnson.

The seven MPs on the House of Commons Privileges Committee today found the former Prime Minster deliberately misled parliament over lockdown parties.

The cross-party committee said the former PM had committed repeated offences and it would have recommended a 90-day suspension from the House of Commons had Mr Johnson not resigned as an MP last week.

MPs are expected to vote on Monday on whether to approve the committee’s recommendations.

Mr Jones said:

“I called for the Privileges Committee investigation into this issue and I have supported its work.  I will be voting on Monday to accept their recommendations in full.”

Speaking in a Commons debate on April 21 last year on the referral of Mr Johnson to the committee, Mr Jones said:

“When there are questions about the conduct of any Member in this place, it is right for the Committee of Privileges to take a look at that case. It is right for it to investigate, it is right for it to make a judgment and it is right for that to happen whoever the Member is.”

He added he wanted to “see more focus on standards across parliament”.

Local Lib Dem says Tories in ‘full-blown civil war’

Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said today voting against the committee’s recommendations  would be “an insult to bereaved families who grieved alone while Boris Johnson partied.”

Mr Gordon added:

“This report is completely unprecedented. Never before has a former British Prime Minister been found to have lied to parliament and treated the public with such contempt.

“The Conservative Party is now in a full-blown civil war, while people struggle to afford to pay their mortgage or get a GP appointment.”

Read more:

Selby and Ainsty Conservative MP Nigel Adams, a close ally of Mr Johnson, also resigned last week, triggering a by-election.

The Conservatives and Greens have named their candidates to fight the seat, which includes numerous villages close to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, including Spofforth, Follifoot, Kirkby Overblow, Goldsborough, Little Ouseburn, Nun Monkton, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

Labour is expected to name its candidate tonight.

Unbeatable views for sale as Georgian windmill goes under the hammer

Househunters will be offered the chance of a lifetime next month, when one of the district’s most unusual homes is put up for auction. 

Skelton Windmill is a seven-storey property with 360-degree views, which on a clear day take in York Minster, Ripon Cathedral and the White Horse at Kilburn. 

The Grade II listed building was built in 1822 for grinding corn and was the windmill for Newby Hall until the First World War. It then remained derelict until it was converted into a home in the 1990s, and is now one of just 140 windmills left in the UK.

Simon Croft, partner at Harrogate estate agent FSS, said: 

“This is one of the most unusual properties I’ve ever dealt with. We’ve only just gone live with it, so we’re still gauging interest. We’ll get a fuller flavour when we have our first viewings.  

“When people see it, I don’t think they could fail to fall in love with it. It would be amazing as a family home, but it could also make a fantastic holiday let. Who wouldn’t want to stay in a place like that, with such amazing views?” 

The Georgian windmill, which stands in open countryside north of Boroughbridge and east of Ripon, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, three reception rooms and a study, plus 70 steps leading to a trap door onto the roof. 

It has outbuildings, including an office, potting shed and carport, as well as 0.6 acres of gardens and paddock with orchard and wildlife garden pond. 

Skelton Windmill was originally listed for sale with Strutt & Parker in spring 2022 for £925,000, but was reduced to £850,000 and then again in September to £799,950. 

The property will be lot 7 in FSS’s online auction at 3pm on Thursday, July 13. Bidding will start at £600,000. Potential buyers should register interest online at least 48 hours in advance of the auction, which can be viewed on the day by both bidders and non-bidders. 

Read more: 

 

Northern Energy begins work on new Harrogate district headquarters

Northern Energy has started construction on new headquarters in the Harrogate district.

The company is currently based in Hampsthwaite, where it has operated for more than half a century.

The firm distributes domestic, commercial and agricultural oil and liquified petroleum gas across the north of England.

However, Northern Energy is set to relocate operations to Limebar Lane, one kilometre from the village of Marton-cum-Grafton and next to the A168.

The plans include 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, liquified petroleum gas and oil storage tanks and a new car park.

James Illingworth, director of sales at Northern Energy, told the Stray Ferret:

“The site that we are currently at [in Hampsthwaite], we have been there since the 1950s. We have basically run out of space and it is not fit for purpose anymore.

“The gas storage is what we really need to take our business to the next level and we can’t put it there. That was the main driver for moving sites.”

The move to build the new base comes after Harrogate Borough Council gave planning permission for the site in February 2021.

The company said the new headquarters will provide better access to the motorway and reduce journey times for distribution.

Work being carried out on the new Northern Energy site.

Work being carried out on the new Northern Energy site.

Construction at the site is being carried out by Harrogate company HACS and is being built in two phases.

The first phase, which includes the gas storage site, is expected to be complete by March 2024.

Look for a more in-depth article on Northern Energy’s move to Marton-cum-Grafton on the Stray Ferret this weekend.

Read more:

 

Co-op submits plans for new store in Boroughbridge

Plans have been submitted to open a Co-op in Boroughbridge.

The 359-square metre store would sell fresh, frozen and chilled products from 7am to 10pm seven days a week.

It would be built on the site of the former Searles Carpets showroom and Saab garage on Horsefair.

A design statement sent on behalf of the applicants to North Yorkshire Council, which will decide whether to approve the development, says:

“The site is located central to Boroughbridge and has stood vacant for several months and is in need to redevelopment.

“The proposal to create a modern format convenience food store is an opportunity enhance the local amenities together with job creation.

The document adds the “traditional looking” building would conform with the requirements of the Boroughbridge Conservation Area.

Another impression of the proposed store.

An accompanying planning statement says the store would have 13 car park spaces, including one disabled bay, and be accessed from Horsefair via a new access route.

It adds the store would be operated by Central Co-Operative, which “is independent from the Co-Operative Group, but are part of the wider co-operative movement”. Central Co-Operative currently trades from some 440 outlets in 19 counties.

The planning statement says the Spar shop on High Street is the only existing town centre supermarket / general store. It adds:

“Boroughbridge is therefore generally considered to be a vital and viable centre, although it clearly provides a relatively limited food retail offer

“It has been clearly demonstrated that the proposals will deliver a high quality form of development that respects the character and appearance of the local area.”

Read more:

 

Leeds Bradford Airport adds new flight to Amsterdam

Leeds Bradford Airport has announced it will host a fourth daily flight to Amsterdam with airline KLM.

The additional direct flight, which is now on sale, will depart every day at 1.20pm from August 28.

Three daily KLM flights currently depart from Leeds Bradford to Schiphol in Amsterdam at 6.20am, 10.05am and 520pm.

Nicola McMullen, aviation director at Leeds Bradford Airport, which is 12 miles from Harrogate, said:

“This new daily flight significantly improves Yorkshire’s global connectivity.

“The added KLM capacity enables passengers to have even more opportunities to travel to the four corners of the globe via Schiphol, one of Europe’s biggest travel hubs.”

Read more:

 

 

 

£3.5m gym for cancer patients to open in Harrogate

A £3.5 million exercise and wellbeing centre is to open in Harrogate in autumn.

The Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre at Hornbeam Park will offer free, personalised fitness, nutrition and wellbeing support to people with cancer. It aims to help patients prepare for treatment and recover better.

The building will incorporate a café, shop and donation centre and will also become Yorkshire Cancer Research’s new head office. The charity will relocate from its premises at Grove Park Court in Harrogate.

It currently has 70 staff, including those at its seven shops, and expects to have 100 by March next year, partly due to the new centre, which will create 10 new jobs and 40 volunteering opportunities.

Its shop sites include Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough.

People will be able to self-refer to the exercise centre and visit for free, although they will need to sign-up and book.

Most users are expected to come from within 15 miles of Hornbeam Park and up to 1,500 people are expected to use the service in its first three years.

Yorkshire Cancer Research gym

The gym will offer one-to-one support

The charity is recruiting fitness instructors with specialist cancer knowledge. Many sessions will be one-to-one.

Everything people do at the centre will be analysed and used to improve understanding of exercise as a treatment for cancer patients.

Yorkshire Cancer Research plans to open at least four new fitness and wellbeing centres across the region in the next 10 years.

Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said:

“Yorkshire will be at the forefront of exercise as a treatment” and the centre would “inform future cancer treatment in the UK and elsewhere in the world”.

Evidence shows that exercise can increase the success of cancer treatment, reduce side effects and speed up recovery, as well as improving life expectancy.

The programme builds on the charity’s Active Together service in Sheffield, which was launched in February 2022, in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. So far it has helped more than 370 people with cancer.

Yorkshire Cancer Research will relocate from its current site at Grove Park Court in Harrogate.

Dr Scott said:

“Despite clear evidence that being physically active is safe and has a positive effect for people with cancer, exercise services are not routinely available and most patients are not as active as they could be following a diagnosis.

“Our long-term goal is for these programmes to become a standard part of care embedded in and delivered by the NHS across Yorkshire and beyond.”