Ferret Unlocked: what you missed in news last week

Thirteen months ago, North Yorkshire Council announced a ‘landmark’ road safety scheme to make children travelling to and from seven Harrogate schools safer.

It would have created “North Yorkshire’s largest ever 20mph zone”, according to the authority. However, to this day, no such zone exist.

This past week, we revisited the scheme and met with the parents and headteachers who have campaigned for the 20mph zone to find out how they feel about the delay in implementing the scheme.

Elsewhere, the Stray Ferret took a closer look at the Allerton Waste Recovery Park’s performance amid news that it has never met its recycling target.

The plant has also come under the spotlight in recent weeks after BBC research found that waste-to-energy plants have become the dirtiest form of energy.

But how exactly does Allerton Park work and how does it make energy? We published an explainer on the topic, which subscribers can read here.

Meanwhile, the market in non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as botox and lip-fillers has ballooned in recent years, but its success has come at a price.

The industry is largely unregulated, and many clinics are run by untrained practitioners, some offering treatments illegally.

We interviewed Sharon Bennett, chair of the British Association of Medical Aesthetic Nurses (BAMAN) and owner of Harrogate Aesthetics, who hopes the issue will be addressed urgently by the new government.

With the budget coming up this week, the Stray Ferret took a closer look at whether the district’s private schools are putting up fees to cope with a proposed VAT on school fees.

The Harrogate area is a hotspot for independent schools, so this would have a huge impact on a lot of people. 

We caught up with some of the independent schools in the district to find out their plans for the proposed policy. You can read the full article here.

Finally, Jo Coles, the Labour deputy mayor for policing and crime in York and North Yorkshire, marked her 100th day in office this month.

The Stray Ferret sat down for a full length interview with Ms Coles to discuss policing, the future of Harrogate Fire Station and violence against women and girls.

Subscribers to the Stray Ferret can also take advantage of a range of fantastic exclusive offers, discounts and giveaways from local businesses, which we regularly update.