Readers’ Letters: Harrogate’s Station Gateway scheme and Ripon Cathedral annexe feature this week

Readers’ Letters is a free weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

This letter is in response to last week’s Readers’ Letters column. Harrogate resident Rachel Inchboard, who lives nearby to where the Station Gateway scheme would be implemented, shared her feelings towards it. This reader has questioned the cost of the project. 

Following on from Rachel Inchboard’s letter questioning the overall benefit and value of the proposed Station Gateway project, it does seem a waste of money at a time when the government says they have to make stark choices.

Earlier this week, the Treasury indicated some areas not deemed a priority will be downgraded. Whilst the monies for the Station Gateway scheme are part of the Transforming Cities Fund - agreed by the previous government – progressing it seems little more than vanity.

The scheme seems as though it is being forced through on the back of support from a regional level. The budget has risen from £7.9 million in 2021 to around £12 million now – yet the proposals have since been scaled back.

Although North Yorkshire Council doesn’t appear to want to quantify the amount, enough has been spent on consultants’ fees – and for what? The scheme appears cosmetic in nature, with limited benefits for any of the users. It also certainly pays no regard to a number of factors, including the history of the town or indeed the immediate area.

Bernard White, Ripon

'Robust debate should never be seen as a threat'

Ripon City Council voted against Ripon Cathedral's £8m annexe plans on Monday. Meg Munn, a spokesperson for the Cathedral Support Group, accused the councillors of 'cowardice', which you can read more about here and here. Councillor Tony Duncan, who served in the Royal Engineers, accused her of making an 'abusive threat'. Here she responds to the claim.

I am very grateful to everyone who has served in the military including the two councillors, but this does not affect what happened on Monday. Members of the public did not expect councillors to debate the issue with the public, but they had an expectation that councillors would explain the reasons for their vote.

I am surprised to read the comments of Councillor Duncan. His view that saying the behaviour of councillors was cowardly and not worthy of those in elected office is "an abusive threat" is ridiculous. Nobody has been threatened. Robust debate should never be seen as a threat.

Anyone who takes on a representative role should expect at times to be involved in robust debate. It is fundamental to democracy that elected politicians should expect on occasions to be questioned and that they should explain the reasons for their actions. 

Meg Munn

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