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22

Sept 2021

Last Updated: 22/09/2021
Community
Community

Starbeck residents raise concerns over street drinking

by Thomas Barrett

| 22 Sept, 2021
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Residents aired concerns about the 'massive issue' of street drinking at last night's packeStarbeck Residents' Association annual general meeting. Some said they felt intimidated.

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Residents in Starbeck last night raised concerns about an increase in street drinking and elected a new committee and chair who pledged to tackle the problem.

Starbeck Residents' Association, which awards grants and campaigns to safeguard local facilities, had its annual general meeting at St Andrew’s Church. It was well-attended with about 80 residents packed into a room inside the church.

Some raised concerns about the "massive issue" of street drinking, with others saying they felt intimidated.

One said:

"Street drinking is a massive issue that needs to be addressed. People drinking during the day using Belmont Park. It's not good and it's a continuous problem."


Another said:

"Older people feel extremely intimidated. It's in doorways and in parks."


Some residents suggested the problem had increased since the council's homeless shelter Fern House opened this year.

Maggie Gibson, a housing officer from Harrogate Borough Council who works at Fern House, rejected this.

She said:

"There is an assumption it's our residents. That is unfair. We monitor their behaviour."


The work at Fern House was praised by SRA treasurer and nearby resident Leisa Mark, who encouraged residents to speak to the people that live there.

"Rather than being intimidated, we said hello. They are aware of how people perceive them."





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New chair


Chris Watt was voted in as the new SRA chair, replacing the outgoing Geoff Foxall.

Mr Watt was voted in by all but two residents, including Starbeck post office owner Andrew Hart who objected to his appointment due to Mr Watt's affiliation with the local Labour Party.

A new 15-person committee was also elected. It included people who had lived in Starbeck for decades as well as 16-year-old Emily Mark, who spoke of her pride in living in the area.

Mr Watt told the Stray Ferret:

"We as a committee are focused on issues that are important to Starbeck, such as the high street, green spaces and anti-social behaviour. It's great to have that mix of youth and experience on the committee."


Grants awarded


The SRA also announced the recipients of four grants to local charities and organisations.

The grants come from interest on a £300,000 gift that was given to the Starbeck community by Taylor Woodrow, a steel fabrication company that moved away from Starbeck in the early 1990s. The grants are administered by Harrogate Borough Council.

These were:

£1,000 to Harrogate Railway Football Club for new nets.

£1,000 to Starbeck in Bloom to improve the area around the war memorial.

£1,000 to the charity Henshaws for new IT equipment

£400 to Starbeck Methodist Church to promote events.