Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones has been criticised by a Liberal Democrat councillor who claimed he is using a campaign to clean up the River Nidd as a “political tool” to help him get re-elected.

But Mr Jones has fought back and said his involvement in the campaign is about him doing his job as an MP.

The issue of river pollution caused by private water companies such as Yorkshire Water — and what is being done to stop it — is expected to be one of the battlegrounds at the next general election, which must be held in the next 18 months.

Mr Jones has won four elections in a row since 2010, but the Liberal Democrats are hopeful of taking Harrogate and Knaresborough back for the first time since the days of Phil Willis, who was MP between 1997 and 2010.

Mr Jones has confirmed he will stand for a fifth time and the Lib Dems have chosen former Wakefield councillor Tom Gordon as their candidate.

Nidd campaign

There are hopes that a section of the Nidd by Knaresborough Lido will be designated bathing water status by the government so people can swim in it without falling ill.

It currently has high levels of the bacteria e-coli, a strong indicator of sewage or animal waste.

The campaign is gathering momentum and is being led by Mr Jones who secured a debate on the topic in Parliament in November.

Last week, North Yorkshire councillors of all political stripes agreed to back a motion to support the campaign, brought by Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge Paul Haslam, when Cllr Matt Walker raised the topic of the MP’s involvement.

Cllr Walker said:

“People listening online and in the chamber might wonder why this motion has been brought before council.

“Perhaps it’s to do with a local MP using it as a political tool to try and get elected in the next general election?”

River Nidd at Knaresborough.

In 2021, Mr Jones was one of 265 Conservative MPs who voted down a Lords amendment to the Environment Bill which would have forced water companies to reduce the amount of sewage they discharged.

Instead, MPs including Mr Jones backed a government amendment to make water companies produce plans for reducing river pollution.

This has led to criticism from opposition parties, with Cllr Walker adding:

“Waters are allowed to have sewage in them because our MPs voted for it.”

Read more:

• River Nidd testing begins as clean-up campaign gathers pace
• Yorkshire Water discharged sewage into River Nidd 870 times in 2022
• Council backs bid for River Nidd bathing water status

In a statement sent to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Jones disputed that his involvement was political and listed the things he has done to raise awareness about the campaign, including securing the debate in Parliament, meeting with ministers about the topic and winning the support of the chief executive of Yorkshire Water.

Referring to the contentious votes in Parliament, Mr Jones said he voted for a “costed plan to reduce the operation of the Victorian storm overflows”.

The MP also took aim at Cllr Walker’s own political career after he stood unsuccessfully for the Lib Dems in the Selby and Ainsty by-election last week, when he came sixth.

Mr Jones said he welcomed the support from North Yorkshire Council and added that his team and a group of volunteers had been working on collecting information for the bid.

He said:

“I have discussed the successful Ilkley bathing water application with the MP for that area and led a special debate in the House of Commons on water quality. I have voted in Parliament for a costed plan to reduce the operation of the Victorian storm overflows.

“I have delivered thousands of leaflets and letters encouraging people to get involved and written numerous articles for the local media highlighting the issue. My team and I alongside an enormous number of local volunteers are taking positive action.

“This is what Members of Parliament should be doing and most of them, from all parties, are. It is not ‘using an issue as a political tool’; it is doing my job.

“Cllr Walker has stood twice to be an MP most recently in the Selby and Ainsty by election where the Liberal Democrat vote sank by 5% and they came sixth behind the Yorkshire Party, the Greens and Reform UK.  Cllr Walker lost his deposit.

“I am sure he will do better when he addresses that lack of understanding about the role of an MP in supporting and leading local campaigns.”

North Yorkshire Council has backed a proposal to designate bathing water status to the River Nidd.

The motion was brought by Cllr Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, which called on the authority to support the campaign.

If designation is successful, government agencies would be obliged to take action to improve water quality at Knaresborough Lido. This would also improve water quality on a much wider stretch of the river.

The campaign comes after reports of numerous bathers falling ill last summer.

Cllr Haslam said:

“Knaresborough and the Nidd are one of the many jewels that North Yorkshire is blessed with.

“Knaresborough relies on the river to contribute to the local economy and wellbeing of the population in the form of riverside cafes, recreation on the river with regular bathing at the Lido.”

He added:

“It’s important that people can swim and enjoy the river without risks to their health.”

Read more:

• River Nidd testing begins as clean-up campaign gathers pace
• Yorkshire Water discharged sewage into River Nidd 870 times in 2022
• Andrew Jones MP appeals for help at ‘critical time’ for River Nidd bathing water bid

Councillors voted to support the proposal at a meeting in Northallerton yesterday.

Nidd Action Group and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, are leading the campaign.

Following the vote, Mr Jones said he welcomed the support from the council.

He said:

“I am grateful to North Yorkshire councillors for backing this campaign. Bids to designate areas as official bathing water are substantially strengthened by having the support of the local authority.

“I know some seek to make party political points about this issue. I hope that this overwhelming cross-party support brings an end to this.  Positive action is what is needed and I am working with local residents, businesses, community organisations and the Nidd Action Group on the bid.

“Success is never a guarantee but I am optimistic and this support from North Yorkshire Council is an important milestone.”

The by-election may have been in Selby and Ainsty, but the battleground at the count extended to Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Several local political heavyweights were at Selby Leisure Centre in the early hours of this morning, whispering to colleagues in huddles while circling their political enemies.

With Labour expected to win, the political chat was as much about the race to become the first mayor of York and North Yorkshire next year and the Conservatives’ efforts to maintain control of North Yorkshire Council.

Shortly before 1am BBC News interviewed Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, who said Rishi Sunak’s five pledges had chimed with people in his constituency despite these being tough times.

Asked whether the Tories could hold the seat won by Nigel Adams with a 20,000 majority in 2019, he said he travelled hopefully, deftly avoiding a prediction.

The count in full swing at Selby Leisure Centre.

Shortly afterwards Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat who will try to stop Mr Jones making it five in a row at the next general election made an appearance on Sky News.

Kirk Hammerton’s Nick Palmer, one of three Independent candidates standing yesterday, cursed the ‘London media’ for failing to reply to any of their requests for coverage. He told the Stray Ferret:

“They give us wall to wall coverage of Nigel Farage and Huw Edwards and nobody up here gives a damn about that.”

Fellow independent Andrew Gray, from Harrogate, was too unwell to attend. Pateley Bridge man Keith Tordoff, who is standing as an independent at next year’s mayoral election, represented him.

Acting returning officer Richard Flinton announces the turnout was 45%.

The Official Monster Raving Loony party contingent included a dummy but even their humour was beginning to wear thin as the night wore on.

Finally, at just after 4am, Clare Granger, the Birstwith-based North Yorkshire high sheriff rose to announce the result. Neither Labour candidate Keir Mather nor Conservative hopeful Claire Holmes made an appearance until just before that moment.

Clare Granger

Ms Granger had half-joked earlier that she couldn’t fluff her lines because any error announcing the results could only be remedied through the courts.

The unexpected Tory triumph in Uxbridge and South Ruislip led to speculation that the Tories could pull off a second win. But in the end Mr Mather, 25, won comfortably with 16,456 votes compared with Ms Holmes’ 12,295.

Green candidate Arnold Warneken, looking dapper with flowers grown in Little Ouseburn on his jacket, was third, overcoming Lib Dem Matt Walker.

By the time it was all over, the sun was coming up but the shadows had lengthened over the Conservatives in the run-up to the next general election.

Matt Walker

Knaresborough’s former crime commissioner Philip Allott is leading a new national charity that will support victims of crimes committed by emergency service staff.

Blue Light Whistle Blowers is in the process of being registered as a charitable incorporated organisation by the Charity Commission.

It will support victims of crimes committed by staff in policing, ambulance trusts and fire and rescue services and advise them on pursuing whistleblowing allegations but will not investigate claims itself.

The organisation, which is seeking a chief executive, aims to generate £100,000 a year to fund its work.

Mr Allott, who resigned as the Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in 2021 following comments about the murder of Sarah Everard, said he decided to get involved because emergency services crimes were under-reported.

A telephone hotline and online portal will be set up this year to enable victims to confidentially report wrongdoing.

The organisation said in a statement:

“The charity aims to be the voice of victims and their families and won’t hesitate where necessary to challenge the status quo.

“The charity aim is to hold chief constables, chief fire officers and ambulance trusts to account for these crimes and will produce league tables highlighting the best and worst affected services within the country.”

The service is due to go live in the autumn, initially based on a number of areas including London before it is rolled out nationally.

Bob Blackman (left) and Philip Allott

Mr Allott, chair of the organisation, said:

“Blue Light Whistle Blowers has been set up to be the voice of the voiceless and the silenced. Whistleblowers will support the victims and give them a voice, as for too long they have received little if any support.”

Those involved met MPs and peers, including Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones and Lord Harrogate Timothy Kirkhope at the House of Commons last month, at an event sponsored by Bob Blackman MP, the Conservative MP for Harrow East.

The main picture shows the trustees with Andrew Jones MP. They are (left to right) Tim Cook, Kathy Cox, Guy Phoenix, Philip Allott, Andrew Jones and Adele Winkley.

Read more:

• Knaresborough’s ex-crime commissioner sells marketing firm
• Knaresborough amusement arcade set to be approved

Harrogate has been spared in today’s announcement that hundreds of train station ticket offices in England will close.

The Rail Delivery Group, the industry body which represents train companies, proposed the closures of almost 1,000 ticket offices, saying it would move staff to “more face-to-face support for customers”.

Northern plans to shut 131 ticket offices — but Harrogate, plus others including Blackburn, Blackpool, Leeds and Skipton, will remain open on amended hours.

Harrogate ticket office will be open from 6am until 6pm Monday to Saturday, as opposed to its current hours of 6.15am until 7pm, and from 9am until 5pm on Sundays.

Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said the “traditional ticket office is no longer required at most staffed Northern stations” as only one on six journeys were paid for through a ticket office.

She added:

“We need to modernise to meet the changing needs of our customers and we are seeking views from the public on these proposals.”

Read more:

• Councillor outlines plans for new train station in Harrogate
• Harrogate rail line ‘close to capacity’, says report

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the decision to retain Harrogate ticket office “will be welcome news to passengers who value the ability to buy tickets face-to-face”. He added:

“Rail companies are looking at this as the numbers of people purchasing tickets in person has plummeted with the rise of online booking and user-friendly electronic terminals at stations.  All the plans are subject to consultation.”

Consultation on today’s recommendations runs from today until July 28. You can have your say here.

Brian Dunsby, of the Harrogate Line Supporters Group, said:

“The closure of ticket offices is inevitable.

“It’s the way the world is going, but Harrogate has largely been spared.”

Of the stations between York and Leeds on the Harrogate line, Horsforth is earmarked by Northern to have its ticket office closed.

Knaresborough Train Station

Other stations, such as Knaresborough, do not have offices and instead have machines for passengers to buy tickets.

The decision to close ticket offices elsewhere in the country was condemned by trade unions.

Mick Lynch, general secretary at the RMT, described it as “a savage attack on railway workers, their families and the travelling public”, adding:

“Travellers will be forced to rely on apps and remote mobile teams to be available to assist them rather than having trained staff on stations.

“This is catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers trying to access the rail network.”

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In June, Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty MP, resigned with immediate effect. The move came after the resignation of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was later found to have deliberately misled parliament by the Privileges Committee.

Meanwhile, 13 candidates have put their names forward to contest the Selby and Ainsty by-election. Voters will go to the polls on Thursday, July 20. 

We asked Ripon MP Julian Smith if he would like to highlight anything in particular, but did not receive a response.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

• Mr Jones attended the Harrogate Hospital Community Charity summer extravaganza on June 4.
• On June 8, Mr Jones spoke in the House of Commons to ask how the government would promote open access railways.
• On June 11, he attended the Army Foundation College Freedom Parade in Harrogate.
• Mr Jones also took part in a community litter pick in Bilton as part of the Great Big Green Week on June 11.
• Mr Jones also spoke in parliament to ask government what steps were being taken to support female entrepreneurs amid concern that the number of women starting businesses is below that of men.
• Mr Jones voted in the House of Commons for the Privileges Committee report on June 19.
• On June 22, Mr Jones weighed in on the debate over designating Harrogate’s Stray as common land. He there was “no positive reason for change”.
• Mr Jones gave Harrogate Ladies College prefects a tour of the Houses of Parliament on June 28.

When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent a list of his engagements for June.

Among those included hosting a charity coffee morning for Henshaws, attending the bed race in Knaresborough and taking part in a Barclays Business roundtable event at the West Park Hotel.

He also attended a National Farmers Union event on June 6 and filmed a video for World Environment Day.

Mr Jones’ office pointed out that his engagements and activities could also be found on his Community News Website and his Facebook and Instagram feeds.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• On June 5, Mr Smith spoke in the House of Commons on the government building trust with the current inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic.
• Mr Smith voted in the House of Commons for the Privileges Committee report on June 19.
• On June 24, Mr Smith joined the Conservative by-election campaign in Selby and Ainsty.
• On June 28, Mr Smith attended a networking event with Ripon Business Improvement District where he heard concerns from local businesses.
• Mr Smith met with the Dean of Ripon Cathedral in Westminster on June 28. Among the discussion was refurbishment plans at Ripon Cathedral.
• Mr Smith updated his MPs constituency website 10 times throughout June.

Read more:

• Selby and Ainsty MP resigns with immediate effect
• Local MPs vote in favour of Privileges Committee report

An apartment block that will replace the now-demolished Dunlopillo offices in Pannal is beginning to take shape.

Plans submitted by Echo Green Developments to build 38 flats on the site at Station Road were approved by Harrogate Borough Council in February 2022.

However, it will be two-storeys taller than the previous structure which led to ill feeling in the village. Pannal historian Anne Smith said residents would be lumbered with a “skyscraper-type building”.

The decision to approve the scheme was made at officer level and without a vote from councillors.

The frame of the new building.

This provoked Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough Andrew Jones to say the now-abolished council made a mistake with the process by not putting the application before the planning committee.

But the plans weren’t considered by councillors because the application was made under permitted development rights, which were brought in under the Conservative government and can be used by developers to fast track the redevelopment of disused offices.

Cllr Howard West, chairman of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council, said at the time that planning officers “made errors” and that the parish council had written to the government about it.

Read more:

• Plans approved for 38 flats at ‘Pannal skyscraper’
• Harrogate council should have acted quicker on Dunlopillo housing plans, review finds

How the building will eventually look.

It ultimately led Harrogate Borough Council to launch an internal review into how it handled the application.

The review found it should have acted quicker and a “longer period of time than ideal” was spent on parts of the process.

It also said residents should have been consulted sooner and this could have allowed time for a vote from councillors. Despite this, the council concluded the plans were still “appropriately considered”.

The former Dunlopillo building

Dunlopillo – which makes pillows and bedding – moved out of the site in 2008 when the company went into administration and its former office building fell into disrepair, with residents describing it as a “monstrosity”.

Other parts of the vast site have or currently are being redeveloped, including the construction of the Vida Hall Care Home which opened in 2013 and a residential development by Bellway Homes.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is set to shrink following a national review of parliamentary boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England today published its final recommendations for new constituency boundaries.

Locally, it means Boroughbridge, Minskip, Marton-cum-Grafton, the Dunsforths, Ripley and Nidd will be removed from the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency currently held by the Conservative Andrew Jones.

Goldsborough, Flaxby, Allerton Park, Hopperton and Burton Leonard will be added to the seat.

The overall size of the constituency electorate will reduce from 78,372 to 75,800.

The current boundaries for the Harrogate and Knaresborough and Selby and Ainsty constituencies.

The government now has four months to bring forward an Order to give effect to the final recommendations, which will then be implemented at the next general election.

There will therefore be no changes before next month’s Selby and Ainsty by-election on July 20.

Andrew Jones

Mr Jones, who has represented Harrogate and Knaresborough since 2010, said he was “very sad” to lose “beautiful parts of the constituency” he has represented for 13 years.

He said:

“I will support whoever is elected to represent those areas as part of the new Wetherby and Easingwold constituency so that there is a seamless transfer of issues and constituent casework from my office to their office.”

Mr Jones added he welcomed the addition of the new villages to Harrogate and Knaresborough. He said:

“Being so close to my current constituency I have a strong relationship with those areas and look forward to that continuing.

“The  Boundary Commission review takes place over several years and takes exhaustive evidence from individuals, local community groups and politicians. The purpose of the review is to ensure that constituencies are similar sizes and make sense in terms of community links.”

Boost for Lib Dems?

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats are not unhappy at the loss of affluent Boroughbridge, which they think will enhance their prospects of preventing Mr Jones winning a fifth consecutive election.

Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“The new Harrogate & Knaresborough constituency boundaries will make it an even closer battle between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the next general election.”

Tim Bowden, secretary to the Boundary Commission, said:

“The recommendations we have published today mark the end of a thorough and consultative process to build the new map of parliamentary constituencies.

“We have taken into account over 60,000 public comments, travelled the country, and heard many passionate views about how best to reflect local community ties in our recommendations.”

Read more:

• Harrogate village church dating back to 1904 to be sold
• 13 candidates to contest local parliamentary by-election
• Knaresborough could get country’s first water-powered EV charging station

The changes, which include retaining a total of 650 constituencies across the UK, see each seat contain no less than 69,724 voters and no more than 77,062.

England has been allocated 543 constituencies — 10 more than it currently has.

The commission began its review in January 2021. It issued initial proposals in June 2021 and revised proposals in November last year.

The new banking hub in Knaresborough will be located at 15 Kirkgate, Bowling Green Yard, it was announced today.

The hub will offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions.

However, an opening date is still yet to be revealed.

It will also provide a community banker service where customers can talk to their own banking provider about more complicated issues, from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Community bankers will work on rotation, with a different bank or building society available on each day of the week. They are usually provided by the banking providers with the most customers in the local area.

Cash Access UK, the organisation set up to protect nationwide access to cash, revealed details of the hub today following longstanding concerns about bank closures in Knaresborough.

The process of finding a banking hub in Knaresborough has taken a while to come to fruition. There were hopes it would happen last year.

Gareth Oakley, chief at Cash Access UK:

“We know the new banking hub has been eagerly anticipated by the local community and so we’re delighted we’ve now been able to secure a fantastic location for you in the heart of the community.

“This brings us a significant step closer in being able to deliver improved access to cash services to individuals and businesses in Knaresborough”.

Nick Garrett, of the community benefit society Knaresborough Connectors: said the hub would reduce financial exclusion, adding:

“Many of Knaresborough’s frail residents tell us they prefer services, especially financial ones, to be face to face as online services aren’t accessible.”

Read more:

• Knaresborough banking hub could open this year
• Bank machines to be fitted in Knaresborough Library building

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough said:

“When the hub opens it will be invaluable to residents of Knaresborough, especially to those who rely on cash and face-to-face banking.”

Charlotte Gale, of Knaresborough and District Chamber said:

“Better banking and cash access within the town is something chamber are very passionate about. This is something we’ve long campaigned for and we’re thrilled that a site has now been secured.”

Cash Access UK is owned and funded by 10 of the UK’s biggest banking providers: Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Danske Bank, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide Building Society, NatWest Group, Santander, TSB and Virgin Money.

These firms have come together to provide shared services available to all their customers.

The two local Conservative MPs voted in support of a report last night that found Boris Johnson deliberately misled MPs over lockdown parties.

The Commons backed the report by 354 votes to seven — however 225 MPs either abstained or did not turn up to vote, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Andrew Jones, who represents Harrogate and Knaresborough, and Julian Smith, who represents Skipton and Ripon, were among the 118 Tories who supported the report by parliament’s Privileges Committee.

Mr Smith tweeted afterwards “upholding the rules of parliament is key to our democracy”.

Tonight I voted to support the cross party privileges committee report. Boris Johnson did a number of positive things as Prime Minister, but upholding the rules of parliament is key to our democracy https://t.co/YFJIsOs1zU

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) June 19, 2023

Mr Jones indicated his intentions last week when he said:

The cross-party committee’s report found Mr Johnson committed repeated offences when he said covid rules had been followed at No 10 at all times.

The Selby and Ainsty constituency, which covers part of the Harrogate district, does not currently have an MP following Nigel Adams’ resignation.

A by-election will take place on July 20.

Read more:

• Tories select replacement candidate for Selby and Ainsty by-election
• Yorkshire Party mayoral candidate quit after ‘chicken policy disagreement’