This week’s photograph was taken by John Brown, capturing a thistle above the crop not long before sunset at Nidd Gorge.

John Brown

Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.

Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week, we reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.

Ahead of polling day on May 5, the Stray Ferret will be previewing each of the divisions in the Harrogate district up for election to North Yorkshire Council.

A total of 21 seats will be up for grabs in the district with most of the major parties contesting each one.

Today, we look at the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division which will see three candidates standing for election.

Paul Haslam, Conservative

Paul Haslam is the Conservative candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge division.

Mr Haslam, who lives in Bilton, is currently a councillor on Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council, where he represents the area.

On his priorities for standing, Mr Haslam said:

“I am passionate about all things Bilton, having lived on Bilton Lane since 2006

“My priorities continue to be serving the people of Bilton, protecting our green environment especially our green spaces such as the Nidd Gorge and protecting our urban environment. I set up quarterly Bilton residents’ meetings at the United Reformed Church in July 2021 to bring together residents, Harrogate Borough Council safer communities team and the police to locate and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in our area.

“Maintaining the best local primary education facilities possible, make sure we are well represented in the new council and  that the services are maintained and improved as the new council takes on its new responsibilities.

“I will work with others such as Councillor Matt Scott and our MP Andrew Jones to get the best for Harrogate and Knaresborough as well as my division.”

Read more:

• How the Harrogate district’s wards will change ahead of local election
• Full list of election candidates in Harrogate district revealed

Deborah Havercroft, Labour

The Labour candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge is Deborah Havercroft.

Ms Havercroft lives in Bilton and works in the NHS. She also worked for the Ministry of Defence and in education.

She said she has made the cost of living and congestion on Skipton Road some of her priorities for standing.

Ms Havercroft said:

“I am aware of the hardships that will be caused to local families by increased living costs, especially energy and fuel and would urge NYCC to find a solution to the traffic congestion in Harrogate, particularly on Skipton Road.”

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrat

Andrew Kempston-Parkes is the Liberal Democrat candidate for the division.

Mr Kempston-Parkes is a former councillor and works as a chartered surveyor. During the pandemic, he volunteered at a homelessness charity and at a covid vaccination centre.

He said among his priorities would be to oppose major housing developments and work with police to “make Bilton and Woodfield safer”.

Mr Kempston-Parkes said:

“We need to protect our green fields.

“I will work with the police to continue to make  Bilton and Woodfield safer places to be. I will also make sure education and services for children are a top priority. 

“The establishment of a new Harrogate Town Council is vital to ensure continued strong local representation of residents views to the County Council.”

Informal discussions could take place between the local Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green parties about working together.

The move follows Conservative Matt Scott’s victory in last week’s Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election.

Arnold Warneken, who represented Harrogate and District Green Party, told the Stray Ferret he had approached the Liberal Democrats and Labour about setting up a meeting.

Mr Warneken said co-operation “made sense” and he hoped some form of progressive alliance would emerge.

Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, said collaboration with other parties was “a discussion that needs to be had” and she was open-minded on the subject.

Cllr Marsh described the loss of the seat on North Yorkshire County Council formally held by the Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber as “a huge shock and disappointment”.

Asked why she felt voters had turned against the Liberal Democrats, she said:

“I have no idea. With all the sleaze and cronyism taking place and I am at a total loss to understand why anyone still votes for the Conservatives.”

Asked if she would consider her position as leader following the by-election defeat, she said she had been re-elected two weeks ago and intended to carry on.

Read more:

• Bilton Liberal Democrat candidate ‘very sorry’ after by-election defeat
• Conservatives win Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election

Margaret Smith, chair of Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party, said it was not averse to discussions but its ability to enter into any formal arrangement with other parties would be determined by the national Labour Party. She said:

“It’s about building a progressive alternative and when we agree on issues we would like to work with anyone, irrespective of party membership or support.

“It is a matter of building coalitions, issue by issue, where we agree.”

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Scott, who won 43 per cent of the vote in Bilton and Nidd Gorge, why he felt voters had switched to the Conservatives and what was top of his agenda but he declined to answer.

The Liberal Democrat candidate for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election has said he is “very sorry” for the result after the Conservatives took the seat from the party.

Speaking today, Liberal Democrat Andrew Kempston-Parkes said the election result was “not what we hoped for”.

Matt Scott, the Conservative candidate, won the North Yorkshire County Council seat for the Tories by 352 votes.

The by-election was held following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber who died in March after holding the seat since 2017.

Mr Kempston-Parkes said after the result:

“I look to my comrades in the Labour Party and my sisters and brothers in the Green Party and say as long as the parties of the centre and left continue to fight each other, Conservatives will continue to have power even though they get less than 50% of the vote.”

Matt Scott, the new Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Scott, who already represents the area on Harrogate Borough Council, won the North Yorkshire County Council seat this morning by a margin of 352 votes ahead of second-placed Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew Kempston-Parkes.

His victory marks a shift in power away from the Lib Dems who had previously won six out of eight county council elections in Bilton in the last 16 years.

Read more:

• Conservatives win Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election

• Ripon councillor elected as county council chairman

Speaking after being announced as winner at the Pavilions of Harrogate today, Cllr Scott said:

“I’m very grateful to the people of Bilton and Nidd Gorge – it’s been a pleasure to serve as the Harrogate borough councillor in Bilton Woodfield since 2018.

“It’s a real privilege to be the county councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge as well.”

There are two Bilton and Nidd Gorge seats on the county council, the other being held by Conservative Paul Haslam whose position was not up for election.

Cllr Scott won today with 1,991 votes, followed by Liberal Democrat Andrew Kempston-Parkes (1,639), Labour’s Tyler Reeton (434), Green Party’s Anrold Warneken (430), Yorkshire Party’s John Hall and  , independent Harvey Alexander (46).

Voter turnout was 37.4% of eligible voters and there were 19 spoiled ballots.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Labour candidate Tyler Reeton gave a message to other young aspiring politicians and promised the party will “come back stronger”.

He said:

“If you are young don’t be scared to run in politics. Politics is yours and you are the future generation. As a 19-year-old, I am honoured to have stood here today with rather strong competitors.

“The Labour Party is not going anywhere in Harrogate – we are going to come back stronger next year and we will win Bilton.”

The Conservatives have gained the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat on North Yorkshire County Council from the Liberal Democrats.

Matt Scott, candidate for the Tories, won the seat with 1,991 votes.

The by-election was held following the death of former Liberal Democrat councillor, Geoff Webber.

Read more:

• County council to offer food vouchers this May half-term

• Ripon councillor elected as county council chairman

The full results were:

• Matt Scott, Conservative – 1,991
• Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrats – 1,639
• Tyler Reeton, Labour Party – 434
• Arnold Warneken, Green Party – 430
• John Hall, Yorkshire Party – 136
• Harvey Alexander, Independent – 46

More to follow.

A political row has broken out after a Liberal Democrat campaign leaflet accused the Conservatives of “hypocrisy” and “tricking” voters ahead of the Bilton by-election.

Voters will go the polls tomorrow to elect a new county councillor in the marginal Bilton and Nidd Gorge division.

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, the Liberal Democrat candidate, has distributed two leaflets to residents that make several claims about the proposed Knox Lane housing development.

Housing developer Jomast is behind the proposals, which would see 73 homes built on a green field in Bilton.

The development is still to go before Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee, when 12 councillors will vote on the plans.

However, the site is allocated for 52 potential homes in Harrogate district Local Plan, which sets out where development will occur in the district until 2035.

Cllr Matt Scott, who is standing for the Conservatives in Bilton and is a current HBC councillor, voted for the Local Plan before it was adopted in March 2020.

In the leaflet, Mr Kempston-Parkes claims the “Conservatives pretend to oppose the Knox Lane development while secretly voting for it”.

In another leaflet, he alleges the Conservative-run council proposed the development.

The Liberal Democrat leaflet

The second Liberal Democrat leaflet

Read more:

• What the Bilton by-election candidates say on the big issues
• Bilton by-election: What issues matter most to voters?

In response, Harrogate & Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones MP intervened with a leaflet of his own.

It called the Liberal Democrat literature “grossly misleading” and said he was “disturbed” by some of the claims made.

He said:

“I like to see positive and constructive campaigns based on a record of local action. I don’t approve of US-style attack-ad politics.”

Andrew Jones’ leaflet

The Bilton and Nidd Gorge election follows the death of Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber.

It is the only local council election taking place in the Harrogate district tomorrow.

Voters will head to the polls tomorrow to elect a new county councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

A new councillor will be elected to North Yorkshire County Council following the death of Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber.

It is the only local council election taking place in the Harrogate district.

Ahead of polling day, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has interviewed and profiled each candidate.

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrat candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, Liberal Democrat

The Liberal Democrat candidate standing in tomorrow’s Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election says a vote for Labour or the Green Party “will just let the Conservatives win”.

Andrew Kempston-Parkes, who has previously represented the Bilton area on Harrogate Borough Council, said in a message to Labour and Green voters: “your vote is safe with me”.

He is one of six candidates competing to take the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat.

Mr Kempston-Parkes said he has “big shoes to fill” but hoped to continue the “great work that Geoff did” if elected.

He said:

“I would be honoured if the people of Bilton and Nidd Gorge would trust me to be their county councillor – they have my word that I will work tirelessly for them.

“I want to continue the great work that Geoff did in being a voice for local people, the homeless and those seeking affordable houses. I also want to support our great educational establishments, protect our green spaces and stop overdevelopment.

“Another big thing I would push for is a park and ride similar to the one in York which has been a great success.

“Harrogate could benefit hugely by taking more traffic out of the town and bringing more people in. Sadly there has been lots of talk but no action on this in the past.”

Mr Kempston-Parkes is a local businessman who runs a chartered surveyors firm in Harrogate. He previously served as a borough councillor for four years but lost his seat in the 2011 elections.

He said there is a “real need for change” in local politics which has “Conservatives at every level”.

Mr Kempston-Parkes said:

“I feel there is incompetence and arrogance, and the Conservatives are not helping our town.

“It’s only through hearing opposing views and listening to arguments that we can find the best way forward.

“I would ask anyone who sees themselves as centre or left-centre on the political spectrum to vote for me. A vote for Labour or the Green Party will just let the Conservatives win.”

Matt Scott, Conservative candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Matt Scott, Conservative

Conservative candidate Matt Scott has told voters to “judge my record on its own merits” ahead of polling day for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election.

Cllr Scott has represented the Bilton area on Harrogate Borough Council since 2018 and is one of six candidates competing to take the vacant seat on North Yorkshire County Council.

He said:

“I have lived in Bilton my entire life which means I use the same roads, shops and all the same council services as local residents – and I’m immensely proud to already represent the community I have grown up in.

“As a Harrogate borough councillor since 2018, I have been handing out newsletters into the Bilton division which set out our record of action locally.

“In addition to the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat, there is the current Conservative county councillor Paul Haslam who is a sort of next door neighbour to me. We have a great working relationship and I would want that to continue if I was elected.”

Cllr Scott, who is employed as a case worker by Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, added:

“I will still be serving as a Harrogate borough councillor if I’m elected and will continue my current top priority of tackling litter. I’m hoping as restrictions ease further, I can organise more outdoor gatherings for litter picking and street cleansing.

“I also know anti-social behaviour has been an issue of late and in my capacity as borough councillor I have worked with safer communities teams on this.

“I’m putting a positive message out there that I will allow residents in my division and the wider Bilton and Nidd Gorge area to judge my record on its own merits.”

Tyler Reeton, Labour candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Tyler Reeton, Labour

A teenager who will become North Yorkshire County Council’s youngest member if elected this week has pledged to bring a “fresh face” and “real change” to local politics.

Tyler Reeton, 19, is standing in his first election for the Labour Party and is one of six candidates competing to fill the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat left vacant following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber.

Voting will take place on Thursday and Mr Reeton said tackling anti-social behaviour is his top priority as he also promised to launch a new annual event to “bring the community back together”.

He said:

“While I’m young at 19-years-old, that doesn’t make me any less passionate than the ordinary person – I will be a fresh face and the only candidate who will be truly accountable to residents.

“Anti-social behaviour is a problem which is spiralling out of control because not enough has been done. It’s a difficult situation to tackle but I believe in the message that if we all work together, we can get the job done.

“I would organise surgeries so residents can speak directly with police to crackdown on the problem before it gets to this point again.

“My local recovery plan will focus on rebuilding the community after Covid and using my county councillor grants, I will bring back a yearly community event like the Bilton Gala which has been fundamental for so many years.”

The Labour candidate is a former Harrogate Grammar School student and aspiring solicitor who says his sole aim in life is to help others.

Read more:

• Bilton by-election: every candidate announced

• Local elections 2021: Everything you need to know in Harrogate district

• What the Bilton by-election candidates say on the big issues

He believes “years of party politics” have damaged relationships in Bilton but vowed to start a “rebuilding process” if he is elected.

He said:

“I am not in this for myself, my aim is to help others and make Bilton a better place to live. I feel party politics has damaged reputations between councillors and residents and I now want to start on that rebuilding process.

“With the effort I am putting in and the fact I will be accountable to residents, I believe I have a great chance of winning this election.

“We need a councillor who is accountable and can crack on with the job. If you pledge a vote for me, you will be voting for real change.”

Harvey Alexander, Independent candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Harvey Alexander, Independent

An independent candidate has vowed to do everything he can to bring more speed camera warning signs to North Yorkshire if he is elected as the new Bilton and Nidd Gorge county councillor.

Harvey Alexander said he is standing in Thursday’s by-election because he has become “incensed” with the “lack of” warning signs in the county as he also pledged to push for the creation of more high-tech jobs in Harrogate to support the economic recovery from covid.

He said:

“Every other local authority in the Yorkshire area puts up speed camera signs but in North Yorkshire there are none.

“The point of these signs is to slow traffic, not catch people speeding. Some areas have signs up 24/7 even when there are no cameras there and they do their job to make the roads safer.

“If you vote for me I will do everything I can to bring more speed camera signs to the area and also address concerns about unemployment.”

Mr Alexander is a former UKIP member and retired electronics engineer who first became involved in politics when he stood for Leeds City Council at 21-years-old.

He most recently represented UKIP at a Leeds election in 2016 and is one of six candidates competing to take the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat.

He said:

“There is an awful lot of housebuilding going on but there is no industry being brought in to give jobs to local people.

“There is also a hell of a lot of commuters who travel outside Harrogate and this is a problem which is only going to get worse.

“What I find so annoying is all these big companies taking their business down south. We need to be doing a lot more to encourage big businesses to come here in Harrogate, especially these companies in high-tech industries.”

Mr Alexander, who also served as a parish councillor in North Rigton and Pannal, said he could not support any of the options on the table for local government reorganisation in North Yorkshire and instead believes Harrogate should reclaim its historic links with the west of the county.

He said:

“I do feel Harrogate should go back to its connections with West Yorkshire. A huge number of people have links with Bradford and Leeds – that’s where people work and travel to the most.”

Arnold Warneken, Green Party candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

Arnold Warneken, Green Party

The Green Party candidate contesting in this week’s Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election has claimed the community is at risk of being “dismantled” by current councillors.

Arnold Warneken is one of six candidates competing to become the division’s new county councillor with voters set to go to the polls on Thursday.

He has put anti-social behaviour, littering, traffic pollution and loss of green space as his top priorities and has promised to “retain the uniqueness of the Bilton community” if elected.

Mr Warneken said:

“With the backing of the Green Party, I would work to solve these issues, push to retain the uniqueness of the Bilton community, and build on the fantastic resources they already have here, which are under-rated, under-stated and under-funded.

“Local councils must have our climate in mind as we build the economy back after covid.

“More Green councillors mean a substantial commitment to the climate action we all know is urgently needed in all our council chambers. Future generations depend on the steps we take now, protecting green spaces, reducing CO2 pollution from cars, making our roads safer and providing resources for them.”

Mr Warneken became the first ever Green councillor in the north of England when he was elected to Harrogate Borough Council in 1991.

He has lived in the district for 65 years working as a farmer and currently sits on a number of committees and environmental groups including Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition.

Mr Warneken added:

“As chair of the area planning, town twinning and environmental health committees, my experience will be invaluable moving forward as the region changes under the re-organisation of the authority in the coming years.

“I will use my experience working with and for the community, if I’m elected; I’ve been the district council representative on the Selby Police Liaison committee and a director of Harrogate Theatre and established and chaired Harrogate Environmental Forum.

“Now is the time to help local people have a say in local matters they deserve. I want to amplify their voices for the good of the community, to ensure that services they rely on and the future of the community is not at risk.”

John Hall, Yorkshire Party candidate for Bilton and Nidd Gorge.

John Hall, Yorkshire Party

The Yorkshire Party candidate competing in this week’s Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election says it’s time the county got a fairer share of government funding.

John Hall is standing in his third election for the party which launched six years ago with the aim of devolving spending and decision-making powers from Whitehall to Yorkshire.

And while the government rejected its ‘One Yorkshire’ devolution bid in 2019, Mr Hall said the party’s priorities remained clearer than ever.

Mr Hall said:

“Fairer funding for Yorkshire is our main message..

“School pupils who live in the London borough of Tower Hamlet receive around £6,965 of government funding per head, while those in Yorkshire get £4,613. This is not fair and something I want to tackle.

“We want a proper Yorkshire devolution package to keep as much localism as possible.

“And where Yorkshire Party candidates have been elected in the past, they have always been a success. We are pushing a new message but we know we can make a difference.”

Mr Hall previously stood to be MP for Thirsk and Malton and also for the Starbeck seat on Harrogate Borough Council.

His party have previously won seats on three councils in Yorkshire including North Yorkshire County Council, East Riding Council and Selby District Council.

Speaking about the issues he hopes to tackle as the new county councillor for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division, he said:

“I do know anti-social behaviour is becoming an issue so I would hope to get a good working relationship with police right from the word go.

“Affordable housing is another issue I want to get involved in and I would insist that any new homes to be built must fit almost seamlessly into the area.

“It’s going to take time for me to truly understand all of the issues and concerns in Bilton but I would be a new broom who could start afresh and not be tied to any existing problems or difficult relationships, as I know there is some hostility currently.”