Harrogate Borough Council has blamed a computer error for accidentally redacting sections of a resident’s objection to a housing development.
Bill Shaw, a keen birdwatcher who lives near Richborough Homes’ proposed 95-home development at Granby Farm in Harrogate, wrote to the council highlighting the site’s wildlife value.
Mr Shaw, of Roseville Drive, was then shocked to discover some of his comments had been redacted on the council’s online planning portal.
Under privacy laws, the council can redact words or sentences if they refer to people or places.
But Mr Shaw found it difficult to understand why merely making observations such as that owls roost on the site, and red kite feed there, merited such action.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“It’s censorship and it doesn’t seem right at all”
The original letter (left) and the redacted version (right)
Read more:
The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate Borough Council, which today said the comments had been removed in error by a “redaction algorithm”.
The council uses a computer programme to automatically black out private information.
It said the original letter would be “reinstated imminently”.
A council spokesman said:
Harrogate council to spend £165,000 on tourism website“We normally redact information regarding protected species. However, our redaction algorithm has been over zealous and removed information in error.
“Thank you to the resident who has spotted this error. It will be reinstated imminently.”
Harrogate Borough Council has said it will spend £165,000 revamping its tourism website Visit Harrogate — after previously refusing to reveal the sum.
The council awarded the contract two months ago to a company from Ipswich in a private meeting without undertaking a competitive tender process.
It told the Stray Ferret at the time that coronavirus had created an “economic crisis” that forced it to bypass competitive tendering.
Read more:
A report prepared for the meeting said it would take six months for a “full procurement process” and the site needed to be ready for the 2021 tourist season.
The council acquired the Visit Harrogate site last year.
The authority believes the site has suffered from “historic underinvestment” and “visually no longer meets the user requirements or expectations”.
Jacob Bailey Group won the four-year contract to create what the council called a new destination management system.
Yesterday the council revealed the £165,000 sum in response to a question on Twitter.
A council spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:
Harrogate council U-turn reveals Flaxby legal costs“This new destination management system will allow our destination management organisation to effectively attract new leisure and business visitors to the district through the work of Visit Harrogate and a new conference bureau. This is vital in order to support the recovery of the Harrogate district’s visitor economy.
“This destination management system is a comprehensive set of tourism management tools and functionality, including databases of marketing information for accommodation, businesses and visitor attractions; reporting and evaluation; event and booking services; news and blogging functions; visitor planning tools; integration with review sites such as Trip Advisor as well as integration with Visit Britain’s flagship tourism exchange.”
Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed it spent £57,360 on legal fees for the Flaxby judicial review, after initially refusing to reveal the figure.
The Stray Ferret sent the council a request under the Freedom of Information Act asking how much it had spent on the case, which was heard at the High Court in London in October.
But the council said the information was exempt from disclosure because its lawyers’ legal fees should remain private.
We requested an internal review of this decision. Joanne Barclay, acting chief solicitor for corporate services, has now overturned the council’s decision not to disclose and revealed the fee it paid.
I have reviewed this matter and I consider that the legal fees relating to the Flaxby Park Limited case should be disclosed.
“Harrogate Borough Council has spent £57,360 on legal fees regarding Flaxby Park Limited’s judicial review. At the time, the Council responded to your EIR request, it was considered to be reasonable not to release information relating to third parties.
“However, upon further consideration the Council has decided that this information should be disclosed.”
During October’s judicial review, the judge, Mr Justice Holgate, rejected a request by the council to be spared costs. He also ruled the council should pay 15% of Flaxby’s costs.
A spokesperson for Flaxby previously told the Stray Ferret 15% would amount to a “significant five-figure sum”.
Council accused of obstructing democracy by removing YouTube videosHarrogate Borough Council is facing criticism over its decision to remove videos of council meetings from YouTube after two weeks.
Because the Covid-19 lockdown forced the closure of HBC’s Civic Centre in March, councillors have met online, with meetings streamed live on YouTube.
In July, HBC published a “remote meetings protocol” document that says all council meetings streamed live on YouTube must be deleted after two weeks, with all recordings stored offline.
However, nearby councils, including Leeds City Council and York City Council, have kept videos of their meetings on YouTube since lockdown began for anyone to watch.
Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of Harrogate’s Liberal Democrats and HBC planning committee member, told the Stray Ferret that the council’s decision to remove videos after two weeks was “unfair and wrong” and suggested it was obstructing democracy.
She said:
“I don’t see why they need to take them down. They are public meetings so what’s the harm in having them remaining there? It’s unfair and wrong of them to do that.
“You can catch up on YouTube videos from years ago so I’m at odds with it, I don’t like it. It’s public information being removed. Unless there’s a good reason, I just think it’s wrong.”
The civic centre at Knapping Mount has been closed since March because of coronavirus
Cllr Marsh said residents have enjoyed being able to stream council meetings after they have happened, particularly if they have been away on holiday.
She added:
“[Some councillors] are concerned about their exposure to the world but we’re answerable to these people who elected us. They expect to see you. If they have an opportunity through this new method then that’s democracy at its best.”
Read more:
Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association (HAPARA) told the Stray Ferret that removing the videos was “disappointing” and called on the council to continue live-streaming meetings when the civic centre is able to reopen.
A HAPARA spokesperson said:
“We know that the streaming of meetings has been welcomed by many residents. It has given a valuable insight into the working of our local authority at this challenging time.
“However, it is disappointing that full copies of the questions and debates are not being kept online for future reference. We do hope an archive can be kept and streaming will continue when physical meetings resume.”
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:
“The remote meeting protocol was formally adopted by council on July 8. It was agreed that two weeks was a reasonable period for the meeting recordings to remain on YouTube.
“Should anyone have any questions about a meeting they can, of course, contact us at any time.”