Green Party chooses man to fight Andrew Jones in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Harrogate and District Green Party is set to name Paul Ko Ferrigno as its prospective parliamentary candidate for the next general election.

Mr Ko Ferrigno was one of two people nominated but the other contender, Arnold Warneken, withdrew.

The party is holding an election hustings event tonight when Mr Ko Ferrigno will outline his vision.

Members will have the opportunity to ask questions before deciding whether to ratify his selection as PPC.

Tonight’s hustings, which is open to everyone, will take place at the Friends Meeting House on Queen Parade at 7.30pm.

The Friends Meeting House

It is hoped the process to select a candidate will be finalised before the Green Party autumn conference begins in Harrogate on September 30.

Mr Ko Ferrigno, 59, a scientist, told the Stray Ferret he had been a “passive supporter of the Green Party” for many years and a party member for two years.

Born in London, he lived in France for a decade from the age of 10 and has lived in Harrogate since 2007.

Mr Ko Ferrigno is a football referee, and has widespread volunteering experience as a coach for Pannal Ash Junior Football Club, a welfare officer on Harrogate and District Junior Football League and a governor at Oatlands Junior School in Harrogate.

Read more:

He said he wanted to see more taxis and fewer cars and greater support for cycling, including measures to encourage cycling couriers to replace vans. He said:

“Harrogate is seen as being the Bettys of the country. Let’s live up to that reputation by doing everything well.”

The Green Party did not field a candidate in Harrogate and Knaresborough in the 2019 general election, when Conservative Andrew Jones retained the seat with 53% of the vote.

Asked whether the Greens would consider stepping aside as part of a pact with other parties, Mr Ko Ferrigno said “it’s a conversation to be had” but added:

“I’m not one of those who think we need to get the Conservatives out at all costs. We need to elect the right candidate

“Having a Green in any conversation makes a difference. Recycling started as a Green Party conversation.

“What we will do by standing is shift the conversation. Even if I don’t get elected — and I hope I will — we will move the conversation.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harrogate to host Green Party conference this month

Over 1,000 Green Party members will be coming to Harrogate this month for the party’s autumn conference.

It will take place at Harrogate Convention Centre from September 30 to October 2.

The conference theme is ‘The pathway to a fairer, greener country’ and topics will include the climate emergency and the cost of living crisis.

The Greens last came to Harrogate for their autumn conference in 2017.

The party had a successful local elections in May, winning five seats on North Yorkshire County Council, including Arnold Warneken in Ouseburn.

Co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay will be delivering a keynote speech at 2pm on the first day of the conference.

Read more:

 

Ouseburn councillor welcomes decision to scrap Linton asylum centre

Ouseburn councillor Arnold Warneken has welcomed today’s announcement that plans to house 1,500 asylum seekers at Linton-on-Ouse have been scrapped.

The government planned to create a reception centre at the former airfield, which is close to villages in the Harrogate district including Great Ouseburn, Little Ouseburn and Nun Monkton.

The airfield is also just nine miles from Boroughbridge and 13 miles from Knaresborough.

But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said today he had withdrawn the offer to the Home Office for the site.

Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, said withdrawing the offer was the “right thing to do”. He said:

“It was an ill-thought plan that caused distress and sleepless nights for residents. The consequences would have been huge.”

Read more:

Cllr Warneken said the episode revealed was a concerning lack of consultation by the government.

He said he suspected the reason was because a consultation “would have provided a different answer to the one they wanted to hear” but nevertheless this was not the right way to proceed.

Linton on Ouse Action Group, which was set up to campaign against the Home Office’s plan, welcomed the news.

Group member Kelly Kirby said it was “absolutely delighted” but also concerned that the same scheme could be dropped on another community soon.

She said action group members has spent “tens of thousands of hours” opposing the scheme.

By no means a victory but some movement. We will continue to hold @ukhomeoffice to account for their failings in processing and their hostile treatment of asylum seekers. It is by no means over.

— Linton on Ouse Action Group (@LintonAction) August 9, 2022

Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, also welcomed the news that Conservative leadership candidate Rishi Sunak had no plans to revive the Linton scheme.

Wonderful News! @RishiSunak Sunak pledges to axe 'inappropriate' Linton-on-Ouse asylum centre plan @LintonAction https://t.co/O0EwPCc3QS

— Kevin Hollinrake MP (@kevinhollinrake) August 9, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harrogate district councillors support York’s rail bid

Harrogate district councillors are supporting the campaign to make York the home of Britain’s railways.

York is among six short-listed locations chosen by the government as potential locations to be the headquarters of Great British Railways.

The other shortlisted locations include Birmingham, Crewe, Derby, Doncaster and Newcastle.

Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green party councillors from across the Harrogate district joined other North Yorkshire County Councillors in a cross-party show of support at County Hall in Northallerton for York’s bid.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said York’s selection would “be of huge benefit not just for York, but for the whole of the region as well”. He added:

“The bid by York is ambitious and shows the intent in both the city and across North Yorkshire to bring real economic benefits and the prospect of hundreds of new jobs, and could prove to be a defining moment for the region.

“York has a long and proud heritage connected to the railways dating back to the Victorian era, and it would be fitting for the city to be at the forefront of attempts to reform the nation’s rail network in the 21st century.

1,600 jobs created

Great British Railways will be a state-owned public body that oversees rail transport from next year.

Analysis has shown that the new headquarters would add an estimated £110 million to York’s economy, creating 1,600 new jobs with 320 of those roles in the 700 most deprived communities within an hour’s train journey of the city.

York is already one of the biggest rail centres in the country, with 5,000 employees linked to the industry and major train operators based in the city.

The city is also home to the National Railway Museum, and the York Central project, which is one of the largest brownfield sites in the country, is centred around the city’s railway station.

An artist’s impression of the proposed York Central development.

City of York Council leader Cllr Keith Aspden, said having Great British Railways’ headquarters in the city would open up opportunities across the whole of the region. He said:

“With 700 of the most deprived communities in the UK within an hour of York, the jobs created by locating Great British Railways in York could have a hugely positive impact on the levelling up agenda.

“Our rail heritage, expertise and skills from across the region and strength in innovation makes York the obvious home of rail.

People can vote to choose the town or city they would like to see host the new organisation but the final decision will be made by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps later this year.

Read more:

 

Residents unconvinced about Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion

Harrogate residents remain unconvinced about Harrogate Spring Water‘s plans to fell trees in Rotary Wood to expand its bottling plant.

The company, which is now owned by the French firm Danone, held a three-hour consultation event yesterday at Harrogate’s Crown Hotel.

It was a chance for people to make suggestions on the design and landscaping of the proposed extension. The company said the responses would influence its final design.

Since 2017, it has had outline planning permission to expand its production facilities on its site on Harlow Moor Road that would involve felling trees.

It is now putting together a ‘reserved matters’ application which will detail how the new building will look, how the surrounding area will be landscaped and crucially, where new trees will be be replanted.

The Stray Ferret went along to speak to attendees and representatives of Danone, including Harrogate Spring Water’s managing director Richard Hall.

Passionate views

Throughout the evening there was a slow trickle of curious people looking at display boards that offered background on the plans and reasons why the company feels it needs to expand. The boards are available to view online here.

Some saw the event as a chance to passionately tell Mr Hall what they feel are the wrongs of the company, including the merits of plastic bottles.

Sarah Gibbs has been a long-term campaigner against the expansion and often dons her trademark tree costume. She said:

“My stance is we are in a climate emergency. We need to start acting like it. Why do we need bottled water?”.

Rotary Wood

Rebecca Maunder campaigns for the environment in the Harlow Hill area.

She believes it’s not a certainty that the trees will be lost if a case can be made that any replacement tree planting proposals are insufficient.

She suggested the company should instead look to expand its premises in different ways.

“They should build it on their car park.”

Ms Maunder said Rotary Wood “belongs to all of us” and is worried the business will look to further encroach into the woodland in the future.

She added:

“In three years they might want more space.”

How the site currently looks from above.

Read more:

Complex issues

When Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee considered the company’s last bid to expand in January 2021, it was for some, a simple battle between the profits of a private business and the environment.

Richard Hall said to frame the debate in these terms is unfair and is “more complex” than what is sometimes presented.

When asked if he is personally concerned about the effects of climate change. He said:

“I think that everyone is thinking about the climate. I’d like to behave in a way that takes into account the future”.

Mr Hall confirmed the company still wants to plant trees in a private field behind RHS Harlow Carr, as it proposed last time, but this is “not enough” and it wants to plant more.

Mr Hall said they have been in talks with some landowners but are yet to come to any agreements.

Last time many objectors, including local climate scientist Professor Piers Forster, were unhappy that the felled trees would be replaced elsewhere with saplings, which are much less effective at soaking up CO2 emissions.

Mr Hall said the company is looking into how the new trees can ensure a “biodiversity net gain”.

On Rebecca Maunder’s car park suggestion, Mr Hall said it was not possible due to a sustainable drainage system underneath.

Sadness

Terry Knowles is a member of Rotary Club of Harrogate and chaired the group’s environmental committee from 2000 until 2015.

Mr Knowles is a key reason the trees were planted there in the first place, which began in 2005 and took around four years.

Terry Knowles inspecting the boards

Speaking in a personal capacity, he said he felt sadness that some trees that he planted with local schoolchildren, who are now adults, could be lost.

He said:

“Bottled water is not an environmental product. The last permission was in 2017 and a lot has changed since then.”

Harrogate county councillor calls for ‘major change’ in politics as Prime Minister resigns

A Green Party councillor in the Harrogate district has spoken out about the state of politics following the Prime Minister’s resignation today.

Arnold Warneken, who was elected to the Ouseburn division of North Yorkshire County Council in May, said it was time for an overhaul of the political system in order to restore faith.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, he said:

“We need to have a major change in politics and statesmen who are honest and hard-working.

“They always say, ‘the right honourable member for such-and-such’ – I’d put that under the Trade Descriptions Act. They lie, they break the law – what makes them honourable?”

Cllr Warneken pointed to the recent results in the local elections in North Yorkshire as a sign of the public’s appetite for change. The Conservatives went from a significant majority in the county to winning 47 of the 90 seats to secure a slender majority.

He said he wanted to see proportional representation introduced, ensuring the political make-up of Parliament was more representative. He added:

“I can guarantee if that was in place, we would get a better turn-out. People are hungry for change and we have to provide an alternative.”

Cllr Arnold Warneken

Cllr Warneken was critical of Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, saying he only spoke out against the Prime Minister after it became clear his position was untenable.

The Stray Ferret has contacted Mr Jones for a response to the accusation, but has not received a response.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Mr Jones has written to constituents to say he had hoped the prime minister might have “changed his behaviours” following last month’s vote of confidence.

However, Mr Jones added it is “clear” that “the same old process of the truth being reached through the most tortuous of processes” has followed. He said:

“I have over a long period disagreed with some of the Prime Minister’s decisions. You may remember that I called for Dominic Cummings to resign over the infamous ‘Barnard Castle eye test’ incident.

“I refused to vote with the government when the Prime Minister wanted us to change the standards rules to save Owen Paterson who had clearly broken them.

“I was quite clear in my comments about Partygate when I said that ‘law-makers cannot be law-breakers’.

“I backed that up when it came to the recent no confidence vote where I did not support the Prime Minister.”

Mr Jones added he now looks forward to a “calmer, honest and transparent approach to our national politics” after the prime minister announced his resignation outside No 10 this afternoon.

There has been no word from Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty, on the situation.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, has not responded to requests for comment from the Stray Ferret, but earlier today he took to Twitter to praise civil servants.

Over the past years @UKCivilService has been attacked and maligned by certain government ministers. Over the past 24 hours they have literally held the administration of our country together & are currently sorting out this mess. Thank you.

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) July 7, 2022

Read more:

The local Labour party has called for the Prime Minister to step down immediately, rather than waiting for a leadership contest in the autumn, as has been announced.

In a statement, the party said:

“The Prime Minister is unfit to govern and needs to go now.

“Boris Johnson has presided over a government defined by lies, sleaze, an utter lack of integrity and incompetence.

“We need a new Government now. The choice is clear: a Tory government with more of the same, or a Labour government offering a fresh start for Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

Cllr Warneken agreed, saying by continuing, Boris Johnson was “causing more chaos and more damage to society through ill thought-out policies and laws”.

He said the impact was being felt in North Yorkshire, where plans to set up the new unitary council had been affected by the lead-up to Mr Johnson’s resignation.

Council officers had worked “really, really hard” but were unable to make as much progress as they had hoped while Whitehall civil servants were tied up dealing with the crisis, he said.

With the summer recess looming, a caretaker Prime Minister was not sufficient to ensure the country could function effectively, said Cllr Warneken, adding:

“He can cause a hell of a lot of damage between now and when they find some other idiot to replace him.

“The only saving glory is he has done more damage to his party the longer he has been there.”

Plans to build asphalt plant beside controversial Allerton Park incinerator

A Harrogate district Green Party councillor has voiced concerns about plans to build an asphalt plant alongside the Allerton Waste Recovery Centre near Knaresborough.

Tynedale Roadstone wants to produce the roadbuilding material at a new plant next to the recovery centre, which was approved a decade ago by North Yorkshire County Council.

The £1.4bn recovery centre uses an incinerator to generate energy from waste but has been dubbed a blot on the landscape by locals.

Such was the strength of opposition to the incinerator that two MPs and protestors handed in a petition with 10,000 signatures at Downing Street.

The bid to build a second plant alongside it has fuelled fears about industrialisation of the area.

Planning documents state Tynedale claims the asphalt plant is needed on “vacant brownfield land” at Allerton Park, partly for environmental reasons.

The papers state:

“The extent of Tynedale Roadstone’s contracts in Yorkshire is such that a new asphalt facility is required to meet demand and ensure locally resourced product is within easy reach of key contract locations.

“The demand is established and continually fuelled by maintenance works requirements; an additional independent asphalt plant is needed to service it.

“Government and company policies on sustainability, carbon footprints, energy efficiency, transport networks, trafficking and haulage distances are some of the many drivers behind establishing another asphalt plant.”

Read more:

The planning documents state the site has been identified as the best location to serve demand, as the nearest asphalt plants to the site are in Pateley Bridge and at Stourton, in Leeds.

The Allerton site is close to the A1(M) and A59 junction. Existing plastics from the waste recovery plant could be reused at the asphalt plant.

Cllr Arnold Warneken

Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, whose Ouseburn division includes villages closest to the proposed plant, said the firm’s description of the site as brownfield was “absolute rubbish” and that increasing the number of heavy goods vehicles entering and leaving the site would be a cause of concern.

He said:

“There will be very little support for this locally. It is a very rural location which has had a blister of a building put on it. The site has a waste plant next to it, but beyond that you’ve got prime agricultural land in a rural setting.

“The original purpose of the site for recycling and incineration has to be retained. Whilst it is good practice to put two industries that are complemented together, you have got to look at the impact of the vehicles that are coming onto that site.

“To get to the A1 the HGVs will have to use the A168 which has already got heavy traffic on it from the waste plant and a quarry, so it would add to an existing problem.”

“It’s an industrialised function which needs to be alongside true brownfield sites.”

Stunning Green win in Ouseburn sets blueprint for future collaborations

New Green Party councillor for the Ouseburn division, Arnold Warneken, said he is looking forward to working with other political parties in the new North Yorkshire Council.

Cllr Warneken beat Conservative candidate Richard Musgrave decisively, by 1,328 votes to 586 in a two-horse race.

There was no Liberal Democrat candidate standing after the party agreed to step aside to help the Greens unseat Mr Musgrave.

In Cllr Warneken’s acceptance speech, he suggested the local Conservative Party had “lost their conscience” and the result sent a message to other parties to work together around a common purpose based on decency.

He said:

“I will work with anybody, whatever their party is, as long as they are honest, transparent, have integrity and tell the truth.”

A blank canvas

Cllr Warneken told the Stray Ferret afterwards that the result has given him hope that environmental issues are now vote winners.

He said:

“There are all sorts of challenges and it’s a blank canvas.”

Cllr Warneken was a Green Party councillor in the 1990s and will join his old friend, the Lib Dem councillor Pat Marsh, in the new chamber.

Read more:

Cllr Warneken said he believes he still would have won even if the Liberal Democrats had put a candidate forward, due to his huge majority. He said the Tory candidate was “complacent” throughout the campaign.

Mr Musgrave did not attend the count to hear the verdict.

Echoing the words of Labour’s Margaret Smith during her speech at the election count, after failing to win Oatlands and Pannal, Cllr Warneken said the time had come for a proportional representation voting system.

He said:

“If we had PR we’d have more candidates from minor parties.”

Collaborate

Next door to the count in the Harrogate Convention Centre yesterday was The Assemblies of God conference, where over 500 different churches were meeting.

In previous local council elections, it has felt like most Green candidates haven’t had a prayer of winning.

But Shan Oakes, the local party coordinator, said Mr Warneken’s win was “a real story” locally.

He will join four other North Yorkshire-based Green Party councillors on the new authority.

Ms Oakes added:

“The world is coming to its senses. It’s given us hope.

“We face serious existential issues. We have the climate crisis and we have to green up out town.”

Ms Oakes said she hopes parties can agree to step aside in future, but thinks it will be a tough ask.

“It was a real struggle to get the one that we did.”

Harrogate district goes to the polls tomorrow

People in the Harrogate district will go to the polls tomorrow for perhaps the most important local elections for almost 50 years.

Voters will shape key services for 600,000 people in the county by deciding the political make-up of the new North Yorkshire Council.

The unitary authority, which comes into existence on April 1 next year, will replace North Yorkshire County Council and seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council.

Councillors elected tomorrow will serve the final year of North Yorkshire County Council and then a further four years on North Yorkshire Council.

It represents the biggest shake-up in local government in North Yorkshire since 1974, when the current structure of local government was introduced.

Tomorrow’s elections will see 310 candidates contest 90 seats in 89 electoral divisions.

Read more:

The Conservative Party, which currently controls North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council, is fielding candidates in all 90 seats. There will also be 67 Labour and Co-operative Party candidates, 48 Green Party candidates, 45 Liberal Democrats and 45 Independents. The remaining 15 candidates will be from a range of other smaller parties.

Richard Flinton, the county returning officer for the election who is also the chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“This is an opportunity for everyone who is registered to vote to help decide on who they want to represent them at what is a defining moment for North Yorkshire.

“The importance of these elections is hugely significant, as it not only lays the foundations for the decision-makers for the new unitary authority, but it also paves the way for a devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York.”

The government has stipulated that a new unitary authority is a key requirement for any devolution deal for North Yorkshire, which could see an elected mayor with new powers.

Polling stations will be open across the county from 7am until 10pm tomorrow.

More details about the new electoral divisions and the May 5 county council elections are available here.

 

Election 2022: Ouseburn candidate preview

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 Ouseburn division which will see two candidates standing for election.

Richard Musgrave, Conservative

Richard Musgrave will be the Conservative candidate for the Ouseburn division on North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Musgrave is currently the councillor for the Escrick Division on North Yorkshire County Council.

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Musgrave for comment for this preview, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

A Conservative party spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they were confident in their election campaign and pledged to continue investing in services across North Yorkshire if elected.

A party spokesperson said:

“The Conservatives are fielding an experienced slate of candidates. This is important as we argue the case for local services with settlements from Selby to Richmond and Whitby to Settle.

“That case includes continued investment in local services that has seen a new pool in Ripon and the start of a new pool and leisure centre in Knaresborough.

“We are investing in the Hydro to provide more leisure facilities for local people.

“We need to continue the investment in our conference centre adapting it to the modern conference and exhibition industry. The centre underpins thousands of jobs across the district and brings in an estimated £29m to the local economy.”

Arnold Warneken, Green Party

Arnold Warneken is the Green Party candidate for the Ouseburn division on North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Warneken has lived in Ainsty for 40 years and was the councillor for Marston Moor on Harrogate Borough Council in the 1980s.

He said he joined the Green Party as it “recognises the need for social and environmental justice”.

On standing for North Yorkshire Council, Mr Warneken said:

“I joined the Green Party because it recognises the need for social and environmental justice, through the empowerment of local communities, with positive solutions to the issues that challenge human survival.

“I am active throughout the year organising food parcels via Ainsty Community Larder, medicines deliveries, and transport for residents. I support road safety measures such as 20’s Plenty and better recycling facilities, and I have personally emptied overflowing dog-poo bins. I have also distributed 300 recycling bags & boxes to residents.

“I have a proven track record of getting things done as a volunteer so that I can achieve so much more as a county councillor.”

Read more: