Strayside Sunday: Computer says ‘No’ (if you are a badger…)

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

The comedian David Walliams’ brilliant early-2000s Little Britain series of sketches in which a gormless, obstructive female bank clerk, shop assistant or council worker parrots an automated rejection of a loan, credit or welfare application were so funny because they captured one of the great frustrations of modern life:  The outsourced, de-humanised, jobsworth enabled, machine-based decision making of our times;  the imposition of an electronic barrier between the customer and unseen service provider; the replacement of an accountable human face with programmed software and technology.

Scroll forward almost twenty years and our good friends at Harrogate Borough Council have, in this spirit, added to their ever-lengthening list of “you couldn’t make it up” bungling howlers.  This week, the Stray Ferret reported that Harrogate resident and keen birdwatcher Bill Shaw, was shocked to find that his objections to Richborough Homes planned 95-dwelling development at Granby Farm had been heavily redacted on the council’s planning portal.

Mr. Shaw’s objections were not a matter of national or local security and they did not expose the names and secret activities of individuals in the sensitive employ of the state.  Rather, Mr. Shaw had made the point that Granby Farm is rich in wildlife; with roosting owls, feeding kites, setting badgers and buzzing bees about to be evicted from their homes in favour of upright and two legged animals.

It turns out that Harrogate’s planning department is now so resource strapped that an algorithm (defined by the way by Google’s own algorithm as ‘a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer’) has replaced the planning officer who used to read planning objections and, using their experience and discretion, mark out anything that might identify, embarrass or compromise concerned individuals.  The ‘redaction algorithm’ (how sinister is that?) got the bit between its teeth and blacked out any reference to Mother Nature and her bounties.  And, in what must have been one of most egregious displays of misplaced irony I’ve seen – because I can’t possibly believe they could have been serious – the council put out a public statement in which it said that “our redaction algorithm has been overzealous.”  I wonder if the redaction algorithm has been hauled into Richard Cooper’s office for a dressing down, told to “cool it,” or perhaps is in receipt of a written warning?

This episode is both comic and troubling.  As well as making us laugh it shines a light on the creeping ethical and practical dangers of replacing human with artificial intelligence.  Beyond making sure that the any algorithms we use actually work well, and in this case it most certainly did not, we need to ask the first principles question; does the use case sufficiently protect the principles of transparency and accountability that are fundamental to our democratic system?

When the future of our environment and wildlife is at stake, when our need for housing stock is urgent and when we must surely make nuanced and well-informed choices that balance the benefits and risks of these two competing factors, I want skilled, informed and accountable people and processes to assess the plans before them in light of any objections made.

In example after example Harrogate Borough Council demonstrates a willingness to bend the rules and ignore the spirit of accountability and transparency.  Having sat on its hands for four months following the damage caused to the Stray by the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire it ignored normal procurement and competition rules on the grounds of an ‘emergency’ and awarded contractor Glendale Services a sole source contract worth around £40,000.  Thank goodness the Stray has been repaired because I’m sure it will see a huge increase in foot traffic as a result of the Council’s sole source award of a £165,000 contract to an Ipswich based company, the Jacob Bailey Group, to build a new ‘destination management system’ (website) for Visit Harrogate.  This decision justified on the basis that we now face an economic ‘emergency.’

It’s been revealed too that the council spent £57,630 on a judicial review defence in respect of the decision to press ahead with the housing development at Green Hammerton, instead of Flaxby Park.  Having initially refused to say how much of our money they spent on lawyers defending a planning decision they made in our name; and having received a Freedom of Information request for their troubles, the offending number was finally revealed in a tweet.  The initial refusal to share the lawyer’s fees was justified with the absurd claim that lawyer’s fees should remain private.  What cobblers.  We have every right to know what the council spends on professional services so that we can make an assessment about whether they (we) received value for money.

And here’s the rub.  The council is spending taxpayer money.  Millions of pounds of it.  It is our right to know that it has been spent well.  It is our right to know who made the decision to spend it and why.  It is our right to be able to judge the decisions and actions of those who presume to govern and administer.  It seems to me this council will hide behind any old excuse to act as they please and combine arrogance and incompetence in equal and generous measure.

“Computer says no.”

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

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Do you have a view on this column or is there a political issue you’d like Paul to write about? Get in touch on paul@thestrayferret.co.uk

Harrogate homeless units still not used this winter

Harrogate Borough Council’s temporary accommodation units for homeless people have still not been needed this winter, despite heavy snow and ice over the weekend.

The four yellow units were installed in Harrogate’s Tower Street car park at the start of last month.

Councils are obliged to provide accommodation for rough sleepers under the severe weather emergency protocol.

The protocol is usually activated by sub-zero temperatures but other forms of extreme weather, such as high winds, heavy rain and heatwaves can also trigger it.

A council spokesman told the Stray Ferret:

“The units have not been used because they were only ever there as a back-up, or perhaps to provide immediate shelter for someone presenting homeless at 2am, when sorting an alternative would be a challenge.

“We’ve not needed them as a back-up and no-one has required emergency help at 2am. It’s a positive that they have only ever been on standby.”

Some people have raised concerns about the suitability of the units for people but the council has defended their use and highlighted the fact they are heated and insulated.

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Cllr Mike Chambers, the cabinet member for housing and safer communities, told the Stray Ferret last month the units were “comfortable and appropriate for someone who needs some shelter for a couple of nights”, adding:

“Each of the shelters has windows, heaters and toilets. We have several hostels and we are an exemplar council for looking after homeless people.”

New government guidance this year warned of the dangers of coronavirus in night shelters. It also asked local authorities to consider “self-contained accommodation options”.

No plans to close Valley Gardens amid concern over gatherings

Harrogate Borough Council has said it has no plans to close the open spaces it manages amid concerns about the number of people using them.

City of York Council closed Rowntree Park on Saturday after police and council officers received reports of groups gathering, in contravention of social distancing rules.

Government ministers have also urged people only to visit parks to exercise.

Some claimed on social media that people in Harrogate also broke social distancing rules over the weekend when they were enjoying the snow in Valley Gardens.

However, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“We’ve not had reports of people mixing against the rules. As you know enforcement of the law is an issue for the police rather than us.

“There are no plans to close, or restrict access to, the open spaces we manage.”

We also asked Yorkshire Water, which manages Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs whether it had any plans to restrict access but had not received a reply by the time of publication.

Update – A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water has since sent the following statement:

“Currently our car parks remain open but we are continually reviewing in line with the most recent Government advice.

“We would urge anyone thinking of visiting our reservoirs during lockdown to follow Government advice and stay local to their area.”

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in the government press conference yesterday:

“People should only be meeting with one other person. We have seen some large groups mixing. We do not want to change the rules, it can be the only contact for some.

“It is OK to go for a walk with one other person if you stay two metres apart. Just don’t say you are exercising when you are socialising.”

Harrogate council to spend £165,000 on tourism website

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.

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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:

“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 council proposes council tax hike

Harrogate Borough Council is to propose a £5 increase in council tax next year — the maximum amount permitted.

The proposed £5 hike would see the average band D property bill increase from £245.92 to £250.92.

The local authority, which is planning its budget for 2021/22, generated £15.6 million in council tax in the current financial year.

If the £5 increase goes ahead, it will receive an additional £392,000, bringing the total to £16 million.

The council also plans to make £1.14 million spending cuts to balance its books.

This would largely come from a review of its park and environmental services department and by setting up a new company to run leisure facilities.

The £5 increase represents the most a district council can propose for council tax — a 2% increase or £5, whichever is highest.

Anything further would require a local referendum.

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In a report due before senior councillors this week, Paul Foster, head of finance at the borough council, said the authority faced “unprecedented financial determinant” due to the pandemic.

He said:

“The financial implications are challenging to estimate with certainty as there continue to be a number of unknowns.

“From how long, and to what extent, national and local restrictions will continue to what measures will remain to combat the spread of virus, to what recovery will look like, such as how our customers will behave over time.”

Mr Foster added the council has “not been immune” to funding cuts from central government and has seen its general grant allocation reduced by £8.2 million since 2010.

The budget proposal is set to be discussed at a cabinet meeting on January 6 before going before full council at a later date.

£27 county council rise

It comes as North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner are expected to outline plans for their share of council tax this month.

Last month, county council officials said they were considering a 1.99% increase — equivalent to a £27 rise.

The move comes amid pressures from coronavirus and cuts in funding from central government.

The county council had anticipated a funding gap of £186 million by next year due to austerity. However, it has since found £173 million in savings.

Now the authority needs to find £103 million over the next three years to cover loss of central government funding.

Harrogate council handed £405,000 to tackle homelessness

Harrogate Borough Council has been allocated £405,000 to tackle homelessness in the district.

The funding is from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s homelessness prevention grant stream.

Grants totalling £310 million have been awarded to local authorities nationally.

The funding can be used to provide temporary accommodation for rough sleepers, to offer financial support for people to find a new home or to prevent evictions.

Kelly Tolhurst, minster for housing and rough sleeping, said the funding would “help councils provide better support to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place as we look to end rough sleeping once and for all”.

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Harrogate homeless shelters

The council has erected temporary emergency homeless units on Tower Street in Harrogate for rough sleepers to use when temperatures drop this winter.

However, despite the recent cold snap they have still yet to be used.

The four units are set to be in place for three months.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council confirmed today the accommodation has yet to be used.

 

Homes in Masham and Pannal in peril as flooding strikes

Emergency teams have been summoned to a home that flooded in Pannal as the Harrogate district wakes up to the effects of Storm Bella.

Property, roads and farmland around the Harrogate district have felt the brunt of a night of strong winds and heavy rain and alerts remain in place.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said in a statement a crew responded to reports of flooding in a basement property in Pannal at 00.26am this morning.

The statement added water was pumped away from an electric switchboard and sandbags were requested from Harrogate Borough Council.

The emergency planning team at Harrogate Borough Council, which responds to serious incidents, tweeted at about 4am:

“Following a call from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue our team have deployed to Pannal to protect a property at imminent risk of flooding.”

No further details are available.

Flood warnings are in place on the rivers Nidd and Ure as well as at Swinney Beck in Masham.

Swinney Beck is a particular area of concern: the government’s flood informations service tweeted just before midnight that properties along Westholme Road in Masham were most at risk. It added:

“Please activate any property flood protection products you may have, such as flood barriers and air brick covers and stay away from fast moving water.”

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The flood information service also issued a flood warning for the River Nidd at Low Laithe overnight

“The level of the River Nidd at Pateley Bridge is rising due to persistent rain through the night. Levels are forecast to reach 1.5 metres around 03:00 and will continue to rise until around 06:00 on Sunday morning when the peak at Pateley Bridge is expected to be below 2 metres.

“The B6165 is expected to flood at this level. We are monitoring the situation closely and will update this message on Sunday morning or as the situation changes.”

A flood warning is also in place for the upper River Nidd around Pateley Bridge, with the flood information service advising motorists to plan driving routes to avoid low lying roads near rivers.

Roecliffe caravan park, near the River Ure, is also subject to a flood warning, River levels are expected to rise until mid-afternoon and people are being warned to stay away from fast flowing water.

Nationally, 181 flood alerts and 105 flood warnings are in place.

Harrogate homeless shelters ‘appropriate and comfortable’

Harrogate Borough Council has defended its temporary homeless shelters after some people raised concerns about their use.

The four yellow container units will be in Tower Street car park in Harrogate for the next three months.

Every local authority is expected to adopt a severe weather emergency protocol, which describes measures to provide emergency accommodation for rough sleepers during severe weather.

Cllr Mike Chambers, the cabinet member for housing and safer communities, told the Stray Ferret:

“I have not been inside but they are comfortable and appropriate for someone who needs some shelter for a couple of nights.

“Each of the shelters has windows, heaters and toilets. We have several hostels and we are an exemplar council for looking after homeless people.”

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New government guidance this year warned of the dangers of coronavirus in night shelters. It also asked local authorities to consider “self-contained accommodation options”.

According to council figures, 29 rough sleepers in the district were taken off the streets during the “Everyone’s In” measures in the first lockdown, of which 10 are still being supported by the authority.

When the Stray Ferret reported that the council had installed these shelters it prompted a diverse range of views from our readers.

Some said they were “excellent” and a “good stop gap”; others argued they “looked horrendous” and suggested using other solutions, such as hotels.

Harrogate Borough Council said at the start of December the containers will be in place for three months.

Two A1 service station appeals to be heard in New Year

The government is set to hear two appeals for motorway service stations to be built in the Harrogate district.

Separate proposals would see services built along the A1(M): one at Kirby Hill, between junctions 48 and 49 and the other near Ripon at junction 50.

Both developers, Applegreen and Moto Hospitality, have appealed the decisions by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse the plans.

A spokesperson for the Planning Inspectorate, the government agency that deals with planning appeals, said the first inquiry for Kirby will be held in February and the second will follow shortly afterwards.

The spokesperson said that both would be considered by one inspector “in the interests of efficiency” as they have common issues and are within the same authority area.

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Both applications were met with a backlash from residents.

Kirky Hill Residents Against Motorway Services, a residents group set up to oppose a service station near the village, says the scheme is “socially and environmentally irresponsible” and has called for Applegreen to drop its plans.

The plan was rejected in November 2019 and an appeal was due to be heard this year, but was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Moto Hospitality’s plans for a new filling station, small hotel, food and retail unit were rejected by councillors in October.

Hewick and Hutton Parish Council objected to the plans and said there was “no need” for another service station.

In a decision notice explaining its refusal, the borough council said:

“The proposal is outside development limits and represents an unsustainable development that would result in a significant encroachment into open countryside causing harm to the landscape in conflict with policies EC3 (A & C), GS3 and NE4 of the Harrogate District Local Plan.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Moto for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Applegreen said previously it was not appropriate to comment until the appeal had been heard.

Strayside Sunday: We are treating the homeless as human cargo, fit only for containment

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

The housing and homelessness charity Shelter has been in the news this week.  They have gathered data that shows that 253,000 people in the UK will pass this Christmas season without secure housing.

During the first lockdown, swift and decisive government action virtually eradicated homelessness in our country by housing people in utilising otherwise deserted hotels, boarding houses and vacant rental properties.  As a result of the “Everyone In” initiative, many of the most vulnerable in our society could at least face the threat presented by Covid-19 certain in the knowledge that they could do so with a roof over their heads and have beds on which to sleep.  An issue that has taxed and stumped policymakers for years was solved with an alacrity that betrayed the repugnant and rank inaction of successive and previous governments of all political persuasions.

Last week, the Stray Ferret reported that Harrogate Borough Council has provided emergency accommodation for local homeless people for the ‘festive’ season.  This under the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) that obligates councils to provide cover and shelter during the inclement weather conditions of the winter months.  So they should.

However, in their infinite wisdom Harrogate Borough Council has installed 3 bright yellow (“look everybody, homeless people!”) shipping containers in the Tower Street Carpark.  They are chain-link fenced in and, unless alterations are to be made to them, are windowless and appear ill-ventilated.  This is truly shameful.  The idea that in a wealthy, albeit resource constrained, Covid-stymied civilised society, that we should think shipping containers provide appropriate shelter for anyone at any time of the year passes understanding.

What of compassion?  What of humanity?  What of simple human decency?  As the occupants exit their steel, aluminium or fibre-reinforced polymer (which are the materials from which shipping containers are apparently made) billet, they will look across the street at the local Travelodge; now open for business, as our national government seeks balance the need to keep the economy moving, with the possible health risks posed by Covid.  I doubt very much that it, or indeed any hotel in Harrogate is currently operating at full occupancy.  But surely it is not beyond the wit of man or woman to manage occupancy across the borough to meet both private demand and the needs of those living on the streets.  Especially in circumstances in which private enterprise has benefitted hugely this year from the wonton largesse of (taxpayer, our children and our grandchildren) funded loans, grants, furlough schemes

All housing developments these days come with a requirement for an element of social housing.  Or they should – it turns out the North Yorkshire County Council’s housebuilding company Brierley Homes is under criticism for avoiding having to build affordable dwellings at their developments in Bilton and Pateley Bridge.  None the less, perhaps we could ask the same of larger hotels; that they provide a small number of rooms for the socially disadvantaged?

The uncomfortable truth of course is that business does not want to co-mingle the homeless with paying guests.  The even more uncomfortable truth is that you and I would think more than once about patronising a hotel in which we might bump into the homeless in the corridor.  We’re alright jack and anyway our consciences, pricked as they are by this and other injustices, don’t tend to compensate for any compromise of our own comfort or hotel “experience.”  Our fear-fuelled prejudices of the smelly, drunk and drug addled dispossessed don’t add to the ambience of a stay away.

Harrogate is often named as one of the most desirable places to live in Britain.  It’s a reputation of which our council is rightly proud.  If an appeal to HBC on the merits won’t make them do better by the homeless then how about this?  Harrogate risks damaging it’s reputation.  It will become known as the kind of affluent and selfish place that wants to hide the fact that it has the same knotty and mucky problems and challenges that inner cities face.  It is in danger of becoming known for hiding its homeless in plain sight, for thinking so little of its least fortunate charges that it seeks to make them human cargo, fit only for containment.  It doesn’t make me proud to live in a borough whose council would do this.

At our holidays and high-days visits to church in the days to come we will bask in the warm and sentimental candle-lit glow of self-satisfaction that follows.  They tell us that this is the time of year for peace and goodwill for ALL men (and women and children).  We will all agree with that and likely walk swiftly by the Tower Street Carpark on the way home, heads down.  Let’s demand better of each other, of our local authority and of national government.

Bottom line, we should get our homeless inside, in real accommodation, for Christmas – and make sure they can stay there

That’s my Strayside Sunday.  I wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

Paul is taking a break over the Christmas period. Strayside Sunday will be back on January 3 2021.

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