harrogate borough council Archives - Page 5 of 159

Bar owner beats council in court to create ‘cool place’ on Cold Bath Road

A Harrogate bar owner will be raising a glass or two after successfully appealing alcohol licence restrictions that he says would have made trading from his Cold Bath Road premises “impossible”.

Dave Swallow received a licence for his bar, AAA, in November, but it came with conditions.

Harrogate Borough Council said he had to build a barrier to separate his forecourt seating area from the pavement; he had to build a lobby as a sound-proofing measure; and he could only serve alcohol till 9pm.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I couldn’t comply with those conditions as well as the building regulations and the fire regulations all at the same time. It was just physically impossible.”

So he took North Yorkshire Council, which assumed all Harrogate Borough Council’s functions on April 1, to court – and won. He no longer has to build the barrier or the lobby, and may now serve alcohol from 12 noon till 11pm, as is the norm for bars and pubs in England.

He said:

“I’m elated. The waiting is over, the amalgamation of work and stress has lifted and I’ve cleared that hurdle.

“Now I’ve got a long list of things to do to make sure I comply with the remaining licence conditions, but that’s fine – all bars have to do that. The main thing is, we’re serving now!”

AAA, pronounced triple-A, is a bar that also sells vinyl records and merchandise from another of Dave’s ventures, clothing brand Audio Architect Apparel. He said he wanted to create “a nice, cool place where people can come to listen to good music on a good sound system, drinking good drinks”.

He added:

“We’re getting in more vinyl by the week, and we’ll soon be serving breakfast, lunch and sociable, picky stuff in the evenings, such as charcuterie and cheeseboards.

“We’re taking on more staff and we’ll be having an opening party on July 14. After months of waiting, this court victory means we can finally move ahead with our plans.”

Pannal’s controversial ‘skyscraper’ begins to take shape

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.

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.

Student’s floral design becomes reality in Ripon Spa Gardens

A Ripon student’s floral design has been turned into reality at the city’s Spa Gardens.

Evie Wood, 17, won a competition open to schools across the Harrogate district to design a floral tribute to King Charles III.

It was organised by the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council in conjunction with local In Bloom groups.

The winning Ripon entry was assessed by the council parks team and Ripon in Bloom.

Evie’s design in Spa Gardens

Ripon Grammar School pupil Evie has now seen her winning entry translated from paper to flowerbed by the council’s parks team.

Evie, who plans to take a degree in fine art, said:

“I am very interested in the design side of gardening.

“I knew the flowers that I wanted to incorporate and the colours I wanted to use and so I just went from there really. It was so nice to see the flower bed I designed come to life as I didn’t expect it to, so it was a really nice surprise!”

Council ‘not considering’ sale of Harrogate Convention Centre

North Yorkshire Council has said it has no plans to sell Harrogate Convention Centre nor has not it received any offers of private investment for the ageing facility.

It comes as a decision day on a proposed £49m redevelopment moves nearer.

The new council inherited a plan to upgrade the facility from the now-abolished Harrogate Borough Council so it can better compete with rival convention centres in the north.

The convention centre opened in 1982 and its conferences and other events have provided a boost to the town’s bars, restaurants and hotels. However, it has struggled to make a profit.

It still remains unclear how North Yorkshire Council, which is looking to slash £70 million from its budget over the next three years, will pay for the redevelopment.

Harrogate Convention Centre.

A decision is planned later this summer. If approved, construction work could begin early next year.

North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative deputy leader, Cllr Gareth Dadd, said:

“Design work is progressing for the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment project and we are working towards a decision relating to the construction work early in 2024. We will continue to explore any external funding opportunities that arise in the future and in the interim.

“We have not received any offers of private investment nor have we been considering a sale.”

Economic impact of Harrogate Convention Centre

A council report published this year described the convention centre as the largest driver of economic impact in the district with many venues depending on the business through its conferences and exhibitions.

Using Visit Britain methodology, the report predicted the convention centre will boost the local economy by £31 million during 2022/23.

If the redevelopment goes ahead, it’s hoped the upgrade will increase the centre’s visitor numbers from 147,000 in 2020 to 192,000 in 2040, with profits of £29 million over a 40-year period.

In February, Harrogate Borough Council failed in its £20m Levelling Up Fund bid for the redevelopment but at the time, convention centre boss Paula Lorimer suggested the council would bid again for funding in its third round.

Ms Lorimer warned that Harrogate would “wither on the vine” if its convention centre ever closed.

Local democracy in North Yorkshire ‘destroyed’ by devolution, says peer

Devolution in North Yorkshire has made local government an “incoherent mess” and “destroyed” democracy, a Liberal Democrat peer has claimed.

Harrogate Borough Council was one of seven district authorities, along with North Yorkshire County Council, abolished on March 31 to pave the way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

The single-tier system has vastly reduced the number of councillors in North Yorkshire from almost 400 to 90.

A combined authority for York and North Yorkshire is due to be created next year, led by an elected mayor, as part of the UK government’s devolution agenda.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire said in a speech in the House of Lords on Thursday the structure of local government across England was now “an incoherent mess” and accused the government of “imposing mayors on places that did not want them”.

He added:

“I find what has happened recently in North Yorkshire the most appalling, and when I heard someone assure me that no councillor in North Yorkshire would need more than two hours to drive from the ward they represent to council meetings, it showed me just how far we have gone.

“Decent places such as Harrogate, Scarborough, Richmond and Craven, which had working district authorities and which represented real places, have been dismantled and they are now trying to set up very large town councils for them.

“We have the prospect of a mayor, somehow, for North Yorkshire and, incidentally, one for East Yorkshire. That is the effective destruction of local government and I really do not understand the rationale for it.”

He contrasted the situation with Fenland District Council, where councillors represented far fewer people, and therefore had more time to deal with their issues.

Lord Saltaire said:

“After the next election, a reform of the way in which the governance of England is conducted at all levels is a vital part of what any new government must be. If we want to regain trust in politics and re-engage some of our citizens more, that is part of how we do it.

“Let us all recognise that we face a situation of deep popular disengagement and disillusionment with the democratic politics we have in this country.”

Old system ‘confusing and expensive’

Carl Les

Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, described the old two-tier system as “confusing, inefficient and expensive”. He added:

“Over half of the country is governed by unitary local government now. Where Lord Saltaire lives has been unitary for years.

“Yes, we no longer have 390 local councillors. Some might say that’s a good thing.”

Cllr Les said the council’s plans for “double devolution”, whereby powers would be handed down to local level, would ensure it was “not only the largest geographic council in the country but also the most local as well”.

FoI reveals Harrogate council spent nearly £3,000 on booze for staff party

Harrogate Borough Council spent almost £3,000 of taxpayers’ money on booze for a staff party, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

The party was held to mark the abolition of the council at the end of March — even though nearly all staff transferred to the new North Yorkshire Council the following day on the same terms.

The Stray Ferret reported last month the party cost £14,910. But a full breakdown of the costs, including the amount spent on alcohol, was not known.

The FoI has now revealed the costs included £1,438 on beer, cider and lager, £630 on wine and £587 on spirits. Just £376 was spent on soft drinks.

The council also spent £4,745 on food, £450 on a DJ, £765 on event staff and £302 on decorations. A further £5,556 went on technical equipment for the event, which was held at the council-owned Harrogate Convention Centre on February 23.

The party was held at Harrogate Convention Centre.

The Stray Ferret was alerted to the party by an unnamed source who said they were “appalled, disgusted and downright annoyed that this amount was spent without the prior knowledge and consent of the people paying for it”.

Conor Holohan, media campaign manager of the pressure group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, added:

“Taxpayers will be shocked to find they were funding parties for council staff.

“While residents were struggling with the cost of living crisis, town hall officials were charging them for dinner and drinks.”

Final day parties

Seven district councils and North Yorkshire County Council were abolished on March 31 to make way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

Harrogate Borough Council’s final day staff party cost the most.

Scarborough was the next highest, spending £9,004, followed by Hambleton at £3,783. Ryedale awarded staff a £148 bonus and spent £3,001 on a party. North Yorkshire County Council did not spend anything.

Staff from the district councils, except the chief executives and a handful of others, transferred to North Yorkshire Council on April 1. It said in a statement:

“The new council for North Yorkshire did not play any part in sanctioning or organising any parties.

“For any further comment you will need to ask the district and borough council decision-makers who were in place at those councils at the time.”

Former Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper has declined to comment on council business since the authority was abolished.

Developer challenges Nidderdale solar panels ‘visual harm’ claim

A developer has appealed a decision to refuse the installation of 30 solar panels at a farm in Nidderdale over “visual harm” concerns.

John Adams submitted the proposal for Gillbeck Farm on Peat Lane at Bewerley to Harrogate Borough Council in September 2022.

It would have seen 30 panels installed in order to “maximise the use of renewable energy sources”.

However, the authority rejected the proposal on the grounds that it would cause “visual harm and have a negative impact on the landscape and the character of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.

It added:

“The solar panels will dominate the landscape and become a very prominent feature within it, in a negative and unacceptable manner.”

Mr Adams, who owns the farm, has since taken the case to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning appeals.

In a statement to the inspector, Mr Adams argued that the land would not be not visible to passers by and that Peat Lane was “infrequently” used by cars, walkers and cyclists.

He said:

“We respectfully disagree with Harrogate Borough Council in that we do not believe that ground mounted panels would be visually offensive to the small number of passing public, given our now clear collective responsibility to cut the use of fossil fuels and move towards reliance on renewable and sustainable energy sources.”

Bewerley Parish Council made no objection to the scheme.

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.

It comes as the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority questioned whether it needed to do more to tackle climate change.

The authority, which covers part of Nidderdale, revealed at a meeting in September 2022 that the carbon footprint of the residents of the national park was estimated to be around 18% higher than the UK average.

Harrogate councillor appointed county’s climate champion

Conservative councillor Paul Haslam was appointed as the North Yorkshire climate champion at a meeting yesterday.

His role will involve encouraging positive action over the climate crisis in North Yorkshire in the same week that an IPCC report said only drastic action can prevent “irrevocable damage to world.”

Cllr Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire Council, has been a proponent of climate change policies and the need to protect the environment since becoming a councillor on the now-abolished Harrogate Borough Council in 2014. He was nominated for the climate champion role alongside Green Party member for Ouseburn, Arnold Warneken.

Councillors then made pitches about why they are best-suited before members voted again.

Cllr Warneken said:

“My adult life I’ve been campaigning for the climate.

“In my workplace, in my private life. I’ve committed my ambitions to see a better place for all of us to live. I don’t really care who saves the planet, as long as they get on with it.

“My credentials are I won’t politicise this, I will do it purely from what I think is the council’s best approach to ensure their commitment to climate change is secured. If you slice me in half, you’ll see climate change like a stick of rock.”

Cllr Haslam said:

“The fight to mitigate climate change is vital. It’s the mission of this generation.

“I’m persistent, some might say relentless. I will use this role to engage and educate the discussion around climate change and enable and empower people to fight this change.

“I believe I have the anger and courage, curiosity, and expertise, to not only champion but embed climate change in this council. For this community, this country and in a small way, the world.”

Councillors initially took a vote on the two councillors sharing the position, but it was narrowly defeated after many Conservative members voted against it.

When voting for who should take up the single role, councillors voted for Cllr Haslam by 46 to 38, with 3 abstentions.

Cllr Paul Haslam

What is the council doing to tackle climate change?

Nearly all council services emit carbon emissions, from street lighting to getting rid of waste, heating schools and care homes. The council is the largest employer in North Yorkshire and is a significant landowner, which means it has the power to affect change.

In January the council published a draft climate change strategy that includes ambitions such as becoming carbon neutral by 2030, increasing walking and cycling as well as planting 37,000 hectares of new woodland by 2038.

But it has been criticised for its response to the climate crisis after it finally declared a climate emergency last year, three years later than other nearby councils in Harrogate, York and Darlington.

Harrogate Borough Council spent £15,000 on staff leaving party

Harrogate Borough Council spent £14,910 on a final day leaving party for staff, a freedom of information request has revealed.

The bill, footed by council taxpayers, included £3,031 on drink and £4,750 on food. The other £7,000 is unaccounted for.

The Stray Ferret has submitted a freedom of information request seeking a fuller breakdown of the costs.

Seven district councils and North Yorkshire County Council were abolished on March 31 to make way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

Harrogate Borough Council’s final day staff party cost the most.

When the Stray Ferret contacted Conservative-run Harrogate Borough Council in March about a leaving party, a spokesperson replied:

“I’m not aware of any events today to mark the end of Harrogate Borough Council.”

Now it has emerged a party did take place, a public sector worker in Harrogate described it as a “spit in the face of every taxpayer in these difficult financial times”.

The person, who asked not to be named, said:

“The money could have been put towards a million and one other uses.

“I am appalled, disgusted and downright annoyed that this amount was spent without the prior knowledge and consent of the people paying for it.”

Conor Holohan, media campaign manager of the pressure group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, echoed the concerns. He said:

“Taxpayers will be shocked to find they were funding parties for council staff.

“While residents were struggling with the cost of living crisis, town hall officials were charging them for dinner and drinks.

“Bosses in the new North Yorkshire Council should be more considerate when spending taxpayers’ cash than some of their predecessors were.”

North Yorkshire Council civic centre Knapping Mount

The new signs at Harrogate’s Civic Centre

Staff from the district councils, except the chief executives, transferred to North Yorkshire Council on April 1. It said in a statement:

“The new council for North Yorkshire did not play any part in sanctioning or organising any parties.

“For any further comment you will need to ask the district and borough council decision-makers who were in place at those councils at the time.”

When he stepped down as leader of Harrogate Borough Council, Richard Cooper said he would not give any further public comments and he declined to comment when asked about this matter.

Nude ban to remain at Turkish Baths Harrogate

Turkish Baths Harrogate has permanently banned nude bathing.

The Victorian venue, run by North Yorkshire Council’s leisure company Brimhams Active, operated two weekly single sex clothing-optional sessions until March.

But swimwear was then made compulsory for all sessions following what the council described as a “serious” police complaint.

No further details have been revealed about the incident and North Yorkshire Police today repeated its statement that “enquiries are ongoing”.

However, a regular customer contacted the Stray Ferret yesterday after receiving an email from the baths informing him the ban would remain.

Katie Summersall, Turkish Baths manager, today confirmed the news. She said:

“Brimhams Active’s priority is to safeguard and protect the wellbeing of staff and customers.

“A management decision has been made that swimwear is to be compulsory at all public bathing sessions.”

The customer, who asked not to be named, regularly attended the clothing-optional male sessions, where he said the majority of people found clothes uncomfortable.

He said:

“I suspect there was never any intention to restore the old policy, and — perhaps cynically — wonder if the complaint and investigation contained an element of convenient prefabrication.”

North Yorkshire Council took control of the baths on April 1 when Harrogate Borough Council was abolished.

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Economic impact of Harrogate Convention Centre

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Old system ‘confusing and expensive’

Final day parties

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What is the council doing to tackle climate change?

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