Ballot could decide whether to set up Harrogate town council

The leader of Harrogate Borough Council has suggested a ballot could decide whether to create a Harrogate town council.after next year’s shake-up of local government.

Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished on April 1 next year after 49 years of existence.

Its demise is part of the biggest change in local government since 1974, which will see the abolition of all seven district councils in the county, along with North Yorkshire County Council, and the creation of a single new super council.

The move could lead to the creation of a Harrogate town council to manage local assets such as the Stray and Harrogate Convention Centre.

Alternatively, the new super council — which will almost certainly be called North Yorkshire Council — could decide to handle everything itself.

Rudding Park

Rudding Park

Richard Cooper told Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly meeting at Rudding Park last night:

“Some people think there should be a ballot on whether to have a town council. That’s something that happens quite a lot.”

But he said the final decision on whether to hold a ballot would be up to the new North Yorkshire Council.

Could Harrogate be home to the new super council?

Cllr Cooper, a Conservative who besides leading the borough council is also a county councillor, also floated the possibility of Harrogate being chosen as the location for North Yorkshire Council. He said:

“It’s still not decided where the new council will be and it could be Harrogate. It would certainly have the best office facilities in North Yorkshire.”

Northallerton, where North Yorkshire County Council is based, is the firm favourite to be chosen as the new location. But Cllr Cooper said whatever the outcome, Harrogate was likely to remain a “significant hub” in the new set-up because there would still be a need for council staff, offices and depots in the town.

Harrogate Borough Council offices at Knapping Mount.

Harrogate Borough Council offices at Knapping Mount.

With vesting day — the day when North Yorkshire Council comes into existence — just 444 days away, Cllr Cooper used his speech at last night’s meeting to urge Harrogate district voluntary organisations, some of which rely heavily on Harrogate Borough Council funding, to start networking with North Yorkshire County Council. He said:

“One of the key things voluntary organisations must do over the next year is build relationships.”

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He said Harrogate Borough Council had generously funded many local not-for-profit organisations, such as Harrogate Homeless Project, and he hoped the new council would continue this.

Asked whether he would be a contender for mayor of the combined authority for North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council under the new structure, Cllr Cooper reiterated that he planned to leave politics next year.

He said his political career was “in decline down to zero” rather than “on the launchpad”, adding:

“After getting into it 22 years ago, snd rather by accident, I think it’s time for other people to have a go.”

Staff ‘worried’

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, told the meeting staff were ‘concerned and worried about what will happen” after they transfer to North Yorkshire Council.

He said all staff, except himself, whose role will no longer exist, would transfer to the new authority under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment). But there were no guarantees beyond then. Mr Sampson said:

“I can give assurances that on day one they will have a role. I can’t say beyond that.”

Nevertheless he said council leaders had set the tone by adopting a “pragmatic” approach to the changes and a “non-adversarial” approach to the new regime.

He added “staff had responded well to that” and were engaged in 16 workstreams related to the handover of power as well as their day-to-day duties.

Proud of Tour de France

Mr Sampson said despite all the changes, devolution was a “prize worth achieving” because the new mayor would have beefed-up powers and there would be economies of scale savings for taxpayers by the reduction in the number of senior managers and back office staff.

Asked what had been his greatest achievement, Mr Sampson said one of the things he was most proud of was leading the council through a decade of severe funding cuts from national government “without a significant impact on services”.

He also cited the council’s part in bringing the Tour de France to Harrogate in 2014. Mr Sampson said:

“I’m proud of the joy it brought to the district. It’s lasting legacy was that it put Harrogate on the map and created pride in what Harrogate could do on the national stage.”

 

 

 

Harrogate Station Gateway set to be given go-ahead this month

Councillors look set to give the green light to the £10.9 million Harrogate Station Gateway in just over a fortnight’s time.

Work on the scheme, which aims to make the town centre more attractive to cyclists and pedestrians, is then likely to begin in spring or summer.

The designs are not expected to be amended significantly despite considerable opposition from residents and businesses.

North Yorkshire County Council, which is the lead partner, is set to make a decision on the gateway at its executive meeting on January 25.

Don Mackenzie

Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, told the Stray Ferret it was “likely” the initiative will be recommended for approval. He said:

“I am indeed expecting that the executive will be asked to make a decision on the Harrogate Gateway scheme at its next-but-one meeting on January 25.

“It is likely that a report will be presented with recommendations to proceed with the project.

“I do not expect the design to differ to any great extent from that which has been consulted upon last year, although we may give authority for minor changes as progress is made, should they be required. That is not unusual in such cases.

“All of this is dependent upon a positive decision to proceed.”

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Petition rejected

Last week the county council rejected a 714-signature petition by Harrogate Residents Association calling for the project to be halted.

The petition followed the publication of consultation responses, which revealed that of 1,320 people who replied to an online survey, 55% feel negatively, 39% positively and five per cent neutral towards the scheme. One per cent said they didn’t know.

Anna McIntee, co-founder of the group, accused the authority of “ploughing ahead” with the project without listening to concerns.

Station Gateway designs

How James Street would look.

But Harrogate District Cycle Action said in a statement at the same meeting that the gateway would be a “big step forward” towards a greener future.

Key proposals include reducing traffic to one lane on some of Station Parade and part-pedestrianising James Street to encourage cycling and walking.

Legal threat

Last month Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Harrogate Business Improvement District and Independent Harrogate, accused those behind the project of ignoring criticism and urged them to “put the brakes on”.

Businesses in Harrogate, concerned about the scheme’s impact on trade, are considering a legal challenge.

They had hoped a challenge could either stop the scheme or delay it long enough to jeopardise funding.

Station Gateway design

New cycle lanes would be built on Station Parade.

North Yorkshire County Council and partners Harrogate Borough Council, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority have previously said that the Department for Transport, which is funding the Harrogate scheme and similar ones in Selby and Skipton through its Transforming Cities Fund, requires the projects be completed by March 2023.

But Cllr Mackenzie suggested this was not necessarily the case. He said:

“A contractor would need to be chosen before the start of construction. I am guessing that work would get underway in late spring or summer.

“Furthermore, I am confident that the initial deadline for completion of all the gateway schemes in North and West Yorkshire of March 2023 would be able to be extended.”

 

Harrogate council to continue to fund Welcome to Yorkshire

Harrogate Borough Council is set to continue paying its subscription to the troubled tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire, despite an increase in the cost.

Borough council officials confirmed to the Stray Ferret that the authority will honour its payment this year, which will be more than £14,000.

Councils across North Yorkshire are to consider whether to help keep Welcome to Yorkshire afloat after the tourism body upped its subscription fee for local authorities by some 45 per cent.

The proposal has been met with criticism from leading district councillors with some responding to the increase by calling for the stream of public money that has been handed to WtY to be permanently plugged or for a decision to be postponed.

However, a spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said it would continue to honour its subscription until there was any change in the regional approach to the tourism body.

They said:

“We recognise the need for an organisation that has a Yorkshire wide focus to help develop the Yorkshire brand in order to attract visitors to the region. 

“This enables us to build on the successes of Visit Harrogate, and the reputation we have as an events destination, to drive both leisure and business visitors to the Harrogate district. 

“Unless and until there is any change to the regional approach to tourism we confirm that subscriptions will continue to be paid in accordance with our existing agreement.”

The tourism body has admitted making “big mistakes” in the way it spent taxpayers’ money, including spending more than £430,000 removing and investigating its former chief executive, Sir Gary Verity, following concerns over his expenses claims.

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In recent years numerous local authorities have threatened to withhold funding from WtY, at a time that its finances have been hit hard by the pandemic.

An officers’ report to a meeting of Richmondshire District Council’s corporate board on Tuesday next week states the subscription fee for local authorities was initially “modest” at £1,300 a year until 2012, when the rate was raised to £10,000.

The cost of the subscription for next year has risen to £14,515, which WtY has justified on the basis that there had been no increase in the six previous years.

Criticism from leading councillors

Stuart Parsons, leader of the Independents group on North Yorkshire County Council, said WtY’s page views for Richmondshire were far inferior to the privately-run Richmond Online tourism website, which was receiving one million hits a month.

He said:

“What have we been getting out of Welcome to Yorkshire? Nothing but scandal. Originally it was supposed to be immediately self-funding, but it has always relied on massive public contributions.

“Councils should not be giving any more money to an organisation that has not demonstrated it is making an effective difference to our lives and our economy.”

Lord Scriven, the former leader of Sheffield City Council, has said WtY needs to adopt a self-funded model.

However, Cllr Gareth Dadd, executive councillor for finance at North Yorkshire County Council, said the authority would examine any request for funding from WtY “in the light of its performance and our ability to pay”.

No agreement over Harrogate Starbucks appeal costs six months on

Harrogate council bosses have yet to reach an agreement with developers over appeal costs for a new Starbucks on Wetherby Road, despite the proposal being approved six months ago.

Euro Garages, the developer behind the coffee shop, took Harrogate Borough Council to appeal over its decision to refuse the proposal.

In July 2021, a government planning inspector granted permission for the new drive-thru to go ahead.

Euro Garages said the authority “demonstrated unreasonable behaviour” when refusing the application. It was granted costs for the appeal.

However, a spokesperson for the council said an agreement had yet to be reached over appeal costs.

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In May last year, council bosses decided not to challenge the appeal over concerns that losing risked legal costs of over £50,000.

The site of the former dental surgery site, which was earmarked for the coffee shop, has since been demolished.

Residents criticised the proposal for the Starbucks ahead of its approval.

Mark Hinchliffe, who has lived in Harrogate for 20 years, told the appeal hearing in June 2021 that the road was already dangerous without the development.

Pannal garages to be demolished for housing despite parking complaints

A block of garages in Pannal are set to be demolished and replaced with council housing, despite concerns it will only worsen parking problems in the area.

Harrogate Borough Council has approved its own plans to build two new homes at Pannal Green where it says eight garages are underused and new parking spaces will be provided nearby.

But many locals say the site is well used for parking and that if removed more cars will be forced onto the already busy surrounding streets.

A total of 45 residents have lodged objections including Louisa Humpage who lives next to the site and has raised a separate complaint of losing access to a side gate at her home.

She said she had begun legal talks over the issue, but the council has argued there is no right of access over its land.

Speaking at a council meeting on Thursday, Mrs Humpage said: 

“The behaviour of the council does not feel representative of its constituents, but actually working against us in their own interests.”

There are around 1,800 households currently waiting for social housing in the Harrogate district – around 75% of which have requested to live in suburbs such as Pannal.

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Using garage sites to bring forward new housing has been a tactic used by the council to make some progress on the problem, with similar plans recently approved in Ripon.

Yet several residents living on Pannal Green believe it is not the right area for new housing and that the parking problems need addressing as a priority.

Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council said in a letter of objection that the additional six parking spaces proposed “does not even pay lip service” in recognition of the problem.

Conservative Cllr John Mann, who represents the Pannal ward on Harrogate Borough Council, also said it is already “extremely difficult to park in or around Pannal Green without the addition of new houses”.

He told Thursday’s meeting: 

“If there are fewer parking spaces, the number of residents looking for parking spaces is going to increase significantly.”

Calls for safety action on ‘rat run’ in one of Harrogate’s fastest-growing areas

Councillors and residents frustrated with delays on a new footpath for a “dangerous” road in one of Harrogate’s fastest-growing areas are stepping up their calls for action.

The Kingsley Road area is facing the construction of around 600 new homes and a new footpath and street lighting providing a link with Bogs Lane was promised as part of a deal with housebuilders, but detailed plans have yet to come forward.

Cllr Philip Broadbank, who represents the Starbeck area, said safety had become a serious concern for residents and that “urgent action is now needed”.

He told a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee:

“I really do worry about what could happen if we don’t get this issue resolved soon.

“I’m raising this because it’s a dangerous situation and needs to be resolved.

“Over the last three years major developments have started around the railway bridge and many of the new homes are now occupied.

“Over 600 homes are in the progress of being developed and there is now an urgent need to get a footpath and lighting in this area.

“We can’t delay action for much longer – we need to make sure this area is safe for people to walk and cycle.”

Cllr Broadbank also said the “rat run” road was only getting busier with traffic due to the growing population and cars using it to avoid queues at Starbeck level crossing.

‘Bumper-to-bumper’ traffic in Kingsley area

This comes after residents previously warned the Kingsley area was already struggling with “bumper-to-bumper” traffic – even before the hundreds of new homes were built.

And ever since construction works began there have been complaints over heavy lorries using the narrow streets, mud on the roads and temporary closures. This has led to several enforcement orders against housebuilders being drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council.

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Councillors, residents and Harrogate MP Andrew Jones have all written to the North Yorkshire County Council on the promise of a new footpath, and there is now a request for the authority to come up with a “speedy plan of action”.

Melissa Burnham, highways area manager at the county council, told Thursday’s meeting the issue was being treated as a priority and that the delays have been partly due to drawn-out talks with landowners.

She said: 

“There was a planning obligation on one of the developers to design and deliver a footway link between the Barratts development site and railway bridge.

“Unfortunately, a review of the footway design revealed the proposal put forward was not deliverable due to site constraints.

“North Yorkshire County Council’s highways teams have reviewed alternative designs, but unfortunately the solution requires third-party land which has and still continues to be a lengthy process in terms of negotiations.”

She added: 

“North Yorkshire County Council highways can certainly offer reassurances that progress is being made to bring about a satisfactory solution, but the process is very much time-constrained by processes which are not directly in our control.

“Because of this I’m not able to give a commencement date yet, but I can assure you those conversations are taking place.”

Plans for 256 homes in Boroughbridge approved at second attempt

Final plans for a major housing development in Boroughbridge have been approved at a second attempt after being refused over concerns that the homes had been “crammed in” together.

Barratt and David Wilson Homes has had outline approval for the Stump Cross site since 2017 but was refused final permission for 260 homes last year when the proposals were described as looking “like a sink development from Lancashire”.

The comments were made by Conservative Cllr Nigel Simms who said the scheme was “not something that we should be having in North Yorkshire”.

He later apologised for his remarks after negative media coverage across the county’s border.

Speaking at a meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee on Thursday, Cllr Simms, who represents Masham and Kirkby Malzeard, said he was now happy with the latest plans but questioned the number of homes for the site which is part of a larger 450-home development

He said: 

“I’m perfectly satisfied with what we have been asked for today – I have no problem with it whatsoever.

“But the overall outline consent is for 450 dwellings and when you add the two sites together it is now at 470.

“It’s not an argument for today, but I would like that sorted before the other plans come to this committee.”

Barratt and David Wilson Homes had lodged an appeal against the council after its previous plans were refused last year, but an agent for the developers said this would now be withdrawn.

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Liam Tate, planning manager at the company, also said several changes had been made to the latest plans including a slight reduction in the number of homes from 260 to 256 and less terraced properties in the centre of the site.

Speaking at Thursday’s meeting, he said: 

“This application follows a previous proposal presented to this committee in June last year.

“Since then we have held meetings with officers and also taken the opportunity to meet with members of this committee.

“These meetings were extremely helpful and gave us a better understanding of the concerns expressed last time round.

“A series of changes have been made across the site, most notably in the central section of the layout where large areas of terraced properties have been replaced with more traditional detached and semi-detached properties.

“The number of dwellings has been reduced… and further highway internal improvements have also been made.”

The plans include a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties, with access from Chapel Hill.

Approval was granted with a unanimous vote from councillors.

New plans submitted for smaller Dunlopillo development

Plans have been submitted to build an apartment block with fewer homes than what has already been agreed at the former Dunlopillo factory in Pannal.

Developer Echo Green Developments was granted planning permission in September 2021 to demolish the main office block and build 48 apartments.

However, the decision, which was made under permitted development rights, was met with anger from some residents. Pannal historian Anne Smith said the village would be lumbered with a “skyscraper-type building” due to its extra two storeys.

Conservative MP Andrew Jones also spoke out against the scheme and said it should have been decided by a vote from the council’s planning committee.

Office-to-residential permitted development rights were brought in under the Conservative government and can be used by developers to fast track the redevelopment of disused offices.

Fewer apartments

The developer has now submitted new plans which would supersede the previously approved plans.

It includes 38 apartments, fewer than the original proposal, but would still be two storeys taller than the demolished building.

Architect drawings of how the building would look.

Commenting on his website, Andrew Jones MP said:

“This time round I want as many residents as possible to submit their views and I will certainly support a request for it to go before the council’s planning committee should the parish council wish it to do so.

“In the meantime I encourage residents to submit their views to the council.”

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History of the site

From 1938 to 1949 the site was occupied by the Bintex factory, which manufactured radar equipment for use during the Second World War.

It was bought by rubber manufacturer Dunlop, which changed its name to Dunlopillo and made the site its headquarters.

It is estimated around 440 people worked there in its 1970s and 80s heyday producing pillows, mattresses, beds and latex cushioning for cars.

Green light for major refurbishment of Harrogate Hydro

Harrogate Borough Council has given the green light for a major refurbishment of Harrogate’s Hydro swimming pool.

Councillors on the planning committee approved the plans today with work on the project set to start in April.

The Hydro was first opened in 1999 and replaced the old Coppice Valley pool.

As part of its plans to overhaul leisure services, which were approved in June 2020, the council outlined a £13.5 million project to refurbish The Hydro.

The authority will demolish the current ‘drum’ entrance and replace it with a larger structure that includes a bigger café and reception area on the ground floor and a new 400 square metres fitness suite on the first floor.

Outside, the car park will be reconfigured with a new area bicycle storage and room for six electric vehicle charging points.

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Cllr Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active, said:

“I’m delighted that the planning committee has approved the plans to redevelop the Hydro in Harrogate.

“This multi-million pound refurbishment project will create exciting new opportunities for local people to move more, live well and feel great.

“Our vision is to create a healthier and more active population that are living longer, more independent and happier lives.

“By creating first-class facilities like this we’ll be able to deliver the aims and objectives of Brimhams Active.”

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, said:

“Through the provision of fantastic modern leisure and wellness facilities and engaging, inclusive services we will be able to help many more people become active and lead healthier lifestyles.”

Further projects at The Hydro

The move to refurbish The Hydro comes as other work is being done to upgrade the building.

In July, the council confirmed it is to buy a new diving platform to replace the damaged one that has kept divers out of the pool for eight months.

Meanwhile, the council has also given approval for 420 solar panels to be installed on the roof of the pool as part of a decarbonisation project.

The council successfully bid this year for funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy‘s public sector decarbonisation scheme, which helped to fund the panels.

A total of £1.8 million will be spent at The Hydro to install the solar panels, as well as replace gas boilers with air source heat pumps and put in place new energy monitoring and control systems.

The Hydro is now run by Brimhams Active, a new arm’s length leisure company set up by the council this year. It has taken over the running of 12 leisure facilities in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and Pateley Bridge.

Harrogate council bosses warn tax rise needed to balance books

A 1.99% tax rise has been backed by Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet after officials warned some of the authority’s key income streams won’t return to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2023.

Paul Foster, head of finance at the council, told a meeting last night that the rise equates to an extra £5 per household per year and was needed as the authority is still feeling the effects of covid and decades of government funding cuts.

If the proposed increase gets final approval in February, contributions to the borough council for the average Band D property will rise to £255.92.

Mr Foster said last night: 

“Given the impacts of the pandemic, we are provisionally forecasting a budgeted reduction in income of £150,000 in 2022/23.

“And income is not forecast to reach pre-pandemic levels until 2023/24 in the areas of commercial property, planning fees and Harrogate Convention Centre lettings.”

Mr Foster also said government grant allocations had been reduced by £8.2m since 2010 and that the council would have to use reserves cash to fund some major projects.

These include plans to accelerate a redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre, as well as carbon reduction works at the venue and other council-owned buildings.

Mr Foster said: 

“Overall, in order to produce a balanced budget, a net transfer from the budget transition fund of £142,000 is required.

“And finally, a thorough review of reserves has identified that just short of £4.5m can be repurposed, with a recommendation that £2.8m is set aside to fund the acceleration of works at the convention centre, and just short of £1.7m is set aside to support our carbon reduction strategy.”

The tax rise has been proposed as part of the council’s final ever budget before it is abolished and replaced with a new North Yorkshire-wide authority which will take over control of all services from April 2023.

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This will mark the biggest changes to local government in the area for almost 50 years, with elections to the new council set to take place in May 2022.

Currently, the borough council makes up just under 13% of council tax bills, while North Yorkshire County Council makes up 70% and police and fire services the remainder.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, Cllr Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the council, said the authority’s council tax contributions represented “incredible value” and would help keep key services and projects running.

He said: 

“For £255 we not only empty the bins and provide local cleaning services, but also look after parks, gardens, leisure facilities, and health and homeless charity programmes.

“On top of that, we are still able to invest in meaningful activities that improve the district and lives of residents.”