Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In January, the Downing Street parties scandal dominated the news whilst covid Plan B restrictions were lifted.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but, as usual, we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

• On January 17 Harrogate MP Andrew Jones told a constituent that “lawmakers can’t be lawbreakers” after Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted attending a party during the first coronavirus lockdown.
• Mr Jones supported the government’s decision to pause the rollout of smart motorways, despite being a key advocate during his time as transport minister.
• The MP backed a campaign for road signs in Starbeck that alert motorists of hedgehogs.
• On January 25, the MP spoke about ‘levelling up’ at the UK Bus & Coach Conference.
• On January 27, Mr Jones signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment.
• Mr Jones spoke seven times in the House of Commons during January, including asking a question about the victims of the Tonga tsunami.
• Network Rail remove graffiti from Hookstone Road bridge in Harrogate after a resident reported it to him.

Read more:

• New gritter tracker shows which roads in Harrogate district are being treated

• Harrogate council ranks in lowest 15% of local authorities for tackling climate change

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• Mr Smith did not update his website during January.
• He did not comment publicly on the Downing Street parties scandal.
• On January 11 Mr Smith spoke at the Skipton & Ripon Area Constituency Committee about the lack of lateral flow tests in Ripon.
• Seven of the MP’s 12 tweets were related to Northern Ireland.
• On Twitter, he paid tribute to Andrew Lupton, of Ripon firm Econ Engineering, who died. He said Mr Lupton had “massive drive and focus. All thoughts & prayers with his family.”

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

• On Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 the MP looked back on a trip to Auschwitz six years ago. He tweeted: “We must always honour the memory of those who perished & never turn a blind eye to antisemitism.”
• The MP hit out at Labour who he suggested support the Insulate Britain roadblock protests. He tweeted: “Labour’s mask slipping again by being on the side of those wanting to bring our country to a standstill.”
• On January 26 Mr Adams voted in favour of making trade unions pay 2.5% of their total income to cover the costs of a trade union regulator.

The Harrogate district is braced for another wild night of weather as Storm Corrie approaches.

A Met Office yellow weather warning is in place until midday tomorrow, with gusts of up to 45 mph predicted.

Winds are expected to strengthen at about 8pm and peak overnight from 2am to 3am.

The district is still recovering from yesterday’s Storm Malik, which uprooted numerous trees and led to venues and events being cancelled. Some areas, including Hampsthwaite and Birstwith, also experienced power cuts.

The Met Office has warned further power cuts are likely, along with travel problems and damage to trees and buildings.

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1487847531459526660

Read more:

• Storm Malik: Strong winds cause disruption across Harrogate district
• Harrogate landscaping boss tells of lucky escape from falling tree

After 15 years working together at photo shop Max Spielmann in Harrogate, Alex Hope and Marisa Towler are two of the best known faces in the town centre.

As soon as you step into the shop on Oxford Street, it’s clear why the two are so highly thought of in the town. Beaming with smiles, the pair can’t wait to help and chat with anyone that comes in.

Alex and Marisa have worked at the store for 15 and 19 years respectively, an anomaly in the retail world where many people choose to move on rapidly. They say they couldn’t imagine doing another job.

‘We’ve seen it all’

After years in the same shop, the pair have shared every key moment in people’s lives, from printing baby photos, to school photos, to even wedding photos for the same families.

They say it is a “pleasure” to be trusted with recording people’s memories but said sometimes they can be a little “wild”.

Alex said:

“We could write books and books of the things you’ve seen, we’ve honestly seen it all. When you work with the public’s photos you really start to get an idea of what people are really like.

“We’ve had to tell best men in the past that some photos are just too far to show at weddings, especially from the stag do!”

Since Alex and Marisa started working together, technology has really advanced. From printing camera film to huge canvas prints, the pair have had to move with the times.

Marisa said:

“It’s just really enjoyable and interesting and of course we get on really well. We learn things everyday, the digital world is always changing and we just have to keep up.”

Read more:

• Ripon beauty queen qualifies for UK final
• John Shackleton, 83, hoping to deliver one final ambulance to Eastern Europe

‘Customers become an extended family’

Alex and Marisa have built bonds with customers, especially regulars. Over lockdown they said it was really difficult not knowing how some people were doing.

They said attitudes have definitely changed: some became more withdrawn after so long indoors whereas others couldn’t wait to be out again.

Some of the gifts collected at Christmas.

Alex added:

“They do become like an extended family, especially those that are in so often after so long you can’t help but get to know them really well. At Christmas it’s lovely when they bring in gifts for us, we are just doing our jobs at the end of the day but it’s so nice to know it’s appreciated.

“That’s why we’ve stuck around for so long!”

People in the Harrogate district are being urged to consider a change of career to become foster carers — with the lure of payments and allowances that can add up to the equivalent of £41,000 a year.

North Yorkshire County Council said this week it was seeking more foster carers, and that the role came with “highly attractive rewards” as well as the satisfaction of helping children from the most challenged backgrounds.

It said the level of payments meant it was possible for recruits to opt out of their current careers for a change of life that also made a difference to the community.

About 310 fostering households in North Yorkshire provide a range of types of foster placements on behalf of the county council.

Candidates are found by Fostering North Yorkshire, which provides training and access to a fostering social worker. Back-up is also available from other specialist carers and fostering staff.

Harrogate foster carer Annette said:

“Fostering is so rewarding and it feels wonderful to watch the children develop and know what a difference you have made — it really does change lives.”

‘We were apprehensive at first’

A couple called Aisha and Chris became foster carers after their children left home for university. Aisha had worked with children in residential care so she had a suitable background.

She said:

“I have to admit we were quite apprehensive in the run up to the first young person who joined our family as we weren’t sure exactly what to expect or if we would know how to handle it.

“Now, looking back, I am so glad we made the move into specialist care. There have certainly been difficult times and we have heard about some really disturbing things that young people should never have to go through.

“But the change and growth in the children we have looked after, when they are offered a stable, caring, environment, is incredible to see.”

Read more:

• North Yorkshire County Council plans £56 council tax hike
• Harrogate cat charity ‘desperate’; for new fosterers

Recruitment drive

Fostering North Yorkshire Service Manager Alan Tucker said:

“Fostering North Yorkshire is always keen to hear from those with an interest in becoming involved in any type of fostering and the service is currently running a recruitment drive for specialist carers – we hope to recruit at least four additional specialist foster carers across the county.

“Specialist carers will already have significant experience of working with or caring for young people who have experienced early childhood trauma that can lead on to challenging behaviour in later life. Due to the demanding nature of the role it also comes with a generous allowance of up to £41k per annum.”

North Yorkshire County Councillor Janet Sanderson, executive member for children’s services, said:

“Any kind of fostering is a great way of helping society as well as specific young people, but specialist foster carers give an even more special service.

“That is why we need people who have experience, either working with or caring for young people with complex needs.

“The people we are looking for will be caring and compassionate, but with the ability and wherewithal to offer the intensive support the young people in their care are likely to need.

“This is not a role to under-estimate and that is reflected in the remuneration we are able to offer.”

More information is available here.

An online gritter tracker for North Yorkshire has been launched to help drivers plan their journeys.

The service by North Yorkshire County Council shows people in real time where gritters are being deployed on the authority’s priority routes and where they have been during the preceding 10 hours.

Any gritting will disappear after 10 hours to avoid confusing previous treatments with recent or current ones.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, said:

“The online gritter tracker is a further tool to help people to make informed journey planning decisions with confidence, particularly during wintry conditions. It gives more detail than ever before, allowing people to see where gritters are and which parts of the network have recently been treated.

“This is a bespoke service that has been developed in-house specifically for North Yorkshire. It is no small feat to develop a system to track up to 80 gritters and all the data they generate.

“We are confident that from day one it will provide a useful service to people travelling in the county, but we are keen to hear from those who use it about any refinements that could improve it further.

“By launching it during this winter, we hope to receive feedback on live situations, which we will be able to review over the summer. Ahead of next winter, we will be able to introduce any enhancements to ensure it provides information that is as full and accurate as possible.”

You can view the online tracker here.

The online gritter map showing the roads treated in Harrogate in the previous 10 hours.

True grit – facts about North Yorkshire gritters

• With an annual gritting budget of £6 million, the county council grits 4,440km of road and make 6,687 runs in a typical year. Around 6,287 routes were treated last year.
• The county’s gritters are responsible for one of England’s largest road networks.
• With 86 gritters, 107 farm contractors, five road snowblowers and seven footway snowblowers at its disposal, the county council is able to treat roads between October and April.
• 55,000 tonnes of salt is stocked in preparation for winter and the authority has 14 weather camera set up to keep an eye on the roads.
• Crews are on call 24 hours a day and are usually out at 5am to grit the county’s road network.

Read more:

• Ripon company supplies gritters for London’s roads

• Council to reject 42 requests for extra gritting despite warnings

Harrogate Borough Council Conservative councillor for Marston Moor Norman Waller has died.

Cllr Waller, who was 67, represented the ward since 2018 when he won the seat by over 800 votes. The ward includes the villages Tockwith, Cattal and Bilton-in-Ainsty.

He sat on several council committees and was also a former chair of Tockwith Agricultural Show.

A council spokesperson said:

“It is with great sadness to hear of the passing of councillor Norman Waller.

“Councillor Waller was a respected and admired councillor who represented the Tockwith ward for almost four years and served on licensing committee, general purposes committee and the overview and scrutiny commission, as well Tockwith and Wilstrop Parish Council as parish councillor.

“We offer our deepest condolences and sympathy to Councillor Waller’s family during this difficult time.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Philip Broadbank added:

“Norman was fair-minded and well respected throughout the Tockwith community where he had been involved in many local groups and the parish council for many years.

“We were very sorry to hear about his sad death and our thoughts are with his wife and family at this difficult time. “He was always approachable and treated people fairly even if they had differing opinions on issues than the ones he held.”

Read more:

• Council predicts loss-making Brierley Group will return to profit
• Harrogate hospital trust appoints new board chair

There will be an election for Cllr Waller’s seat in May. The seat will be part of the new shadow council that will serve until April 2023 when the new North Yorkshire Council is formed.

The Ministry of Defence has revealed plans to upgrade RAF Menwith Hill as part of a £2.8 billion project to improve United States military bases in the UK.

Last week, the MOD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation appointed a consortium of building consultants, Mace, Turner & Townsend and Atkins, as a delivery partner for building works at RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The works are part of the United States Visiting Forces Infrastructure Programme.

An MOD spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the aim of the programme was to provide a base for American F-35 fighter jets at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk and to further support the US Air Force presence in the UK, which includes at RAF Menwith Hill on the outskirts of Harrogate.

As part of the programme, which will be paid for by the US government, various buildings at the base will be replaced or improved. The contract with Mace, Turner & Townsend and Atkins, could also be extended to eight years.

In response to a question this week from Leeds North West Labour MP Alex Sobel, the government revealed the works at Menwith Hill will cost $40m.

Steve Rix, programme director at the MOD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said it would help the US military “execute missions” from the UK.

Read more:

• Menwith Hill involved in ‘significant number’ of deadly US drone strikes

• Upset and anger at plans to remove MP’s memorial tree at Menwith Hill

Built in the 1950s, Menwith Hill is one of the United States’ largest overseas surveillance bases. Giant radomes, or ‘golf balls’, are a distinctive feature of the 500-acre site

A campaign group has called the planned upgrades at RAF Menwith Hill “of concern”.

Martin Schweiger, a spokesperson for the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign, said: 

“The news that a large contract is being let for substantial upgrades to the infrastructure at Menwith Hill is of concern. The specification of the upgrades has not, so far, been made available to the public.

“There is now a substantial and growing US military boot print across the UK that ties our military activity to what we are directed to do.

“The upgrades make it plain that this military occupation is set to continue for a long time into the future”.

Planning permission has been granted to convert the former covid vaccine centre and Lidl supermarket in Knaresborough into a gym.

The Lidl on York Road closed in 2018 when the supermarket relocated to a larger site nearby.

In February 2021, the site was taken over by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which administered thousands of covid jabs from a building in the car park until it moved in September to larger premises on Knaresborough’s Chain Lane.

Planning consultants Lichfields said it was not able to say which gym operator will be moving into the building at this stage.

Knaresborough is currently served by a variety of gyms, including Black Wolf Fitness, XS Fitness Club and Red Strength.

Read more:

• Closure of Boroughbridge High School sixth form to be discussed this week
• Pedestrianisation of Knaresborough’s Market Place up for debate

Harrogate Borough Council is set to bring forward part of its redevelopment of the town’s convention centre over fears it may lose £475,000 in bookings.

A report due before the council’s cabinet next week will recommend setting aside £2.8 million from its reserves to accelerate creating “breakout rooms” in studio 2.

Paula Lorimer, director of the convention centre, said previously that bringing the studio part of the project forward needed to be a priority as it would be a “game changer”.

The work to studio 2 will include the creation of seminar rooms to cater for up to 1,200 people. Currently, the studio only caters for 570 delegates, which can deter some organisations from booking.

The work for studio 2 is now expected to be considered as a standalone project, while approval for the wider first phase of the project is likely to return before councillors at a later date.

The report to councillors says:

“If the studio 2 package is not ready by April 2023, the potential negative impact on the HCC order book would be significant.

“It is highly likely that the contracted events for the period 2023/24 would be lost, as without studio 2 these conferences would exceed the current breakout capacity of the venue.”

£12.9m hit to local economy

The council estimates that if the acceleration of studio 2 is not approved then the authority faces a loss in income of £475,000 and an associated economic impact on the district as a whole of £12.9 million.

This is because events for the convention centre are often booked 18 months in advance.

Read more:

• No final decision on HCC investment until 2022, says council
• Harrogate Convention Centre boss warns big events ‘at risk’ unless £47m refurbishment is accelerated

Ms Lorimer told a cabinet meeting in December 2021 that there was a “strong case” to bring the studio project forward.

She said:

“We are lucky to have one of the largest and most gorgeous auditoriums in the country with just over 1,900 seats, but we only have breakout space for 570 people.

“These larger conference rooms that we are hoping to have in studio 2 will mean we will attract much larger conferences.

“We therefore believe there is a very strong case to accelerate this part of the project.”

The remainder of the project has yet to receive a final go-ahead from councillors and could cost up to £47 million over three phases if approved.

Other plans as part of the project could involve three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 sq m hall and a refurbished auditorium.

Around £20 million would be needed to complete a first phase of redevelopment, with another phase later.

Pharmall Country Store in Killinghall has urged dog owners not to bring their pets into the shop due to a mystery virus.

There have been widespread reports of vomiting and diarrhoea affecting dogs across Yorkshire, including in Harrogate, in recent weeks.

The shop on Otley Road, which sells pet food and animal supplies, posted on its Facebook page yesterday that it has made the decision to reduce the chance of the virus spreading.

It said:

Read more:

• Harrogate vet sees big rise in dogs with mystery illness

• Charity Corner: Masham charity on its ‘vocation’ to save dogs

The Harrogate Vet, on Leeds Road, told the Stray Ferret this month that its vets had seen a three-fold increase in dogs with gastroenteritis.

Sarah Woods, one of the vets at the practice, said:

“It is not unusual for viruses to spread but this is different in terms of the sheer number of unwell dogs we are treating — around a dozen a day.

“We do not want dog owners to panic or change anything they are doing.

“Dogs that have symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea just need to avoid popular areas to prevent the spread.”