Harrogate Archives - Page 355 of 783

Harrogate head torn between ‘head and heart’ over teacher strike

A Harrogate headteacher has said he is torn between his head and heart over this week’s teacher strike.

Children in years seven to 10 and year 12 at Harrogate Grammar School will study remotely from home on Wednesday when the first of four days of planned industrial action take place.

Pupils in years 11 and 13 will attend school as usual and have lessons if teachers are not striking.

Speaking on the BBC News channel today, headteacher Neil Renton said half of the school’s 115 staff belonged to the National Education Union, whose members had balloted in favour of the strikes.

Mr Renton said that as head he was keen to ensure the school stayed open but at the same time he could see the issues teachers faced and he therefore had conflicting emotions between his head and heart.

He said “there are just not enough teachers out there” and added one recent vacancy for an English teacher at the 2,000-pupil school attracted just one application.

Mr Renton, who said the union he belonged to would not be on strike this week, said too many teachers were leaving the profession. He added:

“If this continues and we are not able to work with government and ministers to create an education for the future I would, as an educator, want to take steps to make sure we make a much brighter education for our children.”

RHS Harlow Carr to pay Harrogate council to divert footpath

Harrogate Borough Council has accepted an undisclosed sum to allow a footpath to be diverted at RHS Garden Harlow Carr.

The horticultural charity wants to divert the public right of way as part of wider plans for its Harrogate site. They include converting the former Harrogate Arms into a café and felling 33 trees to restore historic views.

A report to the council’s Cabinet this week says the local authority has accepted a sum, as landowner, to amend the route — however, the amount has not been released to the public.

The Conservative-controlled council is expected to ratify the decision on Wednesday.

The report says the ” relatively minor alteration” will be on land outside that presently leased to the RHS on which the footpath currently runs.

It adds:

“The RHS want the public right of way relocated in order to facilitate their preferred redevelopment scheme for the former Harrogate Arms public house which will create additional catering and teaching facilities on the site, relocation of the public right of way enables greater integration of this asset with their existing facilities.

“This represents an opportunity to generate an unplanned capital receipt which is financially beneficial and economically advantageous to the council.

“Should the opportunity be missed there is very little alternative potential to generate a similar payment for land in this area. This land offers no identifiable potential for long term capital appreciation aside from the current opportunity presented.”

RHS Harlow Carr public right of way footpath

The existing footpath

The new footpath

The report adds the public right of way will still be accessible from Crag Lane to Cardale Woodland and the changes will improve the footpath for walkers once work is complete.

It says the decision is “separate” to other RHS planning applications for the site but adds:

“Refusal could curtail RHS’ plans to develop a property (the former Harrogate Arms public house) that is currently derelict and which has been vacant for a number of years.”

Andrew Willoughby, footpath secretary of Harrogate Group of Ramblers, said it did not object to the proposal. He added:

“In order to incorporate the old Harrogate Arms pub building into the RHS Harlow Carr garden site means moving the footpath away from the old car park at the front of the building, and walking around the back of the pub instead.

“The path will then drop towards the beck and cross on a new bridge before continuing through the woods as it presently does. It won’t be the same, but I don’t think it will be any less convenient for people to walk on.”

Police seek hit and run driver after scooter rider hurt in Harrogate

Police are appealing for information after a crash in Harrogate in which a vehicle failed to stop.

North Yorkshire Police said this morning a black Lambretta scooter and a red 4×4 style vehicle were involved in a crash between 9.45am and 10am on on Saturday.

It occurred on Skipton Road near the Empress roundabout.

A police statement said:

“The red vehicle failed to stop at the scene and continued towards the Empress roundabout.

“The rider of the scooter suffered injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.”

It urged witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage or information to come forward.

You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC1282 BURGESS. You can also email 001282@northyorkshire.police.uk.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230016678.

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly scores four in Women’s FA Cup

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly continued her fantastic form when she scored four goals for Aston Villa Women in the Women’s FA Cup yesterday.

Villa cruised to an 11-0 win over AFC Fylde to reach the last 16 of the competition.

England star Daly, who started her career with Killinghall Nomads, opened the scoring in the second minute and added a second as her side went 6-0 up after 25 minutes.

She was denied a 13-minute hat-trick when her penalty was saved but still notched a couple more after the interval.

Daly, who played as a defender during England Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory last year, is having a remarkable first season in the West Midlands since her summer transfer from Houston Dash.

Playing up front, she is along with Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw the joint highest scorer in the Women’s Super League with nine in 11 matches — which doesn’t include her FA Cup goals.

She has twice been named Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Month this season.

The draw for the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup takes place at 6.30pm tonight on the BBC’s Sportsday show on the BBC news channel and BBC iPlayer.

Business Breakfast: Knaresborough house developer appoints new director

The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. The event will be a celebratory night with prize draw and afterparty.

Richard Flinton, the chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council is the guest speaker. Early bird ticket prices are available until February 9 and available to buy here. Bring your team, network and have fun.

A Knaresborough-based housing developer has appointed a new director to its senior team.

Matthew Gibson has been promoted to land director at Wharfedale Homes.

Mr Gibson joined the firm in 2021 and had been working as land manager within the company.

Previously he has worked with leading listed property companies Barratt Homes, Avant Homes and McCarthy and Stone.

John Edwards, managing director of Wharfedale Homes, said:

“Since he joined us, Matt has been integral to our continued growth and it is testament to his hard work that he has earned this promotion.

“His new role will help us grow our pipeline of sites and increase the number of completed homes we deliver each year.”

Mr Gibson added:

“I’m really excited to head up the land and planning function and provide strategic input as the company successfully navigates through the ever changing political and planning environment.”

Harrogate firm expands legal team

(Left to right) Brittany Dyer, Lisa Russell, Emma Weatherill, Neil Dring and Kate Banerjee.

Harrogate law firm Jones Myers has expanded its team with the appointment of a new children law paralegal.

Brittany Dyer has joined the company to work within its children’s department.

It follows the appointment of Neil Dring, who was brought in to head the Harrogate office on Victoria Avenue.

Ms Dyer said:

“Jones Myers is a niche and highly respected family law firm which leads the way in areas including international child abduction and is at the forefront of new areas of law.

“I am very much looking forward to being part of a talented team who are acknowledged leaders in their field.”

Kate Banerjee, partner at Jones Myers, said:

“The reputation of our Department continues to attract clients on a regional, national, and international scale.

“We are delighted to welcome Brittany to our growing team as we continue to further develop and expand our bespoke services.”

Stray Views: Lib Dems should reconsider proportional representation stance

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

In reference to the story on changing voting systems, has Cllr Chris Aldred seriously considered the implications of proportional representation?

I realise the aim is to try and reduce political conflicts, but parties all have different policy aims making agreement difficult. Compromises often are the worst of both. He forgets in countries with proportional representation it can take months for a government to be formed, Germany being an ideal example.

I believe it should be mandatory to vote in elections, also postal votes should be an exception and not the norm

There is no perfect solution and no doubt whatever changes are made there will still be dissenters.

Catherine Alderson, Harrogate

Councillor should be allowed alderman status

From the reports of the council meeting on December 14^th it is clear to me that the councillors attending had not been apprised of all the facts and they were not interested in questioning the report or hearing the real facts.

I have observed at numerous planning committee meetings of over a period of 28 years, that Cllr Pat Marsh always read and assessed accurately plans put before her.

She addressed persons present in planning meetings to ask necessary questions, courteously and to the point, at very many planning committee hearings at which I was present.

She has served the residents in her ward without fear or favour for some 32 years and should therefore be eligible to become an alderman.

In fact, there is no limit to the number of long serving councillors who are eligible to become Aldermen.

Rosemary Carnaghan, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Refurbished church aims to meet needs of growing Killinghall community

A community building is set to reopen in Killinghall next weekend after a £248,000 refurbishment.

Killinghall Methodist Church has made the investment to help it meet the needs of the village’s growing community.

As well as providing a more modern space, it has reduced the building’s carbon footprint, as part of the Methodist aim to achieve net zero status.

Rev Ron Hicks from the church said:

“It’s becoming an eco-friendly church building. There’s air source heat pumps, and solar panels on the roof.

“Internally we have reconfigured the worship area, taken bits of the partitioning out and opened it up to be one big place for the community to use.”

The first chapel on the Ripon Road site was built in 1793, and its foundation stone still remains in the present building, which was built as a school in 1937. In 1973 the original chapel was demolished and the school room was refurbished, with an extension built around the same time.

The latest work has seen a new kitchen installed along with new windows, carpets, heating, insulation and a cycle rack. The building has also been redecorated.

Before and after photos inside Killinghall Methodist Church

It has been funded by Methodist Church sources, along with a grant of almost £100,000 from the FCC Communities Foundation, a not-for-profit business that awards grants through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Additional money was provided by the Benefact Trust and the Congregational and General Charitable Trust.

Rev Hicks said:

“Now, we’re into the next phase of the building’s life.

“It’s a really good congregation of all ages, from youngsters through to people in their 30s and 40s, right through to much older.

“Upgrading the facilities now is important because there are people coming in who are new to the village. We want a modern building that suits their needs.”

The church is also set to become home to a new community cafe run by Resurrected Bites.

The food waste organisation will open its third pay-as-you-feel cafe this spring, using food that would otherwise go to landfill to deliver a menu of breakfasts, lunches, cakes and drinks.

Founder Michelle Hayes said:

“We hope it will be the perfect opportunity for people to congregate and get to know other people from Killinghall.

“We are hoping to find someone to run a great toddler group on Thursday mornings as we are particularly concerned about loneliness for stay-at-home parents or carers. The café will also be a nice venue for people working from home to have their lunch and a chat with people.”

Resurrected Bites is seeking a cafe manager for the new venue. The paid role of eight hours a week involves an hour of prep on a Wednesday and seven hours leading the team on Thursdays.

Volunteers are also being recruited to help prepare, serve and clear away in the cafe each week.

For more information, email Heather Memmott at Resurrected Bites.

An official reopening of the church will be held on Saturday, February 4, from 1pm to 3pm, when the community will have the chance to look at the new facilities.

Harrogate firefighters respond to 2am hair straightener call

Harrogate firefighters were called out in the early hours of this morning to a report of a female locked out of her home where a pair of hair straighteners had been left turned on.

Fearing the straighteners could catch fire, the crew managed to get into the house via a first floor bedroom window — and discovered no straighteners had in fact been left turned on.

The call to the house on Hookstone Avenue came at 2.06am.

Earlier, firefighters from Knaresborough were called to a small fire in the open on Castlegate at 6.39pm.

They located the fire, which consisted of books and paper, and extinguished it using buckets of water.

New exhibition at Mercer shows work of artists with disabilities

The Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate has launched a new exhibition of pieces by local artists living with disabilities.

The World Through Our Eyes features pieces created over the last year by “differently able” artists working with Harrogate-based Artizan International.

The registered charity supports people with disabilities in the UK and in the developing world, through therapeutic arts and crafts workshops, training and social enterprise.

Liz Cluderay, Artizan’s UK director, said:

“Adults living with disabilities in our community have the potential to develop their creativity at Artizan, through our programme of arts and crafts activities, we aim to reduce loneliness and support mental health and increase general wellbeing.”

Artizan hold arts and crafts workshops every day from its town centre premises, overseen and guided by local artists helping to develop their skills and experience of different art mediums.

Hannah Alderson, who is studying at Harrogate College for an MA in Creative Practice, helped to curate the exhibition. She said:

“We’re not just holding the art sessions for the sake of it – our artists are all making real progress and becoming very accomplished in a range of mediums and techniques.

“This is really about the adults with additional needs and celebrating the quality of their work. It just goes to show that they are just as able to create fantastic pieces of art as anyone else.”

The artists, whose disabilities range from visual impairments to learning disabilities, have selected their best pieces of work for the exhibition, which opened on Saturday.

The World Through Our Eyes will run for six weeks at the Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate. There will also be a private viewing, with the chance to speak with Artizan members, on Sunday, February 5, from 4.15 to 5.15pm.

Hot Seat: the youthful councillor leading transport in North Yorkshire

Keane Duncan is only 28 but he has already packed a lot into his political career.

At 19 he was selected as a Conservative candidate for election on to Ryedale District Council. The following year he was elected and at 24 he became council leader.

At 22, he became the youngest ever North Yorkshire county councillor and after being re-elected in May last year he was appointed executive member for highways and transportation — the most high profile role on the executive besides the leader. Criticism — often fierce — is part of the brief.

He says:

“The role I have got right now has been the biggest political challenge I’ve had. We cover an area five times the size of Greater London.

“Everybody has got an opinion on transport and everybody wants to express it. It is difficult to switch off because I feel very heavily the weight of responsibility that I’ve got.

“But it’s my home area. North Yorkshire is where I’m born and bred and an area that I want to do everything I can to improve.”

The role includes oversight of major schemes including the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway, the £70 million realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill, introducing a Harrogate park and ride and the headache-inducing Otley Road cycle route.

He became the youngest ever North Yorkshire county councillor at the age of 22.

Cllr Duncan, who was born in Malton in Ryedale, has also got six other districts besides Harrogate to worry about, not to mention countywide problems such as potholes and trying to prevent a mass cull of bus services at the end of March.

Councillors aren’t paid but they do receive allowances. Cllr Duncan currently receives a basic allowance of £10,316 per year plus £15,939 for his executive portfolio. These sums are set to rise to £15,500 and £19,554 respectively when North Yorkshire County Council is replaced by North Yorkshire Council on April 1.

When he isn’t on council duty he works as deputy news editor of the Daily Star, writing recently about everything from a monster python attacking a child to the death of former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev — who left power before Cllr Duncan was born.

He says:

“I work full-time in my journalism role and I would say I work full-time plus in my executive role so there is a lot of pressure. It does take a lot of time but I’m committed to my council duties.”

‘I believe in Conservative principles’

Cllr Duncan, a keen gym-goer, was the most eye-catching appointment to leader Carl Les’ 10-person executive, which is effectively his Cabinet, not least because he was 45 years younger than his predecessor Don Mackenzie.

During our interview, Cllr Duncan gave updates on the Otley Road cycle route and the gateway but we also wanted to know what has driven him since his teens to pursue politics so vigorously and what kind of Conservative he is. Even his degree is in politics. He says:

“Fundamentally I believe in Conservative principles — that is people taking responsibility, low taxes, everything you would expect from a Conservative.

“I do think I look at things slightly differently to some of my colleagues. That is maybe a result of being from a younger generation but I have always been prepared to make my own mind up on things. That isn’t always easy but I have done this for eight years through university and all my working life so far.

“I enjoy being a councillor and serving the public and for people who aren’t involved in local politics that’s difficult to explain and articulate. But it’s something I can’t imagine not having in my life.”

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for access at North Yorkshire County Council.

Pictured in Harrogate

Here’s what he had to say on the key local transport issues.

Kex Gill start ‘imminent’

Realigning the landslip-hit A59 at Kex Gill is “the most ambitious highways capital project that the county council has ever embarked on”, says Cllr Duncan.

Work has been delayed many times but the scheme is due to start any day. He said it was a deceptively complex project:

“On a map it looks very simple but we know there are all the engineering challenges this scheme presents. But we are committed to delivering this scheme.”

‘More comprehensive’ active travel schemes

The council’s commitment to active travel has been questioned by Harrogate District Cycle Action after Cllr Duncan indicated the second phase of the Otley Road cycle route won’t proceed.

Other cycling schemes on Beech Grove and Victoria Avenue in Harrogate have failed to progress, along with another scheme for Harrogate Road in Knaresborough.

It seems they may now be shelved too as wider, more ambitious plans are drawn up after the council submits a bid to the fourth round of funding by Active Travel England, which funded the schemes.

He said:

“We are progressing on those schemes but there’s the prospect of further funding in active travel round four and there might be a case for using funding we have already secured and funding we might secure in that round to deliver much more comprehensive active travel schemes in the future. So we are really just waiting to see the outcomes of that.

“We are looking to improve those corridors but there might be more comprehensive things we can do in those locations but they would require further funding so we are working closely with Active Travel England, discussing our plans and proposals, and they are saying ‘don’t deliver a scheme just because you have funding for that element of a scheme, take a step back and look at the bigger picture and if you need further funding to deliver a more comprehensive scheme then we want to work with you to provide that’.”

Speaking at County Hall in Northallerton

Park and ride location uncertain

The council previously said it had identified two possible sites for a park and ride in Pannal on land near Pannal Golf Club and the Buttersyke Bar roundabout south of the village.

These were identified as they connect to the 36 bus service which runs between Harrogate, Ripon and Leeds on the A61.

But it seems this too is under review. Asked about the Pannal options, Cllr Duncan said:

“As far as I’m concerned that is one of many sites that have been explored so I wouldn’t want to rule anything in or out at this stage but certainly work is ongoing at this stage in the hope that we can get a positive outcome from it.

“I’m open minded about that and want to wait and see the outcomes of the analysis we are doing. I have not yet had confirmation as to when this is expected to conclude.”

Buses face ‘cliff edge’

Although funding for the 24 service between Pateley Bridge and Harrogate was secured for another year this week, Cllr Duncan says 79 services in North Yorkshire are at risk of reduced frequency of service or ceasing altogether.

D-Day is fast approaching. He says:

“Passenger numbers are 80% of where they were before the covid pandemic on average.

“Operating costs and staffing costs have increased significantly and that has created this perfect storm. The scale of that challenge will far exceed the £1.6m of subsidy we set aside every year which has been the case since 2016.

“The cliff edge moment is going to be March when the central government funding comes to an end. But when the people of North Yorkshire are for whatever reason not using buses, it wouldn’t be right to then ask the public to pay more to subsidise services they are not using. That is not sustainable.

“The only real way forward is passengers. Passengers are the key to this problem and we need people to use buses.”

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Harrogate firm expands legal team

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Councillor should be allowed alderman status

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‘I believe in Conservative principles’

Kex Gill start ‘imminent’

‘More comprehensive’ active travel schemes

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Park and ride location uncertain

Buses face ‘cliff edge’