This live blog of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is proudly sponsored by Boundless Networks – delivering quality broadband connectivity at a reasonable cost to homes and businesses in the Harrogate district.

The sun is out as four days of jubilee celebrations get underway in the Harrogate district today.

The Stray Ferret will be covering the festivities and the fun, the street parties and the ceremonies over the next four days in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham, and the villages in between.

We want to hear what’s happening in your town, village or city so email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will add it to the blog.

5.24pm: Will it stay dry for tonight’s beacons?

It’s been a warm and sunny opening day to the jubilee celebrations but it is clouding over.

Beacons are due to be lit across the Harrogate district tonight, with most occurring at 9.45pm. According to the BBC weather forecast for Harrogate, some rain is possible.

Spofforth Castle, Ripon Market Square,  Almscliffe Crag in North Rigton, the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, Kirkby Malzeard and Roomer Common in Masham are among the locations taking part.

So too is Knaresborough Castle, where Tamsin from the Stray Ferret will be among the onlookers.

4.35pm: Spofforth hosts children’s party

Fresh from his trip to Blubberhouses, our reporter Tom has been to Spofforth to witness today’s jubilee activities.

You can read his full account here.

4.17pm: Great and the good attend Ripon Cathedral’s civic event

Julian Smith MP

Harry Gration

North Yorkshire dignitaries gathered at Ripon Cathedral today for a service in honour of the Queen.

Those attending included the Archbishop of York, Ripon MP Julian Smith, Grantley Hall owner Valeria Sykes and former Look North presenter Harry Gration.

You can read our Ripon reporter Tim’s full account here.

3.58pm: Human plant pots in Harrogate town centre

Last year there was fake grass in Harrogate town centre — now there are human plant pots. And they’re certainly proving more popular with visitors, who posed for photos alongside them. It’s all part of the jubilee fun. Send us your jubilee pictures to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

3.27pm: First street party underway in Pannal Ash

Most street parties are on Sunday but the residents of Castle Hill Glade in Pannal Ash thought today might be a more family-friendly day and, judging by the weather forecast, they may have chosen the right day

Rachel Baskin (pictured far left), who applied for the street closure, told us the party idea evolved from covid, when residents living on the cul-de-sac would have socially distanced meetings on Thursdays.

There’s also an informal group called Ladies of Glade, who meet a glass of wine each week.

Residents in nearby streets are bringing their own teas and sitting outside together to enjoy the occasion.

2.55pm: Bilton’s Party on the Pitch proves a hit

People are pouring into Bilton Cricket Club’s free Party on the Pitch event, which runs until 9pm.

We’ve just been down and there is a wonderful atmosphere, which shows there is a great community spirit in Bilton and a thirst for get togethers like this since the demise of Bilton Gala on May Day.

There’s a barbecue, live music and plenty for children to do. People are just rocking up and having a picnic on the pitch.

Matt Thomas, cricket secretary, estimated about 1,000 people were there an hour ago and the number is growing. He added:

“It’s a great opportunity for the local community to get together and have fun.”

There is a collection for Yorkshire Air Ambulance — a cause dear to the club’s heart after a player had a heart attack on the pitch at an away game last year.

1.20pm: Jubilee shenanigans on Harrogate’s Beulah Street

It’s not every day you wander along Beulah Street and see people dressed like this belting out Land of Hope and Glory. But that’s what the jubilee does to you. It’s that kind of weekend.

What’s happening out in Bilton, Starbeck and Jennyfields, or in Pateley Bridge? Wherever you are in the Harrogate district we want to receive your jubilee news and images. Email us and we will add them to this live blog.

1.12pm: Live music all day in Ripon 

Among those early to arrive on Market Square was four-year-old Aylar and her mum Susannah (pictured), who were blowing bubbles as the free entertainment started on stage with Lily Worth.

Lily sang a selection of songs from musicals, including the Greatest Showman. There is free live music all day in Ripon’s Market Square.

Meanwhile, a giant TV screen next to Ripon Town Hall linked the city to Horseguards Parade in London, where the Trooping the Colour ceremony, broadcast live on the BBC, marked the Queen’s official birthday.

Lily Worth on stage in Ripon today.

The big screen.

1.01pm: Blubberhouses flower festival tells Queen’s story

Our reporter Tom has been to Blubberhouses, where a jubilee-themed flower festival is underway.

You can visit it at St Andrew’s Church in Blubberhouses, just past Fewston Reservoir off the A59, from 11am to 4pm every day over the four-day weekend.

Further details are here.

12.26pm: Bishop leads county service of celebration 

Ripon is pulling out the stops this weekend with activities galore, and Ripon Cathedral is at the heart of things. The Bishop of Ripon has tweeted about a service she led this morning.

https://twitter.com/HartleyHAM/status/1532321794765488128

12.05pm: Ripon mum wins Bettys Jubilee Bake Off 

Ripon mum Lori Hendry (pictured holding the cake) has beaten three other shortlisted bakers to win the Bettys Jubilee Bake Off.

Lori’s Victoria sponge decorated with red, white and blue icing adorned with a crown and Union Jack flags wowed the judges. You can read more here.

11.10am: Free rides, entertainment and face painting in Valley Gardens

Free events are taking place in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens until 6pm. It’s very much a family occasion: kids can meet Elsa, Batman and Cinderella (pictured above), ride on the runaway train, climb a wall, jump on a bungee trampoline, watch jugglers — all for free.

Elsewhere in Harrogate, on a section of the Stray, which has been renamed Jubilee Square, people can watch a big screen of the BBC coverage of the jubilee.

10.27am: Recycling depots open as usual

North Yorkshire County Council tweets that its household recycling centres are open as normal this bank holiday weekend.

All our household waste recycling centres are open, as usual, from 8.30am to 5pm, throughout the Queen's #PlatinumJubilee bank holiday weekend.

Find your nearest site and what items you can take athttps://t.co/llRAH0z30s pic.twitter.com/rASZiF1jhk

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) June 2, 2022

9.32am: Bishop Monkton choir starts the jubilee weekend

Bishop Monkton kicked off the jubilee weekend last night a community concert given by a choir developed on Zoom during the pandemic.

The choir entertained an audience of 120 in the village hall with a show titled Seven Decades of Song, featuring music from the 1940s to the present day. The concert included hits from musicals like Oklahoma and the Sound of Music as well as more recent numbers from Leonard Cohen and Gary Barlow.

The choir grew out of the village’s Singing for Fun group, which had started just before the pandemic and which kept going through the covid lockdowns by meeting on Zoom. The show included a live rendition of a song called Lockdown, written during covid by the village’s jubilee queen, Pauline Beecroft, to the tune of the Petula Clark 1960s hit Downtown.

The concert ended with the singing of Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory and the National Anthem.

Thanks to Colin Philpott for sending us this jubilee news in Bishop Monkton. What’s happening where you are? Message us your jubilee news and pictures at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

8.52am: Free music all day in Ripon

The stage is set in Ripon for the biggest royal party of the ancient city’s long history. Lily Worth will kick off a day of free music at 10.30am and she will be followed by Ripon’s own talented singer-songwriter Freddie Cleary.

Later, tribute acts will sing the songs of Stevie Wonder, Cilla Black, George Michael, the Everly Brothers and Katherine Jenkins. For nostalgia lovers, there will be wartime songs of Vera Lynn and others from 4.50pm.

Organisers Ripon City Council are hoping that the blue skies that have started the day will remain over the town hall and stage facing onto Market Square, where large crowds are anticipated.

8.45am: Stray Ferret journalists set to hit the road 

Tim will be in Ripon all day and for the lighting of the beacon.

Tom plans to head to Blubberhouses and Spofforth

John will be in and around Harrogate

Tamsin will be in Knaresborough for tonight’s beacon lighting.

Say hello if you see us in our Stray Ferret hats and please send us your photos to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will do our best to upload them on to our blog throughout the day.

A Ripon mum has baked a cake judged to be fit for a Queen as part of the Bettys Jubilee Bake Off.

Lori Hendry beat three other shortlisted bakers with a Victoria sponge decorated with red, white and blue icing adorned with a crown and Union Jack flags.

Ann Hedges, food and nutrition teacher at St Aidan’s, Paul Farr, food and drink director at Bettys, and Lisa Benninson, development chef and Bettys Cookery School teacher, judged the final on Wednesday, June 1.

Ms Benninson thanked the shortlist of Lori Hendry, Irene Threadgold, Louise Winter and Edward Lee for baking their cakes and said it was tough to pick out an overall winner.

The moment Lori (centre) found out she had won.

The three judges deliberated for around half an hour and assessed each cake against the criteria Bettys uses to test all of its new products.

Delighted with the win and prize of a course of her choice at Bettys Cookery School, Ms Hendry told the Stray Ferret:

“I am feeling shocked to be honest, really shocked. I didn’t expect to win it at all. I am very chuffed.

“I first got into baking because I started baking for the kids really. When you have three kids you always need a cake on the go!”

Read more:

• Harrogate district jubilee celebrations begin
• Carnival coming to Harrogate as part of summer programme

Paul Farr, food and drink director at Bettys, said:

“I’ve been in the industry for nearly 40 years but when you are judging you need to be able to pull on all of your experience and your honest appraisal on products.

“There was a high standard so it comes down to those fine points of difference that makes a cake stand out from being really good to being the winner.”

(Left to right) Louise Winter, Irene Threadgold and Lori Hendry. Edward Lee could not make it but his cake is second in from the left.

Ann Hedges, food and nutrition teacher at St Aidans, said:

“It was a real privilege to be part of the judging process. With so many potential winners, I think everybody brought something slightly different to the competition.

“For me it was fantastic to see people’s skill level. We had the cake making, meringue making, the piping. All of those skills are an art at the end of the day. We were very lucky to be able to judge that art.”

Lisa Benninson, development chef and Bettys Cookery School teacher, said:

“I thought it was really great. As chefs and bakers it is always a treat when somebody else makes a cake. It was a really nice thing to do to judge a cake competition fit for a Queen on the Platinum Jubilee.

“We had lots of different flavour combinations. We had a rose and pistachio, lots of Victoria sponges. There was a close finish but it was about attention to detail in the end – and that’s Bettys motto.”

The shortlisted cakes

Lori Hendry’s winning cake (Left) with Edward Lee’s cake.

Louise Winter’s cake (Left) with Irene Threadgold’s cake.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has been named in a Daily Mail article today about Conservative MPs plotting to oust Boris Johnson.

Mr Jones has told constituents asking about partygate that his “anger is not going to lessen”.

His also said:

“I understand the anger people feel. I feel it too. Most of all I feel intensely depressed that senior people in our political system have pretended, or somehow genuinely believed, that tables groaning with bottles of wine, as we have now seen pictured, were in some way allowed work practices.”

But Mr Jones has not called for the Prime Minister to resign and has not revealed whether he has submitted a letter calling for a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the backbench 1922 committee. Fifty-four Tory MPs must do so to trigger a leadership contest.

Mr Jones has declined to respond to questions about the matter from the Stray Ferret.

Nevertheless the Daily Mail includes him in a list of 41 Conservative MPs in an article about Tory ‘plotters’.

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP tells constituent he feels ‘anger’ over partygate
• Andrew Jones MP says Harrogate and Knaresborough train cuts’a bad mistake’

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy is also named, along with former Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom and former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis.

The article claims the ‘rebels’ could get enough support for a confidence vote next week.

It quotes Home Secretary Priti Patel urging them to “concentrate on doing our jobs” rather than creating a “distraction”.

She adds:

“Writing letters is a sideshow, quite frankly, rather than focusing on the real challenges that we have to find solutions to.’

“Our job is to deliver on the people’s priorities. They won’t thank the Conservative Party for talking about itself at a time when people have anxieties, concerns, apprehensions. Our job is deliver for them.’

Rail campaigner Brian Dunsby has said he is “optimistic” that the 6.07am Harrogate train to Leeds could be reinstated sooner than expected.

Mr Dunsby, of the Harrogate Line Supporters Group, met officials from rail operator Northern last week.

The cuts, which came into force on May 15 and have also affected services across Yorkshire, led to widespread disappointment from commuters.

The early service from Harrogate was popular with business travellers as a way to get not only to Leeds but also to London King’s Cross before 9am.

However, Northern has maintained the cuts are necessary.

Read more:

• Harrogate commuters frustrated as early trains axed today
• Northern to continue with Harrogate train cuts despite pressure from MP

Mr Dunsby and the group’s chairman, Andrew Whitworth, met with senior Northern officials Tony Baxter and Pete Myers to discuss the changes to the timetable.

Following the meeting, Mr Dunsby said:

“I am optimistic that the 6.07am early morning service from Harrogate to Leeds will be reinstated as soon as the threatened industrial action has been settled.

“Failing that happening in quarter three then I am confident that December 2022 will see the reinstatement of the original December 2021 timetable if all else is going to plan.”

Members of the RMT union, which includes Northern employees, voted to strike over pay last week with industrial action expected to take place this month.

Tony Baxter, regional director at Northern, said previously:

“The new timetables are designed to deliver high levels of reliability.

“We’ve made decisions about our timetables based on the levels of resource we have available.

“We’ve then prioritised the routes with the highest customer demand, and which support the region’s economic growth.”

This article is sponsored by Boundless Networks

Jubilee excitement is increasing across the district ahead of the start of four days of celebration tomorrow,

This weekend will see street parties galore as neighbours and friends come together to commemorate the Queen’s 70-year reign.

Keep us updated on what you’re doing via contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

4.40pm: 28 street parties in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire County Council has issued orders preventing traffic from entering 28 streets in the Harrogate district over the jubilee weekend.

Most orders are for Sunday, which is the main day for street parties, but there are some for Friday and Saturday.

Remember, many of these events are for residents living on the streets to enjoy so if you don’t live on the street check with the organisers before you attend.

3.56pm: Motorway works in Yorkshire paused for jubilee

Good news if you’re planning to head out on the motorways, including the A1(M) in the Harrogate district, over the next four days.

National Highways, the government-owned company that maintains the motorways, has halted most roadworks.

We’re lifting almost 1000 miles of roadworks ahead of the #Jubilee bank holiday weekend, meaning that 98% of our network will be roadwork free.
Information on the planned closures that are still going ahead can be found here:https://t.co/ytYaVU0s8b#WeAreWorkingForYou pic.twitter.com/UR06U0JHOP

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) June 1, 2022

1.30pm: Jubilee celebrations begin in Bilton

A jubilee celebration took place this morning at the weekly coffee morning Thirst, held at Dene Park Community Centre in Woodfield and organised by St John’s Church in Bilton.

12.09pm: Weather forecast good – except for Sunday

There won’t be too much sunbathing but at least it will be mainly dry, although the forecast for Sunday doesn’t look great for the street parties.

10.15am: Preparations in place in Ripon

Preparations are also in place in Ripon ahead of the platinum jubilee celebrations tomorrow.

A road closure will be in place around Market Square in readiness for the stage where 24 acts will be performing.

Meanwhile, red, white and blue flags are flying in Kirkgate and across the city centre.

Ripon Cathedral is decked out in finery for tomorrow’s civic service. It will also host jubilee tea party on Friday afternoon with people born in every year of the Queen’s reign in attendance.

Dean John Dobson told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s going to be very busy few days, but everybody is looking forward to this special celebration.”

10am – Fresh bunting on West Park Stray

Fresh bunting has been put up this morning on West Park Stray as excitement builds up for the jubilee.

Preparations for Jubilee Square on the Stray are expected to continue throughout today.

9am: Harrogate Borough Council issues street party bins plea

Waste and recycling collections are happening as usual over the four-day weekend, prompting Harrogate Borough Council to say:

“If you’ve put bunting up in your village or across your street please ensure it is high enough for our vehicles – and emergency vehicles – to get past.”

We're operating a business-as-usual waste and recycling collection service this week.

If you're unsure you can check your collection day on the In My Area section of our website at: https://t.co/dkWa0QqOBn pic.twitter.com/yLvllUHmSY

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) May 30, 2022

Kirkby Overblow crafts its own jubilee beacon

People in Kirkby Overblow have come together to make a jubilee beacon.

The beacon has been designed, made and engineered by locals ahead of it being lit on Thursday night.

The groundwork and engineering plans were done by the Moortown group, ran by the McManus family from Kearby. The Oak Pole was made by Yorkshire Oak Frames.

The  horse shoe basket was made from old horseshoes from the Great Yorkshire Shoe by farrier Adam Fox, from Netherby, as a nod to the Queen’s love of horses.

The final step to get it in place was the job of local farmer Rob Parkes.

The village will also host a BBQ on Thursday ahead of the beacon being lit. Organisers say the beacon will be able to be seen as far away as Almscliffe Crag and the White Horse near Thirsk.

Windsor House rebrands as The House of Windsor

The Windsor House in Harrogate has rebranded itself to The House of Windsor ahead of the jubilee.

The period office building, near Valley Gardens, has also been decorated. Passers-by will now see the Queen, in cardboard form, stood alongside the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Karen Winspear, property manager at Windsor House said:

“We wanted to create something to celebrate the jubilee that the businesses in our building could enjoy, as well as those who will be visiting the number of events planned at Valley Gardens. With a name like ours, we couldn’t resist a royal makeover to mark such a fantastic occasion!”

Queen Mary’s jubilee hat parade

Students at Queen Mary’s School at Topcliffe wore straw hats when they took part in a jubilee hat parade.

Judged by hat maker Jonny Beardsall, the parade also included a performance of the platinum jubilee song.

There was also a picnic and a summer fete.

Read more:

• Jubilee business boom for Harrogate district independents
• From corgis to bollard covers: Harrogate district is getting into jubilee spirit

Belmont Grosvenor School hosts jubilee garden party

“Our BGS Jubilee Garden Party was an afternoon to remember with all our school community, from the youngest in nursery, to our oldest pupils in Year 6, joining in and enjoying all the fun of the fair.

“There was some wonderful baking, and some most impressive artistic creations – thanks to our PTA for staging such a fabulous event.”

Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed its leisure and housing companies will be transferred to the new North Yorkshire Council, but questions remain over what will happen thereafter.

Brimhams Active and Bracewell Homes were launched in the last three years with the backing of just under £11 million from taxpayers.

The borough council said in a statement this week that “there are no plans to change how they’re currently run, albeit they will transfer” when the authority is abolished next April.

This comes as council officers from across North Yorkshire are working together on county-wide plans for how all services will work when they come under the control of the new North Yorkshire Council.

Currently, housing and leisure services across the seven districts are run in different ways through arm’s-length companies, management firms, charity trusts and by the local councils themselves.

Councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said the correct decision-making process would be followed for the future of services and that he would not be drawn on whether it would be better to scrap the current set-ups.

He said:

“Leisure and housing are two of our work streams going forward for the next 10 months and it would be wrong to try and prejudge what recommendations are going to be made for the new council to adopt.

“These are two important issues and we recognise that Harrogate has companies doing these pieces of work.

“But this has to be fed into our ongoing work which will then give recommendations to the executive and wider council.”

Brimhams Active launched last August when it took over control of leisure centres and swimming pools in Harrogate, Starbeck, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

‘New vision’

Harrogate Borough Council hailed the move as a “new vision for the future” of services and said it would save around £400,000 a year through business rates relief and VAT benefits.

Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the council’s opposition Liberal Democrat group and Brimhams Active board member, said the company has so far been a success despite challenges with covid closures and staffing shortages:

“Several local authorities have stopped even providing leisure services, it is not a compulsory service.

“Setting up Brimhams Active has meant the council continues to offer and develop the service for the benefit of our residents.”

However, Cllr Marsh was less praiseworthy of Bracewell Homes which launched in 2019 with the aims of turning the council a profit and delivering much-needed affordable homes.

She said:

“I had hoped that Bracewell Homes would deliver social housing, but that has not happened. It was never the kind of housing company that I was arguing for.”

Read more:

• Decision on Harrogate town council could take two years
• North Yorks council leader says MPs should decide PM’s fate

Confirming both companies will be transferred to the new council, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We are working collectively with the county council and neighbouring district councils to ensure a smooth transition to the new authority on 1 April.

“Part of this work involves looking at local authority controlled companies such as Brimhams Active and Bracewell Homes.

“Decisions on what they might look like in the future will be made by North Yorkshire Council.”

A 92-year-old woman has died after being involved in a serious car crash in the Harrogate district at the weekend.

The crash happened just after 8pm on Saturday at the crossroads of Spring Road, Moor Lane and Wharf Lane in Netherby, which is near Harewood, on the fringes of the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire Police said after the incident that the woman had sustained serious injuries and today confirmed she had died in hospital. It said:

“Sadly the 92-year-old woman who was a passenger has passed away in hospital. Her family have been informed, our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

“We are continuing to appeal for information following this collision.”

Read more:

• Roof fire causes ‘serious damage’ to old rectory near Ripon
• North Yorkshire Police among slowest in country responding to 999 calls

The collision involved a navy-coloured Jeep Cherokee and a Blue Volkswagen T-Cross.

The Jeep Cherokee was travelling down Moor Lane towards Spring Road and the Volkswagen was heading east to west on Spring Road.

Police are asking for anyone who witnessed the accident, saw the vehicles prior to the incident or have dash cam footage that may be relevant to contact them.

You can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for 917 Jon Moss, of the major collision investigation team. Or email Jon.Moss@northyorkshire.police.uk.

The crime reference number is 12220091836.

A decision on whether to create a Harrogate town council is unlikely to be made until at least 2024, a meeting heard last night.

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, outlined the lengthy legal process to members of Harrogate Civic Society.

Mr Sampson said North Yorkshire Council, which comes into existence on April 1 next year, would have to undertake a community governance review before any changes to Harrogate’s governance can take place.

This would involve two stages of consultation, likely to take place next year, followed by a final recommendation on whether to approve a town council.

If approved, a legal order would be made, followed by other processes before implementation.

Last night’s meeting.

Speaking at last night’s packed meeting, at which he and Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, discussed local government reorganisation and devolution, Mr Sampson said:

“It’s really difficult to say how long that process will take but our best guess is 15 months to two years. If it happened by 2024 that would be a good timeframe.”

Mr Sampson also said elections for a mayor for the combined North Yorkshire and York regions would “probably” take place in 2024.

Read more:

• Harrogate town council: What is it and what would it cost taxpayers?
• Key planning document delayed for west Harrogate residents facing 4,000 new homes

Last night’s meeting discussed the implications of the momentous changes brought about by North Yorkshire devolution and local government reorganisation.

Harrogate Borough Council and six other district councils, along with North Yorkshire County Council, will be abolished next year when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into being on April 1.

8,000 council staff

Eight thousand staff will be brought together into what will be one of the largest councils in the UK, in a move estimated to save about £30m a year.

The loss of Harrogate Borough Council has led to concerns that Harrogate may lack a political voice after the changes, with most key decisions set to be made by North Yorkshire Council in Northallerton.

Last month Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader for Harrogate and Knaresborough, called for the process to create a Harrogate town council to begin “as soon as possible, within the next couple of months” but this seems unlikely to happen.

Philip Broadbank, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harrogate Starbeck on North Yorkshire County Council, attended last night’s meeting and said afterwards the party would continue to push for the process “to be done as quickly as possible” but he accepted it would take time.

Cllr Swift told the meeting that Harrogate Borough Council’s civic centre at Knapping Mount “won’t be a white elephant” after the authority is abolished and would continue to be used by staff employed by North Yorkshire Council. He said:

“It’s going to continue to save you £1m a year forever.”

Ofsted inspectors were back at St. Aidan’s Church of England High School for their first monitoring visit last week, following the school’s ‘inadequate’ report this year.

The report was published in January and was highly critical of the school’s leadership and management. It said pupils are “at risk of harm” due to its safeguarding measures.

The school was rated ‘good’ in four of the five areas assessed during September’s two-day visit. These were: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and sixth form provision.

But its ‘inadequate’ grading for leadership and management meant it automatically achieved the same overall outcome.

Read more:

• St Aidan’s new 3G pitch set to be open until 8pm
• St Aidan’s ‘inadequate’ rating prompts debate over its handling of bullying

Schools that receive an ‘inadequate’ rating are subject to regular monitoring visits by inspectors to check on progress.

A full inspection will take place within 30 months of the last report.

A St Aidan’s spokesperson said the school will provide more information about the visit before the end of term, but it was a “very positive experience” overall.

They said:

“As a result of our most recently published Ofsted inspection report, St Aidan’s is subject to monitoring visits to assess progress against our statement of action.

“We were pleased to welcome Ofsted back for the first of their monitoring visits recently. While this was a very positive experience we are unable, as is standard practice, to share any further details at this stage. We are hopeful that we will be able to provide more information before the end of term.

“We would also like to pass on our thanks and gratitude to our staff, children and young people, parents and carers, and all stakeholders, for their on-going support in making St Aidan’s the very special place that it is.”

Residents worried that west Harrogate won’t be able to cope with thousands of new homes are facing further delays to see another key document on how under strain services should be improved.

The West Harrogate Parameters Plan was met with dismay when it was approved by Harrogate Borough Council in February after almost two years of work between council officers and housing developers.

It was criticised as a “developers’ charter” by locals who said the long-delayed plan failed to recognise the pressure that around 2,500 new homes will put on the area’s roads, schools and health services.

And now a delivery strategy on when proposed improvements will be carried out and how much they will cost has been hit by yet more delays.

The West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy was due for completion in May – but the borough council has now failed to say whether it will be approved before the end of the year.

Cllr Howard West, chairman of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council, said he had “little faith” in the outcome of the delivery strategy, but added he was prepared to accept the latest delays if it “yields the infrastructure we need”.

He said:

“Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council has offered to cooperate with Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council from day one regarding highway infrastructure for the new settlement on Harrogate’s Western Arc.

“Our offers of continuous involvement have constantly been rebuffed with a ‘we know best’ attitude that allows only a token consultation once the draft has already been made.”

West Harrogate was identified for major expansion during the creation of the district’s Local Plan when a government inspector ordered the parameters plan to be made.

Once complete, both the delivery strategy and parameters plan will be used together to shape decisions on how west Harrogate will cope with 2,500 new homes – although as many as 4,000 properties are set to be built in the wider area by 2035.

Read More: 

• Bilton Working Men’s Club decides on new name
• Jubilee boom for independent shops in Harrogate district

There are proposals for two new primary schools and four playing pitches, as well as two new local centres for shops and health services.

Land has also been designated for other businesses, as well as new cycle lanes, footpaths and bus routes.

As part of the delivery strategy, a review of existing infrastructure is being carried out ahead of the document being published in draft form during a public consultation.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said it aims to publish the draft document in mid-July, but did not say when it could be signed off.

The spokesperson said:

“Since the completion of the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, we have been working with our appointed consultants to prepare the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy document.

“This has included topic based discussions with technical officers on matters such as education, sports and green space, transport and health alongside phasing and trajectory input from site promoters.

“We are currently in the process of pulling this information together to provide a document to help the long term coordination of infrastructure across the west Harrogate sites.

“We intend to hold an information session with local stakeholder groups in mid-July to present the draft West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy document, with a further session scheduled for autumn before the document is signed off.”