Harrogate’s Independents vow to stand again

A group of five Independents has vowed to stand in future elections after they failed to win a seat on the new North Yorkshire Council.

Anna McIntee (Stray, Woodlands, Hookstone), Lucy Gardiner (Valley Gardens & Central Harrogate), Sarah Hart (Harlow Hill and St Georges) Daniel Thompson (Coppice Valley and Duchy) and Jon Starkey (Boroughbridge & Claro) all stood for the election on May 5.

Using the motto ‘Time for a Change’ and sporting pink uniforms, they pledged to put a stop to housebuilding in the area and oppose transport schemes like the Harrogate Station Gateway.

In the end, the district’s electorate voted for change, but it was the more familiar yellow of the Liberal Democrats that they chose.

But during their concession speeches at the election count, Ms Hart, Mr Thompson and Ms Gardiner all suggested they’d stand again in future elections, with a potential Harrogate Town Council on the horizon.

‘Same old faces’

It was a disappointing set of results for the Independents, in contrast to the strong showing by Independents in Ripon.

Over the past couple of years, thousands of people signed petitions set up by Anna McIntee and Lucy Gardiner to oppose the Oatlands Drive one way scheme and the Beech Grove Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

However, they weren’t able to translate successful petitions into votes.

Ms McIntee came fourth in her division with 167 ticks next to her name.

Ms Gardiner and Ms Hart fared better, receiving over 300 votes each, but they didn’t come close to beating the victorious Tory and Lib Dem councillors they were up against.

The five candidates met for a debrief last week where they reflected on the campaign.

Ms Gardiner said they were disappointed to see “the same old faces and old ideas being returned for another five years”.

She said:

“We were not just paper candidates but true representatives of the community, sharing many of the main issues as the residents and businesses, too many houses, no proper infrastructure, increase in congestion with no realistic solutions, pocket planning, all the wasted money on vanity projects, to name a few.

“It is disappointing that we didn’t get the majority and it was a shame there wasn’t an Independent candidate for every seat. However, considering we had no party machine behind us and none of us had ever stood before, we didn’t do too badly.”

Mr Starkey said he was disappointed by the low turnout.

“An average of only 36% voted and many still voted for the ‘party’ rather than the ‘person’, so we have to ask ourselves why?
Is the thought process ‘let’s give them another chance’, ‘I’ve always voted the same’, ‘it’s time for change’, or ‘what’s the point?’”

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Upsets

Before the election, it was difficult to predict who would vote for the ‘Time for a Change’ five.

Would it be disgruntled Conservative voters? Or people who don’t usually vote but who were attracted to their anti-establishment message?

The Conservatives failed to win three of the five seats where the independents stood.

These included the current deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, Cllr Graham Swift. He came a close second in the Coppice Valley and Duchy division, in a big upset for the Lib Dems.

Daniel Thompson came third and suggested his 199 votes helped to deny Cllr Swift the win.

Ms Gardiner said they succeeded in part of their aim of getting “the wrong people out”.

She said:

“We may not have succeeded by getting in but we certainly opened up the conversation and put the cat amongst the pigeons seeing a few key Conservatives in ‘safe’ seats voted out.”

Mr Thompson added:

“The Conservatives have been in power for years and their only legacy is a shambolic local plan favouring the pockets of the national house builders, pocket planning with multi million pound cycling lanes going nowhere and the (reported) £17 million vanity project that is the Civic Centre.”

Local issues

Following the abolition of HBC next year, it’s expected that a Harrogate town council will be set up to potentially manage local assets such as the Stray and Harrogate Convention Centre.

Elections could take place in 2024, and Ms Gardiner said the independents want to ensure Harrogate has a strong “community” voice, free from the shackles of party politics.

She said:

“Our efforts weren’t in vain, the independents aren’t going anywhere and we will strive to ensure Harrogate and Knaresborough doesn’t get swallowed up by the new North Yorkshire Council.

“We must not be led by politics, we must be led by the community and have a town council with the right people at the helm.”

Woodfield school closure ‘an absolute disgrace’, says union

The proposed closure of Woodfield Community Primary School is “an absolute disgrace” driven by ideology rather than common sense, according to Unison.

Wendy Nichols, branch secretary of the North Yorkshire branch of the trade union, has written to members at the school pledging to support them as they face the prospect of losing their jobs.

The letter, seen by the Stray Ferret, says Bilton needs a community school and the union will lobby North Yorkshire County Council to keep the current one open.

The letter also calls for a change in the law requiring state-run schools to close if they get an inadequate Ofsted rating and then can’t find an academy sponsor, as has happened to Woodfield. It says:

“Academisation has created a two-tier education system, but research is now showing that council-maintained schools perform better than academy schools.

“The government is driven by its own ideology that paints local authorities as being bad, and academies as being good. We think this is wrong, and is part of the reason why Woodfield primary school is facing closure.”

Absolute disgrace. Woodfield Primary is part of the community it serves. Closure is result of ideological narrow-minded government policy. Staff, children and the conmunity deserve better. @AJonesMP @antiacademies

Closure consultation for primary schoolhttps://t.co/YTXMDQEazb

— North Yorkshire UNISON (@NYUnison) May 15, 2022

 

Woodfield school was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 and placed into special measures.

The rating meant the school had to become a sponsored academy, but it failed to find a backer.

A proposed merger with Grove Road Community Primary School then fell through this year, prompting the county council to open a consultation on closing the school in the next academic year.

Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on the county council and is a governor at Woodfield school, insisted a final decision has not yet been made.

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The Conservative councillor said the views of parents and the local community will have a “big sway” in the outcome. He said:

“Just because there is a consultation to consider closing, it doesn’t necessarily mean the school will close.

“It does mean there are difficulties and nobody is hiding from that fact.

“It will be a very important consultation when it gets started and I will be very keen for lots of people – not just parents – to get involved.”

Decline in pupils

Woodfield has fallen into financial difficulties ever since a big drop in pupil numbers in 2018. At the time, the school had 155 pupils, but this has now dwindled to 37 with 11 pupils due to leave in July.

And because pupil numbers determine the level of funding that a school receives, Woodfield has forecast to be in a deficit of £329,800 by 2023/24.

The school has had six different headteachers over the last four years.

Cllr Haslam said he was “devastated” that the school has found itself in this situation, but added he believes it could have a future if there is demand for pupil places.

He said:

“I believe Woodfield should have a school – it is an area of deprivation and we all know the best way of deprivation is good education.

“What I want to see at Woodfield is a high-calibre school that the people deserve.

“The leadership has developed a great curriculum and really set the school on its way. If we were able to get back to 70 or 80 pupils, that would show progress and we would be able to work out of this.

“But on the pupil numbers that we currently have, that is not going to work.”

 

 

Pop-up shop selling inflatable spas opens in Victoria Shopping Centre

Harrogate-based business Play Outdoors has opened a pop-up shop in Victoria Shopping Centre. The store will be open for 12 weeks and sells paddling pools, water slides and outdoor games, as well as their signature inflatable spas.  

The inflatable hot tubs have proved extremely popular among shoppers on the online site, and can be delivered and installed for free in any HG postcode.  

Owner Mark said:  

“During the lockdown these became a must-have item and their popularity as a must-have garden accessory has continued to soar.” 

The Victoria Shopping Centre has seen a series of successful pop-up shops in the past year. The most recent venture was a digital museum experience, created by Harrogate Business Improvement District.

Harrogate Chocolate Factory to hold networking event  

Local business Harrogate Chocolate Factory, is holding a networking event this Friday 20th May.  

The event is free of charge and will offer coffee and cake, a tour of the chocolate factory, and a chance for informal networking.  

The Harrogate Chocolate Factory is a social enterprise which aims to help young people with learning disabilities and autism gain valuable skills for the world of work.  

The networking event will be held on East Parade next to the Odeon.  

Contact Angela at angela@hs4lc.org.uk to book a place. 

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Lib Dem leader Ed Davey says Conservatives have ‘taken Harrogate for granted’

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has said the Conservative Party has “taken Harrogate for granted” in the wake of this month’s local election results.

Ten Liberal Democrat councillors were elected in the Harrogate district, compared with nine Conservatives, one Green and one Independent. However, the Tories still have a majority across North Yorkshire as a whole.

The positive results for the local Lib Dems has spurred the party on to make further gains in the area, with the ultimate prize being the seat of Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones.

The party previously identified the constituency as one of its top 30 target seats in the next general election, which will be held no later than May 2024.

Mr Davey said:

“Harrogate has been taken for granted by the Conservative Party and clearly people have had enough. This month Harrogate joined countless other parts of the country in voting Liberal Democrat to send Boris Johnson a message.

“His government is failing to help people with the cost of living crisis and making matters worst through grossly unfair tax hikes.”

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Mr Davey criticised the Conservative-run Harrogate Borough Council for spending £17m on new offices as well as £5,000 on a snow globe at King’s Cross station.

He said the soon-to-be abolished authority had “stopped listening to local people”.

“The Conservative party in Harrogate has wasted huge sums of taxpayers’ cash on giant snow globes and a council office for a council that is being abolished.

“They’ve stopped listening to local people, as developers build all over Harrogate and Knaresborough’s green fields and they’ve failed to deliver on the long-promised electrification on the rail line to Harrogate.”

General election

Andrew Jones has been the MP since 2010 and has won four elections. He succeeded Liberal Democrat Phil Willis.

In the 2019 general election, Mr Jones won 29,962 votes, beating Lib Dem candidate Judith Rogerson by almost 10,000 votes. The Lib Dems did gain a 12-point swing on 2017, which largely came at the expense of the Labour Party.

Mr Davey added:

“At the next general election it will be a two-horse race in Harrogate between Boris Johnson’s Conservative party and a hard working team of local Liberal Democrats.”

The Stray Ferret asked Andrew Jones for a response but we did not receive one.

Man seriously injured in crash on Harrogate’s Leeds Road

Three people had to be freed from their vehicles after a two-car collision on Leeds Road between Pannal and Harrogate last night.

One man was taken to hospital in an ambulance after the smash, which led to the road being closed.

It is now known how bad his injuries are.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, three people were out of the vehicles when they were called at about 9pm.

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A further three people needed help to escape.

Firefighters used cutting gear and other tools to release them.

North Yorkshire Police tweeted about the road closure last night.

⚠️Road closure in Harrogate. Emergency services are at the scene of a serious collision on the A61, Leeds Road, between Pannal and Harrogate. The road is closed with diversions in place. Motorists are advised to avoid the area at this time. pic.twitter.com/ppGakP1SK2

— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) May 16, 2022

They issued further details today, saying the collision occurred at 7.36pm and involved a red Volkswagen Golf and a black Range Rover.

“The Golf was travelling from Harrogate towards Pannal and the Range Rover was travelling from the Pannal direction towards Harrogate.

“The sole occupant of the Golf was taken to hospital with serious, potentially life changing injuries.

“The five occupants of the Range Rover were also taken to hospital with injuries.

“Road closures were put in place for around six hours while emergency crews attended the scene and an initial investigation was carried out.”

Witnesses can email Paul.Buckley@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Paul Buckley.

Ripon paint specialists turn steam train ‘platinum purple’ for Jubilee

Ripon paint specialists T&R Williamson have played a part in painting the popular steam train Taw Valley “platinum purple” ahead of the Queen’s jubilee.  

T&R Williamson hold a Royal warrant for their supply of products to the Royal household, used for the Royal mews and Royal carriages.  

Group chairman Abubaker Sheibani said:  

“We are thrilled to have been able to extend this Royal connection to this unique project. It is a fitting and truly memorable way of commemorating Her Majesty becoming the first British monarch in history to reign for 70 years.” 

After a public vote at Severn Valley Railway, it was decided the train will be renamed Elizabeth II during the jubilee celebrations. 

The royal project has also attracted the attention of leading British model company, Hornby, who are producing a collector’s model of the new purple locomotive.  

T&R Williamson, along with Thomas-Howse Paints and Metprint Ltd, have created a “platinum purple” paint tin to mark the occasion. It will be filled with traditional sweets and transforms into a money-box when empty.    

Harrogate estate agent makes historic land sale deal for £4 million

Harrogate estate agent Linley & Simpson has sold a patch of land in North Yorkshire for over £4 million.  

The land in Church Fenton has been bought by Yorkshire Country Properties, which plans to build 50 new homes on the residential site.  

This sale is the biggest this year for the award-winning land and new homes team at Linley & Simpson, and is one of the company’s most significant deals.  

Director David Waddington said:  

“Given the coveted location, there was no shortage of interest among developers in the site, which was sold with full planning permission”.  

The agency says North Yorkshire house buyers are increasingly turning to new builds post-Covid, particularly for family homes in rural areas. They suggest this is also a result of rising energy costs across the country.  

They are hoping this trend will continue, creating more demand among developers for land in prime locations across the region.  

Crane catches fire on Harrogate’s Leeds Road

A crane caught fire on the busy Leeds Road in Harrogate this afternoon.

Two crews from Harrogate fire station were summoned to deal with the incident at 3.54pm.

Fortunately the fire was already out by the time they arrived thanks to the crane driver using an extinguisher.

The fire station said in a social media post:

“An extinguisher had been used prior to arrival and crews used a hose reel to cool the overheated wheel bearings.”

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A fire station spokesperson said the incident occurred at the Stone Crop Lane junction on Leeds Road.

Police directed traffic but the road remained open.

At 15:54 on Leeds Road, Harrogate, two crews from Harrogate attended a report of a crane on fire, an extinguisher had been used prior to arrival and crews used a hose reel to cool the overheated wheel bearings pic.twitter.com/f0rne18T8Z

— Harrogate Fire station (@Harrogate_NYFRS) May 16, 2022

 

Harrogate council gives £37,000 grants for jubilee events

Harrogate Borough Council has given a total of £37,000 to 46 different community groups to fund events and legacy projects for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

The four-day weekend from June 2 to 5 will be marked by numerous events across the district.

The money issued by the council has helped to hold events in towns and villages such as Ripon, Skelton-Cum-Newby, Little Ouseburn and Bishop Monkton.

Organisers of Bishop Monkton’s platinum jubilee celebrations said the money has helped them expand on their initial plans:

“We are now able to make two films – one using archive footage and interviews with long-standing residents and a film of this year’s celebrations in the village.

“In addition, the grant is enabling a time capsule project involving Bishop Monkton Primary School where everyday objects from 2022 chosen by school pupils will be buried near the village hall for future generations to discover.”

In Skelton-cum-Newby, the parish council said the grant will enable its celebrations to be “truly memorable”:

“We are now able to engage a professional artist to supply music on the day and have ordered commemorative mugs for all our children in the village to mark a reign which will most likely never be repeated again.”

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Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said:

 “Her Majesty The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a platinum jubilee and it is therefore only right we recognise this momentous event in such a way.

“I’m sure that the residents – young and old – who are involved in the festivities of these 46 community groups will remember this event for many, many years to come.

“And of course, there are events happening all across the district. Not least, a four-day event across Harrogate town centre that will truly bring the community and visitors to our wonderful town together.”

Drone photo shows Harrogate’s first Lidl taking shape

A drone photograph has shown that work on the Harrogate’s first Lidl is taking shape.

The photo, taken by drone photographer Darren Leeming, who lives near the site, shows the roof covered in solar panels.

But a considerable amount of building work still has to take place before the Lidl can open.

The supermarket is being built on the site of the former Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road.

How the supermarket will look.

Councillors granted planning permission to the German chain in August and work on site began in February.

It will be the first Lidl in Harrogate, although there is already one on Chain Lane in Knaresborough.

The new store will be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

The Stray Ferret asked Lidl for an update on work and an expected opening date but has yet to receive a reply.

Community invited to launch day at Darley boules courts

A French-themed open day will be held to officially launch the new boules courts in Darley this weekend.

Darley Playing Fields Association is inviting the community and visitors from further afield for wine, cheese — and of course, a game of petanque.

Taking place this Saturday, May 21, from 2pm, it will be an opportunity to see the work that has gone into creating Darley’s new community facility at the playing fields.

Association chairman Mark Simpson said:

“It’s aimed at the local community and will be a relaxed affair with the aim of getting the availability of petanque known and getting people to have a go.”

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The courts have been available to play on since Easter, with a few informal teaching sessions taking place.

They were created by the playing fields association with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, while Darley and Menwith Parish Council supported the work and funded two benches by the courts to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.