Scriven Park Pre-School fighting to stay open

Major concerns about the future of Scriven Park Pre-School have been raised after it continues to struggle to find additional finances to stay open.

The Knaresborough pre-school, next to Meadowside Academy, currently has 16 children but says it needs more children and staff to keep running.

The pre-school runs as a charity with a committee, in the past two weeks it has elected a new committee in the hopes of making it financially stable again.

The new co-chair, Hayley Fiorentino, said the pre-school can reopen in January but the next three to six months were critical.

As a charity-run facility the centre relies on fundraising and funding from the county council. It gets £4.05 per hour for each child that is there on council funding.

This money goes towards the wages of four staff and bills but Ms Fiorentino said that the committee is desperate for more fundraising. She said:

“My son loves going there and when I found out how much trouble it was in I had to step up. As a student nurse, I can’t afford to send my son anywhere else so I had to do my bit to keep it open.

“We need to claw it back. It used to hold events like summer fayres and bingo nights but covid has hit us hard.”

Ms Fiorentino said since a social media plea for help last week, the charity had been approached by other charities and nurseries locally offering help to run the centre efficiently.

It was also due to meet with a local town councillor in the coming week to discuss potential funding opportunities.

She added:

“We need to everything we can so if it doesn’t work we can say we did all we could.”

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New centre manager, Leanne Holdworth, took on the position in October and said it has been a struggle but she hopes there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

She said her and the other staff were determined to remain open for the children and hope the new committee can look into funding available to them:

“We’re struggling massively, we get funding from the county council but this instantly goes on wages and bills. It’s not enough. Now we are at a point where we can’t even be sure of the future.

“Lots of parents have chosen to keep their kids at home during covid which has impacted us massively. Now I’m left with a ship that’s about the sink.”

The pre-school is set to welcome three new-starters in January and hopes if it can hire more staff it can take on more.

It also thanked local residents who had dropped off donations of toys and books allowing them to save money. Any further donations can be given here.

Conservatives and Labour ‘disappointed’ after Knaresborough by-election defeat

The Conservative and Labour candidates for the Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election have said they are disappointed following the result.

Liberal Democrat Hannah Gostlow won the seat last night, beating Conservative Jaqui Renton by 251 votes.

A by-election was held after former Conservative councillor Samantha Mearns resigned from Harrogate Borough Council due to family reasons.

Both Ms Renton and Sharon-Theresa Calvert, Labour candidate, said they were disappointed with the results and thanked voters who turned out in support of them.

Afterwards, Ms Renton said:

“Hannah was a good candidate, I worked hard, but she worked hard as well and the result has happened.

“This election has been interesting and a good experience. I have met a lot of lovely people during the campaign which I thoroughly enjoyed.

“A lot of people voted for me as well which is wonderful. Thank you so much to those, I’m so grateful, and also thank you to the staff who have run the count tonight.”

Ms Theresa Calvert, who received 91 votes, said:

“It is disappointing but I know I ran a positive campaign – I had policies and forward thinking.

“I want to give a big thank you to those people who came out and voted for me.”

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Meanwhile, Ms Gostlow said she was delighted to win the seat:

“We are really pleased as a party – and I’m really pleased to have this opportunity to step up to the borough council.

“I want to thank residents for their support and encouragement throughout our campaign.

“I will continue my work to make Knaresborough a wonderful community, campaign to protect our green spaces and also push for sustainable transport.”

The results in full were:

Voter turnout was 31% (1,124 votes) and there were two spoiled ballots.

Ms Gostlow’s victory means there are now 30 Conservatives, eight Liberal Democrats, and two independent councillors on Harrogate Borough Council.

Voters head to the polls for Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election

Voters will head to the polls for the Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election today.

The election is being held following the resignation of Conservative councillor Samantha Mearns, who last month announced she had stepped down due to family reasons.

The winning candidate will replace Cllr Mearns on Harrogate Borough Council.

The candidates standing for election are:

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Samantha Mearns was also a member of Knaresborough Town Council and voting to fill this seat will also take place today.

There are three candidates for this vote, including Jaqui Renton (Conservatives), Sharon-Theresa Calvert (Labour) and Andy Bell (Liberal Democrats)

Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm.

Knaresborough by-election candidates quizzed as polling day looms

Knaresborough Scriven Park residents will head to the polls next Thursday to elect a new borough and town councillor.

There are four candidates contesting for the seat on Harrogate Borough Council which has been left vacant following the resignation of Conservative councillor Samantha Mearns, who last month announced she had stepped down due to family reasons.

Those in the running for the July 29 election include Conservative candidate Jaqui Renton, a former landlady of The Union pub in Knaresborough, as well as Sharon-Theresa Calvert, who has been nominated as the Labour candidate after previously standing for a Knaresborough seat on North Yorkshire County Council in 2017.

Hannah Gostlow, a serving Knaresborough town councillor, will stand for the Liberal Democrats and is collaborating with the local Green Party, which has not made a nomination.

The final name on the list is Harvey Alexander, a UKIP member who earlier this year stood as an independent to become a county councillor for the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division in Harrogate.

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The Local Democracy Reporting Service quizzed each candidate on their priorities and asked why they think they should get your vote.

Here is what they said.

Jacqui Renton, Conservative candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Jacqui Renton, Conservative candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Jaqui Renton, Conservative

This election is about ensuring we have an active, local voice speaking up for local people on our councils. I am standing because I want to take my positive community action to that next level.

I was raised in Knaresborough. I went to Aspin Park Primary School and King James School. My children went to those schools too.

Living here, I use the same shops, roads and services that you do; you can be assured that I want to get the best for our community because it is my community too.

I have a record of positive action. I’ve worked with Andrew Jones MP and Knaresborough councillors to make a difference to our wonderful town, whether it’s tackling speeding on Boroughbridge Road, acting on anti-social behaviour on the Sovereign Fold estate, getting damaged street nameplates replaced and streetlights repaired or making sure residents have their say on housing.

I am putting a positive message out there about what I can do for our community; I am not pulling my opponents down.

My top priority is to keep working for more investment in Knaresborough.

We’re getting huge investment in terms of the new leisure centre, the renovation of long empty high street shops, rail improvements, refurbishment at Conyngham Hall, in our thriving market and new tree-planting for our environment.

I think that’s great, but I also think it’s only the start.

Ours is a fantastic town that we should be rightly proud of – but that’s not to say it can’t be even better.

Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat

I am committed to Knaresborough and have been a dedicated Knaresborough town councillor for the last six years.

If elected, I would use my experience to get off to a flying start.

I feel one of the biggest assets to our town is our fantastic community, community groups and events. I will continue to work hard to support them, as they support us to live healthier and happier lives.

My priorities would be to make sure that the views of our town’s residents are being properly heard and ensure that Harrogate Borough Council engages in a serious and constructive way with all of us, about the important decisions that affect our community.

I will do everything in my power to fight the government’s proposal to loosen planning rules, and to keep consultation with the community a priority.

As a pedestrian, cyclist and mother of two young children I am aware of the many problems on our congested and polluted roads, and I will fight to make these a cleaner safer space for all users.

I will support Knaresborough Town Council’s attempts to safeguard the future of our weekly market, and I will work alongside our community to take appropriate action on crime and antisocial behaviour.

As a Knaresborough town councillor I have always tried hard to champion environmental issues as this echoes my own personal values.

I am grateful that the local Green Party has decided to support us in this by-election.

Sharon Theresa-Calvert, Labour Party candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Sharon Theresa-Calvert, Labour Party candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Sharon-Theresa Calvert, Labour

I have lived in Scriven Park for nearly 40 years and my father is from Knaresborough.

Decisions made at Knaresborough Town Council and Harrogate Borough Council affect us all and are often made by out of town and unfortunately, out of touch councillors.

I will commit to providing the best representation I can for our local community.

I am a special needs teacher and was chair of Knaresborough Dementia Friendly Community.

As a national executive member for the NASUWT, I am used to dealing with casework and to negotiating with multiple agencies at a national level, I want to do this for our town! I also sit on the TUC Women’s Committee promoting the rights of women who have borne the brunt during the pandemic.

I will be a local voice for a local community, make sure what you say is heard, fight for fairness and equality for all, and ensure you get a clean and green environment which we all deserve. Think globally, act locally.

I will engage with local residents, listen and take up their concerns – I am dedicated to the people of Knaresborough.

I will not make empty promises and I will serve with honesty, transparency and integrity.

I know we will see the same old slogan ‘Labour cannot win here’ but we can and we have a tradition of Scriven Park being Labour.

A new Labour voice is needed on Knaresborough Town Council and on Harrogate Borough Council – please make that voice mine.

Harvey Alexander, UKIP candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Harvey Alexander, UKIP candidate for Knaresborough Scriven Park.

Harvey Alexander, UKIP

The reason I am standing in this Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election is because I am continuing my campaign against a lack of speed camera warning signs in North Yorkshire.

The idea of speed cameras are for people’s safety and to get people to obey the law by using warning signs. North Yorkshire Police are not interested in this, all they want to do is catch people speeding.

When they were first introduced in North Yorkshire, speed cameras were used to stop motorcyclists roaring through the Dales. But the fact is they don’t use them in the Dales, they use them on busy main roads without warnings.

I have been campaigning against this for over 15 years and I would use my position as councillor as a platform to promote safety and saving lives.

My other concerns are the high cost of house prices and the fact that young people are finding it unaffordable to buy a home.

Our authorities seem to have no regard for young people’s needs. They are building thousands of new expensive homes but there is no thought about where young people are going to live and work.

I believe UKIP is still relevant and I should appeal to a wide, diverse section of the public, especially those interested in road safety.

Win or lose in this election, I would like members of the public to support me for safer roads and better ways of stopping motorists speeding.

Are any other elections being held?

Former councillor Samantha Mearns was also a member of Knaresborough Town Council and voting to fill this seat will take place on the same day as the borough council by-election.

There are three candidates for this vote, including Jaqui Renton (Conservatives), Sharon-Theresa Calvert (Labour) and Andy Bell (Liberal Democrats).

A full set of elections for North Yorkshire County Council was due to be held in May but was cancelled because of plans to replace the county’s two-tier councils with either a single unitary authority or two authorities split on an east/west basis.

A final decision on which path to take will be announced by the government this week before elections to the new council structure in May 2022.

Meanwhile, there have been no full elections to Harrogate Borough Council this year and because of the reorganisation plans, it is likely they will never be held again.

The last time elections were held for the Knaresborough Scriven Park seat in 2018 Conservative Samantha Mearns won with 457 votes just ahead of Liberal Democrat Matthew Walker (441 votes) and Labour’s Andrew Wright (291 votes).

The turnout was 36% of 3,266 eligible voters.

First candidates for Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election revealed

The first candidates have been revealed for the forthcoming by-election for the Knaresborough Scriven Park seat on Harrogate Borough Council.

The by-election is being held following the resignation of Cllr Samantha Mearns, who announced she was stepping down due to family reasons after holding the seat as a member of the Conservative party since 2018.

Voting for candidates to replace her will take place on July 29, with the deadline for nominations to be made by 4pm today (July 2).

The Conservatives have announced Jaqui Renton, a former landlady of The Union pub in Knaresborough, as their candidate, while Hannah Gostlow, a serving Knaresborough Town councillor, will stand for the Liberal Democrats.

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Sharon-Theresa Calvert will also compete in the by-election for the Labour Party after previously standing for a Knaresborough seat on North Yorkshire County Council in 2017.

The Yorkshire Party told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it was looking for a suitable candidate, while the Green Party said in a statement it had “initiated discussions with opposition parties” about working together.

Announcing her resignation in a letter to residents last month, Cllr Mearns said she was moving to Wales to be closer to her family after her younger brother died and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

She said it had been a “great honour” to serve the area where she had lived for more than 18 years.

Cllr Mearns said: 

“In many people’s lives things happen that change the direction of their lives. This is the same with me. Not too long before the pandemic struck, my younger brother – my only sibling – died after a relatively short but terrible illness.

“Shortly after, and during the pandemic, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.

“Having lost my brother and faced with potentially losing my mother in a short time made me look at what I needed to do with my life to do the right thing by my family.”

Cllr Mearns was also a member of Knaresborough Town Council and voting to fill this vacant seat will take place on the same day as the borough council by-election.

The by-election will be the second held in the Harrogate district this year after Conservative Cllr Matt Scott last month won the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat on North Yorkshire County Council following the death of Liberal Democrat Cllr Geoff Webber.

Date set for Knaresborough Scriven Park by-election

The date for a by-election has been set following the resignation of Harrogate district councillor Samantha Mearns.

Cllr Mearns announced at the weekend that she was stepping away from her Knaresborough Scriven Park ward due to family reasons after holding the seat as a member of the Conservative party since 2018.

A by-election has now been officially called by Harrogate Borough Council which, if contested, will be held on July 29.

The by-election is being run by the council and nomination papers are available during normal office hours from the Returning Officer at the Harrogate Civic Centre on St Lukes Avenue.

Completed nomination papers must be delivered by hand to the same address between 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, before July 2.

Announcing her resignation in a letter to residents, Cllr Mearns said she was moving to Wales to be closer to her family after her younger brother died and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

She said it had been a “great honour” to serve the area where she had lived for more than 18 years.

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Cllr Mearns said:

“In many people’s lives things happen that change the direction of their lives. This is the same with me. Not too long before the pandemic struck, my younger brother – my only sibling – died after a relatively short but terrible illness.

“Shortly after, and during the pandemic, my mother was diagnosed with cancer.

“Having lost my brother and faced with potentially losing my mother in a short time made me look at what I needed to do with my life to do the right thing by my family.”

The by-election will be the second held in Harrogate this year after Conservative councillor Matt Scott last month won the Bilton and Nidd Gorge seat on North Yorkshire County Council following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Webber.