‘Rethink’ needed after another Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee cancelled

North Yorkshire Council’s system of delegating key planning decisions to officers needs a “rethink”, according to the chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee.

Cllr Pat Marsh’s comments come as the council has cancelled next week’s planning committee for the area due to a lack of agenda items.

Planning committees comprise of a group of cross-party councillors who are supposed to meet each month to make decisions on key planning applications.

But it is the third time a meeting has been cancelled since North Yorkshire Council was created in April to replace Harrogate Borough Council as the lead planning authority.

Councillors are able to call in contentious applications for committees to consider if there are sound planning reasons.

However, elected councillors across the county have been left frustrated due to far fewer applications being decided by the committees, which cover each parliamentary constituency area in North Yorkshire.

Cllr Marsh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that she has expressed her concern to officers in Northallerton regarding the issue.

She said: 

“As councillors we do need to be seen to be taking planning decisions especially in the areas we represent we have the local knowledge and understanding.

“Planning is all about openness and transparency and we do need to make sure that is how the public see it. Hopefully the officers will have taken my concerns onboard and that a rethink is happening.

“I am not critical of our planning officers they do a great job it is just about the scheme of delegation that does need a rethink and soon.”

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According to a report by the Local Democracy Reporting Sserive in September, a council planning officer told a meeting there had been no attempt to try to block proposals going before councillors and officers were “trying to understand where those lines should be drawn”.

He added the authority would examine changing the balance over which planning applications should go before councillors.

The officer said: 

“The intention here isn’t to disenfranchise members. Members are a key part of this process.”

Tired of bank branch closures? Meet the building society fighting back

This story is sponsored by Newcastle Building Society.

In many towns and cities just like Knaresborough, the growth of online shopping and the popularity of out-of-town retail outlets has changed the face of our high streets over recent years. And it’s hard to ignore the fact that the rise of digital banking is having an impact on the number of bank branches and the availability of financial services in our communities. 

With more than 5,000 bank branches across the UK closing since 2015, people who don’t have access to digital banking, or those who prefer to manage their money in person might well worry about the future of the once-familiar bank branch. 

However, one building society is gaining attention in the region by bucking the national trend of branch closures and for coming up with new ways to restore access to financial services in its communities.  

Newcastle Building Society has 31 branches across the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria – a number which has actually grown over recent years with the recent addition of the Knaresborough branch – and despite the number of branch closures by others around the UK, says its commitment to face-to-face financial services is only getting stronger. 

Michael Conville, chief customer officer at Newcastle Building Society said:

“Customers tell us again and again that they’re worried about the future of branches. As an organisation owned by our members we’re constantly thinking about how to better serve our communities and we’re absolutely committed to investing in our branches and growing access to local financial services.  

“Branches are expensive to run, but instead of admitting defeat and pulling down the shutters, we’re taking a fresh approach, working with local people and finding new ways to make branches work for our communities. That includes rethinking what the branch might look like and showing what can be achieved when you’ve got customers’ best interests at heart.” 

How has Newcastle Building Society bucked the trend?

One of the ways Newcastle Building Society has been able to open more branches when others around them close is through its innovative community partnership branch. Since 2016 the Society has opened in four new locations – Yarm, Hawes, Wooler, and Knaresborough, each time working with local partners to open a new branch in a space shared with other local services.

In Knaresborough, the Society’s branch sits inside the local library, taking up a fraction of the space of a traditional branch but offering all the same services and making it easy for people checking out the latest books to check out the latest savings interest rates.  

The Newcastle Building Society branch is a part of the library and information centre.

The Society is also investing in its presence in Newcastle city centre, with plans to open a brand new flagship community branch at Monument in summer 2024. 

Michael added:

“There’s a real risk of financial exclusion in places where banks have left town. Often that impacts the most vulnerable and makes people more reliant on others to help manage their money. The community partnership branch works when there is a real need for financial services and a clear desire from local people and leaders to work together to bring those essential services back to the high street. It’s been a success for us in four places already and we’re working on more community branches all the time.” 

Banking for everyone

As well as its commitment to branches, Newcastle Building Society is sticking with some of the more traditional ways of keeping up to date with your savings, such as the savings passbook, which many banks and building societies are phasing out.  

But the Society is also investing in the latest technology to hand the power of choice to its customers and help restore access to cash and basic banking services in places where the banks have left. In its Knaresborough and Gosforth branches, a UK-first pilot of a multi-bank kiosk allows customers of any bank to withdraw and deposit cash from their current account – whoever they bank with – under the Society’s roof, free of charge without the need to be a customer of the society. For small businesses in particular, it means less time spent travelling to their nearest bank and more time running their business. 

Michael concluded:

“Technology is probably the biggest driver of change in financial services and by working with OneBanx and their multi-bank kiosk, we’re helping to restore basic banking services which are especially important for small businesses and the wider health of the high street economy. We’re also investing in our digital offering, including our online savings portal and app, because we believe customers deserve the best of both worlds – the convenience of online services and the reassurance and comfort that only comes from a friendly conversation on your local high street.”

To find out more about what we can do for you, pop into your local branch at 40 Market Place or visit the branch page by clicking or tapping here.  

North Yorkshire Council set to lobby government for water quality measures

North Yorkshire Council looks set to write to the government calling for fundamental reform of the planning system to improve the county’s rivers, watercourses and coastline.

The Conservative-run council will consider pressing Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Thérèse Coffey, to make a series of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to avert pollution as a result of new development.

The proposal has been approved by the authority’s transport, economy and environment scrutiny committee as a recommendation to be considered at a full meeting of the authority next month, alongside a series of other proposals to get to grips with water pollution in the county.

The meeting heard councillors raise serious concerns over water pollution in rivers such as the Swale and Ure, which run through Rishi Sunak’s constituency, as well as the county’s coastal waters, where marine life has repeatedly been impacted by a mystery issue in the water.

Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Mason told the committee the proposals needed bolstering by national policy to ensure developers could not use devices such as viability tests to avoid consideration of water issues.

He said: 

“We need to be lobbying hard for this to be included in national legislation.”

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, whose division includes Knaresborough and the River Nidd, which saw 870 sewage dump incidents last year, said lobbying government would be viewed as “a major step” by the authority.

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The proposed measures will aim to establish what the impacts and receptors are in relation to any development.

The meeting heard neither Local Plan policies nor national framework have the capacity to extend consideration in planning decisions to where foul water is in the main sewer, in terms of how it is treated.

Councillors were told a motion of council, to make water issues a “material planning consideration” would be of limited weight, and were they to be treated as having more weight in a development decision than the Local Plan or national framework, the decision could be challenged by developers at appeal.

Councillors from a range of political groups told the meeting there was a clear mandate to seek to have more robust engagement with water firms “to fully understand capacity constraints and opportunities”.

It is hoped making water firms statutory consultees in planning decisions, in the same way as exists for flooding and highways authorities, would allow the companies to embed expanding their capacity and technologies to reduce the incidence of flooding, whilst accommodating increased usage.

After the meeting, the council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said he sympathised with proposals to make water firms statutory consultees in planning decisions.

He said he believed councillors would all support lobbying the government to enable water firms to levy infrastructure charges on property developers to enable them to finance improving the capacity of systems such as sewage.

When asked whether the government should introduce a tougher system of fines for pollution breaches, Cllr Les said he was concerned water users would face increased charges to cover the firms’ fines.

Knaresborough reptile centre issues urgent plea for help

A Knaresborough rescue centre has made an urgent appeal for donations and transport as it tackles the cost of living crisis.

Daniel Holmes, who runs Knaresborough Exotic Rescue, said the centre had nearly 150 pets in its care, most of which are reptiles including snakes and bearded dragons.

Mr Holmes said he has been increasingly travelling further afield to rescue pets as people contend with the cost of living and have nowhere to give their reptiles to.

Yesterday, the rescue centre, which does not own a van, rented a vehicle to pickup 12 animals from Burnley and plans to take in an 18 foot Burmese Python from Wakefield on Friday.

The increase in demand coupled with vet bills of £1,000 and electricity charges of nearly £2,000 a month has left the rescue struggling.

Mr Holmes said:

“We are finding that this is coming more as people struggle with the cost of living.”

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Mr Holmes has called for more support for the centre as it takes on more pets during the winter months.

In particular, the rescue has appealed for a van to help take in some of the bigger animals.

Mr Holmes said reptiles are often to first to be given up by pet owners as it is energy intensive to look after them.

He added:

“People seem to forget about the other animals such as reptiles. They are suffering more than cats and dogs.

“If someone needs to save on their energy bills, it’s the tank with the snake in which goes because it takes up energy.”

To donate to the centre, find them on Facebook here or send a donation via PayPal to krescue@hotmail.co.uk.

Business Breakfast: Connexions to withdraw Knaresborough-Harrogate bus service

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Connexions, the family-run bus operator based at Tockwith, is to withdraw its X1 service in two weeks’ time.

The last X1 service, which runs from St James’ Retail Park to Harrogate via Knaresborough High Street and Starbeck, will run on Friday, November 3.

Connexions managing director Craig Temple told the Stray Ferret:

“We do have quite a lot of passengers on that route, but it loses more money during the school holidays than it makes during term-time.

“Our costs have soared – it’s incredibly difficult. Since covid, not many people want to drive buses, so we’ve had to put up wages by 25% over the last two years.

“Fuel costs have risen, insurance has gone up by a third, and concessionary fare reimbursement hasn’t kept up with rising costs. We’re also losing money because of the £2 fare-cap because the government doesn’t cover the costs adequately.”

He added that customers would not be left “high and dry” because the X1 route was serviced by other buses, and said that all the company’s other routes remain unchanged.

Connexions currently operates 37 bus services, including many school buses, on routes around York, Leeds, Tadcaster, Otley, Harrogate and Knaresborough.

CNG liquidator appointed

A liquidator has been appointed to oversee the final chapter in CNG Group’s saga.

The commercial gas supplier was once one of Harrogate’s fastest-growing and most successful businesses, and a sponsorship deal with Harrogate Town AFC even saw the club’s ground renamed the CNG Stadium.

But a surge in wholesale gas prices made it uneconomical for many providers to continue to trade, and CNG collapsed in November 2021 owing £82m, with the loss of all 145 jobs. At the time, it was the 19th energy supplier to fail that year.

The group’s creditors have appointed Timothy Bateson, director of national business advisory company Interpath Ltd, as liquidator.

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Handmade gift shop to open in Knaresborough

A handmade gift shop is to open in Knaresborough’s Green Dragon Yard on Saturday.

Mel and Andrew Turner already have Boggle Hole shops in Harrogate and Northallerton.

Their Knaresborough venture, which will employ four staff and be called Little Boggle Hole, will follow the same format by selling items made by Yorkshire crafters, artists and designers.

It will occupy the unit previously used by Yorkshire Mixture sweet shop.

Ms Turner said:

“All three shops have exactly the same ethos.

“Knaresborough appealed because of its independent shops plus it has a nice mixture of people we are trying to attract.

“The feedback we received was that there was a need for something like this.”

Boggle Hole opened in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre in August last year. the Northallerton store started trading in 2020.

Ms Turner is a holistic therapist and Mr Turner served 22 years in the armed services.

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Andrew Jones MP calls for 138-home scheme in Knaresborough to be rejected

Andrew Jones has raised concerns in Parliament about plans to build 138 homes in Knaresborough and called for the scheme to be rejected.

The site, off Water Lane, is within the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place.

But it has attracted opposition from Knaresborough Town Council and residents, amid concerns about the proximity to Hay-a-Park gravel pits, site access and the impact on local infrastructure. Hay-a-Park is an important breeding site for goosander ducks and protected Canada geese.

Now Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Mr Jones has added his voice to those calling on North Yorkshire Council to refuse the scheme.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“At a time when we have enshrined in law our commitment to stop and reverse the decline in nature, development of a site within or so close to a Site of Special Scientific Interest is not acceptable.  The effect on bird species in particular concerns me.

“There are though many more reasons why this application should be rejected.”

Water Lane on the left divides the field and Hay-a-Park.

He added:

“Environmental health say that a further risk assessment is required because of the presence of gas which means that ‘residential construction would not be accepted’.

“The Ramblers point out the applicant has ignored the public right of way and strongly object to the plans.  The council highlights the need for an archaeological survey.  The highways authority say there are ‘unresolved highways issues’ and Yorkshire Water object to the application saying that ‘the layout and landscaping details are not acceptable’.

“Residents give many other reasons why the application should be rejected and I agree with them.”

Mr Jones raised the issue during a parliamentary debate on protecting green spaces on Monday.

He asked housing minister Rachel Maclean what steps she was taking to ensure “proposed sites for housing that are completely unsuitable for reasons of biodiversity or lack of access or proximity to a site of special scientific interest are not taken forward and built upon”.

Ms Maclean replied she could not comment on individual cases but it was “really important that local authorities make decisions according to their local plans”.

Third bid to build on land

Two previous plans to develop on the land, which is currently used for grazing, have been refused.

The latest proposal, however, has reduced the number of homes from the original 218 and the previous 148 to 138.

A planning statement sent to the council by Cunnane Town Planning on behalf of applicant Geoffrey Holland said 40% of homes would be classed as affordable and the scheme would include open space and a children’s play area.

A footpath across the site.

A design and access statement by Haines Phillips Architects described the scheme as “a well-balanced, landscape dominated proposal where front gardens are generous, dwellings are no longer cramped, parking or garaging no longer remote or dominant, and casual surveillance and street activity visible in all locations”.

It added:

“It results in an environment that will give a sense of place and well-being for residents.

“It is considered that the proposal does not adversely impact upon other residents or existing neighbours, nor upon the SSSI.

“It is a proposal of benefit in terms of architectural design, landscaping and sustainability whilst providing a strong contribution to housing needs.”

But Knaresborough Town Council has called for it to be rejected, saying the land is one of the town’s last open green spaces “and its loss will impact on the health and wellbeing of the residents of Knaresborough”.

A petition by Andy Bell, a Liberal Democrat town councillor whose ward includes the proposed development, has attracted more than 500 signatures.

Cllr Andy Bell (left) and resident Dave Worner on Water Lane.

Mr Bell said the development “threatens our local environment by encroaching on precious green spaces that provide habitat for wildlife and contribute to cleaner air quality”.

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, has ‘called in’ the application, which means it will be determined by elected councillors on the planning committee rather than by an unelected council officer.

Cllr Walker said this would enable the application to be “fully scrutinised by council members in an open forum”.

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Knaresborough to hold first community archaeology festival

Knaresborough’s fascinating past is to be brought to life at the town’s first community archaeology festival this month.

Visitors will see hundreds of local artefacts from prehistoric times to the modern era, including a 4,000-year-old ceremonial hand axe.

They are also invited to bring along any artefacts they have found and a team of experts will answer questions about them.

Knaresborough Museum Association is hosting the free to enter festival over the two half-term weekends of October 28 and 29 and November 4 and 5 from 10am to 4pm at Centre-on-Gracious Street.

Kathy Allday, chair of the association, said:

“It’s a really exciting opportunity for visitors to look at a wide range of archaeological finds from the local area and find out what these tell us about the people who have lived in this area for generations.

“We can learn about the first inhabitants who came to hunt, live and farm in Knaresborough, and see what they left behind.”

“The displays also tell us what the Romans, Vikings and Saxons got up to in Knaresborough, as well as shining a light on the town’s amazing medieval history.”

Association vice-chair Malcolm Hay inspects a find.

A £10,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to the association funded the festival and also paid for a geophysical survey of Priory Cottage Orchards on Abbey Road, where the Trinitarian Priory precinct once stood.

Some of the objects on display will be used in a quiz for adults and a game for children at the festival.

Nun Tabbetha will be making an appearance, writing exquisitely illustrated medieval pardons for anyone who needs forgiveness for being naughty.

Audio visual recordings from conservationist Keith Wilkinson on the archaeology of Nidd Gorge, and mudlarker Steve Mycroft will be available and local history books and Knaresborough Christmas cards will be on sale to raise funds for the association.

The association is commissioning a 3D model of the Gates Hill Iron Age fort.

The association plans to take its displays to outlying villages, libraries and community centres, expanding its outreach work with community groups and schools.

It also had plans to organise more exhibitions, research projects and further archaeological survey work.

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Historic deal will see Ripon end years of neglect from Harrogate, says councillor

A “historic” deal is set to unshackle Ripon from years of neglect by councillors in Harrogate, it was claimed today.

North Yorkshire Council‘s ruling executive agreed to set up a project team to oversee Ripon people taking control of Ripon Town Hall, the market place and car park, public toilets and the Wakeman’s House.

The assets were controlled by Harrogate Borough Council until it was abolished in April.

North Yorkshire Council agreed to trial local management as part of its commitment to what its Conservative leadership calls “double devolution”.

Councillor Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group who represents Ripon Minster and Moorside, praised the move at today’s meeting and launched an eviscerating attack on Harrogate Borough Council.

He said:

“This is for Ripon potentially a historic day in the building of a more constructive relationship with the unitary authority than it had previously with a rather fractured relationship that existed with Harrogate Borough Council.”

‘More grass on market than centre court at Wimbledon’

Cllr Williams said Ripon’s poor relationship with Harrogate led the city council to formulate “ambitious and complex” plans to take control of assets. He added:

“They all interlink to develop the central area of Ripon, which has sadly been neglected for some time.

“If you look at the Wakeman’s House that we are hoping to take ownership of, no work has been undertaken on that for over 10 years. The lease income from the business in there has been spent elsewhere.

“Ripon Town Hall last had maintenance carried out on it in 2004 when the queen visited.”

The Wakeman’s House 

Laughter was heard when Cllr Williams added:

“The market place will soon have more grass growing on it than the centre court at Wimbledon.”

He then criticised the decision to close public toilets at 9pm when the city encouraged visitors to watch the nightly hornblower ceremony. He added:

“We firmly believe Ripon people know Ripon better than anybody else and know best how to make it a success rather than it currently is, which is underachieving its potential.

“The people of Ripon and the council are firmly behind the principle of double devolution.”

Cllr Barbara Brodigan, a Liberal Democrat who represents Ripon Ure Bank and Spa, told the meeting she endorsed Cllr Williams’ comments.

The executive agreed unanimously to proceed with the proposals.

Knaresborough also set for more local control

North Yorkshire Council invited town and parish councils to submit expressions of interest to run local assets in November last year.

Harrogate was excluded from the process because it doesn’t have a town council and moves to set one up have been delayed by local Conservatives.

Twelve parish councils submitted expressions of interest.

Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon City Council were among those selected to advance their proposals, with a view to formally taking over on April 1 next year.

Knaresborough bid to manage the markets and assets associated with managing the market, such as road closure signs and tables.

But Little Ouseburn’s proposal to take charge of grass cutting of the green area outside Broomfield Cottages.was rejected because it “did not evidence legal competence”.

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Knaresborough road closure signs put up ‘in error’

Signs for a road closure in Knaresborough have been removed after the council said they were put up “in error”.

Residents were braced for a two-week road closure of the B6163 Briggate after the signs appeared and North Yorkshire Council ‘s roadworks map indicated the highway would be closed daily between 7.30am until 5.30pm from yesterday until November 1.

The council said the road, where a wall collapsed last month, would be resurfaced.

The collapsed wall

But there was confusion when the signs disappeared and no work took place.

A council spokesperson has now said the signs were “installed by the contractor in error” before being removed. They added resurfacing was now due to take place in April next year.

Councillor Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West, said the wall needed repairing before roadworks could be carried out and he was trying to find out when work on the wall would begin.

Cllr Walker added:

“The signs were put in the wrong location — they were intended for High Bridge but had the wrong date on as that’s been delayed by a week.

“It all seems very chaotic and disorganised.”

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