Letters Archives - Page 6 of 8

Stray Views: Boris Johnson has paid the fine – it’s time to move on

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

Boris Johnson fine: get over it

Ask those complaining about the Prime Minister who they voted for. Give him a break; he’s had to deal with Brexit, a covid pandemic plus having covid himself.

There are many families who aren’t with loved ones when they die; I wasn’t with my son when he drowned.

Do these people not consider that there are more important things to deal with now? It’s done, he’s apologised and paid the fine, get over it.

Susan Mitchell, Harrogate

What has Nigel Adams done as MP?

Nigel Adams, the Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, has announced he will be standing down at the next election, so possibly not until 2024. To quote his own website, this is what he is supposed to do: “…to represent the interests and concerns of all the people who live in their constituency, whether they voted for them at the General Election or not”.

Yet this MP does nothing and represents no one unless it be himself or to benefit himself. His senior parliamentary secretary must have a difficult job – they reply to almost all the letters I have ever sent, either having to defend the indefensible on his behalf e.g the Owen Paterson issue or they are generic responses that miss the points being made.

Yet Mr Adams has accepted well over £30,000 from a former Kremlin-related oligarch, Alexander Temerko (previously associated with the arms trade in Russia and who, according to Catherine Belton, author of Putin’s People, has praised senior members of the Russian security establishment, including the Russian security council chief Nikolai Patrushev).

What due diligence was done to establish the money was ‘clean’? He has also accepted £11,350 from Sanjeev Gupta, who had links with Greensill Capital, the company which collapsed in March 2021 and has been at the centre of a financial and political scandal.

His Twitter account consists mostly of re-Tweets but he has also happily accepted thousands of pounds of hospitality from gaming and betting organisations to attend the football Euros during the pandemic – then tweeted about it. Yet he has remained silent on any of the many substantive, ethical issues which have occurred under the Johnson government, including even Partygate.

Hansard records show that he almost never mentions any of his own, specific constituents’ problems or issues (merely using the word ‘constituents’ in general) and the Stray Ferret itself has shown month after month in its MPs Watch articles just how little trace there is of what exactly this MP does. A particularly memorable note was made that in July 2021, Nigel Adams tweeted that a dog had visited his office.

What a difficult life.

He should go now so his constituents can have a by-election. Why should the public purse continue to finance this ‘career’ until the next election?

Friedy Luther, Spofforth

Government ‘prioritises self-indulgence over social responsibility’ with covid

Three weeks ago, I left these shores for the first time since 2019: a three-day visit to Madrid. Covid was still rife, but few people inside the terminal at Leeds-Bradford were wearing masks in spite of the signs.

On the plane, however, masks were mandatory except when refreshments were served. They were much in evidence during transfer at Schipol airport and then at Adolfo Suárez. On the metro to Madrid centre, everyone wore masks and did their best to leave free seats between passengers. Madrid was buzzing, but on the wide streets, well over half of the people were masked, a higher number still in crowded areas.

In the bars and restaurants, customers scrupulously replaced their face coverings when moving around the establishment. In the hotel lift, signs urged guests not to mix households when using them. At my appointments, masks were worn even during business. I found this eminently sensible and reassuring, under the circumstances. The complaints and worries I heard were not about restrictions but about non-compliance and what might happen when guidelines were relaxed.

Back in England 15 days later, having dodged covid since the start of the pandemic, I tested positive. The next day my partner did, and six days later, my younger daughter. That, I suspect, is what happens when, under the pretext of returning to ‘normal’ and unshackling the economy, a government prioritises the right to self-indulgence over social responsibility.

Glyn Hambrook, Harrogate

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

Stray Views: Andrew Jones MP should communicate better

Our ‘sunshine politician’ should update us more

I notice on Andrew Jones MP’s website that as of the March 25, the News and Campaigns section was last updated on January 19 with a criticism of the behaviour of the Prime Minister.

Since then, we have had the ‘Russian cash for something’ the Conservative Party has welcomed from oligarchs connected to Putin. Also, the arrival of Russian troops in the Ukraine carrying out an attack on a country and risking the possibility of world war. Not to mention the murderous bombing and shelling of civilians.

As the Conservative Party has the funds to cover MPs’ expenses, why would this website not be covering such important issues that should be reported to constituents by every means possible?

The definition of a sunshine politician is here clear to see.

Andrew Williams, Harrogate

Shops should close their doors to preserve heat

I’m amazed by the number of shop doors open and heating on full blast in the shops. Some particular promoting their green policies but letting expensive heat out of the door.

Rachel Rawlings, Harrogate

Thanks to my lovely helpers

Please would you convey my grateful thanks to all the people who came to my aid when I had an accident in Springfield Avenue on a recent Friday. It’s heartwarming to know there are such lovely people around. I am recovering well.

Joy Garratt, Harrogate

Stray Views: More houses in Harrogate district should mean lower council tax

New houses should mean lower council tax

Not only do we have thousands of new houses in the district but 1,700 extra have been built! I cannot, therefore, understand why our council tax is going up rather than coming down!

I would assume a surfeit, especially with so many being in the higher bands.

Janet Palmer, Knaresborough

Why are roads constantly being dug up?

Leadhall Lane in Harrogate has been a shambles of a road for many years, with deep potholes causing hazards for motorists and cyclists.

At the same time, numerous gas leaks have been excavated and repaired, to the cost of Northern Gas Networks and the exceptional inconvenience of local road users.

The potholes caused considerable crashes and bangs into the road from school buses and lorries. Hurrah! It was relaid in 2021.

Yesterday there was a gas stink in Leadhall Lane. Today there is a big hole in Leadhall Lane. Northern Gas Networks is digging it up again.

Why do we have to suffer this continual under-performance from the council in relation to controlling the actions of privatised utility companies? Are they incompetent or not?

David Graham, Harrogate

Stray Ferret penalised for reporting facts

It comes as no surprise that your reporter was refused access to Ripon’s new pool when other media was allowed.

You are being penalised for reporting the real facts about the farcical events surrounding the pool and its build not forgetting the extra money we gave the construction firm.

Myself and thousands of others applaud you The Stray Ferret for all your news articles released to us.

Maranda Harling, Ripon

Stray Views: Dog mess in Harrogate cemeteries ‘a wider problem’

Response to Knox Lane housing

Regarding the joint response by Spawforths and Jomast to your article on a proposed housing development on Knox Lane in Bilton.

The consultation by Harrogate Borough Council was held in 2017 for all additional sites proposed for inclusion in the Local Plan. The site in question (H2) was subsequently reduced in size prior to inclusion.

Steve Hesmondalgh & Associates held two consultations in 2018. The first was held on February 15 during half term with little notice given to residents. The second held March 22 was a result of complaints by residents who were unaware or unable to attend due to the short notice given for the first. The consultations were held on behalf of Wakefield and District Housing Association who wished to build 73 (100%) affordable homes on the whole site, including that which had been removed. A planning application was not submitted at that time.

A pre-application meeting was held between Jomast and HBC on the September 30, 2019. Apparently due to covid and the uncertainty to the length of any lockdown, the scheme having already been consulted on and the site now an allocation in the Local Plan, it was considered appropriate to submit the application rather than delay until meaningful consultation could be carried out at an underdetermined time in the future.

In April 2020 an application for 73 homes was submitted. The country was at that time in lockdown. It included some private homes due to HBC not wanting 100% affordable but still left 86% affordable. 23 (100%) of affordable homes were on the unallocated land. Hardly a mixed community with only 10 of the properties of the homes on the allocated land being open market. A revised application has now been proposed for 53 homes on the land with the number of affordable reduced to 56%.

HBC should keep to their agreed policy of 40% affordable homes, which is not only significantly higher than the NPPF 10% guideline but is applied consistently across all sites. It was what our elected representative voted for when they approved the Local Plan.

Local residents rightly still have some concerns. The transport assessment for the site was carried out by interrogation of the TRICS database using the assumption 75% of the homes would be affordable/local authority tenure. The number of residents vehicles was assessed at 30 which would disperse between Ripley Drive and Crab Lane and therefore the impact on the wider network would be negligible in practice.

I doubt in reality the number would be so low nor does it take into consideration the adjacent H69 site which the developer of H2 has to provide access to. The images below highlight congestion problems on Crab Lane.

There is an impact on local wildlife including protected species, nett loss of biodiversity since gardens do not count and could in the future be paved, also mature woodland trees.

According to the Landscape and Visual Impact Statement submitted by the developer with the original application, some homes in close proximity to the site will experience major negative visual intrusion during the construction phase, year 1 of the development and in the long term after 10 years. The numbers of homes affected may reduce slightly due to the revised application but are still disproportionate to the number of homes to be built.

HBC currently does not have a problem meeting the Government’s Housing Delivery Test.
2016 – 2019 1,641 homes, 155% of 1058 required Published 13 February 2020
2018 – 2020 2,355 homes, 229% of 1026 required Published 19 January 2021
2018 – 2021 2,628 homes 266% of 987 required Published 14 January 2022

Harrogate Borough Council has according to their latest report published in April 2021 a land supply of 7.42 years.

Catherine Alderson, Knox Lane

‘The Prime Minister should have resigned weeks ago’

I couldn’t agree more with Paul Baverstock’s recent article on the disgraceful behaviour of the Prime Minister and his Conservative Party. Boris should have resigned weeks ago and to add insult to injury I understand he will not be completing truthfully the Metropolitan Police survey into parties etc at No 10. This should come as no surprise but just adds to the appalling situation.

I have voted Tory all my life but won’t be at the next general election.

Andrew Jones should show some commitment to his constituants by calling for a vote of no confidence in the PM.
It is an absolute shambles.

Judy Rowson, Harrogate

Dog mess in cemeteries a wider problem

I was shocked to see your piece about the amount of dog fouling at Grove Road cemetery. Today I visited my parents cremation plaques at Stonefall and found the wreath had dog dirt over part of it and around it. This is both upsetting and shocking that people do not respect the cemeteries. This is obviously a wider problem than just one cemetery.

Patricia Chapman, Harrogate

Stray Views: It’s time Killinghall had a bypass

It’s time Killinghall had a bypass

It’s time Killinghall had a bypass. We live in Killinghall on the A62. The noise/air pollution/risk to life and limb on this road is now a serious problem.

Lives and health are worth more than minimal loss of green space. The planners have allowed thousands of new builds in this village, using up suitable routes and causing additional congestion to the already heavy commercial traffic on the A61, without making any provision.

John Hirst, Killinghall

Another historic Harrogate tunnel

Thought the Brunswick Tunnel story was very interesting. I don’t know if you are aware there is a tunnel on Knox Lane. Harrogate. It was the Old Gasworks Line Bilton to New Park, the old abandoned railway embankment is in the opposite field.

Susan Wrightson, Harrogate

‘Horrific’ walk in Ripon

What a horrific walk in Ripon. ten dog mess, three trolleys, six road signs and two open bags of rubbish. Ripon councillors and the mayor should be held to account. That’s just 100 yards of river walk and Ripon should be ashamed.

I lived in Ripon all my life when I was small and love fishing on the River Skell. However today’s visit really shocked me the full length of the river from Williamson’s bridge to Fisher Green is a disgrace to everybody that lives in Ripon. I am contacting Harrogate Borough Council, the dog wardens need to film and fine heavily. It is a disgrace to think tourists would come to Ripon and leave with those images in their mind.

Paul Taylor, Ripon

Can you help reunite a family with a long-lost relative?

We’re hoping that your readers can help us trace a long-lost relative as part of our increasingly complex task of reuniting descendants of 8 brothers born in Aberdeen just over a century ago.

What started as a favour to my mother-in-law during lockdown to help rediscover her Scottish family has included the formation of a private Facebook group where members can share and exchange all sorts of information, and this is helping to gradually fill in the many gaps.

One of these unknowns is Fred Smollet – one of my mother-in-law’s cousins – who would be around 74 years old, and whose last known address and contact details – although proven to be now out-of-date – show that he lived in Franklin Mount, Harrogate in the 2000s.

Fred lost his mother at a young age and spent a lot of time with his uncle Lewie and aunt Maisie, and his cousins Alistair (sadly no longer with us) and Ronnie (who recalls smoking together as teenagers).

Our research, primarily carried out using the resources accessible via the Ancestry and ScotlandsPeople websites, indicates that Fred married his first wife Catherine in the Claro area of the Yorkshire West Riding in 1968, and subsequently emigrated Down Under.

Reaching out to Facebook members with the Smollet surname has recently unearthed Fred’s two daughters, who were born, and still reside, in Australia. They have said to us that they would understand if he didn’t want to make contact, however if they knew that he was alive and well at the very least then that would be OK.

Fred, Catherine, Jackie and Jane returned to the UK in the late 1980s, but by the early 1990s they had divorced, with Catherine and the two girls returning to Australia, where she passed away in 2020.

Fred remained in the UK and later married, but then separated from, his second wife Patricia in the early 2000s.

The photo (above), taken at my mother-in-law’s grandfather’s funeral wake in Aberdeen in 1966, shows the eight Smollet brothers with their recently widowed mother Barbara.

Back Row (left to right): Fred (Senior, Fred’s father), Jock, Lewie, Jim (my mother-in-law’s father) and Doug; Middle Row (left to right): Dod, Don and Bill.

Fred’s father, also called Fred, lived for some time in Knaresborough, and passed away in the early 1980s, so there are apparently no family members in that branch of the tree other than Fred – hence this appeal for information!

We are happy to act as intermediaries if he doesn’t wish to have direct contact with his daughters.

Lee Everitt, Southampton

Stray Views: Harrogate’s John Shackleton deserves an honour

John Shackleton deserves an honour

I’ve just watched John Shackleton’s interview on BBC feature stories. I know him from St. Robert’s Church in Harrogate, he’s a dear friend and a great supporter of the youth.

I think what he’s done over these years is remarkable and extraordinary. He has served not only our local community but also our European neighbours especially those in need.

John is an amazing person who has touched and changed so many lives and it’s time he is recognised for his bravery, selflessness, generosity and service. I would like to make an appeal to nominate him for the Queen’s honours.

I tried to apply online but I wasn’t very successful. He deserves the gratitude not just from us but from the world. If we are all a little bit like John, the world would be a much better place to live.

Joy O’Brien, Harrogate

Objections to proposed mosque

We live very close to the proposed development and have canvassed our neighbours, none of whom have received one piece of paper through our letterboxes opposing this development. I should also point out there has not been one piece of publicity supporting this development.

No one who lives near this development supports it, but the reasons for this are not based on race or religion. This development is surrounded by residential properties and a primary school on three sides then joined to a retail premises on the fourth, all of which have to cope with horrendous traffic and pollution as it is.

Traffic from two hotels, two pubs, a 24 hour gym, a primary school, the Alms houses and a church already pass our doors at all hours of the day and night.

Does anyone really think adding to this with a community building that opens 24 hours, catering for up to 200 people a day together with the attendant traffic will in some way improve the quality of life and air pollution and congestion in this small area of Harrogate?

I also note that of those who support this plan, not one of them lives in the area so would not be affected by it.

Brian Preston, Harrogate

Influencer post has more channels

Commenting on your council influencer story. Facebook is not the influencer’s primary channel. A two-minute tally of Instagram shows 300 likes for her Harrogate post series (eight posts) and 5,000 video views across two Harrogate/ North Yorks videos.

I’m not suggesting that is good value (at 7p per like or view on insta) or that the council’s mico-influencer strategy is correct, but I normally find the Stray Ferret a lot more accurate and feel that’s really important when reporting on public spending.

If we slate every penny the council spends, when they really misspend the public’s ears will be closed to it and we only really have the Stray Ferret to shine a light on this matters.

Kate Garrett, Harrogate

Stray Views: Beech Grove LTN is ‘expensive folly’

Low Traffic Neighbourhood is expensive folly

As someone who lives adjacent to the Beech Grove LTN, I must say I have rarely seen such expensive folly. The council seem intent on installing ever more restrictive road barriers simply to, as effectively as possible, funnel more and more traffic onto Lancaster and Queens Road.

All of this to give around 60 cyclists a day the most cossetted and relaxing trip into town. Seemingly, by the council’s own admission, there is no evidence that cycling traffic will meaningfully replace motorists on local roads. Especially so, in the depths of winter, as they face icy cold, driven rain.

As a leisure cyclist I am inherently supportive, like most people I suspect, of reducing the use of cars where it makes sense to do so. As far as I can see though this is not that. This appears to be virtue signalling with no meaningful impact on future car use and with material detriment for residents.

The principal achievement of the LTN, as far as I can see, is to make it more hazardous for the large numbers of children walking to and from Western Primary and Harrogate Grammar School each day. They are put at risk as they try to cross tentatively between often inappropriately fast-moving cars, rat running from south of town to Otley or Leeds Road.

If we want to get people out of cars and using alternate forms of transport, we need to look more closely at who those car drivers are, why they are driving and how we make it easier for them to do otherwise. Shoehorning additional, random, road furniture onto small roads to deliver ineffective trophy projects is not the answer.

I would simply ask the council to stop, stand back, think and reflect, and then look for genuinely considered ways of improving all forms of transport around Harrogate. Until that happens all they are doing is robbing Peter to pay Paul. As a concerned parent I would be more than happy to contribute to the thinking on the best way forward into 2022.

Carl Howard, Queens Road

Harrogate apply for city status?

Instead of complaining about the previous Housing Minister’s decision, why don’t the Harrogate councillors get a grip and apply for city status in view of the massive expansion of our “town”?

John Holder, Harrogate

Stray Views: Valley Gardens was the perfect place for Xmas market

Valley Gardens was perfect place for Christmas market

I’ve just walked up through Valley Gardens from town and want to say that the sun colonnade is the perfect place for the artisan market! It’s sheltered, on hard paving, atmospheric and includes so many stalls.

What an improvement on the overcrowded, muddy Montpelier location. Well done Harrogate Borough Council!

Jenny Thompson, Harrogate

Bikes aren’t an option for many older people

Last week’s letter from Malcolm Margolis makes many comments regarding clear and clean streets for the elderly to walk around in traffic free conditions but fails to tell the elderly how to easily come into Harrogate town centre from outlying districts without coming by car. Most of the elderly have no bus or train services and riding bikes is not an option.

Nor does he mention how we carry our purchases home. His last comment, ‘I believe it’s time to stop HGVs from using many of our urban streets without restriction day or night’, destroys his credibility. Some 90% of goods are delivered by lorries and have been for the past 50 years. How else does he think shops can be supplied ?

Brian Hicks, Pateley Bridge

The council needs an app so more people can report accidents

I recently fell over a raised paving stone in the Valley Gardens sun colonnade and broke my arm, bruised my face and split my lip. I telephoned Age Concern to ask if there is a mobile or iPad app to report incidents to the council as I think it would have been very useful.

In Australia, I have been told that there is an app called Snap Send Solve to report such as accidents as well as falling trees and potholes.

Does anyone know of the existence of a similar app in the UK?

For older people and people living on their own, this type of technology would be very useful.

The app forwards details of an incident or accident to the correct council by simply pressing a button.

Any information on this subject would be gratefully received.

Jane Blayney, Harrogate

Stray Views: Harrogate needs more prominent speed signs

“Why can’t we have more speed limit signs up?”

The accident (featured in the Stray Ferret) is just one of many to come. I have been trying for the last 3 years to make the police in Harrogate, plus the Harrogate council, know of the massive problem with people speeding in this town.

Believe me it’s not nice when you are walking to town on Leeds Road towards Betty’s and many cars are passing you by at over 60 mph on 30mph road right next to where I am walking on the sidewalk.

I have asked to have signs put up to say this is a 30 mph road as there is only one sign up at the whole of Leeds Road and the response I got was that because this is a Restricted Road they can’t put sights up, what does this even mean? If you driving anywhere in the UK on the road where there is 30mph and you are doing 35 mph you will get a penalty as this is the law so why is it different here?

I mean this must be the only town in the UK where people can drive at this crazy speeds and get away with it. To me it looks like unless someone dies here, they will do nothing about this.

Even though when they put up a temporary speeding camera a year ago, they caught 200 cars speeding in just one hour.

The only reason no one died in this recent accident is because it happened at 2am in the morning.

Regards

Pauline, Harrogate

“Time people in favour of the Gateway plan came forward”

The question is often asked, “How should we reduce the vehicle traffic in Harrogate Town Centre?”. To me that is the wrong question. The real question is how can we reduce all vehicle traffic? We need to reduce vehicle traffic everywhere.

We need to travel less. Less journeys. Shorter journeys. And shift towards busses, trains, cycling and walking.

Why? Well because with a bigger population and increasing traffic we are polluting the global atmosphere and causing climate change.

The Gateway plan is something I welcome. It’s time that views in favour came forward, and I think there are plenty of reasons to favour the Gateway proposals. It will bring the centre of Harrogate back to being pleasant. Pleasant to walk, pleasant to cycle and pleasant to shop.

As a Knaresborough lad my first memories of Station Parade were being intrigued by the big statue. I was five years old, and my eldest brother carefully explained who Queen Victoria was and why her statue was there. There was two-way traffic then, it was 1959, but there was not a lot of traffic. It was a nice place to be. Another memory was in the late sixties and I was cycling as a young teenager. By then there was more traffic and the car was king.

Move forward through the nineteen nineties and the two lanes in one direction were becoming like a race-track, with pedestrians at various places waiting to cross. Not a nice place at all. So the thought of a single lane, one-way for drivers in Station Parade is very pleasant. No more cut and thrust with cars accelerating to stop the car alongside from getting past.

Being able to cycle either way will be pleasant, and with bus and railway stations being so close there will be so many ways to arrive at this pleasant area. With no traffic on James Street it will also become a pleasant area to wander, with more shops to browse and buy. This certainly seems the way forward to me, and should benefit everyone.

Andrew Willoughby, Knaresborough

‘We need to plan for a largely care free future’

Just wanted to say how much I support the comments made in the letter last week regarding the Station Gateway redevelopment and the potential for change it represents.

I continue to be amazed at the volume and speed of traffic in and around the town. We need prominent speed signs, a 20mph town wide zone, speed enforcement cameras and many more pedestrian controlled crossings.

We need to plan for a largely car free future with more reliance on public transport, cycling and walking.

Peter Whittingham, Harrogate

Stray Views: Let’s get behind the Station Gateway

Station Gateway is best thing to happen to Harrogate for years

The Station Gateway plans are the first glimmer of hope I have felt in my seven years of living in Harrogate town (aka ‘my car’s bigger than your car’ Town).

A glimmer of hope that we just might have a lovely, friendly, safe, human, caring, bustling, fun town buried somewhere here. Buried beneath the surging, charging, horrific madness that is currently ‘our town’.

We have dual carriageways with parking down both sides. The humans lurk, unwanted, forgotten, ignored, often frightened, on a little strip of tarmac potentially a mere few metres from where they want to be. As for cycling. You’d have to be mad.

Nowhere have I seen a town so well-suited to walking, running, cycling and generally playing out, that instead chooses to destroy itself in deference to its rich, entitled, car-addicted populous.

The Station Gateway is just the start…

Ruth, Walker, runner, cyclist, mother and musician of Harrogate

Ripon needs a First World War walking tour

I read with interest your article about the installation of the memorial at Hell Wath nature reserve, which was the site of the WW1 army camp in Ripon.

I was born and grew up in Ripon and have spent a lot of my adult life there, but I had to ask a fellow walker for help to point me in the right direction to find it when we went to have a look at it. It would have been far easier if you had included directions on how to find it in your article.

It would also have been useful to have had more information there about the camp at Hellwath and its significance to WW1 history.

A walking route pointing out points of interest would be both interesting and educational to all age groups. Perhaps some of those metal figures could be placed in key areas of interest. Considering the great lose of life in WW1, it would be a fitting tribute to those that served and were billeted there. Most families were touched in some way by the war at the time, mine included.

Geoff Fletcher, North Stainley

Time to deal with these dangerous gases

It’s been common practice for some time now to vent to the surface gases from land that has previously been a landfill site.

The gas that is emitted is typically methane (CH4), which we know to be significantly more dangerous to the climate than carbon dioxide (CO2). Some studies rate it as 100 times more powerful a climate change gas.

There are sites in Harrogate that currently vent this gas to the atmosphere: Stonefall Park and parts of the Great Yorkshire Showground, amongst others.

Has the time come to deal with this harmful gas in a more environmentally friendly way?

Robert Newton, Pannal

Boris Johnson fine: get over it

What has Nigel Adams done as MP?

Read more:

Government ‘prioritises self-indulgence over social responsibility’ with covid

Our ‘sunshine politician’ should update us more

Read more:

Shops should close their doors to preserve heat

Thanks to my lovely helpers

New houses should mean lower council tax

Why are roads constantly being dug up?

Read more:

Stray Ferret penalised for reporting facts

Response to Knox Lane housing

Read more:

‘The Prime Minister should have resigned weeks ago’

Dog mess in cemeteries a wider problem

It’s time Killinghall had a bypass

Another historic Harrogate tunnel

‘Horrific’ walk in Ripon

Read more:

Can you help reunite a family with a long-lost relative?

John Shackleton deserves an honour

Objections to proposed mosque

Read more:

Influencer post has more channels

Low Traffic Neighbourhood is expensive folly

Harrogate apply for city status?

Read more:

Valley Gardens was perfect place for Christmas market

Read more:

Bikes aren’t an option for many older people

The council needs an app so more people can report accidents

“Why can’t we have more speed limit signs up?”

Read More:

“Time people in favour of the Gateway plan came forward”

‘We need to plan for a largely care free future’

Station Gateway is best thing to happen to Harrogate for years

Ripon needs a First World War walking tour

Read more:

Time to deal with these dangerous gases