City councillors have expressed concerns about a lack of consultation over Ripon Cathedral’s plans to erect a two-storey building next to the Courthouse Museum.
Re-elected and newly-elected Ripon city councillors, at their first full meeting since the May 5 local elections, said they have not been formally invited to see or be briefed about the £6m scheme.
The scheme has been brought forward as an alternative to the initial plans for an extension to the south side of the iconic building.
The new proposals, involving a standalone multi-purpose building including a cafe, toilets, gift shop and space for the cathedral’s choristers, are currently on display in the quire area, as part of a community consultation.
On May 24, the Stray Ferret reported that a model and exhibition panels focusing on proposals to develop the site to the north of the cathedral, were on display in the north transept.
The exhibition was temporarily removed from this location to make room for the cathedral’s platinum jubilee celebrations, which included the civic service for North Yorkshire and a timeline tea party for people born in each year of the Queen’s reign.
An architect’s design of the two-storey building.
Independent council leader Andrew Williams said:
“I’m afraid that sticking a model and plans at the far end of the cathedral, is not, in my opinion, the best way of seeking comment on proposals as important as these are.
“As the city’s elected representatives it is imperative that we as a body are fully briefed and have the opportunity to make our views known, but up to this point, we have not been engaged in the consultation process.”
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Cllr Williams added:
“I have my personal opinions on these new proposals, as I did on the previous extension plans, but I will keep those to myself for the time being.
“However, there are important issues that need to be looked at very closely, such as what will happen to the trees on the site in the planned development area and the proposal to close Minster Road to through traffic.”
Cllr Williams said that a detailed look at the proposals will be brought forward as an agenda item for the July full council meeting.
Response from Ripon Cathedral
A spokesperson for the cathedral, said that as well as working closely with North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council, Ripon City Councillors have been informed via its membership of Ripon Together that the cathedral will be providing an opportunity for a formal conversation to take place.
The spokesperson, added:
“We are delighted that many members of the community have already taken the opportunity to respond via our feedback forms. The response so far has been very positive and the feedback we receive will help develop our plans going forward.
“The exhibition will be on display for a number of weeks and the public can respond at any time; comments can be sent in writing and via email to juliabarker@riponcathedral.org.uk or Julia Barker, director of operations, Liberty Court House, Minster Road, Ripon, HG41QT.”
Harrogate-based autism advocate Thomas Henley wants to use his profile as a popular podcaster and YouTuber to help other people that might be struggling with autism.
Mr Henley was diagnosed as autistic aged 10 and said his years at Rossett High School were “quite a bad experience” as he struggled with the condition and poor mental health.
Despite his difficult teenage years, he is a former Commonwealth Championship gold medalist in Taekwondo. He’s also a model for Born Anxious, a clothing line set up to support children with autism.
Mr Henley invites guests onto his YouTube channel Asperger’s Growth and his podcast Thoughty Auti Podcast to discuss topics related to autism, including dating, mental health, university and the workplace.
He said:
“The first thing I learned was the extent to which autistic people struggle in the school system. Everyone I talk to says secondary school tends to be a traumatic environment. It can cause a lot of long-term mental health conditions.”
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Today is World Autism Awareness Day, which is backed by the United Nations and aims to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder throughout the world.
Mr Henley said his podcast and YouTube channel have helped him have a greater appreciation for how different people feel about autism. He said some may see it as a medical condition or disability, whereas others say it has lots of benefits.
He said:
“It’s a very individual thing but we think, see, perceive feel and communicate differently. It’s been shown that’s really beneficial for some work places.
“We are very emotionally intune, it’s a very misunderstood part of autism. The cognitive ability to notice and categorise, that’s the bit with we struggle with.
“What we don’t struggle with is when we know someone is struggling or needing support, that tends to be very, very strong.
“Over the course of four or five years I worked a lot on myself. But my podcast is less about sharing my experiences and more about trying to help other autistic people.”
Mr Henley encouraged any autistic teenagers in Harrogate who might be struggling to make the most of the wealth of resources that are available online, which can help them feel like they are not alone.
“One of the best things you can do is learn more about autism from a young age.
“Follow a lot of people on Instagram and YouTube and you will learn about yourself. There are lots of resources online. For example, if you’re young, female and autistic, there is Siena Castellon’s The Spectrum Girl’s Survival Guide.
“It’s good to hear autistic people talking about what it’s like to being autistic.”