Rural homes in North Yorkshire could face years of poor broadband

Some rural homes in North Yorkshire could face years of poor broadband, a public meeting in Masham heard this week.

Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who cited rural connectivity as a key issue during her successful campaign this year to represent Masham and Fountains as a Liberal Democrat on North Yorkshire Council, organised the meeting.

Representatives of NYnet, the North Yorkshire Council-owned company set up to increase digital connectivity in the county, said 895 premises in Masham and Fountains currently didn’t have access to super-fast broadband.

They said the third phase of Nynet’s Superfast North Yorkshire project, which is due to end in March next year, should reduce this number by 594, leaving 301 homes unable to get 30 Mbps — the speed required to be classed ‘superfast’.

Robert Ling, speaking at the meeting.

Robert Ling, director of transformation at the council, said superfast coverage across North Yorkshire was expected to be 97% by March.

Mr Ling said this represented significant progress “but this is cold comfort to people here who don’t have it”.

Project Gigabit, the £5 billion government programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband, would reach more homes but Mr Ling admitted there was no timeframe on when all premises would be reached.

Many of the 40 people who attended the meeting at Masham Town Hall expressed frustration at the WiFi they received.

Masham Town Hall. Pic: David Dixon

One said it was a “dreadful service that’s not fit for purpose” and another commented that their WiFi frequently went down whenever it rained hard, making it difficult to run a business.

Mr Ling said because Project Gigabit was a government scheme, and this dependence on central government along with other factors such as cost made it difficult for NYnet to accurately predict what will happen after March next year,

NYnet chair Peter Scrope said the organisation would probably have to run its own project to help the hardest to reach homes.

NYnet chair Peter Scrope

Cllr Cunliffe-Lister said she hoped to arrange a follow-up meeting in March to discuss progress.

Afterwards, she told the Stray Ferret she would like to see the re-introduction of a government voucher scheme that enabled people to install their own gigabit-capable connections at reduced cost. She added:

“This is a matter of concern to many people and there is a great deal of doubt about what is being delivered and what the solutions are.”

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Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration blossoms across town

The Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration has come into bloom across the town.

Harrogate BID has coordinated the floral celebration following success in Yorkshire in Bloom 2022.

Harrogate won overall winner in the Yorkshire Rose Town/City Centre BID category and was a finalist in this year’s RHS Britain in Bloom UK Finals.

The event is in partnership with local florist, Helen James Flowers, who was recently awarded a gold medal in the Floristry Awards category at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

The event will showcase several floral installations around the town, with help from Harrogate International Partnerships, RHS, Harrogate in Bloom, and North Yorkshire Council. These include props, an interactive floral trail, and a shop window competition.

The aim is to mark the town’s international links including the twinning of Harrogate with other towns such as Luchon in France, Barrie in Canada, and Wellington in New Zealand.

The shopfront of Helen James’s store on Station Parade.

The Yorkshire Air Museum, in York, has donated a wicker airplane from Canada to feature in the display, while Harrogate’s own Resurrected Bikes has provided bikes to form part of the display also.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID Manager, said:

“We are proud to be recognised as a finalist for the Britain in Bloom UK finals, especially as we are the only town in Yorkshire that made it through to this stage in the competition.

“The Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration will feature unique, vibrant and eye-catching floral displays, each telling a story of how international relations have flourished to bring together the very best of our respective cultures. From a giant Buddha to a floral musical wall, there will be plenty of exciting things to see and experience!”

Parts of the floral trail can be found near Nicholls Tyreman on a corner of Princes Square , Bettys, and the Victoria Shopping Centre.

The event draws on international links.

Helen James, from Helen James Flowers, said:

“We are so honoured to be involved with this special event, which aims to celebrate the town’s beauty and horticultural heritage through an array of stunning floral displays.

“We can’t wait to see the reaction from residents and visitors, as well as welcoming the Britain in Bloom judges.”

The Harrogate Floral Summer of Celebration will be on display from Friday July 21, to Friday August 4.

More information on the event can be found here.

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Plans lodged to convert former Parliament Street shop and nightclub into flats

Plans have been lodged to convert a former retail unit and part of a nightclub on Parliament Street into flats.

JC Robinson Ltd has tabled the plans to North Yorkshire Council which would see seven apartments created at the Grade-II listed building.

The proposal would see the former Sofa Workshop, which is next to the now closed Bijouled store, converted.

It would also see the upper floor of the former Moko nightclub and office space adapted to become flats.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the application would cause no harm to the listed building.

It added:

“Subject to further detailing of internal and external works including the design of new window and door openings to the exterior of the building, it is considered that the development can be undertaken without giving rise to harm to the significance of the listed building.”

The move comes as the retail units at the site have been empty for some time.

The Bijouled unit, which would be retained under the plan, closed its doors in February this year.

Meanwhile, the former Sofa Workshop shut in April last year after the company entered administration.

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Council agrees to meet Knaresborough traders for electric vehicle parking talks

Traders in Knaresborough are to hold talks with North Yorkshire Council in an attempt to resolve the dispute over electric vehicle charging stations.

Ten charging stations were installed late last year in bays previously available to all vehicles in Chapel Street Car Park.

Most are frequently empty, while customers in petrol or diesel cars struggle to find spaces, particularly on Wednesday market days and Saturdays.

The issue has incensed some business owners who say they are losing customers and the town is losing parking revenue.

A petition calling for some of the 10 EV charging stations in Chapel Street Car Park to be made available to all cars is available in five shops.

The petition has attracted more than 500 signatures, which is the threshold for ensuring the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee debates the subject.

To keep up the pressure, hairdresser Kelly Teggin asked the council to attend a meeting with town centre businesses.

Kelly Teggin

Kelly Teggin

Ms Teggin said:

“Businesses are absolutely fuming but they also want an amicable resolution to this.

“I’ve had another two customers this week say they won’t come back because of this.”

She emphasised traders supported EV parking, but supply currently out-stripped demand.

Barrie Mason, assistant director for highways and transport at the council, said its electric vehicle infrastructure strategy demonstrated its commitment to tackling climate change.

Mr Mason added:

“We are in correspondence with local councillors and campaigners around electric vehicle infrastructure in Knaresborough and would welcome a meeting.”

He added there was a need for a publicly accessible charging network for people who didn’t have access to charging at home.

Asked why the council chose to install the charging stations in the most central car park, where many older shoppers park, he said:

“Chargers were never intended to be installed in York Place car park as there is a covenant on the land and the town centre is an air quality management area, so we want to encourage people to use their electric vehicles there.

“Also, the grant is primarily aimed at residential charging, and in the area surrounding Chapel Street Car Park there is no access to off-street parking.”

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Former Harrogate council chief executive to take up new role

Harrogate Borough Council’s former chief executive Wallace Sampson OBE is set to take on a new advisory role at a company that provides services to local authorities.

Mr Sampson was in charge of the borough council from 2008 until it was abolished on March 31 this year to make way for North Yorkshire Council.

He will join the strategic advisory panel of Commercial Services Group, which is owned by Kent County Council and supplies services to the public sector including in HR, energy and procurement. According to its website it serves 15,000 customers in over 85 countries.

The company said this week that the three person panel will also include former Harrogate Borough Council councillor for Oatlands, Alex Raubitschek, and the former CEO of Staffordshire County Council.

Mr Sampson wrote on LinkedIn to confirm the appointment. 

He said:

“I am excited to announce that I will shortly be joining the Strategic Advisory Panel of Commercial Services Group.

“I am keen to use my significant local government experience to support CSG as a strategic adviser and to be a critical friend where necessary. CSG are an ambitious company with a strong desire to grow their business within the public sector and I look forward to working with the executive team to support their ambitions.”

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All seven district council chief executives lost their jobs in March due to local government reorganisation. The new council is led by the former North Yorkshire County Council chief executive Richard Flinton.

He received a contractual redundancy payment of £71,633 plus £29,641 for a 12-week notice period he did not have to work.

It was a lower settlement than other chief executives in North Yorkshire. Hambleton District Council faced criticism after offering a £225,000 pay-off for outgoing boss Justin Ives.

Confirmed: Harrogate Hydro to reopen after school holidays

North Yorkshire Council has confirmed Harrogate Hydro will not re-open until after the school summer holidays.

The Hydro is undergoing a £13.5 million refurbishment and will welcome customers back under the new name Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

With schools set to break-up today, many families would have been looking forward to using the swimming pool, which has now been closed for 15 months.

But the Stray Ferret revealed this week that was unlikely to happen.

Nic Harne, corporate director for community development at the council, has now confirmed:

“We had hoped that the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre would be open in late August but, unfortunately, due to unplanned works being required, it will now be early September.

“Refurbishment projects often uncover historic issues that need to be resolved and this complex construction is no different.

The leisure centre in Jennyfields closed in April last year for what was supposed to be a nine-month refurbishment costing £11.9 million.

But January’s scheduled re-opening did not happen. In May, North Yorkshire Council said the cost of the scheme had risen to £13.5 million and customers would be welcomed back in August.

Now the scheme has been pushed back again but there was better luck for leisure centre users in Knaresborough, with news that the town’s new facility has not been further delayed.

Mr Harne said:

“The new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre remains on-track to open in November.”

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Council backs bid for River Nidd bathing water status

North Yorkshire Council has backed a proposal to designate bathing water status to the River Nidd.

The motion was brought by Cllr Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, which called on the authority to support the campaign.

If designation is successful, government agencies would be obliged to take action to improve water quality at Knaresborough Lido. This would also improve water quality on a much wider stretch of the river.

The campaign comes after reports of numerous bathers falling ill last summer.

Cllr Haslam said:

“Knaresborough and the Nidd are one of the many jewels that North Yorkshire is blessed with.

“Knaresborough relies on the river to contribute to the local economy and wellbeing of the population in the form of riverside cafes, recreation on the river with regular bathing at the Lido.”

He added:

“It’s important that people can swim and enjoy the river without risks to their health.”

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Councillors voted to support the proposal at a meeting in Northallerton yesterday.

Nidd Action Group and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, are leading the campaign.

Following the vote, Mr Jones said he welcomed the support from the council.

He said:

“I am grateful to North Yorkshire councillors for backing this campaign. Bids to designate areas as official bathing water are substantially strengthened by having the support of the local authority.

“I know some seek to make party political points about this issue. I hope that this overwhelming cross-party support brings an end to this.  Positive action is what is needed and I am working with local residents, businesses, community organisations and the Nidd Action Group on the bid.

“Success is never a guarantee but I am optimistic and this support from North Yorkshire Council is an important milestone.”

Tory accuses Lib Dems of being ‘anti-cycling’ in Harrogate Station Gateway row

The Conservative councillor in charge of delivering Harrogate’s £11.2m Station Gateway scheme has criticised the Liberal Democrats following the party’s decision to oppose the scheme — just two months after giving it their backing.

In May, the controversial active travel scheme received cross-party support among local Tories and Lib Dems.

A majority of Lib Dems said it should go ahead, providing the council engages with residents, businesses and local councillors “in a meaningful way”.

But the party withdrew its support this month, claiming the council had reneged on its promise to work with locals.

At a full meeting of the council in Northallerton yesterday, Conservative executive councillor for transport and highways, Keane Duncan, delivered a scathing assessment of the Lib Dems’ changing stance on the gateway and also disputed that any promises agreed at the May meeting had been broken. 

He said:

‘The position now from Lib Dems in Harrogate is one of being anti-investment, anti-walking, anti-cycling, anti-environment and most gravely and damaging of all, anti-goodwill — a factor and quality that I think is essential now more than ever in this council.

“This executive will continue our support for the gateway. There will be no faltering and no political games.”

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Liberal Democrat councillor for High Harrogate and Kingsley, Chris Aldred, then accused Cllr Duncan of making the statement in order to further his own political ambitions.

On Friday, Cllr Duncan was selected by the Conservatives to be its candidate for the first mayor of York and North Yorkshire with elections next year.

Cllr Aldred later demanded the council investigates the “factual accuracy” of Cllr Duncan’s statement.

He said:

“I was accused of grandstanding and plating party politics. It wasn’t us who brought this up this afternoon. 

“He could have written to me couldn’t he? He chose to mention this today. I’d like to congratulate him on the start of his campaign and I hope it goes a lot better than he’s started it today.”

Cllr Duncan’s comments also provoked veteran Harrogate councillor Pat Marsh, who was one of three Lib Dems to oppose the scheme in May. 

Cllr Marsh said:

“To say the Lib Dems are anti-cycling, walking, whatever… that is totally, totally wrong. We were against a scheme that will not really deliver for any of that. We want the right scheme and not the wrong scheme.”

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is current reviewing the business case for the project with a final decision on whether it goes ahead expected later this summer.

Council pledges ‘comprehensive support’ to former Ilke Homes staff

North Yorkshire Council has pledged to offer “comprehensive support” to staff being made redundant at Ilke Homes.

The company, which is based off junction 47 of the A1(M), fell into administration on June 30.

Management consultants Alixpartners was appointed administrators after the company failed to find a buyer or further investment.

Since then, a total of 1,057 staff have been made redundant.

Cllr Derek Bastiman, executive councillor for open to business, said in a statement to a full council meeting this week that Ilke Homes staff would be offered “comprehensive support” after the administration decision.

Cllr Bastiman said the council would be working with York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and government to offer skills and financial advice to those effected by the collapse.

He said:

“We are working with the government and the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership to offer support to former Ilke Homes workers to help them secure employment or re-training.

“Alongside the LEP, we have taken a stall at a Department for Work and Pensions job fair later this month where will be providing information on skills bootcamps, self-employment and start-up opportunities, mental health support and financial advice.

“The job fair will also include a pre-information session for former ilke Homes employees aimed at helping them get back into the workplace or finding training opportunities if they wish to learn new skills.

“We will continue to offer support where we can through the DWP.”

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Ilke Homes’ factory at Flaxby was immediately closed following the company entering administration and all site activities ceased.

Administrators added that the firm had “faced the challenges of unprecedented inflation and a lack of land supply linked to planning processes”.

Officials at Ilke Homes said previously that it needed additional funding to fulfil a £1 billion order book and to protect jobs, adding that new investment was needed to build its pipeline of 4,200 new homes.

Reduction in Harrogate fire engines to begin next year

The reduction in the number of fire engines based in Harrogate overnight is expected to take effect next year.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe announced the move last year as part of her three-year fire service blueprint on how resources would be deployed in the county.

The reduction, which is part of a shift towards fire prevention, prompted widespread concerns about safety, particularly life-threatening delays at Starbeck level crossing if a second fire engine were required in an emergency.

Conservative Ms Metcalfe also agreed to reduce the number of overnight fire engines at Scarborough and to have on-call rather than full-time firefighters at Huntington, near York.

Harrogate fire station

Harrogate fire station

Her draft fire and rescue annual report for 2022/23, which was discussed by a panel today, says North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is consulting with trade unions around the implementation of the changes to Huntington station.

The report adds this is expected to be finalised by the end of the year then ‘Harrogate will form the second phase of implementation’.

Harrogate firefighters affected will be redeployed to other stations or roles, including fire prevention roles.

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Harrogate and Scarborough will have two larger emergency rescue fire engines during daytime, when most fires occur. They currently have one of these and one smaller tactical response appliance. Her report says:

“This will increase the capacity and capability to respond to an emergency when demand is at its greatest, improve resilience across the service area and increase the opportunity to undertake prevention and protection activities during these hours.

“This change will take place at Harrogate first and, on completion of a full review of the implementation of the change, be extended to Scarborough.”

An ambulance waiting at Starbeck level crossing — there are fears this will happen more frequently to fire engines under the changes.

Councillor Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone on North Yorkshire Council, said the changes were putting people “at risk”.

She added:

“I totally support the emphasis on prevention but we still need to make sure that if accidents and incidents happen we have the right response with the appropriate number of fire engines and firemen.

“The government should set a standard service per head of population. Our Residents should get the service they pay for not a reduced service.”