Call for ban on trail hunting on North Yorkshire Council land

Councillors are to call on North Yorkshire Council to ban trail hunting on land owned by the local authority.

At a meeting next week, Labour councillor Rich Maw, who represents Weaponness and Ramshill, and Green councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn, will table a motion calling for the practice to be prohibited.

Trail hunting involves laying an animal scent, usually urine, for hounds to track and is followed by a group on foot or horseback.

The practice is legal, but organisations such as animal welfare charity the RSPCA and the League Against Cruel Sports have called for it to be banned.

At a meeting in May, Cllr Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council, said the council “can’t confirm” whether or not trail hunts take place on its land.

He added that the authority was “not aware” of any formalised hunts taking place on its property.

However, in their motion, Cllr Maw and Warneken said the hunts had been used as a “loophole to carry on hunting foxes and other animals”. 

It adds:

“Across the country, hunts are using trail hunts as a loophole to carry on hunting foxes and other animals. 

“So called terrier men are frequently present with shovels and terriers, while scent trails are often not present.”

The motion adds that the Hunting Act 2004, which bans fox hunting, is unworkable and calls on the council to ban any trail hunts on council owned land.

It says:

“This council resolves to ban trail hunting, exempt hunting, hound exercise and hunt meets outright across all council land where legally possible, including any new tenancies where there are positive covenants attached to the land that currently require the council as owner to allow trail hunting events and formal gatherings.”

Councillors on North Yorkshire Council will debate the motion on July 19.

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The move comes as organisations have called on the government to change the law on trail hunting.

A pressure group called Time For Change, which is led by the League Against Cruel Sports, was set up last month to lobby ministers to strengthen the Hunting Act.

It includes 32 animal welfare charity groups such as the RSPCA, Human Society International UK, Cats Protection and PETA.

Andy Knott, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said:

“We’ve known since very soon after the Hunting Act 2004 was introduced that hunts were using its many exemptions – and something they call trail hunting – to carry on chasing and killing wildlife with hounds. 

“We and other like-minded organisations have been calling out for the law to be strengthened, for its many exemptions to be removed, and for trail hunting to be outlawed.”

Harrogate residents demand action after tree crashes into garages — again

Residents on a Harrogate street are demanding action after a mighty oak tree crashed down into neighbouring gardens twice in the space of a year.

The multi-trunk oak forms part of a row of mature trees overhanging gardens at Sherwood Drive in Hookstone.

One of its three trunks splintered in July last year, destroying the fence and badly damaging the garage roof belonging to Keith Crawford.

The incident prompted Mr Crawford and several neighbours to urge North Yorkshire Council, which owns the land the trees are on, to undertake pruning to prevent a repeat.

But nothing was done and a second trunk from the oak fell into the garage roofs of two properties alongside Mr Crawford’s at 4am on Sunday morning.

Trees overhanging back gardens on Sherwood Drive.

He said the state of the trees posed a risk to people and property that the council had failed to act upon.

“It took until December to sort out my garage and fence and now it’s happened again to my neighbours.

“The trees are just not being managed properly. People are scared.”

Mr Crawford said he couldn’t recall any maintenance taking place during the 17 years he’d lived on Sherwood Drive and the trees were now far too big for residents to attempt to prune.

Christine Amour, who lives next door to Mr Crawford, was woken on her birthday last weekend by the sound of the tree crashing down. She said:

“I was so upset, I was shaking. I just stood on the steps of my back door saying ‘oh no, it’s happened again’.”

The Stray Ferret met other neighbours at Sherwood Drive last night who were equally concerned about the situation. They said their concerns to the council had also gone unanswered.

Keith and Christine Amour besides the fallen trunk, with their homes in the background.

The trees are situated on a cycleway and footpath that leads to Panhandle Park so they also pose a risk to passers-by.

We asked the council how many residents had complained about the trees on Sherwood Drive, why it had not taken action and whether it would now.

Michael Leah, assistant director for environment at the council, said:

“We visited Sherwood Drive on Monday in order to assess the situation following the adverse weather over the weekend.

“We were initially denied access to neighbouring properties and so returned on Tuesday and held further discussions with residents.

“As a result, we were able to get onto the property directly affected and remove tree debris. We completed this work on Tuesday afternoon. There was no visible damage to the property itself.”

Mr Leah added:

“Over the next three months, we will be carrying out work in the area to thin some trees that are in a poor condition and reduce more overhanging branches.

“Residents can take action to prune trees themselves in order to prevent them reaching the stage where we need to step in. This should be done carefully and with due regard to health and safety. If in any doubt, please call in professional tree surgeons to carry out such work.”

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Harrogate town council creation could be delayed by another consultation

Residents are set to be asked for a third time about their views on a potential Harrogate town council — but another consultation could mean its formation is put back from April 2024.

Officers had recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate, which are based on current North Yorkshire Council divisions, be represented by two councillors per ward in the town council with the exception of Saltergate, which would have one councillor.

But councillors at a meeting last week raised concerns that this arrangement would be “unwieldy” and they would instead prefer to create one-member wards based around the 19 old Harrogate Borough Council ward boundaries. 

If the council decides to proceed with the original plans it is hoped the new council could be formed by next spring with elections taking place in May 2024.

This could now change with a report that will go before a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council next Wednesday in Northallerton recommending that councillors ask residents for their views on the new proposals that were suggested last week.

The report says as the public were not asked for their opinion on the revised warding pattern, there is a legal risk in proceeding without another consultation exercise.

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Councillors who backed the changes included Conservative member for Easingwold Nigel Knapton who said last week it was important for residents that the new council is set up correctly, even though another consultation risked putting back the process by another year.

But Liberal Democrat member for Bilton Grange and New Park, Monika Slater, said another consultation would confuse residents who had already been asked for their views twice before.

There has also been concerns about engagement in the previous consultations with just 4.7% of eligible households responding to the latest round that ran for nine weeks from March to May this year.

Of these, 65% said they backed the creation of the new council.

How much would the new council cost?

Despite it not being confirmed what services the council would run, Harrogate households would be asked to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year if a Harrogate Town Council was created.

North Yorkshire Council has said the town council’s council tax precept would allow for an annual budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.

The budget would be spent on accommodation, employment costs, office and IT equipment, insurance, professional fees, the mayor and delivering services.

It anticipates there would be a surplus in the first year of the town council, which would go to reserves for use in future years and “enable the parish to begin on a secure financial footing”.

The precept would be lower than Ripon City Council, which charges £70.77 for band D properties, but higher than Knaresborough Town Council, which charges £25.27.

Plans to build nine flats on site of former Harrogate council building

Plans to build nine apartments on the site of a former council office in Harrogate have been met with opposition from nearby residents.

The site at 18 Victoria Avenue was previously home to Victoria Park House, which was demolished 18 months ago.

Planning permission was granted in late 2018 for an office building to be built by new owner Hornbeam Park Developments. The plans proposed using the original facade, and the stonework was retained to do so.

Now, however, plans have been submitted by Long Marston-based Echo Green Developments, through agent Savills, to create nine residential apartments on the site, arguing attempts to market the building for office use had failed over a number of years.

Documents submitted as part of the application said the proposed building was of “traditional design” but that retaining the facade would no longer be possible. They said:

“Due to the viability of the previous application, which was office use, the client is now seeking residential use based on market advice.

“However, to provide a high quality residential development, we are unable to work with the floor to floor levels of the original build and hence cannot recreate the original front facade.”

In response to the proposed change to residential, North Yorkshire Council‘s economic development unit said it accepted there was a limited market for commercial offices and there was plenty of vacant space elsewhere.

Plans for apartments on the site of the old Victoria Park House

Plans for apartments on the site of the old Victoria Park House.

But the change of plan has drawn criticism from Harrogate Civic Society, for whom Henry Pankhurst wrote:

“We are told by the architects that the client wanted a building that looked of an historic design. What better than to have an actual and important historic building at the heart of the conservation area that currently lies demolished on the site.

“The application should be refused.”

While the five objections received from members of the public were not against residential development, they raised other concerns.

Several residents of The Osborne apartments on South Park Road, which backs onto the site, have expressed worries about overshadowing from the new building, which has a larger footprint than the former office building.

Each of the three floors would have two two-bedroom apartments and one three-bedroom apartment, and there would be 18 parking spaces on the site.

Victoria Park House was one of Harrogate Borough Council’s five office sites which was sold in 2016 for £1 million. Before that, it was home to the register office in Harrogate.

To view the application, visit the North Yorkshire Council planning website and use reference ZC23/01751/FUL.

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Mobile company submits plan for 5G mast on Otley Road

A telecommunications company has submitted plans for a second 5G mast in Harrogate.

CK Hutchison Networks Ltd, which operates Three Mobile, has tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council for land off Otley Road in the town.

It would see the 17m mast built on land near to Swinton Court.

The company said in documents submitted to that authority that the scheme would “assimilate well into the immediate street scene” and would “not be detrimental”.

It added:

“The use of the public highway to accommodate a new telecommunications installation complies with both central government and local planning policy guidance, where the underlying aim is to provide an efficient and competitive telecommunication system for the benefit of the community while minimising visual impact.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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The move comes as CK Hutchison Networks has also appealed a decision to refuse a plan for a 5G mast at Granby Park in Harrogate.

In February, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the plan over concerns of its visual impact on the parkland.

At the time, the council’s case officer, Emma Howson, said the mast would be “highly visible” from the Stray, as well as on Skipton Road and Claro Road.

Now, CK Hutchison Networks has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.

In documents submitted to the inspector, it says it does not accept that the mast would have a “detrimental impact on the street scene”.

Council set to buy 11 homes for Afghan refugees in Harrogate area

North Yorkshire Council has been offered £1.3m from the government to go towards buying 11 homes for Afghan refugees in the Harrogate area.

Thousands of refugees have come to the UK from Afghanistan since the withdrawal of US troops and the return to power of the Taliban in August 2021.

The government has been offering councils money to help house the refugees in secure properties through its Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF).

A report will go before the authority’s Conservative executive next week that says it has been allocated £1.34m in the latest round of funding.

If the council decides to accept the money, it will provide 60% match funding worth £1.68m to buy the properties, taking the overall cost to £3.1m.

Last year, Harrogate Borough Council received £2.5m from the same fund to help buy 21 homes for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees.

The borough council, which was abolished in March, came to an agreement with a local housing association to provide the match funding but this time NYC is set to borrow the money through its own general fund.

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This report says this will give the council greater control over the choice and location of properties and that it can best ensure that the needs of the refugees, and future tenants, are met.

According to NYC’s refugee resettlement manager, there is a need for more properties in the Harrogate area based on links to existing services that support the Afghan community.

The homes must be bought before March next year and could be a mix of former council homes, new builds or other properties on the open market.

Rent will be at affordable rates and the council expects to generate £118,225 in annual rental income.

The report adds:

“The acquisition of additional homes for Afghan refugees will help alleviate pressure on the council and ensure the council is playing its part in supporting government to meet national commitments toward Afghan refugees.”

Knaresborough traders start electric vehicle parking petition

Knaresborough traders have started a petition calling for some town centre electric vehicle charging stations to be made available to all cars.

Ten parking bays in Chapel Street Car Park were set aside for electric vehicles at the end of last year.

Most are frequently empty — while there is often a scramble for non-electric vehicle parking spaces, especially on Wednesday market days and Saturdays.

The sight of cars circling for parking spaces while the majority of EV bays are empty has infuriated traders, who claim they are losing business due to customers giving up and going elsewhere.

Electric vehicle EV Chapel Street car park parking

Empty electric vehicle charging stations in Chapel Street car park.

They also say taxpayers are missing out on income the empty bays are failing to generate.

Hairdresser Kelly Teggin, who launched the petition today, said it aimed to get 500 signatures, which would require North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee to debate the matter.

Ms Teggin said:

“The council has not really been engaging with us and hopefully this petition will change that.

“Many of my clients are older and say they won’t walk from other car parks further away. I estimate it’s costing the town 500 to 1,000 shoppers a week.”

The petition calls for “North Yorkshire Council to enter into urgent dialogue to discuss a phased transition to full electric vehicle provision”.

Ms Teggin said the council had allocated enough EV charging stations in Knaresborough to meet its targets for 2038 and was ignoring the current reality on the ground. She added:

“We agree we need EV parking bays but we don’t need 10 now.”

Fellow Knaresborough businessman Steve Teggin said it wasn’t realistic to expect older people carrying shopping to walk from car parks further out of town.

It is still unclear whether non-EV vehicles parking in EV bays are getting fined.

Ms Teggin said the council had not engaged on the matter and no car park signage explains the situation.

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Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, has criticised the council’s approach.

Speaking last month, he said:

“The council needs to make sure these spaces can be used by people if they are not being used by people with electric vehicles.

“If they are sat empty it benefits nobody. Businesses are losing out on customers and the council is losing out on thousands of pounds of revenue.”

The petition can be signed in Sheer Bliss, Nottingham Jewellers, Hirsts Bakery, The School and Dance Shop and Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty in Knaresborough.

North Yorkshire Council has been approached for comment.

 

Call for councillors in North Yorkshire to declare if they’re a Freemason

Anyone elected onto North Yorkshire Council should declare if they are a member of secretive Freemason organisations, a councillor has claimed.

Masonic lodges have operated for centuries and give millions to charity every year. However, they have long faced accusations of nepotism in fields such as business and the law.

All councillors must declare, in a register of interests, if they are part of organisations such as political parties or charities.

But according to the council’s code of conduct, councillors only have to declare themselves a Freemason if they are part of a lodge’s charitable arm.

Monika Slater, Liberal Democrat councillor for Bilton Grange & New Park, said the code of conduct was “wrong” because she believes that Freemasons pledge an allegiance to the organisation they’re in “above all else”.

She added that members of staff working for the council must declare all memberships related to Freemasons, unlike councillors.

Cllr Slater said:

“Surely that’s of interest to residents if they are a member of a lodge. If officers need to declare it why don’t members as well? It doesn’t feel right.”

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant chief executive Barry Khan addressed Cllr Slater’s request at a meeting in Northallerton last week.

He promised officers will produce a report that looks into whether councillors should declare if they are a Freemason.

Mr Khan said:

“The position under the previous code in regards to masonic lodges was if a member was involved with the charitable arm then they were a member of a charity and that would be registered. If it wasn’t a charitable arm, then the advice was that that it didn’t need to be registered.

“That’s been the position that has carried on [into the new council].

“However, I think there’s been some concern from members that this process should be open and transparent and all memberships should be declared. We’ll bring a report that discusses these issues and a further recommendation will go to full council.”

Recruits wanted for group that shapes North Yorkshire’s green spaces

People with a passion for the outdoors are being invited to apply for membership of a group set up to improve access to North Yorkshire’s countryside.

The North Yorkshire Local Access Forum advises North Yorkshire Council and others on how people can make the most of opportunities to get out and about.

It is recruiting new members who could possibly be ramblers, runners, cyclists or horse riders with a keen interest in shaping the future of the county’s green spaces.

The forum’s work includes issues such as footpaths, bridleways, byways and open access land within North Yorkshire, but outside of the boundaries of the two National Parks for the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.

Other areas include:

Footpaths are part of the group’s remit.

The forum works to maintain rights of way, ensure communities remain connected and improve links to places of interest.

There are generally three meetings a year and members may also attend site visits, workshops, training events and conferences as appropriate.

Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member with responsibility for public rights of way, said:

“North Yorkshire’s countryside is the jewel in our crown and ensuring it remains open and accessible to all is incredibly important.

“This has to be balanced with the needs and requirements of the people who live and work here as well and this is why the work of the Local Access Forum is so valued.

“Its volunteers bring a wealth of ideas and expertise and guarantee all views are represented and their voices heard.”

Applications are being invited from today until Friday, August 4.

Interviews will take place in late August to select new members before the next meeting of the Local Access Forum on September 25.

Applicants can request an application pack via email from democratic services officer, Harriet Clarke, at harriet.clarke@northyorks.gov.uk or telephone at 01423 556068.

You can also visit here for more information and an application form.

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Council to launch ‘once in a generation’ North Yorkshire economic strategy

North Yorkshire Council is set to launch a “once in a generation” economic strategy in an effort to support growth in the county.

The authority’s proposed economic growth strategy, which will first be considered by the council’s transport, economy, environment and enterprise scrutiny committee on Monday (July 10), has been drawn up to recognise the area’s unique scale and character and reflect the diversity of its component parts.

The document states: 

“This economic growth strategy is a key milestone, marking an exciting new phase for our economy.

“One where we take the lead on tackling some of the big economic challenges of our time such as net zero and energy security, and harness our strengths to combine accelerated economic growth with a carbon negative economy and outstanding quality of life.”

The document states the proposed strategy would provide business, investors, and other partners with a clear sense of North Yorkshire’s growth ambitions.

It adds: 

“These can only be achieved by partners from all of these groups working together in partnership to realise our collective ambitions for this great place.”

A final round of consultations, to be completed this month, is focusing on feedback from councillors, council bosses, and key external stakeholders to ensure the strategy aligns closely with other council strategies and plans for the new mayoral combined authority to be launched next year.

Cllr Derek Bastiman, the authority’s executive member for open to business, said the launch of the authority in April had presented a chance for a strategy that would not have been possible with seven different district council strategies.

He said: 

“I am quite excited as this document will benefit the whole of North Yorkshire.

“When there were seven different district authorities the boundaries did not give the ease and freedom to deliver a strategy targeting specific areas like this.”

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He said it was important north-south A1 corridor and east-west A59 and A64 corridor connectivity was identified as it would be the driving force for the economy of the county.

Cllr Bastiman said: 

“We must not take our eyes off what the market towns and larger villages, along with what smaller picture postcard coastal villages offer us.

“It is extremely important we take cognisance of all the area and the peculiarities, and I mean that in the nicest of ways, of such areas are taken into account because we don’t want to leave anybody behind with this. We want to bring people with us and consult all relevant bodies throughout the whole of North Yorkshire.”

Cllr Bastiman said he hoped the mayoral combined authority would play a supportive part in what North Yorkshire was trying to achieve.

“We do know the city of York will work with us on it, which is vitally important in delivering a cohesive, well thought out plan for the whole of North Yorkshire.”