Woodfield school site ‘should remain for education’, says MP

The site of Woodfield Community Primary School should continue to be used for education in future, according to Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP.

Andrew Jones said he has been working to ensure that will be the case after the school closes its doors for good on December 31.

Mr Jones told North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee he had already spoken to people interested in using it for education. He said:

“The story of Woodfield is a sad one because that school has been losing numbers for quite some time, like many years. It got down to one child.

“I don’t want to see that site lost for education provision and I’ve made some suggestions, contacted the council with those suggestions, been contacted by educational providers interested in the site, and have put the two together. I’m hoping we will see continued education on that site at the earliest opportunity.”

Woodfield has been forced to close after being rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted. It was told it must join an academy trust, but failed to secure a deal and its closure was confirmed last month.

Mr Jones said its facilities, including “significant grounds” and the community library on site, meant “the ingredients for a really good school are there”.

Asked by councillors about the approaches he had had, Mr Jones said they were from people “interested in opening a facility for special educational needs” .

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Councillors on the area constituency committee also asked him what was being done to address the gap in funding which saw North Yorkshire placed 144th out of 151 local authorities in terms of its funding for special educational needs.

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Aldred, who represents the High Harrogate and Kingsley division, said:

“The council is lobbying the local MPs and I understand they’ve written to you. Are you able to give any further update?

“I’m guessing that links into the groups you’ve been talking about, but has there been any real progress on finding that additional money to support North Yorkshire County Council and those people that need that additional funding?”

Mr Jones said he had been working closely with leaders at North Yorkshire County Council to ensure they accessed as much funding as possible.  He said:

“I endlessly lobby on behalf of our area because we do have some individual challenges. Sometimes they can be funding, sometimes it’s the high population density in one area – Harrogate and Scarborough – but the low population density for the rest of our county, which does present operational challenges.

“I can’t say that everything has changed but I can say that this is work in progress and is one of the areas where I’m working with the leadership team of the council and will continue to do so.”

He added:

“I think we will hear more about spending at the autumn statement. Just recognise that our area has fantastic educational provision and I will continue as I have to support the funding formula and the educational providers.

“You get one chance with education for children. That’s why it has to be the best we can do and that’s the approach I’ve taken throughout my time in parliament.”

Harrogate district parish councils ‘enraged’ by plans to set up unelected community networks

A Harrogate district councillor has said parish councils are “absolutely enraged” by plans to create Community Networks.

North Yorkshire County Council wants to create up to 30 networks to champion residents and businesses across the county.

It is hoped they will “fill the void” left by the abolition of district and borough councils, including Harrogate, in April next year. But some councillors have concerns about setting up unelected networks.

Nick Brown, a Conservative councillor representing Bishop Monkton, said democratically-elected parish councils in his area were “absolutely enraged at the potential for conflict” with the networks. He said:

“I do feel there’s going to be terrible trouble ahead, I’m sorry to say, with these parishes. They are very protective of their particular areas.”

Cllr Brown was speaking at a county council meeting this week which heard the networks would serve about a quarter of the population of a district or borough council and be largely based around towns.

Councillors were told it was hoped the networks would lead to greater collaboration and help communities become “the engine rooms of local action”.

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The meeting heard while the networks would be independent of the council, the council’s most senior managers would each be assigned networks to ensure strategic connections between the economic and social needs of local communities are made back into the council and with partners.

Officers stressed the networks were not about creating a new governance structure for the areas and they were not intended to undermine the legitimacy of the role of elected representatives on parish and town councils.

Too focused on towns

But several councillors branded them “undemocratic” and raised concerns over them becoming focused on towns rather than their rural hinterlands.

Craven District Council leader Cllr Richard Foster said:

“I don’t like the idea of non-democratic organisations being part of the formal structure of a democratic organisation.”

The meeting heard the networks had previously been set up across the county under different names by district and borough councils and some had proved effective in dealing with local matters.

However, Richmond councillor Stuart Parsons said giving the networks some funding was essential as they would otherwise end up as talking shops. He said:

“You have got to have something to encourage people to actively participate and not just wander away.”

Catterick councillor Kevin Foster added:

“There is a chance already for communities to get involved. All they need to do is turn up to their parish councils.”

‘Developers should create infrastructure for new homes’ says Harrogate and Knaresborough MP

Planning regulations should change to require developers to include infrastructure to support new homes, Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP has said.

Andrew Jones told North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee yesterday he had raised the issue in parliament.

He was asked by Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, whose Ouseburn division includes the planned up to 4,000-home Maltkiln settlement, whether more should be done to ensure infrastructure could cope with a sudden rise in the population.

Cllr Warneken said:

“When I’ve had meetings with the developers for Maltkiln, it has become apparent that they are going to use existing infrastructure until it bursts before they do anything about it.

“In reference to the sewage they are going to use an existing, archaic sewage system until it’s up to bursting level and then they’re going to put efforts in to have new infrastructure put in and new sewage, working with the water authority.

“I would like to see the planning system changed that allows us to say, if you are going to build something as big as 4,000 houses, that the road infrastructure, the sewage infrastructure, has to be put in place as part of that process.

“I know it sounds naive, because who is going to pick up that tab? But if we make it that it’s part of the planning process, we can maybe enforce the investment in it before it actually happens.”

Mr Jones said the development was not in his constituency but in Selby and Ainsty, represented by fellow Conservative MP, Nigel Adams.

However, he said he agreed with the principle of ensuring infrastructure was fit for new development, digital connectivity, micro-generation of power and insulation of new homes.

He added:

“I have raised the issue of building standards in parliament. I agree with the basic point that we need to have build standards that are fit for the future.

“It’s significantly easier to construct things during the earliest phases of a construction project rather than go back and retro-fit.

“That applies to more than just water but it certainly applies to water.”

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‘Over-developed’

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Aldred said he was frequently asked by people in his High Harrogate and Kingsley division about the amount of house-building.

He said there seemed to be too many large homes being built that were unaffordable to most local people, with no public transport, healthcare facilities or other provisions to support the growing population.

Cllr Aldred said he did not feel the planning system in the UK was fit for purpose and was too heavily weighted in favour of making profits for developers. He added:

“I really do think Harrogate and Knaresborough are over-developed. There are far too many people living in the area.

“The residents who have been here long-term are suffering because of this over-development.”

In response, Mr Jones said he had “no doubt” that more homes were needed across the country, with many people struggling to get onto the property ladder.

He said the local plan had provision for starter homes, but even creating that took a long time and would not always be popular with people who did not want to see their areas change.

He added:

“Getting the balance right between protecting areas and allowing people to get on the property ladder isn’t easy.

“I’m not sure we can say it’s over-developed. We’re certainly in a period where we have been under-developing across the country and people, I think, are very uneasy about all the work that has been done catching up on that.

“But I think if we get the right mix of houses so local people get a chance to put their roots down in their home areas and we see infrastructure developed in parallel then I think we can meet people’s needs and aspirations.”

Primary schools near Harrogate face uncertain future after academy plans fall through

Three village primary schools in the Harrogate district face an uncertain future after plans to become part of a multi-academy trust fell through.

Beckwithshaw Primary and Ripley Endowed C of E schools are both required to become part of an academy after they received ‘inadequate’ ratings from Ofsted this year.

The two schools are federated, along with Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School, and as Church of England schools are also part of the Leeds diocese.

However, plans to join Elevate Multi Academy Trust (MAT) from the beginning of this month fell through shortly before the start date.

In a letter to parents, Anne Vetch, vice-chair of the schools’ interim executive board (IEB), said:

“I am sorry and disappointed to have to tell you that the Elevate Multi Academy Trust have withdrawn from their plans to sponsor and convert our schools. This is a disappointment to everyone involved in this work, particularly as the decision came so close to the expected transfer date.

“The IEB and leadership team had been expecting a conversion date of November 1 at the latest and this obviously had influenced our decision making and how we were moving things forward. To say we are taken aback is an understatement.”

While Ripley and Beckwithshaw schools are required to join a MAT because of their Ofsted ratings, Kettlesing Felliscliffe, which is rated ‘good’, is not. A consultation with parents was held earlier this year over whether to remain part of the federated schools and join the MAT.

Since the two ‘inadequate’ ratings were given last year, the three schools had had two interim executive headteachers since the spring: Victoria Kirkman and Chris Whitehead.

Mr Whitehead left during the October half-term, having expected the schools to become part of the MAT immediately afterwards. Ms Kirkman has stayed on part-time as co-executive interim headteacher, alongside her role as head of Admiral Long and Birstwith primary schools.

She will be joined by Rebecca Foy, who has been the schools’ special educational needs coordinator.

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Parents have been invited to an information evening on December 5, when representatives of the IEB, North Yorkshire County Council and the Leeds diocese will explain what could happen next.

The situation has followed a similar pattern to Woodfield Community Primary School, which was rated ‘inadequate’ and then failed to find a MAT to join. With falling roll numbers and just one pupil now attending, the school will close at the end of December.

However, leaders of the three federated schools said they are determined to find a trust to join and have confidence in the education provided by the schools.

In a statement issued through North Yorkshire County Council, Robert Ling, chair of the interim executive board at the three schools, said:

“We would like to reassure parents that we have increasing confidence in the educational standards at the three schools, which have fully responded to issues raised by Ofsted and are now firmly on an upward trajectory.

“With good quality teaching and strong leadership in place, children at all three federated schools are currently achieving in their education and feel school is a safe, happy place to be. The continued support of parents will enable the federation to look positively to the future.

“We recently received an interim Ofsted inspection and look forward to the results of this visit.

“We have returned to the regional director to resume our search for a multi-academy sponsor. In the interim the focus of all involved with the schools is on delivering the best possible educational experience for all of our children.”

Residents still waiting for letters about Otley Road cycling plans

Some Harrogate residents are still waiting to receive letters about the latest cycle plans for Otley Road and Beech Grove — even though a meeting to discuss the scheme is due to be held today.

North Yorkshire County Council announced on October 19 it would hold “further public engagement on phase two of Otley Road cycle route, its links with Beech Grove and the town centre”.

It added “letters to residents in the vicinity of the scheme will be delivered next week”.

But some homes have yet to receive them, even though a meet-the-designer event is due to be held at the civic centre today.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said:

“Over 1,400 letters were distributed during the week commencing October 24 in the vicinity of Otley Road, Beech Grove, Victoria Road and Queens Road.

“We have however been made aware of some pocketed locations where letters have not been received and we have been working to get these letters distributed this week.”

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Asked how many homes had not received the letter, a council spokeswoman said it “wouldn’t know the exact figure”. The letters were posted by Royal Mail and the council has reissued them when they were alerted to problems.

Barry Adams, who lives on Otley Road, said hardly anyone he had spoken to was aware of the consultation, which he described as a “sham”. He added:

“It’s so typical of Area 6 highways when they organise any public consultation and has happened before.  In my opinion they should start the whole process again and do it properly this time.”

Views on cycling

The public engagement opened last month as part of the latest bid to promote active travel in the town.

The council is asking residents and people who travel in Harrogate to suggest what improvements could be made to the area on and around Oatlands Drive.

It is also consulting on phase two of Otley Road cycle route, its links with Beech Grove and the town centre ahead of construction.

It is hoped the proposed schemes will encourage residents and visitors to opt for walking and cycling and reduce traffic congestion.

Three options for the Otley Road route are being considered. Today’s meet the designer event at the civic centre from 4.30pm to 7pm will give stakeholder groups and residents the opportunity to discuss the options.

The results will be considered this month with construction due to begin in summer next year.

 

Sports hub included in revised plans for new Harrogate district town

A new sports hub and playing fields have been added to plans for a new settlement in the Harrogate district.

The new town, called Maltkiln, will have up to 4,000 homes and is earmarked for the Cattal and Green Hammerton area.

It is also expected to include two primary schools, shops and a GP surgery.

Amendments to the latest plans show that a sports hub with playing pitches is now included in the proposals.

According to documents on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning portal, the hub was included following discussions with Sport England, which had objected to the proposal amid clarity on contributions for sports facilities.

An updated planning statement from developer Caddick said:

“Sport England also issued a holding objection awaiting additional information on the proposed sports facilities and any off-site contributions to enhance existing sports facilities.

“Discussions have been held with Sports England about what additional details they require. The scheme will deliver a new 3.6ha sports hub comprising pitches, car parking and an associated building providing changing, toilet and refurbishment facilities.

“In addition, youth pitches are provided within the primary schools.”

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The move comes amid concerns about a current six-week council consultation on the new development plan document that provides broad details about the new settlement.

Cllr Arnold Warneken, a Green Party councillor on North Yorkshire County Council, called for the consultation to be extended or started again. after it emerged the documents had been changed midway through – without people being told.

The move has heightened concerns among residents in the area affected that the planning process is being rushed before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished on April 1. They say allowing more time would increase support for the process and show transparency.

Bid to save bus linking Ripon, Thirsk and Northallerton

Ripon councillors are bidding to save the number 70 bus service that links the city with Thirsk and Northallerton.

They have agreed to contact North Yorkshire County Council and call for a re-think following an email to the city council that said funding for the service will come to an end from April.

The news from the passenger transport authority was met with disappointment at Monday’s full city council meeting, at which leader Andrew Williams, said:

“The loss of this service will mean that people from Ripon will not be able to use public transport to travel to Northallerton and go to North Yorkshire’s new seat of local government.

“This seems a ridiculous situation at a time when the COP 27 conference is being held in Egypt and world leaders are talking about the need to reduce carbon emissions by using more environmentally-friendly means of transport.”

Ripon residents can currently travel on the 36 bus to attend Harrogate Borough Council meetings or deal with matters such as planning applications.

Cllr Williams said:

“With devolution, this will all change from April when the new North Yorkshire authority comes into being and Harrogate Borough Council ceases to exist.

“That’s why we need to both protect and promote the valuable number 70 service and encourage more people to use it and make it viable.”

Cllr Julie Martin-Long said:

“The service is also a means of accessing mainline trains for travel to the north of England and onward links to airports in the north east.

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Call for council to oppose fracking in North Yorkshire

Calls have been made for North Yorkshire County Council to oppose fracking in the county.

Two motions will be submitted to the authority’s full council next week urging officials to recognise the practice is “inappropriate” for the area.

North Yorkshire is regarded as a potential rich source of shale gas.

But councillors have claimed that supporting fracking would contradict the council’s own carbon reduction policies as well the council’s declaration of a climate emergency in July.

A motion submitted by Green Party Cllr Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn, calls on the local authority to oppose fracking across the county.

The motion will say:

“This council believes that there is firm scientific evidence that fracking for oil and gas is incompatible with the need to achieve net zero carbon emissions sufficiently rapidly to avoid climate breakdown.

“Furthermore it is in direct conflict with the council’s carbon reduction plan and the emerging climate change strategy, therefore North Yorkshire County Council in line with the current government’s policy is opposed to fracking in North Yorkshire.”

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A separate Liberal Democrat motion will also call on the council to make Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and ministers “fully aware” that it will not support fracking in the county.

The government recently declared that it would only support the practice in areas where there is support for it.

However, Mr Sunak has pledged that a ban on fracking would be reinstated after it was lifted by former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

20mph speed limits to be investigated in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Trial 20mph speed limits are to be investigated in residential areas in the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire County Council‘s executive agreed to look into running pilot schemes at a meeting today.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, which advises the executive, requested the measure last month.

The committee asked for the limit to be tested in towns and villages “where a need has been identified”.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transportation, said at today’s executive meeting:

“It’s fair to say that a default 20mph limit is controversial. While it has some support, it also attracts strong opposition.

“The pilot being called for by the constituency committee represents a radical departure from our existing approach, which is based on national guidelines. It could also cost several million pounds.

“I am very keen that we investigate options to be able to provide an evidence-based assessment of the request. This will require information on factors such as road safety, environment, value for money, enforcement and lessons from other local authorities.”

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He added:

“It would also be useful to learn lessons from our own authority. It was only nine months ago that the executive agreed a new 20mph policy, so it is important we assess how that is working and any changes needed.

“I welcome the opportunity to investigate these factors thoroughly in order to be able to give an informed and comprehensive response to the constituency committee’s request in due course.”

The council’s current 20mph policy, which can be viewed here, says any 20mph limits must be self-enforcing and operate without a reliance on police intervention.

20’s Plenty

Today’s decision is a boost for local supporters of the 20’s Plenty campaign, which is pushing for a speed limit of 20mph to be normal on residential streets and in town and village centres

Yesterday, pensioner Pam Fawcett, 79, delivered a card to County Hall in Northallerton on behalf of the 20’s Plenty initiative in North Yorkshire.

The card calls for the forthcoming North Yorkshire Council to invest £1m into introducing 20mph limits in the county.

Malcolm Margolis, who supports the campaign in Harrogate, said:

“Default 20mph is gradually being adopted across the country and will come to Harrogate district and North Yorkshire.
“It needs to, to save lives, reduce road casualties, encourage people to walk and cycle more benefitting our health and environment, and make our towns and villages better places to live in.”
‘Real solutions’ needed to west of Harrogate congestion, say residents

Residents in Pannal have called for “real solutions” to congestion amid an upcoming “explosion in housing” in the west of Harrogate.

Thea area is set to see up to 2,500 new homes built over the next two decades.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council are currently working on the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy, which looks at how the area will cope with increased homes.

The strategy is part of the wider proposals for the area and builds upon the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, which sets out how the area’s infrastructure and services will look.

However, Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council has said some of the measures planned by the county council, which include junction modifications, “will do nothing” to ease congestion and called for “real solutions” to the problem.

John Mann, a Conservative county councillor representing Pannal and Oatlands, spoke on behalf of the parish council at a county council executive meeting today.

Cllr Mann (pictured) said an increase in homes would have an impact on local road infrastructure, including the A61 towards Leeds and Bradford.

He said:

“New or vastly improved roads are required, not merely a few modified junctions.

“Previous consultation meetings have been little more than Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council outlining a few junction modifications plans plus a great deal of promotion for cycle and pedestrian paths, plus increased bus services that would not come into operation until all the developments are finished.

“Active travel and buses in and out of Harrogate from the west of Harrogate developments will do nothing to alleviate the daily commute, rat running and school runs through our parish.”

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In response, Cllr Keane Duncan, executive county councillor for access, said 

“The county council is working to address congestion in and around Harrogate now and in advance of the planned development in the west of Harrogate, which will see an extra 2,500 homes constructed between now and 2035.

“This major strategic development is key to providing much needed housing and promoting Harrogate’s future economic growth, as is the proposed Maltkiln development.

“It is vital therefore that the council continues essential work on both of these schemes in parallel.

“While the west of Harrogate development is spread over several sites and a number of separate planning applications, a unified approach is being taken for the delivery of essential infrastructure and mitigation of traffic impacts.

“We are working with the land promoters and their consultants, who have been instructed to look at traffic impacts cumulatively and this will be documented in a transport strategy.”

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for access at North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for access at North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Duncan added that a “number of junctions” had already been identified for improvement, which would be paid for by developers.

He said further consultation on infrastructure would be held with resident groups and parish councils.

The move comes after the Stray Ferret revealed that North Yorkshire County Council appointed RPS Consulting Services Limited to oversee a review of junction improvements in the west of Harrogate.

The Oxfordshire company was awarded £200,000 as part of the contract.

Park and ride plans still in the works

Meanwhile, Cllr Duncan said work on a park and ride for Harrogate was “still in the feasibility stage” and no decision on its site had been made.

The scheme has long been seen as part of the solution to congestion in the town.

The county council said previously that the plans would take around six months to assess and could be published next year.

Cllr Duncan said today:

“Given this, it would be wrong to rule out or rule in any particular site at this stage”