Senior Labour politician in Harrogate to support mayoral campaign

Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, made a quick visit to Harrogate at the weekend to support the mayoral campaign of Labour candidate David Skaith. 

The Leeds West MP, who was formerly an economist at the Bank of England, met local party workers and joined Mr Skaith to canvass in the town centre. 

Mr Skaith, who now lives in Wheldrake near York, grew up in Harrogate and his family still live there. 

Also chair of the York High Street Forum, he has focused many of his pledges on helping people and businesses. He has promised to introduce a cost-of-living support fund to help those who are struggling financially, and launch a high-street fund to support businesses financially and strategically. 

He said: 

“We started the day with the dedicated and hard-working Harrogate & Knaresborough Labour Party. Showing Rachel Reeves around the town I grew up in and still have so much love for was a real pleasure. 

“I can’t wait to put in place my Mayor’s High Street Fund and the Labour plans for our high streets to really boost investment into towns right across our region.” 

Photo of Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and North Yorkshire mayoral candidate David Skaith campaigning with Labour Party workers in Harrogate.

Rachel Reeves MP and David Skaith with Labour Party workers in Harrogate.

Although Harrogate is not usually considered natural campaigning territory for Labour, the party has said it is the only one that can defeat the Conservatives across York and North Yorkshire as a whole.

The mayoral region includes Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire, where Labour has just 11 of the 90 county council seats, and Labour-controlled York, where the Conservatives have just three of the 47 city council seats. The region stretches from the outskirts of Darlington in the north to within five miles of Doncaster in the south, and from the east coast to within 10 miles of the west coast.

Voting in the mayoral election will take place across the region from 7am to 10pm on Thursday, May 2.

The candidates for mayor are:

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North Yorkshire mayoral election: Where do the candidates differ?

As the race to become York and North Yorkshire’s first mayor heats up, candidates have outlined their pledges and promises.

The six candidates contesting the election have published manifestos and pledges which range from the economy to climate change.

Some are eye catching, while others are modest.

The mayor will have an investment fund of £18 million per year, which will go towards powers such as transport, housing and skills.

As candidates go into their last week of campaigning, we look at their pledges and analyse where they differ from each other.

Grand Hotel

Conservative candidate Keane Duncan has unveiled ambitious promises as part of his campaign.

These range from free car parking to introducing facial recognition cameras in North Yorkshire to help tackle crime.

But perhaps his most eye catching pledge is to purchase the Grand Hotel in Scarborough, which first opened in 1867, in order to restore it.

Mr Duncan admitted in a press release that the plan was “radical” and that he would use new mayoral funding to purchase the hotel.

He added that, while he was keen to agree a sale price, he would resort to compulsory purchase powers if necessary.

Keane Duncan

The mayor will have the power to compulsory purchase land for development. However, the mayoral investment fund, which could be used for the project, only extends to £18 million.

The project raises questions over how exactly the hotel would be paid for, what the price would be and how much the regeneration would cost.

Mr Duncan’s pledge echoes that of a similar project carried out by Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, and the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

In 2018, Mr Houchen and the combined authority purchased Durham Tees Valley Airport for £40 million in order to bring it back into public ownership and prevent it being sold for housing.

Railway stations

Among the various pledges included in Felicity Cunliffe-Lister’s 26-page manifesto is a pledge to lobby for a new railway station at Flaxby.

The promise is unique as no other candidate has mentioned the station specifically.

The Lib Dem candidate’s support for Flaxby Parkway has its roots in a long running saga over the need for a station in the area, which developers Flaxby Park Ltd promised in 2018.

The topic was at the centre of a debate for a new 3,000 home settlement in the Harrogate district, which was subject of a High Court appeal in 2020. The former Harrogate Borough Council later settled instead on an area in Hammerton and Cattal, which will be called Maltkiln.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister

Ms Cunliffe-Lister made the pledge as part of a wider need for “faster and more reliable service across the north”.

Lobbying for the station would be the extent of her power, should she be elected mayor.

However, funding and business cases for some stations have been secured through partnerships between local authorities and developers. 

Recently, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council and developer Munroe K secured £26.5 million worth of funding for a station at the White Rose centre in Leeds.

Paul Haslam, who is standing as an independent candidate, has also called for a new station at Claro Road in Harrogate and Mr Duncan, the Conservative candidate, has called for Haxby station to reopen.

The mayor themselves does not have any power to build new stations.

However, as the figurehead of the region’s combined authority, she would have the power to lobby the Department for Transport, local authorities and other government agencies, such as Network Rail, to consider such a project.

Meanwhile, both Mr Haslam and Ms Cunliffe-Lister have also made pledges for a single transferrable ticket on transport across North Yorkshire – which the mayor could include in their transport strategy.

Mayor funds

Both the Labour Party and Green Party have pledged to create mayoral funds to help businesses in York and North Yorkshire.

Creating funds for businesses would likely come from the mayoral investment fund, which will be £18 million for the next financial year.

Labour’s David Skaith has pledged a high street fund, while Kevin Foster of the Green Party has promised an innovation fund.

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Mr Skaith’s announcement included a promise to provide access to support for high street businesses. However, it appears to stop short of putting a figure on how much money would be available.

Meanwhile, Mr Foster said his fund would see £1 million allocated from the mayor’s budget for the next financial year.

Such a move would require discussions with combined authority officials, as Mr Foster acknowledged to the Stray Ferret in a recent interview.

Both pledges would also require support from the combined authority board, as would any proposal drawn up by the mayor.

A59 compensation

The closure of the A59 at Kex Gill has been a contentious issue, not least due to the complaints of business owners on their trade.

Keith Tordoff, the Pateley Bridge-based independent candidate, has sought to capitalise on the issue.

Among his many pledges, he has promised a compensation fund for businesses on the A59.

He said the money would come from wealthy people, businesses and charities in order to invest in the region and would be separate from the £18 million investment fund.

While the closure at Kex Gill is a matter for North Yorkshire Council, such a move from the mayor would need support from the combined authority board – including the two members from North Yorkshire Council.

Photo: Mayoral candidates (clockwise, from top left) Keane Duncan, David Skaith, Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Paul Haslam, Kevin Foster and Keith Tordoff.

North Yorkshire Council issues ‘call for sites’ for new planning blueprint

North Yorkshire Council has begun the process of developing a new planning blueprint for the county.

The local authority is now accepting call for sites submissions as part of its plans to draw up Local Plan.

The Local Plan will set out where development can take place across North Yorkshire over the next 15 to 20 years.

The Harrogate District Local Plan was adopted in 2014 and was set to be in place until 2035.

However, following the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council and the formation of the unitary authority, North Yorkshire Council is now in the process of drawing up the new North Yorkshire Local Plan, which will replace existing plans for former district authority areas.

As part of the process, landowners or developers have until June to offer their sites for consideration for the new Local Plan.

The council said in a statement sites can be “put forward for any use or designation”. These include housing; employment and commercial development; retail and leisure; renewable energy generation and other environmental enhancement schemes.

Those submitting sites are advised to provide as much detail about the land and intended use as possible, the council said, adding this would enable the local authority to “consider the impacts of the site”.

The council also said it will take “expert advice” on the impact of each proposed site, including the effects on local schools and health services, sewage capacities, wildlife and the infrastructure of surrounding roads.

Nic Harne, the council’s director of community development said:

“The call for sites represents a crucial early stage in our local plan preparations and we welcome submissions from across North Yorkshire.

“However, submitting a site for consideration does not necessarily mean it will be taken forward for development. This exercise is not the planning application process and at this early stage, it is often the case that more sites are submitted than are needed to meet the future needs of the area.”

The council said it would be a “lengthy process that will take several years to complete, including an independent examination of the plan and all of the proposed sites by an appointed planning inspector”.

It added:

“When submitted, these sites will be carefully assessed by planning officers with advice taken from both internal and external specialists on a range of matters from flooding and heritage to impact on the local roads, schools and ecology.”

The news comes just over a month after councillors backed a plea to exclude Knox Lane, in the Bilton area of Harrogate, from the new Local Plan.

Teeside developer Jomast’s plans to build 53 homes off Knox Lane (pictured) were refused last September. However, the Stray Ferret revealed this week the developer has now lodged an appeal with the government’s Planning Inspectorate against the decision.

North Yorkshire Council aims to adopt the revised Local Plan by late 2028.

People will be able to comment on submitted sites at a later date.

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New software improving local gully maintenance, says council

North Yorkshire Council says a new software has helped to improve maintenance of the county’s gullies.

A council report, which was written by Nigel Smith, head of highway operations at North Yorkshire Council, will be presented to the transport, economy, environment and enterprise overview and scrutiny committee next Wednesday.

It says maintenance has reportedly improved since the roll-out of a pilot scheme using software from a company called Kaarbontech in 2021.

The Stray Ferret is often flooded with messages expressing concern about the infrastructure of local gullies. These only increased during the sodden winter.

But the council has said the new software helps to determine the number of gullies that need to be attended each year and where they are located based on the previous year’s figures.

Mr Smith said:

“The analysis of this data ensures that the gully crews only need to attend gullies that require attention, therefore saving time and costs associated with gully maintenance.”

The report says the previous system was “much less reliable”, adding when some locations were attended the crews would find the gully was “silt-free and water in the pipework running freely”.

But, since using the software, it adds the attendance-to-gullies figure increased to 85% in 2022 and 2023, which was a 10% increase from the year prior.

The report also says of those gullies attended in the same period, a total of 93.2% of gullies needed cleaning, which suggests the “data-led programme was working”. It adds:

“Our surveys show that there are 164,171 gullies on the highway network.

“Data collected and sense-checked indicates that as of March 11, 2024, the total number of gullies attended was 92,554 based on information to the end of the previous week. This represents 87.11% of the programme, meaning the 2022/23 figure (85%) has already been exceeded.”

Mr Smith also notes the data collected was taken “against a backdrop of ten named storms during the winter season”, adding more than 10,000 gullies were attended in addition to those included in the Kaarbontech programme.

The report forecasts the attendance figure to increase to 93% by the end of this year.

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North Yorkshire Council ‘still feels detached’ one year on, says peer

North Yorkshire Council still feels “detached” from its residents one-year on from its launch, says a House of Lords peer.

The authority replaced the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council in April 2023 with the promise of making savings.

One year on from its launch, the Stray Ferret has looked at whether people feel the council has improved governance in the county.

Among those we spoke to was Lord Wallace of Saltaire, a Liberal Democrat peer, who was highly critical of the move 12 months ago.

At the time, Lord Saltaire told the House of Lords that local democracy in North Yorkshire had been “destroyed” by devolution and described the introduction of a unitary authority as an “incoherent mess”.

He also criticised the number of councillors to residents, which he said made constituents feel detached from their local council.

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The Stray Ferret asked Lord Saltaire if he still stood by his criticisms 12 months on from the council’s launch.

He said he felt that people feel detached from their local authority and that councillors could not cope with the number of constituents within their divisions.

Lord Saltaire added that a district and county council model still worked, despite being criticised as “inefficient”.

He said:

“We still have county councils and district councils in some places. That in some ways is less efficient, but it does at least give people a connection.

“People do not feel any connection with their local authority.”

Taxi drivers ‘pulling their hair out’

Since its launch the changes in governance in the Harrogate district have been far reaching. Among the most controversial has been taxi licensing.

Under the authority’s harmonisation agenda, the zone which taxis could operate in was widened to county-wide. Previously, cabbies could only trade within the Harrogate district.

However, the council overhauled its licensing policy so that taxis can now operate anywhere in North Yorkshire.

In theory, the move would allow drivers to pick up business across the county.

Photo of Ripon taxi driver Richard Fieldman

Richard Fieldman, who runs his taxi in Ripon.

The council argued that the move would provide “flexibility to operate across the county, encouraging environmental efficiencies and creating a wider distribution of wheelchair-accessible vehicles”.

But, Richard Fieldman, who has operated his cab in Ripon for three decades, said he did not feel the move had improved the trade.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I cant comment on what is going on in other areas

“But the drivers in Harrogate are pulling their hair out. They [the council] do not want to know. We have been told that they are on the verge of sending out a new consultation.

“I have encouraged all the drivers to respond to that consultation.”

The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Council for a response and asked how it feels governance has been improved in the county.

Council a ‘watershed’ for public services

At the time of its launch, Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative leader of the council, said the move was a “watershed” for how public services could be delivered to the county’s residents.

Meanwhile, Richard Flinton, chief executive of the authority, said in March last year that “millions” would be saved from the new council.

He said:

“Millions of pounds in savings that will be made by streamlining operations and the delivery of services could not have come at a more important time.

“We are faced with major financial pressures and the new council will need to drive the transformation of services at pace, taking every opportunity to support green economic growth and working with communities and partners to ensure the money of North Yorkshire’s taxpayers is used most effectively.

“Public services could have been placed under even greater pressure without the move to bring together eight councils into one organisation to create the new North Yorkshire Council.

“There is still a lot of work to do to ensure we are able to take full advantage of the opportunities available to bring the most cost-effective way of delivering services for North Yorkshire’s taxpayers, but I am confident that this can be achieved with the experience, expertise and talent we will have available in the new council.”

Harrogate woman appointed High Sheriff of North Yorkshire

Harrogate woman Dr Ruth Smith has been appointed as the new High Sheriff of North Yorkshire.

Dr Smith is a board leadership coach and is a director of Harrogate business PM Management Consultants Ltd. She has also published a book on authentic leadership.

As chair of Teesside Mind and a former trustee of the charity Refuge, she is passionate about promoting mental wellbeing and supporting survivors of domestic abuse.

She has spent most of her life in North Yorkshire, attending school in Harrogate and returning in 1992 to lead her father’s consultancy business.

High sheriffs are appointed by the King and hold an independent non-political role for a single year. There are currently 55 serving the counties of England and Wales.

Dr Smith succeeded another Harrogate woman, Birstwith artist Clare Granger, at a swearing-in ceremony this week at York Crown Court. The ceremony was presided over by the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris.

At the swearing-in ceremony Dr Smith took her oath of office and the outgoing High Sheriff, Ms Granger handed over her medal of office after completing her year of service.

Clare Granger (left) and Dr Ruth Smith

Outlining her priorities at the ceremony, Dr Smith pledged to highlight the role of organisations that support domestic abuse victims, particularly children as well as mental health organisations.

In her declaration speech, she said:

“The impact of domestic abuse on women and children is both devastating and tragic with at least 1 in 4 women experiencing it, 2 women a week killed by a partner or former partner and at least 1 in 5 children impacted by domestic abuse.

“It is only since 2021 that children are recognised as victims of domestic abuse and yet the consequences of domestic abuse on them can also be devastating as well as long term and life changing.

“My theme is to raise awareness of the impact of domestic abuse on children as well as identifying the support available in the moment and from our excellent charities in the county ”

The origins of the high sheriff role date back to Saxon times, when the ‘Shire Reeve’ was responsible to the king for the maintenance of law and order within the shire, or county, and for the collection and return of taxes due to the Crown.

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North Yorks mayor election: 600,000 poll cards being sent tomorrow

Poll cards are being sent to more than 600,000 voters from tomorrow (Wednesday, March 27) for the York and North Yorkshire mayor election.

The county will go to the polls on Thursday, May 2, to vote for the first elected mayor for York and North Yorkshire.

The mayor, who will be paid £81,300 a year, will oversee the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, which launched on February 1.

The devolution deal includes an investment fund totalling £540 million over 30 years.

The mayor will also take on the responsibilities of the police, fire and crime commissioner for York and North Yorkshire, who is responsible for holding the chief constable and chief fire officer to account.

The commissioner also sets policing and crime priorities and oversees the police budget.

North Yorkshire Council chief executive, Richard Flinton will be the combined authority’s returning officer for the election, as well as the local returning officer for North Yorkshire.

Richard Flinton

He urged people not to under-estimate how important the election is:

“This is about ensuring benefits for hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses in York and North Yorkshire are realised through devolution, as the government gives more decision-making powers to our region along with millions of pounds in additional funding.

“The mayor will be at the forefront of the decisions being made. This is an opportunity for everyone who is registered to vote to decide on who they want to represent them at what is a defining moment for our region.”

Photo ID required

The deadline for registering to vote is April 16. To vote by post, you must first be registered and apply by 5pm on Wednesday, April 17.

This election will be the first time many people will have to show photo ID when voting in person. Anyone without suitable ID can apply for a free voter authority certificate before 5pm on Wednesday, April 24.

Details of candidates will be outlined in a booklet that legally has to be sent to everyone who is registered to vote in York and North Yorkshire in April.

More information is available here.

The current candidates are:

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Harrogate councillor resigns Tory whip to stand for mayor

Harrogate councillor Paul Haslam has resigned as a Conservative to stand as an independent candidate in the York and North Yorkshire mayoral election.

Mr Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire Council, has set up the website haslam4mayor.com for his campaign.

The website says he is “free from party shackles” and “committed to fighting for North Yorkshire’s best interests”. It says the national government “has ignored the north of England and in particular our area”, adding:

“A decade as a local councillor has given Paul a deep and nuanced understanding of York and North Yorkshire’s community needs and the intricate workings of council”.

Mr Haslam, who is the council’s climate change champion, said his priorities included securing fair, inclusive and lasting economic growth, creating higher paid jobs, improving public transport and more affordable housing.

His website added:

“His extensive 25-year career as a director, management consultant and CEO — having recently managed the sale to a FTSE250 company for £82.5 million — has honed his strategic vision and financial acumen, crucial for addressing the economic hurdles of the area.”

Keen runner Mr Haslam, who is taking part in next month’s London marathon, said he would run across the region on foot as part of his campaign.

He said this demonstrated his commitment to reducing the carbon footprint. Conservative candidate Keane Duncan is conducting a 100-day tour of the county in a campervan.

Tories grip on North Yorkshire weakens 

Mr Haslam’s decision to leave the Conservatives means the Tories now have 44 of 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council — fewer than half.

The party shored up its control last year by convincing three independents, including Ripon Minster and Moorside Cllr Andrew Williams, to join a Conservatives and Independents group.

But Mr Haslam’s departure again has weakened the Tories’ grip.

The mayoral election will take place on May 2.

Mr Haslam will be up against Liberal Democrat Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Conservative Keane Duncan, Green candidate Kevin Foster, Labour’s David Skaith and independent Keith Tordoff.

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Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is coming to an end – get your last minute donations in

The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal will come to an end this weekend after almost two months of raising vital funds for Dementia Forward.

You can still donate to the appeal until midnight on Sunday, January 7.

So far we have raised around £8,000 for the charity, which will go towards funding a new minibus.

Jill Quinn MBE, chief executive at Dementia Forward, said:

“We really value the support that The Stray Ferret and all your readers have given us this Christmas.
“The stories and videos have shone a light on our services, and we really hope that everyone has a good understanding of what Dementia Forward offers to people in the local community, and knows where to turn if they ever they need us.
“It is exciting that we have received enough donations to be able to lease a new minibus for the next two years, so that we can continue to provide vital transport for people living with dementia in the Harrogate District.
“Once again, huge thanks and we wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2024!”

We didn’t reach our target, but we know times are tough and the money raised will still make a huge difference to the lives of those living with dementia and the people struggling around them.

Director of The Stray Ferret, Tamsin O’Brien said:

“We’d like to thank VIDA Healthcare for its wonderful support of our Christmas Appeal. As someone who’s family has experienced the heartbreak of Alzheimers, this was an appeal close to my heart.

“Thank you to everyone who donated. Please give generously this weekend — you never know when you may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.”

The appeal was kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Nine Harrogate homes included in £9.2 million housing scheme

Nine new homes are set to be built in Harrogate and Boroughbridge as part of a £9.2 million housing fund.

The move comes as part of a York and North Yorkshire brownfield housing fund, which was approved this month.

The money will see 700 new homes built across the county, including 252 affordable homes.

A total of nine projects have been agreed, which will see developments built in Catterick, York, Easingwold, Harrogate and Boroughbridge.

Funding was agreed, subject to further due diligence, at a meeting of the York and North Yorkshire Joint Devolution Committee.

If progressed, the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will administer the fund. Investment has been secured from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, said: 

“North Yorkshire is one of the most desirable places to live in the country, but with that comes a massive demand for housing, especially for more affordable homes.

“We want people to be able to continue to live in the communities where they grew up, while also allowing others to move to the county to help to bring in the skills and experience which are needed to boost the economy.

“This is a significant moment for both York and North Yorkshire to see more than £9 million being used to fund hundreds of new properties, especially with more than a third of them being affordable homes.”

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