A contractor is being sought to to create a 1.7km traffic-free cycleway  from Green Hammerton to Thorpe Underwood.

The Hammerton Greenway, which will cost an estimated £84,600, will encourage cycling in villages close to main roads.

Green Hammerton Parish Council began work on the scheme after the 2014 Tour de France passed through the area and a planning application to change the use of land to facilitate a cycleway was submitted last year to North Yorkshire Council.

The village lies between York and Harrogate. The A59 and Boroughbridge Road limit access to the network of country roads into the vale of York.

The greenway will link with Great Ouseburn, which is part of the Way of the Roses cycle route from Morecambe to Bridlington.

North Yorkshire Council is funding the majority of the scheme from developer contributions paid by housebuilders and now the parish council is seeking bids from contractors to carry out the work. The deadline for submissions is April 30.

Work is expected to begin in autumn, after the nesting season and harvesting so overhanging branches and overgrown hedges can be cut back.

Planning documents submitted to the council in support of the application said:

“This will be a greenway for all users and will be designed to give a smooth dry surface for year-round use on foot, by cycle, and with children’s buggies or by those in wheelchairs.”

Creating the cycleway will mainly involve upgrading existing public footpaths and farm tracks to create a more even and levelled surface. The surface will be ‘durable all-weather crushed stone, with mown verges either side, giving a total width of 5m’.

Moss Hill Lane will be included in the cycleway.

The planning documents add:

“The work will require the replacement of an existing bridge with a new, cycleway bridge, the installation of potential street furniture (benches, bollards, and gates) and new/enhanced boundary treatments in the form of hedge planting and where necessary fencing.”

Jon Purday, a campaigner for the greenway who put the idea to the parish council in 2014, said:

“The Hammerton Greenway will be a safe route for families to take children on bikes, buggies and scooters, for walkers, wheelchairs and mobility vehicles, and for young people to cycle on a traffic-free track. Green Hammerton is hemmed in by busy main roads which are dangerous for young and inexperienced cyclists.

“In the past decade Green Hammerton has doubled in size and many young families have moved into the new houses. The Hammerton Greenway offers safe, accessible space for all those growing up in the village to learn to cycle and to get the benefit of living in the country.

“Queen Ethelburga’s school is just a mile away over the fields, and all the Green Hammerton children who go there, as well as teachers and others in the village who work there, will be able to cycle safely into school. That’s a much more exciting way to start the day than adding to the school car run.”

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Plans to build 13 homes in Markington have been withdrawn.

Leeds Housing developers KCS Development Ltd applied to build 13 two to four-bedroomed houses with gardens and car parking spaces at High Mill Farm on High Street. Five were classed as affordable homes.

The firm previously applied to build 21 houses on the site in 2022 but withdrew that application in February 2023 to consider “concerns raised by consultees and the planning officer.”

The latest plans for 13 houses were submitted in July last year, but documents on North Yorkshire Council’s planning portal reveal they have now been withdrawn.

The planned site on High Mill Farm, Markington.

A design and access statement submitted to Harrogate Borough Council by Ilkley architects Halliday Clark on behalf of the applicant said there was an “identified need” for new housing in Markington, which is situated between Harrogate and Ripon and has a population of just over 600 people.

The statement said:

“The proposal sits centrally in Markington and is in walking distance of all the village amenities such as the primary school, shops and community spaces. Developing in a small village such as Markington will protect the continuation of these vital services, allowing the village to stay sustainable. There is an identified need within Markington to provide affordable family housing to enable young families and people to stay living in the village.”

The statement adds the development would be “concealed and therefore will have no visual impact on Markington’s high street”.

Markington with Wallerthwaite Parish Council objected to the development and said:

“The council also rejects the idea that there is an ‘identifiable need’ for housing in Markington. The number of properties for sale in the village, which aren’t selling, including on Phase 1, point towards the fact that more housing is just not necessary.

“The council has received no support for the application. There have been no comments in favour of Phase 2 from the village. The total opposite is true. Residents have expressed alarm and frustration with the plans and planning process asking ‘at what time does a village move to not being a village anymore’ when what gives a village its essence is slowly eroded.”

The parish council also raised concerns regarding overlooking, overshadowing, and flood risks. The application received 31 objections.

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A Liberal Democrats councillor has called for elections to be held for a future Harrogate town council in May 2024 rather than 2025.

In July, North Yorkshire Council agreed to pause work on the new council to undertake a third public consultation about how it will be formed.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only two areas in the county without a parish council and the council is creating them at the same time.

But the Lib Dems have raised concerns that another consultation will mean a longer wait for Harrogate residents to be represented on a town council.

Harrogate Town Council would have far fewer powers than North Yorkshire Council or the former Harrogate Borough Council but it could run some local services.

Cllr Philip Broadbank

Cllr Broadbank, who represents Fairfax and Starbeck, raised the subject at a meeting in Northallerton last week.

He asked if Harrogate could be treated separately from Scarborough and if the process could be speeded up so elections can take place in six months’ time.

Cllr Broadbank said:

“Whilst new warding proposals for Scarborough will of course be new and take longer to formulate, boundaries for Harrogate town already exist.

“A consultation on whether Harrogate has single member or two member wards can be done quickly and allow elections next year rather than 2025 as currently envisaged.”

However, his proposal was knocked by Conservative executive member for corporate services David Chance, who said a decision had already been taken by councillors in July.

Cllr Chance said:

“The proposals for Harrogate and Scarborough have been brought forward together and delivered in tandem to deliver parity in our approach.”

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Last month, the council revealed the winners and losers of the 12 ‘double-devolution’ bids from parishes that would like to take control of assets in their areas.

These included Ripon City Council, which wants to take over the running of assets including the town hall and market square.

Knaresborough Town Council has been invited to develop a business case to run the town’s weekly market.

Harrogate was excluded from the process because it doesn’t have a parish council. If a Harrogate Town Council were created, it could bid to run services in the town such as looking after its parks or the Stray, operating car parks or managing the Royal Hall.

It has previously been suggested by North Yorkshire Council that residents would pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year to pay for the new council.

The clock is ticking on the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council, which could leave Harrogate itself without any lower tier authority.

The borough council will no longer exist come April 1, 2023, as part of the biggest shake-up in local government since 1974.

This has led to calls for North Yorkshire County Council to create a Harrogate Town Council. But what is a town council, what powers will it have and how will it be funded?

What is a town council?

Town and parish councils run services such as community centres and play areas, as well as maintaining bus shelters. Councillors are elected to serve on them but they are not paid.

The councils can also charge a precept as part of council tax bills to fund the services provided, meaning there is a cost to the people they serve.

In the Harrogate district, there are town councils in areas such as Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Kirby Hill.

Because Harrogate does not currently have a lower tier council, it raises questions over what its boundaries would be.

What powers would a Harrogate Town Council have?

North Yorkshire County Council officials have promised further powers for towns and parishes in a move described as ‘double devolution’.

It would see the councils able to run services and take on additional responsibilities.

Council bosses have looked at areas such as Cornwall as an example of this.

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In 2009, Cornwall scrapped its six districts and county council and set up a single unitary authority — just as North Yorkshire is doing now.

In an effort to reach out to local areas, it started a process of double devolution to its 197 parish and town councils. This saw town and parish councils take on more assets and, in theory, given more control.

Truro City Council took over the city’s library, youth centre, sports hall and open spaces, such as Lemon Quay.

Other town councils opted for more modest bids and took control of art galleries and CCTV services.

If a town council is created in Harrogate, it would raise questions over what assets it could feasibly take control of, and what assets would remain with North Yorkshire Council.

How would it be funded?

Parish and town councils are largely funded through a local precept, which goes on top of general council tax.

Those who live in Knaresborough, Ripon and other parishes already pay a parish precept on their bills in addition to the precepts for North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Ripon City Council has frozen its precept for the average band D at £71.89 for the last two years, while Knaresborough Town Council set its share at £25.27.

Ripon Town Hall, where the city council sits.

People in Harrogate do not currently pay a parish precept. But they would if a town council is created in order to fund services it runs.

The more powers it took on as part of the double devolution agenda, the more its bills could increase.

Many of the town and parishes in Cornwall have taken control of car parks in order to raise money.

Should a Harrogate town council want to replicate the model in Cornwall, it could mean similar actions being taken.

When will a town council be created?

Some newly elected county councillors have pushed for action but no formal moves have begun yet.

Cllr Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents Hookstone division, last week called for a town council to be created at “as soon as possible”.

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

In order to create a new parish, county council officials would have to begin a process known as a community governance review, which would be consulted on with the public.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of the authority, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service recently that it would be up to residents to decide if plans should go-ahead.

He said:

“I’m a great advocate of parish and town councils, and I do believe Harrogate and Scarborough would be well served if they had them.

“That said, it is for the people to decide whether they want them or not.

“I’m very keen that we start the process as soon as possible and we will go to the public in Harrogate and Scarborough at the earliest opportunity.”

With North Yorkshire Council not coming into existence until April 1, it is doubtful whether moves to create a Harrogate Town Council will seriously begin until then so it could be some years before one is up and running — if residents decide to create one.

Calls to introduce a default 20mph speed limit in built-up areas across North Yorkshire have again been unanimously dismissed after the highways authority said it would target road safety funding where it could make a bigger impact.

A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive saw a series of changes to the authority’s 20mph policy and agreement among all the leading councillors that a targeted approach to low speed zones be continued.

Councillors said a blanket approach could cost up to £12m to introduce, leading to a council tax hike.

The meeting heard from numerous pressure groups, parish councils and residents who claimed the authority was out of step with both a growing national and local desire to lower 30mph limits in towns and villages.

The move was backed by parish councils in the Harrogate district and prominent Harrogate environmental campaigner, Malcolm Margolis.

Ian Conlon, of the 20s Plenty for Us campaign group told the meeting some 59 parish councils in the county had voted for 20mph limits.

He said: 

“Parish councils are your eyes and ears to the ground by reporting ongoing problems.”

Mr Conlon said the authority’s policy was frustrating the key government policy of encouraging active travel, as well as affecting community cohesion.

He emphasised that perception of danger was important, rather than just accident statistics, which the council appeared to rely on.

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The meeting heard that Department for Transport figures highlighted how each fatality cost the pubic purse some £2m, and serious injuries cost about £250,000.

Monaco Grand Prix

Mick Johnston, of Thirsk and Malton Labour Party, said the council needed to undertake a “radical rethink” rather than look at old government circulars and outdated reports, and end the “interminable process of application and assessment” for residents wanting 20mph zones introduced.

After suggestions that numerous groups had been overlooked by the council’s review, officers said North Yorkshire’s policy was consistent with national guidelines and that the review had been thorough.

The authority’s opposition leader, Cllr Stuart Parsons, said police carried out no speed enforcement in the large area in Richmond that was covered by a 20mph zone.

He said: 

“On many an evening we have what seems like trial runs of the Monaco Grand Prix on the streets of Richmond.”

Cllr Parsons called on the county council to exert pressure on the police to enforce speed limits so 20mph in built-up areas could be introduced as a default.

However, the council’s executive member for access, Cllr Don Mackenzie, said the county’s roads were becoming safer and safer, and 20mph zones should only be created on a case-by-case basis.

He said the available money for road safety should be focused on exceptions, such as young and older drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and drink and drug drivers.

He said: 

“One area where we see very few casualties and where we are very safe indeed, without being complacent, is in built-up areas and accidents caused by speed. This is an area of very, very small amounts of incidents on our roads.”

The leader of a council undergoing its biggest transformation in almost half a century has said “common sense has prevailed” after all seven of North Yorkshire’s borough and district councils have agreed to fund next year’s parish council elections.

North Yorkshire County Council leader Councillor Carl Les was speaking after it emerged Richmondshire District Council had joined the six other second-tier authorities in the county in taking on the extraordinary and unexpected cost of parish council elections next year.

It had previously been agreed parish councils with contested seats should hold their elections a year early next May to bring their polls into line with ones for North Yorkshire’s new unitary authority and save taxpayers money.

However, parish councils had been told some by some district authorities they would face charges for the election despite having little time to raise funding.

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Some parishes had stated due to their lack of resources they faced having to double their tax demand from residents to cover the election, which it was claimed had been “foisted” on them by the county council.

Despite the potential charges being levied by district and borough councils, the county council’s leader Coun Les had faced pressure to ensure parishes did not go into the red.

Cllr Les said

“It will be for the new unitary authority to decide whether they charge parish councils in future, once it becomes into being, but I would hope this sets a good precedent.”

County council opposition leader Councillor Stuart Parsons said it had been disappointing that a campaign had been necessary to ensure parishes were not burdened with the costs.

Liberal Democrat councillors will next week call for a parish council to be created in Harrogate after Harrogate Borough Council is scrapped.

Cllr Matthew Webber, who represents Harrogate New Park, will table a motion at a full council meeting on Wednesday.

The motion calls for Harrogate Borough Council to “strongly recommend” whatever council succeeds it reviews its governance and considers establishing a parish council for the town.

The motion says:

“That this council strongly recommends to any successor unitary authority in North Yorkshire that a community governance review for the town of Harrogate is initiated and the creation of a parish for the town is considered.”

As part of its devolution agenda, the UK government plans to scrap North Yorkshire’s seven district councils and its county council and replace them with either one or two unitary authorities.

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Currently, Scarborough and Harrogate are the only areas without a town or parish council in the county.

Cllr Carl Les, Conservative leader of the county council, said if the authority’s plan to have one council for the entire of North Yorkshire was accepted, it would listen to any proposal.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“It is part of our proposals to offer powers to parish councils should communities request that review.

“It will not be done to them. This will be delegation, not abdication.”

What would a town or parish council do?

Town and parish councils run services such as community centres and play areas, as well as maintaining bus shelters. Councillors are elected to serve on them.

The councils can also charge a precept as part of council tax bills to fund the services provided.

Under its plans, the county council has promised further powers for towns and parishes in a move it describes as ‘double devolution’.

The districts’ plan for an east/west model has also pledged to hand further powers to parishes, if they want it.

It would see the councils able to run services and take on additional responsibilities.