Locations of 34 electric vehicle charge points revealedThe locations of up to 34 new electric vehicle charge points in the Harrogate district have been revealed.
The district has seen the largest increase in North Yorkshire of motorists switching to electric vehicles and Harrogate Borough Council aims to get 10,000 on the roads by 2023.
To help hit this target, the authority plans to install charge points at several council-owned locations to encourage motorists to make the switch ahead of the government’s ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars in 2030.
Tom O’Donovan, economy and transport officer at the council, told a meeting on Wednesday the 34 charge points were being rolled out as part of a phased scheme, with more to come later.
The locations include up to four charge points at the council’s Claro Road office, as well as up to five at its civic centre headquarters at Knapping Mount.
There will also be up to four at Harrogate’s multi-storey Victoria Shopping Centre car park and the same amount at Ripon Cathedral car park, plus a hub of charge points at Knaresborough Chapel Street car park.
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There are three options for Pateley Bridge, including the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty office, Nidderdale Leisure Centre and south car park.
The car park at Hornbeam Park railway station could also get up to 10 charge points, while no proposals have yet been put forward for Boroughbridge because infrastructure works would be “too costly”.
Up to 160 charge sites planned
Harrogate Borough Council approved its Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy two years ago with an aim to provide 61 public charge points by 2024, although this could be increased up to 160 if required.
North Yorkshire County Council is also developing a county-wide strategy but has said it currently has no plans to roll out on-street charging infrastructure on a large scale or in response to individual requests for charge points.
It said this is because of “difficulties” with electricity tariffs and setting out the terms on the maximum time a vehicle can charge in shared on-street spaces.
The council said:
“We will continue to review the overall situation, taking into account demand from residents and funding availability, including external grant funding.”
Avoid recycling centres over Easter, says councilPeople in the Harrogate district have been advised to avoid household recycling centres this weekend because of expected queues.
North Yorkshire County Council’s 20 recycling centres remain open during lockdown but queueing systems to comply with social distance guidelines have caused tailbacks.
The Harrogate district has three centres: Wetherby Road and Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate and Dallamires Crescent in Ripon.
Queues at the recycling centre on Wetherby Road. Photo: Mark Westerman
Councillor Andrew Lee, executive member for open to business, said:
“We expect the household waste recycling centres to be extremely busy over the holiday weekend, as Easter is always a busy time.
“Given the rules in place to ensure the sites can operate safely, this will inevitably lead to queues.
“We’re asking people to consider whether they really need to visit their household waste recycling centre this weekend. Could you keep the waste at home for another week or so and take it at a less busy time?”
The centres moved to summer opening hours today, meaning they are now open from 8.30am to 5pm every day except Wednesdays.
Hannah Corlett, spokesperson for the Harrogate and District Green Party said the location of the centres was the main issue. She said:
“I know people from Ripon who have travelled all the way to Bedale recycling centres because the queues are so large so we should be asking why the centres are where they are.
“These high traffic areas are a bad place for them if they’re causing such big queues.
“Asking people to avoid them this weekend also sends a bad message about accessibility. Lots of people don’t have time to travel to their local recycling centre and so more and smaller recycling centres would probably be a better option.”
‘Real scare’ for Ripon driver as timber smashes into carA young driver had a “real scare” last night when a piece of timber reportedly fell off a van and smashed into her car’s windscreen.
The incident happened on Studley Road near the River Laver Holiday Park last night at around 9.45pm. The 22-year-old driver of the Fiat 500 suffered a minor head injury.
North Yorkshire Police is now looking for the driver of the van, who failed to stop after the crash and continued to drive towards Ripon city centre.
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Police have also described the vehicle they are looking for as a dropside van with a white cab and silver sides.
Officers found this timber the smash.
David Minto, the police officer who attended the incident, tweeted the following last night:
“A real scare for this driver tonight in Ripon. Her windscreen was struck by a piece of timber that wasn’t secured/loaded correctly by another driver.
“Unfortunately the offending vehicle didn’t stop after the RTC. Driver has sustained a minor head injury.”
Anyone with information has been urged to call 101 and quote reference 12210089276.
Missing Leeds man could be in Ripon areaPolice are appealing for information about a 56-year-old missing man who it is thought could be in the Ripon area.
Ian Kowalczyk was last seen near his home in Stanningley, near Pudsey, just before 10am on Friday.
Mr Kowalczyk has links to North Stainley and it is thought he could have travelled there.
West Yorkshire Police described him as white, 5ft 11ins tall, slim build, with short brown hair that is starting to go grey.
He was last seen wearing a padded camouflage coat, blue jeans, and brown Sketchers trainers.
The man was driving a silver Kia Ceed, registration RJ12 HNK.
Ian Kowalczyk’s car
In an update released yesterday, Michael Herbert, of Leeds District CID said:
“Ian has been missing for five days now and we remain very concerned for his welfare and urgently need to find him.
“His family believe he could have travelled to the village of North Stainley where he has past connections. We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen him in that area or the silver Kia Ceed he is driving.
“We have no information to confirm that he is there and would still like to hear from anyone who has seen him or his car anywhere else since he went missing.”
Anyone with information can call Leeds District CID on 101 and quote reference number 2069 of March 26. Or use this online live chat.
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Ripon supermarket worker jailed for inappropriate videos of childrenA paedophile who collected numerous sex videos involving children and encouraged a girl to expose her breasts on the internet has been jailed for nearly two years.
Timothy Cheesbrough, 35, from Ripon, trawled the internet for inappropriate pictures of children as young as four, York Crown Court heard.
He downloaded videos of children being raped and sexually abused and depraved movie clips featuring “erotic” dancing by a young girl, said prosecutor Julian Jones.
Cheesbrough, a supermarket worker, visited numerous websites, including one in which he used video technology to encourage a girl, aged between 12 and 13, to expose herself.
He first came to the attention of police in September 2018 after they were tipped off about illegal online activity linked to his computer IP address, mobile phone number and associated Yahoo email accounts with female usernames.
Police searched his flat on September 27 2018. Cheesbrough was initially arrested on suspicion of the possession and distribution of indecent images.
He refused to answer police questions but forensic analysis of his internet devices, including an iPhone, desktop computer and hard drive, revealed a collection of more than 170 illegal child images.
These covered of all levels of seriousness including 61 Category A images and videos – the worst kind of such material.
Prosecutor Mr Jones said some of the Category A videos were “particularly disturbing” and included girls between four and 12 years old being raped by adult males.
In one of the recorded videos – from a website frequented by like-minded individuals – Cheesbrough, and possibly others, urged a girl in a school uniform to expose an intimate part of her body.
Mr Jones said:
“The female remains unidentified.”
Cheesbrough, of Kirkgate, had used PowerPoint software to record the live-streamed video, added Mr Jones.
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The Ripon man admitted three counts of making indecent images and one of causing or inciting an under-age girl to engage in sexual activity.
Temitayo Dasaolu, Cheesbrough’s defence, said her client had embarked on his nefarious online activities after becoming socially isolated because he was working night shifts at the supermarket.
She said:
“He accepts he fell into this offending out of curiosity.”
She added Cheesbrough had mental health problems and had been extremely distressed since his arrest in 2018. He had since sought professional help and had been planning to set up his own electrician’s business.
Judge Sean Morris told Cheesbrough:
“You have fallen into the trap that the courts see often: of becoming addicted to surfing the internet looking for pornography, which has descended into actively seeking out (indecent images of children).
“It’s bad enough looking at illegal images of children, but when an adult male goes online and takes part in the incitement of a child to engage in indecent behaviour, that I’m afraid is so serious that it can only be met by an immediate prison sentence.”
“That child will soon realise that images of her are out there. What that will do to her mental health, one can only speculate.
“It was deliberately sought out (and) it would appear that that was a website where others were also observing or encouraging (the girl), and the images were recorded.”
Cheesbrough was jailed for 21 months, of which he will serve half behind bars before being released on licence.
He was also given a sexual harm prevention order, which will last seven years and is designed primarily to curb his internet activities.
He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register, which forces him to notify the authorities about any change in his circumstances and whereabouts after he is released from prison.
Heat is on to reopen Ripon’s Spa BathsThe Mayor of Ripon and city council leader are demanding the reopening of Spa Baths.
With the completion date for Ripon’s new swimming pool delayed until November, councillors Eamon Parkin and Andrew Williams, are leading the call.
They visited the Grade II listed building with members of Ripon Civic Society on Friday and discovered the pool full of warm water and the heating on.
Councillor Parkin told the Stray Ferret:
“Though the building has been closed for more than a year because of the covid pandemic, it appeared to be in good shape.
“I can see no reason why it shouldn’t be back open from 12 April, along with other pools in the Harrogate district.”
Ripon is set to be without a swimming pool until November.
He added:
“Heaven knows how much it has cost to keep the heating on while the baths have been closed to the public.
“It is clear from what we saw, that council tax payers have been paying for a facility they have been unable to use.
“The pool needs to be back open from the moment that the lockdown on leisure facilities lifts.”
They were shown around by an agent from Sanderson Weatherall, which has been appointed by Harrogate Borough Council to handle the disposal of the property.
The fact-finding visit was arranged after Ripon City Council voted unanimously to keep the building in public ownership for community use.
Cllr Williams said:
“We turned up wearing our coats expecting to see the pool drained, but were surprised to find it in an operational condition.
“In some respects it was quite shocking – the heat was stifling.
“We were also surprised to discover from the agent that there is no set asking price or a guide price for the building.”
Asked about a potential reopening of Spa Baths, Councillor Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said:
“That has still to be decided.”
Cllr Lumley confirmed the Hydro swimming pool in Harrogate and Nidderdale Pool in Pateley Bridge will be reopening in April.
To comply with social distancing requirements, both will have a limited number of users.
He added:
“We are getting to a position with the roadmap, that enables us to reopen facilities, but we are limited to what we can open.”
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The initial focus will be on the reopening of the Hydro and Nidderdale pools.
Cllr Lumley said:
“We have to look on the other pools with more consideration and we can’t give a yes or no on Spa Baths at the moment.
“Decisions are being made on a weekly, if not daily basis.”
10 days without covid death at Harrogate hospitalHarrogate District Hospital has recorded its longest period without a covid-related death since Christmas.
Latest figures revealed by NHS England today show 10 days have passed since the last death.
It is the longest period without a covid fatality since the 14 days from December 11 to December 25.
Infection rates soared after Christmas, as did admissions, peaking at 68 on February 13.
At one point last month there were seven deaths in three days.
The dark days continued this month, when 10 people died in nine days.
But patient numbers have fallen rapidly recently and are now down to single figures.
A total of 814 covid patients have been admitted to the hospital since the pandemic began.
Six hundred and three have been discharged.
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust announced today it had introduced free WiFi at its hospitals in Harrogate and Ripon.
No daily infection figures for the Harrogate district had been released by Public Health England by the time of publication today.
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Wait for glass delays reopening of Ripon churchThe reopening of one of Ripon’s architectural gems is being held up.
The first phase of restoration of St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church was due to be completed by the end of this month. This would have allowed Easter celebrations to be held in the Grade II* Listed Building at Coltsgate Hill.
However, the delayed delivery of specialist glass means the reopening will now not take place until July.
Parish priest Canon Ian Smith told the Stray Ferret:
“It’s frustrating, because we are eager to have the church back in use for services and private prayer.
Pictured in St Wilfrid’s before the start of restoration work are Canon Ian Smith and parishioner Barrie Price, chair of fundraising.
“It is a beautiful building and it will be great to see it back to its former glory.”
While the first element of the £500,000 restoration work has been underway, socially-distanced services have been held in the adjacent St Wilfrid’s Community Centre.
Fr Ian said:
“To meet social distancing requirements, the number of parishioners who can come to services is restricted.
“Parishioners wishing to attend need to book in advance, by calling Anne Storey on 01765 605632.”
In anticipation of larger congregations over Easter, additional seating will be available in a room next to the community centre hall.
Masses taking place in the hall can be viewed on a screen.
Services at St Wilfrid’s are held at 4pm and 5.30pm on Saturdays, 9am and 10.30am on Sundays and 9.15am Tuesday to Friday.
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St. Wilfrid’s, which opened in 1862, is recognised as one of finest parish churches in England.
In 1909, fittings from the private chapel at nearby Studley Royal, were transferred to St Wilfrid’s following the death of the Marquess of Ripon — the city’s first mayor since the reformation.
The marquess, who converted to Catholicism, had previously created the Lady Chapel within the church.
The church has many other ornate features, including classic reredos screens designed by Victorian architect Edward Pugin. They provide dramatic backdrops to the high altar and side altar, dedicated to St Joseph.
The restoration follows years of fundraising by parishioners and awards from trusts, boosted by a £75,000 grant from Historic England.
The grant from Historic England will eventually enable construction of a south porch extension, including toilets.
Ripon pool’s final cost ‘not yet known’, says councilHarrogate Borough Council has said it still does not know the final cost of Ripon’s new swimming pool.
In response to a second Freedom of Information request about the project from the Stray Ferret, the council said.
“The information you request is not held by Harrogate Borough Council because the final costs are not yet known.”
A £10.2 million contract was awarded to construction company Willmott Dixon before work started on site in November 2019.
The 17-month contact was for delivery of a six-lane pool, along with refurbishment of the existing Ripon Leisure Centre on the Dallamires Lane site.
That contract specified a completion date of May 21 this year, but a press release issued by HBC said the project will now be completed in November.
Councillor Stanley Lumley, HBC’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by covid.
In a press release dated November 13, he added:
“Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.”
Grouting is a method used to stabilise unstable ground.
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Ground stability issues
Sixteen months before the council approved the swimming pool development, a sinkhole opened up in the leisure centre car park.
Following the incident in February 2018, which saw the car park barriered off and closed, the council issued this statement:
“The sinkhole will not affect the project to construct a new pool for Ripon. We are still waiting for the structural engineer’s report, which will influence the design of the new building.
“We’ve always known about the potential of sinkholes on the site which is why we’ve been carrying out tests to understand what foundations may be required.”
At a June 2019 planning meeting, three members of the eight-member committee abstained rather than support the project, after ‘deep concerns’ were expressed about the sinkhole risk in an area of Ripon known for widespread gypsum deposits.
HBC’s response to first FOI request
In the first FOI request, the Stray Ferret asked HBC how much of the contract costs related to ground remediation prior to construction.
The council was also asked if additional fees are payable to Willmott Dixon for extension of the project.
HBC responded, saying:
“Additional ‘site preliminaries’ will be payable to the main contractor as a result of the extension of the construction contract.”
The council added:
“A public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that its disclosure would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.”
Harrogate district pauses for National Day of ReflectionPeople and organisations across the Harrogate district paused at noon today for the National Day of Reflection.
The day, organised by end of life charity Marie Curie, gave people in the UK the chance to remember the 126,000 covid-related deaths, which include more than 1,100 in North Yorkshire.
Staff at Harrogate District Hospital and Ripon Community Hospital were offered the opportunity to observe a minute’s silence.
Staff at Harrogate District Hospital.
Hospital staff working from home were able to take part online in an event led by chaplains.
The Harrogate Bus Company, owned by Transdev, remembered staff lost during the pandemic, when buses have continued to operate despite risks.
At a press briefing today Nick Moxon, a resident at Disability Action Yorkshire‘s home on Claro Road in Harrogate and chair of a care home visiting task group set up by North Yorkshire County Council last year, paid tribute to care workers’ efforts during the pandemic.
Speaking at North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which leads the county’s response to covid, he said:
“Staff members don’t ask to work throughout the pandemic, they have to come to work and they have managed to just adapt to the situation.
“Thank you to care staff and North Yorkshire County Council for the care and support over the past year.”