A parliamentary watchdog has refused to publish its correspondence with Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith about his £3,000-an-hour advisory role.

The Stray Ferret revealed in August Mr Smith would be paid £60,000 for 20 hours work for low carbon transport company Ryse Hydrogen.

Because of his former government role in Northern Ireland, Mr Smith sought advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about a potential conflict in taking the role with Ryse.

In 2019, when Mr Smith was Northern Ireland secretary, Jo Bamford, the executive chairman of Ryse, became owner of Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus.

The Bamford family owns JCB and are Conservative Party donors.

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We asked Acoba, which advises former ministers on employment and conflicts of interest after leaving office, to provide details of its correspondence with Mr Smith.

The FoI response said Lord Pickles, chair of Acoba, considered that disclosure of the correspondence “would be likely to inhibit the free and frank provision of advice and exchange of views; and would be likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs”.

It added:

“The information being withheld includes that which was provided voluntarily by Mr Smith to
enable Acoba to properly advise on the application that had been made.

“Disclosure of the information requested would, or would be likely to, make applicants
reluctant to share information as freely with Acoba in future, especially if there was any
perceived sensitivity about the information. This in turn would compromise the advice that
Acoba is able to give.”

The response said the publication of its letter to Mr Smith on its website had fulfilled public interest requirements.

The letter said the appointment was not a conflict of interest, provided Mr Smith does not lobby on behalf of the company or advise on government contracts in the two years after he departed as Northern Ireland secretary in February this year.

The Stray Ferret is to request an internal review of the decision.

Ripon City Council has unanimously rejected a transport report commissioned by Homes England for the proposed 1,300-home Ripon Barracks development.

The report in support of the development came under heavy fire at Monday’s virtual full council meeting.

In the longest debate of Monday evening, the consultants’ findings were described as ‘flawed’

Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“The report fails to address core issues that local residents and the city council have raised.”

Cllr Williams said the council supported the principle of developing the former army bases, but added:

“A great deal more needs to be done, especially with regard to addressing the questions about the capacity of major junctions in the city.

“With such a flawed report, it is impossible for us to support the outline planning application for this huge scheme.”

The Ripon Barracks site

Councillor Mike Chambers, who is also a district and county councillor, agreed a number of key transport matters needed to be addressed.

He seconded Cllr Williams’ motion for a letter to be sent  to Harrogate Borough Council planners, calling for resolution of outstanding issues before outline planning can be approved.

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Both he and Cllr Williams met last week with David Walpole, a traffic consultant appointed by the city council to look at the impact of the Clotherholme scheme on the the feeder road network and the city as a whole.

One issue that featured in the Walpole report was the amount of traffic generated by a new primary school in the development.

Cllr Williams said the report for Homes England had not taken account of the fact that 132 places at the school will be provided for children living ‘off-site’ in other parts of Ripon, creating traffic movements that had not been accounted for in the overall assessment of mitigation measures that would need to be taken to alleviate pressure on the road network.

Councillor Pauline McHardy told the meeting:

“This is the biggest single development ever seen in Ripon and its size has consequences, not just for the immediate area, but the whole of the city for years to come.

“Traffic movements to and from the site will impact on everybody and we have a duty to ensure that the developers provide the required road infrastructure and don’t cut corners.”

In the run up to this year’s Remembrance Day, almost 40,000 knitted poppies have appeared around Harrogate and Ripon.

Between 25,000 and 30,000 poppies can be seen at prime locations throughout Ripon, after people involved in the Ripon Community Poppy Project spent thousands of hours making the stunning displays.

Many of the poppies were put in place over the weekend. The cascading display on the walls of the town hall (below), was installed with help from a Ripon fire station crew.

The ones seen in Harrogate town centre were donated to the Poppy Appeal campaign last year.

They were put up this morning by a small socially distanced group including Harrogate Mayor Cllr Stuart Martin.

Fiona Burks, of independent business Yarn Etc helped to coordinate the effort, and will be offering poppies to businesses for their window displays.

Cllr Stuart Martin said:

“The comments we’ve had since putting them up this morning are just tremendous. People are so pleased that we’re making an effort for Remembrance Day and you can’t help but smile when you see them.”

Cllr Martin is encouraging people to commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11 by observing two minutes of silence from their doorstep, and placing poppies in windows.

In Ripon … 

Cascading display down Ripon’s town hall.

The entrance to Spa Gardens.

Volunteers in Ripon fitting the knitted poppies to the railings along Kirkgate.

Along the shopping street of Kirkgate.

Spa Park. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

Along the railings outside the Wakeman’s House.

Ripon bus station. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

In Harrogate … 

Across from Harrogate war memorial. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

Along the railings outside of Bettys cafe in Harrogate. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

On the corner of Cambridge Street, Harrogate. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin.

Charitable Ripon people have stepped up to save Santa’s sleigh from the scrap heap after coronavirus cancelled this year’s tour.

Lions Clubs International spreads Christmas cheer every year with its sleigh, festive music and Mr and Mrs Claus.

The group also collects money for the Ripon community but, with tight social distancing rules, the event is not viable this year. Without the means to collect money the sleigh would burn a hole in their finances, with running costs around £1,000 a year.

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To try and cut the losses Ripon Lions decided to “send this sleigh to the big sleigh park in the sky”. However, support from the public has helped to put the annual fundraising on ice, ready to return in future.

With the £100 scrap price to beat, the group opened up bidding to the community on the Facebook group “Blow Your Horn Ripon”. Within hours the bids had reached £800, and the sleigh was eventually sold for that price.

Helen Mackenzie, one of the volunteers, told the Stray Ferret:

“We can’t go knocking on doors or park up on Market Place so it would be difficult to take any donations. It is a disappointment but we hope with this money we can put it towards some great causes and towards a new sleigh for Santa so we can come back bigger and better next year.”

With many of the volunteers for Ripon Lions in the older age category, they are more at risk of coronavirus. However, they still hope to hold some form of festive tour this year even if they cannot collect donations.

StrayArt is a monthly column written by Johnny Messum, Director and Founder of art gallery and centre, Messum’s Wiltshire, London and Harrogate.  Johnny’s passion is for contemporary art and sculpture.

Each month he will look at art, exhibitions and events across Yorkshire and sometimes further afield with the aim of guiding and inspiring us.

It is a challenge to feel clear about the immediate future. We have new structures to adhere to, I have visors supplied for my team in the car, along with the NHS track and trace QR code to go in the window.

What should have been alongside me instead, was the formidable British sculptor, Bridget McCrum, whose family, the Bains, hail from Leeds. Now in her late eighties she was planning to come to the opening of her show in James Street.

Along the way I had imagined us discussing sculpture in the landscape, something that is taking on added dimensions, not least because it is one of the few places where we can safely view art without PPE, but also because it is, in itself, interesting and complex.

Amongst the myriad attractions of Yorkshire, the landscape has to rank amongst the highest. It is a daunting partner to duet with as a sculptor. There is nowhere this subject is more comprehensively demonstrated than at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where I went to see the work of a friend, Sean Henry, and of an artist I am showing in London, Jorgen Haugen Sorensen.

Set into the landscape there, each work takes its cue from the ground around it. I sometimes think that of all the artists, perhaps only local boy, Henry Moore, had the swagger to meet the rolling landscape toe to toe, so to speak. His work stands resolutely chest open to the wind and wilds.

A stunning life-size sculpture ‘Seated Figure’ by Sean Henry at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Above picture and featured image credit: Jonty Wilde curtesy of YSP.

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The rule of thumb in placing sculpture in the landscape is one of scale and context. Seldom best placed in wide open spaces, they often prefer the same locations humans do, close to the house, in glades between shrubs or woodland corpses. This is seen well in the locations chosen in the Himalayan Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grewelthorpe, near Ripon, which is open to the public until November 1, 2020.

Utopia: A stunning vista of the Himalayan Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grewelthorpe.

Sculptures placed outside really come into their own in the autumn. They become the key focus until the verdant spring surges forward once more. It is the perfect time to head into the open air as the greenery falls away and the landscape itself becomes more architectural.

Do be careful though with the choice of materials; the weather does not spare sculptures any more than other objects, so stones need to be wrapped if it gets cold and on a hot afternoon rub beeswax into the exposed bronzes. Perhaps the artist who most willingly accepted the ravages of time is Cheshire-born artist, Andy Goldsworthy, whose work picks up and changes with the rhythms of the seasons.

Next time I shall be bringing the boat to harbour so to speak and talking about living with art in the house – combining old and new objects and thinking about ways of displaying artworks to their best advantage.

Messum’s Yorkshire is open from Thursday to Saturday 10am-5pm. For more information, visit the website by clicking here.

The Stray Pets Rescue Club is our monthly pet profile of animals in desperate need of a loving home. This month’s selected pooches are Gracie and Boki with the addition of a six-foot Boa constrictor, Sssirius, and adorable kitten, Rosie…

English Bulldog, Gracie 

Age: 5
Gracie’s story: Gracie was rescued by Saving Yorkshire Dogs. She was used for breeding to make money and was abandoned after reaching the maximum age for reproducing. Gracie has given birth to around 30 puppies in her lifetime. As a result, she has been left with a large caesarean scar.
Temperament: Despite her rough life, Gracie gets along very well with humans and other dogs and she loves to give slobbery kisses.
Ideal home: She loves her food a little too much, so be sure not to leave any sitting on tables or counters. She is also very strong to walk with on a collar and lead, so she is currently being trained to walk on a harness. She will not be rehomed with families who have cats or children under 10 years old.

To find out more about Gracie and the adoption process, you can visit Saving Yorkshire Dogs‘ website by clicking here or contact them on 07562 986101.

Boa constrictor, Sirius – ADOPTED

Age: 8
Sirius’ story: Sirius was named after the Harry Potter character and is a staggering 183cm in length (6ft). He was rescued by K’rescue Knaresborough and was covered in sores after coming into direct contact with an unprotected heated bulb which has been treated.
Temperament: Sirius arrived at the rescue as a cautious and very cage-defensive (protective of the enclosed area) individual. He has since become passive and extremely inquisitive through hours of taming sessions. With his good-hearted nature and beautiful colours and patterns, Sirius would make a fine pet for any reptile-loving family.
Ideal home: Sirius will require a large enclosure. As these snakes are typically nocturnal, a hiding area should be provided. His new home must include a water bowl and a protected heat bulb or heat mat. Reptiles are ectotherms; they acquire thermal energy from the environment. A thermometer must be used to check that the temperature is at 25 degrees and he must be fed a large thawed rat every two weeks.

To find out more about Sirius and the adoption process, you can visit K’rescue Knaresborough‘s Facebook page by clicking here or give them a call on 07837 445352.

Golden Retriever/Collie, Boki

Age: 5
Boki’s story: Boki was saved by Miss Mollies Rescue from Romania when he was a puppy. He was run over by a car and left on the side of the road when the rescue found him. He has since made a full recovery and is now looking for a permanent home.
Temperament: When he first arrived at the rescue, he was quite a nervous pooch and didn’t like to interact with people. But after years of TLC, he has blossomed into a sociable pet and is ready to find his forever family. He is clean, non-destructive and a gentle soul – perfect for a family with children.
Ideal home: Boki needs a home that already accommodates a canine to be his companion and somewhere with a regular routine in a quiet area.

To find out more about Boki and the adoption process, you can visit Miss Mollies Rescue‘s website by clicking here or call them on 07585 324172.

Kitten, Rosie – FOSTERED

Age: 10 months
Rosie’s story: Celia, who owns Harrogate Cat Rescue, found Rosie abandoned on the street with her kittens after their carer died. So, she took them into foster care, but noticed that Rosie’s breathing was louder than usual. After taking three doses of prescribed antibiotics with no improvement, she returned her to the vet. She was diagnosed with Laryngeal Hemiplegia, a disease which causes paralysis of the voice box (larynx). This is rare in cats and usually affects horses. Her illness has now lead to lung inflammation. She is currently taking steroids to reduce the inflammation. She now needs a long-term foster home and Harrogate Cat Rescue will cover her veterinary treatments.
Temperament: Rosie is the most sweet-tempered, affectionate girl who loves human company. She is very family-friendly and would make a wonderful companion. She still has a full life ahead of her and is looking for some tender, love and care.
Ideal home: She is after a long-term foster family (rather than adoptive) and all she needs is dust-free cat litter, as dust exacerbates her noisy breathing.

To find out more about  Rosie and the foster process, you can visit Harrogate Cat Rescue‘s website by clicking here or call Celia on 07305 332961.

The Stray Pets Rescue Club currently works with four different rescues on its monthly profiles; K’rescue Knaresborough, Miss Mollies Rescue, Saving Yorkshire Dogs and Harrogate Cat Rescue.

The owner of Newby Hall has expressed ‘great relief and gratitude’ at receiving a £450,000 government grant to ensure the popular attraction remains open to the public into 2021 and beyond.

The money has come from a £103m Cultural Recovery Fund for Heritage, aimed at safeguarding the future of heritage venues such as Newby, which have been hit hard by coronavirus restrictions.

2020 has seen all major events, weddings and corporate events cancelled at Newby Hall. While the gardens opened to the public in early June, visitor numbers are down by around 75%.

Owner Richard Compton said without the funding there was a “real threat” that Newby could close to the public.

He said:

“Our business model, relying on day visitors and events, has allowed us to stand alone financially and add a little each year in terms of restoration and improvements. Covid and 2020 has shattered all plans and posed a real financial threat to Newby.

“This funding has allowed the business model to be rebuilt for 2021, thus safeguarding the wonderful house and the award-winning gardens for future generations of visitors to enjoy.”

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• “Newby Hall will be superb” says Harrogate Antiques Roadshow expert

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Councillors have rejected a bid to build a new motorway service area five miles from Ripon.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee voted this afternoon by 11 to 1 against the proposal by Moto Hospitality, which operates 45 similar sites across the country,

The proposal included a petrol filling station, small hotel, food and retail units and parking for HGVs and coaches on land west of the A61 and A6055 at junction 50 of the A1(M).

Steve Masters, property director at Moto, told committee members the site would support haulage drivers travelling through the district and create 200 jobs.

He said:

“Covid has demonstrated the critical nature of food and medicine logistics and has increased the need for a motorway service area to support the haulage sector.”

A motorway service station at Kirby Hill, about five miles to the south of this site, was refused permission by HBC in November 2019 and is now at appeal. A public inquiry is scheduled later this year.

Moto Hospitality has planning permission from Hambleton Council to expand its Leeming Bar services near Northallerton, which is north of the proposed site.

However, Mr Masters told the committee the company had decided not to go ahead with this redevelopment.

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• Kirby Hill residents prepare to continue motorway services fight

• Could cars be banned outside primary schools in Harrogate?

Gordon Gledson, chair of Hewick and Hutton Parish Council, spoke against the proposals.

He said:

“I do not think there is a need for another service station. The A61 is already a heavily used road and the increase in traffic on a large roundabout will lead to a decrease in road safety”.

Cllr Windass, the only councillor to back the proposals, said the plans were “less harmful and controversial” than the Kirby Hill motorway service area rejected by HBC last year.

Cllr Pat Marsh said she was concerned about the impact the site would have on the environment.

She said:

“This is all about our landscape and what heritage we are leaving for our children. What we’re doing is putting within a landscape, buildings, earth mound and trees that are totally alien to this part of our wonderful district. I think it is wrong.”

Dahlias that smell like chocolate, pink sunflowers and bright blue poppies. It may not be what you think of when you imagine a wasteland but this florist has transformed her small space in Ripon into a blooming oasis for flowers and wildlife.

The Secret Garden, which is – as the name suggests – hidden away just off Studley Road in the city, is trying to change people’s perceptions of flowers.

Victoria Ramshaw started the project four years ago to try and increase biodiversity. Unlike other flower farms, The Secret Garden is a wave of different colours.

The Secret Garden needs 24 hours notice to pick out the perfect bunch.

Someone looking to grab a quick bunch of flowers may need to look elsewhere as Victoria needs a full day’s notice to head out to the garden and pick out the perfect bouquet.

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Victoria’s flowers don’t need any insecticides, any air miles or any plastic. She told the Stray Ferret:

“Florists are used to working with thousands of one type of flower but I don’t think it’s right. What I do is honest and natural. The people who like it really enjoy what I do. I am not here to make a big profit – I am just trying to get by doing something I love.”

The Secret Garden may have only a modest following online, but she gets great reviews from fashion designers, brides to be and those wanting to send gifts to their loved ones.

The former wasteland has been transformed in just a few years.

Coronavirus lockdown has been difficult for lots of businesses but Victoria says that The Secret Garden has seen a spike of interest since summer.

She is trying to get people to enjoy the space she has built more and more. She also plans to host photography and art workshops inspired by the flowers, the wildlife and the river.

Another one of The Secret Garden’s more long term plans is to install glamping pods and renovate an airstream caravan so people can connect with the outdoors.

This is part of the Stray Ferret’s ‘hidden gem’ series. We are trying to highlight small independent businesses. They need to be tucked away but growing in popularity with an eye-catching and unique product or approach. Send us an email with your nominations.

The National Trust has included Ripon’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal in a report published today about links between its properties and slavery.

The report reveals how John Aislabie, who owned the Studley Royal estate during the 18th century, received a £20,000 bribe from the South Sea Company to promote its campaigns in the House of Commons.

Aislabie was eventually expelled from the House of Commons for his links with the South Sea Company, which sold African slaves.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A spokesperson for Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal said:

“Fountains Abbey will be exploring ways to embed the research into what we do and the way we tell the stories of the property.

“We want to give as many people as possible, particularly those whose ancestors may have been enslaved or whose countries may have been colonised, a chance to respond to the report’s findings.

“We are working to share stories of colonialism and slavery at relevant properties but we also want to take time to do this properly and well.”

Read more:

• Fountains Abbey has limited the number of visitors each day to ensure safety. 
• Owners of Newby Hall has said it must “recognise and take serious note” of its slavery connection. 

The trust said this information will be taken forward to offer visitors a more informed visit.

Another North Yorkshire property, Nunnington Hall, was also named in the report.