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March 2010 March 17th – To the British Urban Regeneration Awards at the Lowry Gallery in Salford Quays, where our work on Waterside in Knaresborough was up for an award. We knew we were already in the top three places in these national awards, and we didn’t win but we were commended. It was great to have even made it as far as we did, as the national recognition will bring even more interest in the project and visitors to Knaresborough.
March 16th – At the Safer Neighbourhoods Group meeting for High Harrogate ward at the Grove Road School. The meeting was organised by the police, and invited local residents to have their say on the issues they want the police to tackle. Good lively meeting, and some themes emerged which the police found very helpful.
March 16th – Visited the new Mowbray Square Medical Centre, to see the facilities for the four medical practices that have relocated there. Shown round by some of the doctors, and meeting many more of the teams there, it was clear that everyone was very pleased with their new surgeries.
March 15th – Back to school, this time St Aidans to speak to the politics students in the 6th form and to meet some of the staff. Really enjoyed the session, and was pleased to receive an email from the teacher saying the students had discussed it later in the day and had enjoyed it too.
March 15th – Met with the Harrogate at Christmas team at the council offices to promote the fundraising for next Christmas. They did a great job for last Christmas, let’s hope they get the support to make this years just as good.
March 10th – Spoke to the politics students in the 6th form at St John Fishers. Good lively questioning, on some local issues but mainly national ones.
March 5th – Attended a lunch with local businesses. Good to talk to them about the challenges they are facing, and interesting to hear how strongly the view is that the Labour government’s approach to taxation and regulation are seen as major problems to business growth and economic recovery.
March 4th – Presenting the Fairtrade cake to our winner, Mrs Blake of Harrogate.
March 3rd – Full Council, and we formally passed the Council Tax resolution. That means the Council Tax freeze will happen.
March 1st – With Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling MP to visit the Police Treatment Centre in Harrogate. The Centre serves a significant part of the country, and is a charity whose aim is to help police officers recuperate in peaceful surroundings. They have excellent facilities, with pools, a gym, sports hall and treatment rooms, and have been undergoing a major and very successful refurbishment.
February 2010
February 27th – Our biggest Fairtrade event of the year. It was our annual Fairtrade Coffee Morning and street stall in central Harrogate. It went very well, with lots of interest. The activity has two roles, to promote Fairtrade and to raise some campaign funds for the rest of the year. We also had a guess the weight competition, with a wonderful fruit cake kindly donated by Bettys.
February 17th – Running a market stall at Knaresborough market to promote Fairtrade. Fairtrade Fortnight starts in a few days, and this stall was the first of the activities for it. We had a good response too, with lots of interest and questions. Most people know what Fairtrade is all about, so we were promoting the range of products now available. We also had some free samples of Fairtrade chocolate to give out, which may have added to the interest. February 16th – At the Renaissance Knaresborough executive, where we reviewed the status of all the projects underway, looking at their progress and seeing what we can do to help them come to fruition quicker. Good to hear too that one of our completed projects is up for a national award.
February 11th – At the launch of the programme of the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival. In only a few years this has become a major festival, not just for our area, but it is one of the biggest crime writing festivals in the world. Lots of writers were present at the launch, and it was interesting to talk to some of them.
February 11th – To the head office of Little Red Bus, the local Community Transport provider, to hear more about their work and the challenges they face. They really are an excellent organisation, and help people get out and about, particularly in the more inaccessible rural areas.
February 10th – Very pleased with the outcome of the council meeting. In one of the most important meetings of the year we set the budget for the year ahead. Key headlines are a council tax freeze and the repayment of £3 million of external debts. That represents almost one third of all debt outstanding. Glad to produce a budget that won such support across the council chamber that it was passed 43 votes to 6.
February 9th – The Fairtrade Group meeting was our last before Fairtrade Fortnight, and we finalised all our activity. We have a busy plan, starting off with a new event for us – taking a stall on Knaresborough market. We will also have a street stall and coffee morning in Harrogate. Bettys have even kindly provided us with a cake with the Fairtrade logo on!
February 9th – To Northallerton to visit the County Council offices, to attend the Executive meeting discussing school admission procedures. After a wide and thorough consultation, the NYCC Executive voted for a proposal which offers far greater fairness for all the children in our area. The proposal now goes to a meeting of full council for the final decision.
February 3rd – A very lively Cabinet meeting. We discussed a skatepark for Harrogate, and approved the proposal to locate one in the Valley Gardens. I proposed the Council budget for next financial year to go to full council, and it is a good budget. It offers a council tax freeze, £3 million of debt repayment and an expansion to the recycling service. The only cut is to bureaucracy.
January 2010 January 31st – To a Marie Curie Cancer Care event at Ashville College, called the “Massive Messiah from Scratch”. What a great event – massed local choirs and the Harrogate Philhamonic Orchestra coming together for a huge performance. Above all, this was a fundraiser for a very important cause, and over £5,500 was raised.
January 29th – At the formal opening of an outside play area at Oatlands Pre-School in Harrogate. The play area is a superb addition to the facilities for the children. Part of the funding for this came the Council’s Community Chest, a fund we set up to provide grants for just this sort of project. Great to see it making a difference.
January 26th – At a Parish Consultation meeting, where the Council Cabinet meets representatives from local parish councils. We have several of these meetings each year, and they help the dialogue between the councils. I was able to explain the Harrogate Council budget for next year, and was pleased to see the warm response to the council tax freeze and debt repayment plans.
January 25th – Joined local business leaders at a meeting organised by the Council’s Economic Development team. The meeting took place to ensure there is a good dialogue between local business and the Council and that the Council is aware of the needs of local business and does all it can to ensure our area remains a great place to do business. January 21st – At a meeting of the Friends of Valley Gardens, where the plans for a proposed skate park in the Valley Gardens were displayed. The Parks team at the Council have been working on these for a while, and it was encouraging that they received a positive reception from the meeting.
January 19th – To Conyngham Hall for a Renaissance Knaresborough Executive meeting, to review the progress being made on the projects to support the economy of Knaresborough.
January 18th – Presenting the Council budget to the Council’s scrutiny meeting. Lots of questions, which is always a good thing and they showed how the detailed preparation of the budget had been thorough. No questions about the council tax freeze, which made me wonder of the Liberal Democrats were planning to vote against it.
January 15th – At the Harrogate International Centre for a meeting of the Board. It is an important time for the centre, as it battles through the depths of the recession and plans for the redevelopment which is so necessary to maintain its competitiveness for the future.
January 14th – To ASDA on Bower Road for a visit to meet their Store Manager and some of their team. Over 450 people work at the store, and that makes them one of the largest employers in Harrogate.
January 13th – Talking to a class from Year 10 at Harrogate Grammar School, where we discussed the plans for a skatepark in Harrogate and facilities for younger people in the town.
January 12th – At the Fairtrade Group meeting where we discussed our plans and finalised details for activity in Fairtrade Fortnight. We will be having a coffee morning in St Peters, a street stall in Harrogate and are taking a market stall in Knaresborough.
January 10th – Signed Cancer Research UK’s Cancer Commitment, which they have sent to all parliamentary candidates. I was delighted to sign, because cancer is something all families will have to face at some stage and it is important we do all we can to beat it.
January 7th – Working at the Woodfield by election. Really interesting result, in difficult snowy conditions which saw many people stay at home. Despite far fewer people voting, the Conservative vote was the only party vote to go up in terms of votes cast and importantly share of vote. This was our best ever result in the Woodfield ward. January 6th – Freezing the council tax – that is the recommendation from this evening’s cabinet meeting to the rest of the Council. Apart from the tax freeze, the Council’s budget also includes a rollout of more recycling and the repayment of millions of pounds of long term debt.
December 2009
December 25th – Cooking turkey.
December 20th – Read one of the lessons at the Carol Service at St Peters. I love Carol Services. All done by candlelight too, which added to the sense of occasion.
December 16th – The monthly meeting of the Council Cabinet, where we approved work on the Castle Cliffs in Knaresborough, plans to cut energy costs, create more affordable homes for local people and invest in the economic development of the area.
December 15th – Back at Conyngham Hall for a Renaissance Knaresborough Executive meeting, to review the status of the projects underway to help with the economy of Knaresborough.
December 14th – To Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough for the formal opening of a new company, The Power Collective, who develop practical green methods of generating energy. They showed me their Ridgeblade product, and it is innovative and exciting.
December 7th – To Harrogate Theatre for a meeting with the Chief Executive, where we discussed the recent refurbishment and the Theatre’s success. We also caught up on local ward issues too.
December 3rd – At the Queen’s Suite at the Harrogate Conference Centre, for their first networking event and briefing on the planned developments for the Centre. There were 200 or so local business people present, and the event was a clear success with demands that it be repeated.
December 2nd – To the Town Hall for meeting of the Full Council, where it was my turn to present my areas of responsibility to the rest of the councillors. I talked about how the Council’s finances had benefited from tight cost control and that debts were being repaid – a marked contrast to the government. The main announcement was that I asked the council officers to look at options for a council tax freeze next year.
November 2009
November 28th – There is a road safety campaign across the county, and there was a local display and road show at Morrisons in Boroughbridge. Talked to the local police about the challenges they face on this issue.
November 26th – To the Grove Park Neighbourhood Watch meeting, to discuss security at the Iron Bridge and the actions to be taken by the Council. We also discussed the area more broadly, and what we can do working together to make it better.
November 24th – In Knaresborough for a meeting of the group looking at the Chain Lane Centre in Knaresborough, and working on a proposal to take local ownership of the centre and expand its educational services.
November 21st – The new Centre on Gracious Street in Knaresborough had its formal opening, with a service and dedication. I have been working with the COGS team on planning and parking issues for some months, so it was great to see the Centre in its full glory open to the local community.
November 20th – To two art exhibitions! Firstly the opening of a new exhibition at the Mercer Gallery and then on to a fundraising event organised by the Friends of the Hospital, with paintings and sculpture from local artists.
November 20th – Attended the launch of Christians Against Poverty, at the Mayfield Community Church in Harrogate. This group will provide debt advice irrespective of any religious faith. I know from the Council/Citizens Advice Bureau joint work on debt that this is a major problem in our area.
November 19th – To the Victoria Centre in Harrogate for the switching on of the Christmas lights. A lively event, and the lights are much bigger and better than last year.
November 17th – At a meeting of the Renaissance Knaresborough executive, where we agreed the action plan for the improvement projects.
November 16th – Met with the Grove Parks Neighbourhood Watch – one of the most active in the area. We discussed what we can do to deter crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.
November 15th - I attended the Civic Reception for the Promoting Enterprise Conference at the Royal Hall yesterday evening. I met representatives of dozens of different countries all with the responsibility of promoting business. It was a good networking event and I was able to promote Harrogate business to the international delegates.
November 14th - To the Hydro for the Special Olympics Yorkshire and Humber Swimming Gala, where I was co-presenting the awards. This was one of the most rewarding events I have attended, to see the swimmers’ determination and joy at succeeding.
November 13th – To the board meeting of the Harrogate International Centre, as I joined the board earlier this year. Important times for HIC, with the challenging economy and the project to build new exhibition halls. As an important driver for the regional economy, this business has an impact on thousands of jobs.
November 12th – Visited the Knaresborough Community Centre, heard more of the organisers’ plans to take the centre forward and serve their local community.
November 10th – To the District Inter-School Swimming Gala Grand Final, which took place at the Hydro, to co-present the prizes. Great to see the energy and enthusiasm from the children.
November 8th – Remembrance Sunday, so I joined the service at the Cenotaph. This is one of the most important occasions of the year, and I was pleased to see so many people join the service at this difficult time for our forces. There seems more public support for our forces and care to recognise Remembrance Day than some years ago.
November 7th – At the Stray Fireworks and Bonfire. Excellent this year again, despite a rainy evening!
November 6th – York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership held a conference in Harrogate on recycling and waste, particularly on the recycling targets for the future. There are some major challenges ahead to meet these targets, though it was worth noting that Harrogate District has one of the lowest levels of waste creation in the north.
November 5th – Attended the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters regional briefing on their proposals to ensure a successful network of post offices. I have campaigned hard against post office closures, so was interested to hear their proposals. Most offices are private businesses, and the key is to ensure these businesses are profitable.
November 4th – Hearing from the government that they may be offering more cash to councils financially hit by their introduction of the bus concessionary fares scheme. Our area may receive a further grant of £480,000. We have been lobbying the government for more funding, and it looks like all our efforts may be bearing fruit. As it is at the moment, local taxpayers are picking up a bill for £1.5 million. That’s not fair.
October 2009
October 28th – At the AGM of the High Harrogate Association, a residents’ group for the area around the Christ Church Stray. This Group monitors planning applications and general quality of life issues for residents, such as litter or graffiti and they do a good job.
October 28th – The Harrogate Civic Society launched their Design Awards a few weeks ago, and I attended the presentation of the awards at the Sun Pavilion. The winners really deserved their awards, and it is good that we are recognising and celebrating quality design in the town.
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