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The proposal by Tory Chiefs at North Yorkshire County Council to impose a 2.94% council tax rate for 2010/11 after consulting on 2.5% increase is a slap in the face for Council Tax payers.

Even 2.5% is high and I attended the County Council Executive meeting to protest on behalf of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall that it was not morally sustainable to consult on a lower figure and then arbitrarily impose a higher one.

The claim that the money is needed to cover for the costs of winter gritting and the aftermath of damaged roads is just a sham. The bad winter is a “one off” emergency for which untouched reserves of £15M are available.

We can all understand that the economic crisis will be stretching the County Council budget but ordinary taxpayers housekeeping budgets are also feeling the strain and are right to ask why, with £15M spare, the Council wants even more of their hard earned cash to put into their coffers.

Following the refusal of the application to demolish the brick Victorian Terrace on Boroughbridge Road/ High Street and replace it with a three storey extension the applicant has now submitted a further application.

The proposal is still to demolish the building but to replace it with an almost identical building of three floors, with dormers in the rear roof pitch and some roof lights on the front elevation.

The application was considered by Knaresborough Town Council on the 1 February who approved the application (with Knaresborough Civic Society support) subject to conditions. The application is scheduled to be placed before the Harrogate Planning Committee on the 8 March this year. Those wishing to view the application can access it on the Harrogate Borough Council web site. The case number is 10/00180/FUL.

Comment
The application, being very close to the original design of the current building is much more sympathetic to it’s  location than the previous application.

Should you wish to comment on the application please email the Head of Planning Services at Knapping Mount, Harrogate quoting Planning application 6.100.2658.D.CON

A few days before the Harrogate Woodfield by-election the Tories were claiming that it was a “clffhanger” Read the rest of this entry.

There has been correspondence in the Knaresborough Post recently regarding the closure of the Aspin Road Post Office and the fight to find an alternative location to serve Knaresborough. Read the rest of this entry.

Earlier this year the National Strategies Special Educational Needs Advisor, David Dickinson made his annual summer term visit to King James School and was impressed with what he saw. Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

Further works to make the Knaresborough Castle Cliffs safe have been approved by the Harrogate Council cabinet on the 16 December this year. Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

Yorwaste is a waste management company that is wholly owned by the Public Sector. Over 70% is owned by North Yorkshire County Council and the rest by York City Council. Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

The future of the contentious Bedale, Aiskew Bypass has been put in doubt. This was the answer to a question Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry. Read the rest of this entry.

In 2007 after a public telephone vote Sustrans awarded £400,000 for the creation of a cycle path along the disused railway route between Bilton and Ripley.  Read the rest of this entry.