Bill Hoult

At the Annual meeting of the Harrogate Borough Council on the 19 May Knaresborough Councillor Bill Hoult was appointed by the Council to Chair the Community and Partners Overview and Scrutiny Commission which is the one Committee allocated to the Liberal Democrat opposition.. 

Bill chaired the Commission last year, which deals with issues such as recreational facilities and community action. Starbeck Baths, Valley Gardens and the Turkish Baths were key Council responsibilities scrutinised during the previous Council year. 

Bill comments “Naturally I am delighted to be reappointed as chair. The cross party Commission is becoming increasingly important in view of proposed new powers to call into account other bodies under what are known as “Community Calls for Action”. These powers will also give local people power to ask the Commission to look at issues such as anti social behaviour and well being matters if they feel that their concerns are being ignored.In April this year we were successful in persuading the North Yorkshire Chief Constable to report to the Commission at a time when concerns by voluntary organisations over policing of events was at its height.” 

Re my previous report the decision on the planning application by Tarmac for extraction of gravel on Land near the Henges has been delayed yet again. The meeting on 20 May 2008 will not now go ahead and no new date has been fixed.

 Cllr Bill Hoult

Report critical of County Council Poor Management of Tenanted Farms.

A report to be submitted to Tory Chiefs at North Yorkshire County Council on the 6 May 2008 highlights failures in the Counties management of the Estate of 53 lettings. The report by Bruton Knowles was commissioned to review the Council’s policy on the sale of tenant farms implemented 10years ago in 1998.The failures may be summarised under two headings:-

 Transdev has introduced a new limited stop bus service from Harrogate to York. The X54 will run Monday to Saturday only(not Bank Holidays)  every half hour after 0745 until 1710hrs.

From Harrogate it will pick up only at Granby Corner, Starbeck Crossing and Knaresborough Bus Station. It will then pick up and drop off at all stops to Manor School York and from there it will drop off only at all stops to Piccadilly York.

From York it will pick up only at all stops to Manor School, York and pick up and drop off at all stops to Knaresborough bus station. From there it will drop off only at Starbeck Crossing, Granby Corner and Harrogate Bus Station.

From York buses will start at 0935hrs with the last bus at 1835hrs

Over 60’s free passholders will be able to use this service after 0900hrs. Full details may be found on the Harrogate and District Travel Website.

Cllr Bill Hoult 

Hope for parades
For over a year now the North Yorkshire Police have operated a “stand off” approach to the policing of events such as Bed race and the Starbeck Gala which has led to organisers facing crippling bills for road closures and traffic control by private consultants or cancellation of the event.

Following a Scrutiny review by Harrogate Borough Council the Chief Constable has now announced that there will be changes in the police stance in order that community events are not endangered. Mr Maxwell is reported to have said ” Following feedback from the community we will look again at the charging policy for these events to ensure fairness.”

Although the extent of the change is as yet unclear it is hoped that this will lift the financial burden from charitable and voluntary events in the future and allow Councils to operate less restrictive road closure legislation.

Cllr Bill Hoult comments “I am pleased that the Chief Constable has listened to the genuine concerns of local people and is prepared work with local event organisers to protect traditional community events.”

N.B See previous entry 24 December 2007

This sort of inconsiderate parking is becoming a feature of Anchor Yard just of the High Street in Knaresborough.

A few years ago this Yard was a potholed part cobbled yard at the back of what used to be the Anchor Inn in the Town. However it is a popular “cut through” for residents wanting to get to the High Street thus avoiding the narrow and sometimes frightning pavement on Park Row.

With the use of public money the Yard was recobbled and a Yorkstone “walkway installed for push chairs and the like. Now however it is used presumably by those wanting to avoid parking charges to access the Town Centre.

Obviously these two parkers have never pushed a push chair anywhere and perhaps could not care less either! The worst thing about it is that with a bit more consideration they could park without obstructing the footway.

I am currently investigating whether we can implement some sort of parking controls on the Yard.

Cllr Bill Hoult

Many parts of rural North Yorkshire are unable to receive broadband connections for their computers unless they subscribe to expensive and unreliable satellite services.

This is a great disadvantage for rural businesses and individuals wishing to access material requiring greater capacity than the current “dial up service”. To try and address this deficiency Yorkshire Forward (Regional body) and the County Council pump primed a public sector financed company (NYNET) to roll out high speed broadband to the rural areas.

The initial and successful stage has been to provide broadband to the public sector and selected large private companies in the County (Schools, District Councils, Health bodies Colleges etc.) and that is progressing well. However to provide coverage for small businesses and personal users it is essential that one or other of the private sector major providers invest in making the final connections and providing services to individual customers.

Unfortunately none are yet prepared to make the investment for what they claim are commercial reasons.

I believe it is time for the Government to legislate to force these companies who are reaping great profits from new technology to spread the benefits of this technology to our rural communities.

Cllr Bill Hoult

Mr Maxwell the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire gave his vision of the future of policing in North Yorkshire to a packed Chamber of Councillors and public at Harrogate Council Offices on Thursday 3 April 2008.

Before his presentation  a good natured demonstration was held outside the Council Offices by various organisations who are concerned about the new policing rules that have caused the cancellation of many community events around the District.

Despite his office previously insisting that the Chief Constable would not answer questions about the policing of community events Mr Maxwell did agree to answer three questions before moving on to other policing issues. He stressed that the control and organisation of such events was not only a police issue but involved the District and County Council as Highway Authorities.

He pointed out that Suprintendent Higgins would be attending the Organisation and Environment Scrutiny Commission on the 7 April at Harrogate Council and would give a full presentation on the police position.

On general issues the Chief Constable emphasised his dedication to controlling speeding and other related issues and pointed out that although there had been only 3 murders in North Yorkshire in the past year some 81 people had died in road accidents.

He also covered issues relating to drugs, alcohol, serious organised crime, people trafficking  and ASBOS.   

Cllr Bill Hoult

The conversion of the old Manor Road infants school into a new Childrens Centre incorporating the  Governments “Sure Start Agenda” is nearing completion with the centre intending to open after summer 2008.

Sure Start Centres are designed to provide:-

In house and outreach services to help parents/carers and children at risk of social exclusion. 

Advice to Fathers and Mothers/carers on childcare and local education for three and four year olds

Support to childminders, loan of toys and equipment, and drop in sessions

Activities for families , play groups and parent groups

Links with the Jobcentre

Personal advice on financial impacts of starting work.

Links to community health services.

If you would like to find out more please contact  Kirsty Hill on 01609 534029 or 0797 0706025 Email kirsty.hill@northyorks.gov.uk

Liberal Democrats on North Yorkshire County Council have announced their intention to “call-in” the Council’s decision to freeze the level of the school clothing allowance at £60 a year. This means that the decision will be sent back to a committee to be looked at again.

The Executive Members of the Conservative-run Council decided last week not to increase the support to less well-off families in line with inflation, but to extend the scope of the allowance to include children whose parents are in receipt of the highest rate of Working Tax Credit.

Liberal Democrats feel that this will increase financial pressure on poorer families.

In reality this is a reduction in support for disadvantaged families. Around 700 families in

The extension of the scheme to families receiving the maximum level of Working Tax Credit is welcome but we feel that the rate should be increased in line with inflation. That is why the decision has been “called in” to ask the Council to reconsider its policy.

Another concern is that  the Tories have used inflation as a justification for raising the charges for home to school transport yet not applied the same reasoning to those people who will be hardest hit by freezing the clothing allowance, it is a tardy decision and applies double standards.

Cllr Bill Hoult