Local councils across the Harrogate district are to be given the chance to take back control of public buildings and services under what has been described as a “golden opportunity” for communities.

When Harrogate Borough Council was created in 1974 it took over ownership of several key assets, including Ripon Town Hall and Knaresborough House.

But almost half a century later the borough council is now coming to an end as it will be scrapped and replaced with a new unitary authority covering the whole of North Yorkshire from April next year.

These major reorganisation plans have stoked widely-raised concerns over the future of many buildings which are key meeting places for communities and also play a crucial role in delivering local services and supporting the visitor economy.

‘Rightful owners’

Ripon Independents Cllr Pauline McHardy last night made calls for the borough council to kick-start the process by offering support to local councils that may want to submit any takeover plans.

She told a full council meeting this would be a “golden opportunity for assets across the district to be transferred back to their rightful owners”.

She said: 

“In 1974, the people of Ripon and its council had no say in their assets being transferred at no cost to Harrogate Borough Council.

“Now we want them given back to parish, city and town councils for the same as Harrogate Borough Council paid – nothing.”

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Cllr McHardy put forward a motion outlining her requests and was supported by the Liberal Democrats, including Knaresborough mayor Cllr Christine Willoughby who said it “can not be right” for local councils to pay for buildings which they once owned.

However, after a stormy debate both parties ended up voting against the motion, which was amended by Conservative council leader Richard Cooper, who said local councils would be able to “procure” the assets.

Ripon Town Hall.

This sparked questions over whether local councils would have to pay, but Cllr Cooper said this “does not necessarily mean cash changing hands”.

He also said the motion first put forward “simply isn’t legal” as the borough council itself can not produce takeover plans for its own buildings to be run by local councils.

Cllr Cooper said: 

“Seeking to get better services for residents run from these assets is where we should be focusing.

“If parishes can do it better and put together a delivery plan – great.

“I wish them all well and good luck in managing those services from parish, city and town councils. But what I am seeking to do is make sure they get control of assets and run great services from them legally, quickly and sensibly.

“The original motion I’m afraid just won’t do that.”

What will happen in Harrogate?

The prospect of a new town council for Harrogate is highly likely under the reorganisation plans and something which has been supported by all political parties.

Among the key assets which the town council could take over include the likes of the Stray, the Royal Hall, Royal Baths, the Pump Room Museum, the Sun Pavilion and more.

There are also questions over what will happen to council offices, not least to mention Harrogate Borough Council’s new civic centre headquarters.

At the moment, Harrogate and Scarborough are the only major towns in North Yorkshire not served by a parish or town council.

North Yorkshire County Council has previously said services such as parks and markets could be run by a town council, while areas including planning and highways may be handled by a Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee on the new unitary authority.

It has also said it is supportive of the idea of a Harrogate Town Council, although this would require a community governance review and could lead to a local referendum with a vote from residents.

Harrogate Borough Council is being urged to return assets such as the town hall and spa gardens to local ownership in Ripon before devolution comes into effect next year.

Harrogate Borough Council took control of the assets when it was created following local government reorganisation in 1974.

At the same time the Municipal Borough of Ripon was abolished and the city reduced to parish council status under the authority of Harrogate Borough Council.

Now, with another major shake-up of local government looming, Ripon City Council is calling for the city’s town hall, Hugh Ripley Hall, Market Square (pictured below), Spa Gardens and Spa Park to be transferred back to local ownership.

It says provisions in the Localism Act, designed to protect assets of community value (ACV), should be used to achieve this prior to the formation of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority next year.

Moves are already underway to retain community use at Spa Baths, after the city council successfully applied in September to have the historic building listed as an ACV.

Market Square

With Harrogate Borough Council due to be scrapped in April next year, independent Ripon city and district councillor Pauline McHardy told the Stray Ferret:

“There’s absolutely no reason for Harrogate to hang on to assets that rightfully belong to us.

“Not a penny was paid for them when they were handed to Harrogate in 1974 and we want them to be transferred back.”

Cllr McHardy put forward a notice of motion, seconded by fellow Ripon independent councillor Sid Hawke, which was due to be discussed at Harrogate Borough Council’s full council meeting in December, but the meeting was cancelled.

The motion calling for the return of the assets, is due to come before next month’s full meeting of HBC.

Cllr McHardy, pointed out:

“We will continue to press for the freehold of key assets in the city to be handed back to Ripon.”

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Campaigners in Kirkby Malzeard, seeking to purchase and restore a now-derelict village pub (pictured below) have suffered a major setback.

The Henry Jenkins Community Pub group (HJCP) has failed for a third time to have part of the building re-listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

The campaigners – some of whom are pictured above – raised a petition of more than 500 signatures in support of their bid.

They were advised of the decision by Harrogate Borough Council, which said:

“The nomination for part of the Henry Jenkins site (the eastern part) is unsuccessful and does not meet the definition of community value as detailed in the Localism Act 2011 Section 88 (2).”

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Chair of the HJCP group, Richard Sadler, said:

“We are very disappointed that despite all the evidence, the council has chosen once again to side with private developers from outside the area – rather than supporting local grass roots community groups.

“The council cut our feet from under us by delisting part of the pub – simply because the developer sold this part to his business associate. Now they have turned their backs on us again by refusing to relist this part of the pub – when the council has a clear duty to help communities in rural areas fighting to save community facilities.

“This is despite overwhelming support of local residents, local businesses, the parish council and our local ward councillor for our plans to bring back this much-loved facility as a revitalised pub, bistro and coffee shop.

“With more people working from home and greater appreciation of the importance of community hubs, there’s a crying need for a great range of facilities in this fast-expanding village. “

Mr Sadler pointed out that the group has secured more than £230,000 in share pledges from nearly 200 residents in support of plans for a community buyout.

The Henry Jenkins closed its doors in 2011 and was purchased out of administration by pub company Fielder Holdings.

In 2017 a nomination made by campaigners for an ACV listing was successful, but the eastern annex was subsequently sold by David Fielder to his business associate Justin Claybourn, who applied for and was granted planning permission to convert his part of the building into a single dwelling.

This led to removal of the CVA covering the eastern portion – a decision the campaigners have fought to overturn ever since.

When announcing its decision on the third attempt to secure CVA listing for the whole building, HBC referred to the HJCP petition, which was received by the council at its full meeting on 6 October and pointed out:

“There is nothing in the Assets of Community Value legislation or council constitution to enable the consideration of petitions, therefore this does not form part of the assessment process.

“However, it is noted that only 25 of the names on the petition are from Kirkby Malzeard itself and almost two-thirds of the signatories do not live in the Harrogate district.”

Mr Claybourn, said:

“I’m pleased that the council has made this correct and sensible decision and I now look forward to progressing plans to convert my part of the building into a holiday home for my family.”

The bitter battle between a community campaign group and the owner of a now-derelict pub in Kirkby Malzeard rages on.

More than 10 years after the last pint was pulled at the Henry Jenkins Inn, the fight has entered a new phase.

Campaigners want to refurbish and resurrect the centuries-old inn and see it return as a community-owned and run pub, restaurant and coffee shop.

To support their case, they have launched a petition calling on Harrogate Borough Council to restore Asset of Community Value listing, so it covers all of the building in Main Street.

They hope that the petition will contain 500 or more signatures when it is presented at the full council meeting next Wednesday.

Also preparing an approach to the council is David Fielder, owner of the western portion of the building, which was the original pub before an eastern annex was added.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I am going to apply for a change of use from public house to residential.”

Flashback to how The Henry Jenkins Inn looked before it closed

Fielder Holdings, Mr Fielder’s pub company, sold the eastern part of the building to his business associate Justin Claybourn, who subsequently applied for a change of use to allow conversion to a single dwelling.

The council’s decision to refuse the application was overturned at a planning appeal in December.

At the online hearing, planning inspector Helen Hockenhull said:

“I am not persuaded that the loss of the annex would make the remaining pub unviable for an alternative community use.

“The scheme would therefore not result in the unnecessary loss of a community facility reducing the community’s ability to meet its day to day needs.”

‘No prospect of reopening’

In making her decision, Ms Hockenhull took into account the fact that Kirkby Malzeard already has a pub – The Queen’s Head, as well as Kirkby Malzeard Mechanics Institute, which is also licensed to sell alcohol.

In a hammer blow to campaigners, she concluded:

“There is no reasonable prospect of the public house reopening.”

However, the campaign group thinks differently, though its ambitions are reliant upon securing the purchase of the whole site from its two owners.

In May, they offered £200,001 for the entire Henry Jenkins building, saying it would use £237,000 of pledges made by supporters to fund the deal.

Richard Sadler, press spokesman for the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group, said:

“It’s vitally important that this pub is recognised for what it is: The Henry Jenkins has been an essential part of the fabric of this village for hundreds of years, the overwhelming majority of villagers want it back as a pub and community facility – and they’ve put their money where their mouth is.”

But Mr Fielder said:

“Both my part of the former pub and Mr Claybourn’s eastern annex remain for sale. For the whole site any purchaser would need around £500,000 to secure a deal.

“We’ve always been willing to speak with the campaigners, but there is a significant difference between their valuation and our own.”

Possible £250,000 support

If the campaigners, who have the support of Kirkby Malzeard Parish Council, district ward councillor Nigel Simms and former MP and now pub campaigner Greg Mulholland, are successful in their application to obtain ACV listing for all of the Henry Jenkins, Mr Sadler, claimed:

“The group would be well placed to qualify for up to £250,000 under the government’s new Community Ownership Fund.”

He does, however, admit:

“If the whole of the pub is not recognised as an ACV, that could sink our chances.”

“That’s why we’re calling on the council to do the right thing. It never made sense to delist half a pub just because it has changed hands – the council should be helping local communities rather than private developers.”

Councillors of all political parties in Ripon last night voted to fight Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to sell the city’s Spa Baths

News that the city’s grade II Listed Spa Baths, are already on the market, brought an angry reaction from elected members.

At a full council meeting, Councillor Stuart Martin, the conservative Mayor of the Harrogate district, and Councillor Mike Chambers, cabinet member for homes and safer communities, confirmed that the building is up for sale.

Both men, along with fellow Conservatives and the controlling independent group on Ripon City Council, voted unanimously to support an urgent motion proposed by Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams.

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The motion aims to protect the Spa – in Harrogate Borough Council’s ownership since 1974 – from being sold to a private developer for residential or other redevelopment.

Councillor Williams told the meeting:

“I am utterly shocked and surprised to discover only this evening that this community asset, which is part of Ripon’s heritage, has been put on the market, with absolutely no prior consultation with ourselves.”

Councillor Pauline McHardy added:

“The spa was built for the people of Ripon and visitors and belongs to this city.

“I had previously suggested that it be used by the NHS as an expansion of the adjacent hospital and services that it offers, so people do not need to travel to Harrogate for treatment.

“We must fight to stop it being sold to a private developer.”

 

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The History of Ripon Spa Baths: 

The original complex, located next to the Spa Gardens, has the distinction of being the last spa to open in England.

In October 1905, it also became the only spa granted a royal opening, when Princess Henry of Battenberg carried out the ceremony.

A reconfiguration of the building in 1936, saw the complex converted into the city’s first public swimming pool.

Ornate stained glass windows and other architectural features remain to this day.

At the full council meeting, Councillor Stephen Craggs pointed out:

“The building has fallen into disrepair and is in need of some serious maintenance.

“To lose it to yet another residential development would be a disaster – it must be kept as a community facility.”

Cllr Williams agreed, saying:

“At a time when our city is growing there is even greater need for us to have buildings that can be used by the public.”

Possible future uses could be a museum or a library. The Spa Baths has remained closed since the first Covid lockdown last March, while a new swimming pool is under construction at Camp Hill.