Cllrs Hannah Gostlow and Matt Walker have launched a consultation on Knaresborough High Street.

They have published a "starter for 10" aimed at getting people talking about the positive changes they want to see. The pair are now asking residents, businesses and visitors to the High Street to give their opinions on these ten ideas and too add their own. 

A starter for 10

1. A REVIEW OF SIGNAGE AND INTRODUCTION OF LOADING BAYS – Make signage clearer and create dedicated loading bays for our High Street businesses and allow the traffic to flow.
2. HERITAGE BOLLARDS - Improve our pavements for pedestrians, especially wheelchair users and those pushing buggies, by preventing vehicles parking on the path.
3. PARKING BOTH SIDES - Increase parking in the town especially for those businesses on the far side of our High Street 
4. REDUCE SPEED - Make the road more appealing to cyclists and improve the accessibility to shops on the far side of the street by reducing the speed limit to 20mph.
5. WIDER PAVEMENTS - Improve the journey experience for pedestrians, especially wheelchair users and those pushing buggies or with young children.
6. STREET TREES - Help to improve the air quality with carbon capturing trees, combat the effects of global warming by giving shade & shelter to pedestrians & cyclists
7. MORE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS - Improve the accessibility to shops on the far side of the street and improve the journey experience for pedestrians
8. EXPAND BUS STATION - Look to use the top of Fisher Street as an extension for the Bus Station and car park, with access for loading only.
9. EV CHARGING POINTS - Create overnight EV charging bays for residents
10. CYCLE PARKING - Create safe visible bike parking bays and encourage active travel to our local shops.

The consultation is open now, until the end of September and residents can have their say here.  Alternatively please contact Cllr Hannah Gostlow on 07867 797594 or by email at  [email protected]

Harrogate and Knaresborough's Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to spare families from soaring energy bills by cancelling October’s price cap increase, accusing the Conservatives of “stalling in the face of a national emergency”.

The bold plan would save a typical household in our area an extra £2240.77 a year. The 70% increase in the energy price cap expected to be announced by Ofgem later this month would be cancelled, with the Government instead paying the shortfall to energy suppliers so that they can afford to supply customers at the current rates.

This would mean a total estimated saving for households in Harrogate and Knaresborough of £149,065,220 off their electricity and gas bills. 

The Liberal Democrats say the estimated £36 billion cost should be met by expanding the windfall tax on oil and gas company profits, and using the Government’s higher-than-expected VAT revenues as a result of soaring inflation.

The party is also calling for more targeted support for vulnerable and low income households. This would include doubling the Warm Homes Discount to £300 and extending it to all those on Universal Credit and Pension Credit, while investing in insulating fuel poor homes to bring prices down in the long term.

Newly elected County Councillor for Bilton Grange and New Park, Monika Slater said:

“Hard-working families are already struggling to make ends meet, and are deeply concerned about how they will cope with the predicted rise in energy bills.

“This Conservative Government is stalling in the face of a national emergency and, yet again, is simply not doing enough to put money back in the pockets of hard-working people.

“Countless families and pensioners across Harrogate District are already struggling, and they cannot wait for a new Conservative leader to act. 

“This is an emergency, and the Government must step in now to help families and pensioners in our area by cancelling the planned rise in energy bills this October.”

Responding to the latest ONS figures which saw inflation increase to 9.1% in May, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said:

"Rishi Sunak is standing by while millions of people suffer from eye-watering levels of inflation - he either hasn't got any sense or any heart to not intervene.

"This Chancellor has hiked taxes time and time again, refusing to slash them to help with the cost of living emergency. Even when we know slashing VAT is a sure-fire way to help families while keeping inflation under control. 

"Instead, the Chancellor, his Prime Minister and his colleagues continue to sit on their hands while the country suffers, they are not fit for purpose."

New analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed Britain’s nine water companies made a total £2.8bn in combined operating profits last year. Yorkshire Water, which dumps sewage in local rivers/coastline, made an operating profit of £241 million last year. Figures published last year in the media confirm scale of the problem, with raw sewage discharged into rivers within the district 3,800 times. The water companies making billions in profit were responsible for nearly 400,000 sewage dumping events in 2020 alone, according to the Environment Agency. 

The Liberal Democrats are demanding a ‘Sewage Tax’ of 16% on water companies to create an emergency fund for cleaning up rivers.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Scriven Park said:

"Rivers should be safe for sustaining wildlife, swimming and leisure. They are a precious source of drinking water for some. So why are they filled with raw sewage and human waste, destroying them for decades to come? It is disgraceful to see a company which pollutes our local rivers with sewage make so much money last year. I think Yorkshire Water should pay to clean up the mess they make here. This Conservative Government is once again too slow to act and doing nothing to protect our local rivers.

It is outrageous to see Conservative MPs betraying our local communities and environment in Parliament. Our rivers are being polluted on a daily basis by water companies, showing a complete disregard for our environment. Enough is enough. We need action before our local rivers and becks are ruined for good. We have launched a petition calling for Yorkshire Water to clean up its mess”

You can sign it here 

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey MP said: “Given their poor record on sewage, the water industry’s staggering profit numbers will alarm millions of people who care about our environment. A big chunk of these profits should have been reinvested to protect Britain’s streams and rivers, instead of letting disgusting sewage dumps continue. The whole thing stinks. Our precious rivers, beaches and chalk streams are under threat from these sewage dumps continue. The whole thing stinks.

“Our precious rivers, beaches and chalk streams are under threat from these sewage offences. Conservative Ministers are sitting on their hands and just letting water companies get away with it. It is time to act. The water companies should pay to clean up their mess and Ministers should pass the laws to make it happen”

Matt Walker, Vice Chair of the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough wrote to Andrew Jones MP, Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough last night urging him to join the calls for Boris Johnson’s resignation.  

Local Liberal Democrats are fighting to invest in what brings communities together and helps them thrive, after what has been a very difficult year.

Over a decade and a half of Tory rule on Harrogate Borough Council has led to complacency and disastrous, ego-driven decision-making.

It is with great sadness that Bilton & Nidd Gorge councillor, Geoff Webber, passed away on Thursday 11^th March.

Knaresborough Liberal Democrats have written to Harrogate Borough Council pushing for the town’s swimming pool to be opened as soon as possible.

Liberal Democrats have slammed the Conservative Government’s insulting pay cut for NHS staff.