Letter: Stray - A big deal, or no deal at all
Whatever our individual feelings about one event or another, there is a general feeling that our present system governing use of the Stray achieves a reasonable compromise.
Harrogate Council are considering an amendment to the Stray Act to increase their power to allow events on the Stray. They are having a public consultation to ascertain support for their proposals.
Whilst they give us an opportunity to support or reject their proposals outright, they also invite us to say how much more we would like to see it used for future events. Many people might wish to say they would like to see a small increase in number or size of events.
May I advise against any such answer? Nobody is going to go to the trouble and expense of promoting a private Act of Parliament for the sake of another week’s use for holding, setting up or clearing away events or use of another half dozen acres. It will be a big deal or no deal at all.
This consultation comes at a time of great uncertainty about future patterns of Local Government. Powers now granted to Harrogate Council may, in future, be exercised by by a “Mayor of Leeds” or “Mayor of Yorkshire” with little or no regard for what is good for Harrogate and its people.
Where anyone cannot reply online because two people share an email address, it is still possible to obtain a paper copy of this questionnaire. There is, of course, no need to answer irrelevant questions about age, race, religion and gender.
M Laycock
Wheatlands Road East,
Harrogate