Row over contract to restore the Stray

CLAIMS THAT a council snubbed local firms to carry out work on the historic Stray in Harrogate have been rejected.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council said local groundwork contractors had been denied the opportunity to restore the parkland in favour of an out-of-district firm.

Coun Geoff Webber criticised the council after it awarded Glendale Services the contract to repair the Stray in April, seven months after it was used as a spectator area and severely damaged during the UCI World Cycling Championships.

Coun Webber argued the contract should have gone out to tender and referred to documents that show the council referred to the firm, which has its headquarters in Chorley, as a “local supplier”.

He said he was disappointed with the decision, adding: “I find it incredible that Chorley, only eight miles north of Wigan, is considered to be local. So much for supporting local businesses.”

The council said the information about Glendale Services was incorrect.

A spokesman said: “Their head office is in Chorley but they also have a depot in between Harrogate and York and employ a number of local residents.”

The council also said time was of the essence for the work and added it awarded the contract in April as “the optimum period for reseeding was fast approaching”.

The spokesman added: “Once the necessary preparation works had been carried out we awaited the correct weather window before reseeding. We got the right window in June and you’ve only got to look at the area now to see how well it is doing.”

The organisers of the UCI World Cycling Championships – Yorkshire 2019 – agreed in April to almost cover the £38,000 cost.

The council is spending a further £95,000 on upgrades to the parkland.