Whilst some will require the benefits of up to three hours with an Advice Service appointment, most will just need to ask a few questions that can be dealt with in Half Hour Appointments.
I am delighted to introduce my Half Hour Appointments which offer the potential to help lots of people. The following is a reproduction of the new page entitled Half Hour Appointments.
Half Hour Appointments
Are you confused by the workings of your local council?
Do you need a better understanding of how to deal with a Council’s unclear actions?
A 30-minute conversation with me, to review your inquiry, could bring the clarity that you are seeking.
My Half Hour Appointments are offered via Phone, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, or sometimes in Person.
I encourage everyone not to lose sight of the importance of our quality of life and to know exactly what they are looking to achieve.
I have extensive knowledge of parking legislation, especially in relation to overnight parking. Over the years I have undertaken countless successful direct actions against Councils from the Highlands, Lincolnshire, the South Coast, and Yorkshire. I have NEVER been issued a “parking ticket” for any of these actions. This is despite my best endeavours to receive one!
Since 2010, I have established a proven track record of holding Councils to account. By successfully challenging numerous Councils for many years I have gained an extensive understanding of how Councils work. To complement this, between 2016 and 2019 I was an Independent Councillor at the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. This gave me a revealing insight from the inside on how to navigate an often faceless and unhelpful system.
I can offer an appointment between 08.00 and 18.30 on the following dates.
Friday 2 June
Thursday 8 June
Wednesday 14 June
Fees
To assist with my understanding of your inquiry please complete the Half Hour Appointment Overview Form and return it to me, by email, to request an appointment for your preferred date.
Upon receipt, if I believe I can assist, I will confirm your requested appointment.
Over the past month the number of requests for my assistance, to deal with Councils, has been noticeably on the increase.
Given my need, and desire, to spend more of my time with my Buddhism and Ruth I am unable to find the time to offer the assistance requested.
The best option is for me to introduce my Advice Service. The following is a reproduction of the new page entitled Advice Service.
Advice Service
Are you struggling with the unhelpful bureaucracy of your local council?
Is your local Council causing you stress, anxiety, and worry?
Meet with me to review your circumstances and to identify a suggested way forward.
My Advice Service could be what you need. I endeavour to bring a sense of proportion to the challenges residents and businesses face from bureaucratic, and often unhelpful, Councils.
I place great importance on being mindful of our quality of life. When we are forced to deal with difficult and egocentric Councils it is essential to identify exactly what the desired outcome is.
As a Consultant, I have worked closely with Junior Barristers, Solicitors, Planning Consultants, Councillors, and Council Officers to achieve appropriate results for my clients.
I have assisted in having a Planning approval quashed by Judicial Review, securing Planning approvals, bringing together successful objections to Planning applications, challenging parking enforcement, and correlating documents for legal cases.
Since 2010, I have established a proven track record of holding Councils to account. By successfully challenging numerous Councils for many years I have gained an extensive understanding of how Councils work. To complement this, between 2016 and 2019 I was an Independent Councillor at the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. This gave me a revealing insight from the inside on how to navigate an often faceless and unhelpful system.
Sometimes the approach to dealing with the challenge faced can be very straightforward, so I generally do not recommend too early recourse to expensive legal representation. In many cases, I would advise against no-win, no-fee arrangements.
I can offer morning or afternoon appointments (up to 3 hours) on the following dates.
Friday 2 June
Thursday 8 June
Wednesday 14 June
Fees
To assist with my understanding of your inquiry please complete the Advice Service Overview Form and return it to me, by email, to request an appointment for your preferred date.
Upon receipt, if I believe I can assist, I will confirm your requested appointment.
I offer morning or afternoon appointments (up to 3 hours) for £195.
A week after the publication of “‘Death Trap’ Garage Planning Stalled “my client Mr Wilson has sent the email below to Richard Flinton, North Yorkshire Council Chief Executive.
Richard Flinton, North Yorkshire Council Chief Executive
I write to you regards the failure of NYC and its predecessors to appropriately address the on-going Planning Applications for Brookes Garage, Shipton-by-Beningborough – Planning Application 22/01117/FUL. I own the site next to Brookes Garage.
By Tuesday 23 May 2023 I will have waited for Mark Russell/HDC Planning/NYC to address many issues with regards Planning Application 22/01117/FUL. In that time I have received little more than the Local Authority “no comment” with the standard, and sadly overused, “It is noted” default mode. This is inappropriate and an unacceptable way to deal with those attempting to run a business in North Yorkshire.
Yesterday, with the exception of one (to confirm that the NYC Head of Legal has still not provided simple definitive legislation to a claim made) Mark even failed to provide the standard “It is noted”. The failure of HDC Planning, NYCC Highways and now NYC to move beyond “It is noted” is causing me additional work and taking time that I need to focus on my business. In essence, the failure of NYC is costing me money. No other authority where I have my portfolio conducts themselves in such an unhelpful manner.
The following highlights that which is outstanding in the format of – date raised – issue – extra information:
30 April – Large Vehicle Parking/Aggravated Trespass – Failure to provide parking on site for large vehicles that results in a danger to highway users on the A19 and aggravated trespass on my site.
30 April – Road Safety Report – The Applicant has failed to produce an accredited Road Safety Report or address that raised in an Accredited Road Safety Report that I commissioned.
3 May – One Way System/Tanker Parking/Highway Safety – The Applicant is attempting to introduce a one way system that has a fuel tanker blocking it on numerous occasions every month. This results in a danger to highway users on the A19.
9 May – Incorrect Application – As the take away is dominant the application should be for A5 Use Class.
9 May – Incorrect Plans and Application Declaration – As the Applicant has “claimed” to own or lease part of the highway both the plans and application are false.
12 May – Incorrect Planning Portal – NYC have failed to put the application on their Planning Portal as no such Planning Portal exists.
On 12 May, I raised grave concerns in relation to highway safety with Stuart Grimston. Stuart is on leave until Monday.
In addition to the above, I have raised a considerable amount of objections to this application. I am unaware of any of these that have been addressed.
All of the above MUST be taken in the full knowledge that:
This application will be a year old on 23 May 2023
The Brookes Garage site has had no Planning Consent since before 2013
The Inspectorate has refused an appeal to a previous Application for this site
HDC lost a Judicial Review to me for an Application they should never have approved
In essence, it is impossible for this Application to be approved without the Courts supporting a Judicial Review from me. You will appreciate that I hold on file numerous Grounds for the current Application if required.
Furthermore my Consultant, Andy Strangeway, along with the highly knowledgeable Nigel Ward, has twice offered to meet with you and Barry Khan, to move this forward. I am disappointed to be informed that neither you nor Mr Khan have even had the courtesy to acknowledge their polite invitation.
In the interest of transparency and for further information I refer you to:
I have given Andy my permission to publish this email onto his site and asked him to forward the relevant link to key stakeholders.
I would politely suggest and request, that you consider the full contents of this email and personally assure me of how NYC will move this forward within a clear stated timescale.
In 2019, I became aware that Hambleton District Council (HDC) had introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to ban overnight camping in vehicles at Leeming Bar. As this ban was unenforceable, for numerous reasons, including the fact that “overnight” is not defined in law, I challenged the PSPO with direct action by camping overnight in my vehicle at Leeming Bar.
HDC, which ceased to exist on 31 March 2023, wisely never issued me with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). But their Chief Executive, Justin Ives, did not appreciate my direct action and it was suggested to me that he was spitting his dummy out. This inspired a simple photoon.
Mr Robin Wilson, owns commercial sites, including the former site for the Harper’s Fish ‘n’ Chip shop on the A19 at Shipton-by-Beningborough. The neighbouring site is Brookes Garage.
In August 2020, Mr Wilson did not appreciate the failure of Justin to take appropriate action with the Brookes Garage site. Upon simple research, Mr Wilson found the now infamous “Justin spitting out dummy” photoon. Following this, he contacted me to seek assistance with the challenge he was facing with the neighbouring site and the failure of HDC to address the issues raised.
I agreed to become Mr Wilson’s Consultant. Mr Wilson became my Client. My first action was to review all communications, including past Planning Applications and communication between legal representatives. I was shocked by what I uncovered.
The Plans and Application that Brookes Garage had submitted for the 2013 Application included part of my Client’s site. Brookes Garage incorrectly claimed that they owned or leased part of my Client’s site.
This is untrue.
This should have made the Application null and void. HDC should have rejected the Application, but instead, they approved it. At the time, Robin was in New Zealand on business.
Planning History
February 2013 – Granted (despite incorrect Plans and Application form)
October 2013 – Granted (despite incorrect Plans and Application form)
July 2020 – Refused
May 2021 – Granted (despite HDC Planning being in knowledge of incorrect Plans) – quashed by Judicial Review November 2021.
May 2021 – Inspectorate – Appeal Dismissed (Applicant appealed conditions of October 2013 Application)
November 2021 – Judicial Review – Upheld (this quashed the May 2021 Application and, in effect, quashed the February 2013 and October 2013 Applications)
March 2023 – Advertisement Consent – Withdrawn by the Applicant (NYC Highways falsely claimed that the TSRGD is not relevant to this application)
March 2023 – Postponed by HDC Planning
May 2023 – Postponed by North Yorkshire Council (NYC) Planning
In effect, the above demonstrates that there has been No Planning Consent for Brookes Garage for 10 years. And yet HDC failed to take enforcement action. The operation of Brookes Garage has always relied upon using my Client’s land to conduct its business. Without this, the site is clearly an overdevelopment.
The planning history confirms that all Applications granted have subsequently been overturned.
Since the Inspectorate decision and Judicial Review, there has been a constant stream of postponements and withdrawal of Applications.
The planning history strongly suggests HDC Planning and North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) Highways were at best incompetent, at worst, corrupt.
Will NYC now remedy the situation, or must we wait for someone to be killed?
Install Bollards
I became aware that not only was Brookes Garage claiming to own my Client’s land, but their customers and those delivering to Brookes Garage regularly traversed my Client’s land. On account of this, I advised my Client to robustly defend his boundary with the use of concrete bollards.
For the most recent Application, the Applicant has still failed to demonstrate how large vehicles can manoeuvre past the so-called “pinch point” created by the bollards, especially when the parking bays are in use, including the disabled parking bays.
Oil Tanker Unable To Navigate Bollards
As customers and those making deliveries to Brookes Garage regularly commit aggravated trespass on my Client’s land, he engaged the parking enforcement company, Flashpark. To date, over 50 PCNs have been issued for unlawful parking, including a vehicle owned by NYCC.
One-Way System
The Applicants proposed one-way system for the current Application requires the use of the area allocated for the parking of the fuel tanker for purposes of delivery. As my Client has 24/7 right of access across Brookes Garage’s forecourt, in either direction, the forecourt cannot be closed for fuel deliveries, as this would deny my Client access to his own site.
In consequence, this makes the proposed one-way system an impossibility.
The dangers raised in the Report are made manifest by HGVs reversing onto the A19.
Delivery HGV Reverses On A19
Petroleum Certification
When the fuel tanker is making deliveries to Brookes Garage, the A19 becomes a scene of utter chaos.
Fuel Tanker Causes Chaos On A19
Why have the required Risk Assessments by both Certas (petroleum delivery firm) and Brookes Garage failed to mitigate these risks?
Why has NYC failed to ensure that Certas and Brookes Garage have mitigated these risks?
Where the tanker parks, it obstructs my Client’s lawful Right of Access for up to two hours, on numerous occasions each month.
In the future, will my Client seek an injunction against Brookes Garage against this obstruction?
At the same time, will my Client seek an injunction for a breach of the condition that prohibits Brookes Garage from “the sale of hot food on or off the premises”?
Take-Away Planning Consent
As the take-away aspect is a dominant part of Brookes Garage’s retail business, why have HDC Planning and NYC not required Brookes Garage to submit an Application for A5 Use Class?
A considerable part of the danger to highway users is caused by those parking on the highway (A19) to pick up a “bacon buttie”.
A viable Planning Application would be required to mitigate this risk.
NYC Highways Silence
After almost a year, why have NYC Highways not yet made a submission regarding the current application?
Why have NYC Highways accepted the encroachment onto the public highway by Brookes Garage without a Stopping-Up Order?
Simple Questions
To conclude, and to prevent burdening the reader with too much detail, I encourage those in the Court of Public Opinion to consider the following simple questions:
Why has HDC Planning failed to take Enforcement action against Brookes Garage for the failure to secure Planning Consent for 10 years?
Why did NYCC Highways do nothing about the danger to life of those travelling on the A19?
When will the new NYC, which has responsibility for Highways and Planning, and Petroleum Certification, take appropriate action?
Given that Brookes Garage have had no adequate Planning Consent for 10 years, have they informed their insurers of their Employer’s Liability and Public Liability status?
Why has neither HDC Planning nor NYC taken enforcement action for the failure to provide the required turning area for large vehicles?
Why has neither HDC Planning nor NYC taken enforcement action for the failure to provide parking for large vehicles?
Why have NYCC Highways/NYC done nothing to prevent HGVs that deliver to Brookes Garage from causing a danger to road users by unloading on the Highway (A19)?
Why have NYCC Highways/NYC done nothing to prevent tractor drivers from picking up a “bacon butty” at Brookes Garage and causing a danger to road users by parking on the Highway (A19)?
As HGVs using the services at Brookes Garage cause a danger to road users, why is the Garage allowed to attract such vehicles by displaying signs on the highway for fuel cards, predominately used by HGVs?
Who, at NYC, would be charged with Corporate Manslaughter in the event of loss of life due to its failures?
Will our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, intervene in this clear travesty of his Government’s Planning system in his own backyard?
Posted inConsultancy|Comments Off on ‘Death Trap’ Garage Planning Stalled
Having worked closely with my client, Mr Robin Wilson, on various challenges he has had to address with one of his commercial premises on the A19 at Shipton-by-Beningborough, I relished the opportunity to assist in securing a bespoke entrance onto the A19.
As Mr Wilson is of the opinion that issues at Brookes Garage are creating a danger for motorists on the A19, and given the importance he places on the environment, there was a strong desire to create a more welcoming and harmonious entrance for visitors to his site.
Many who have needed to obtain Planning and Highways permission to establish a new entrance onto a major road, especially for commercial premises, have been unsuccessful in their quest.
As a consultant“I often readily identify avenues that others fail to see to move forward in what may appear to be an entrenched, unresolvable situation”.
I welcomed the challenge.
A few months later, after phone calls were made, meetings attended, and forms filled, in I am delighted to confirm that the objective was achieved.
I am informed that a new business is due to open soon.
I would like to thank everyone who supported me in the recent ERYC Election.
Congratulations to those elected. I will look forward to the new Councillors for Pocklington Provincial introducing robust foundations so that residents can easily understand who to approach, how, and when, on any given issue.
Over the past week, I have enjoyed spending time with Ruth and embracing my Buddhism. My consultancy business continues to stimulate, my decorating business is booming and I have a piece of paper with my name and Ruths on it stating Manchester to Kathmandu.
Blessed with good fortune.
Posted inElection, ERYC|Comments Off on ERYC Election – Thank You And Congratulations
I only lost the ERYC election in 2019 by 14 votes on a 32% turnout. May I kindly ask that you remember to vote for your candidate on Thursday. Your vote gives you the power to make a difference on how your local decisions are made, and with the right candidate – turn them into reality.
Vote Andy Strangeway
Vote Integrity – Vote Independent
YOUR VOTE DOES COUNT
Posted inElection, ERYC|Comments Off on Please Remember To Vote
Although Pocklington Provincial residents may vote for up to three candidates in the ERYC election on Thursday 4 May, or prior by postal vote, this is not obligatory.
Every resident is permitted to vote for one, two, or three candidates.
Posted inElection, ERYC|Comments Off on Vote For Up To Three Candidates
I am delighted to confirm that, thanks to the support of Team Strangeway, the distribution of my first leaflet will be completed today.
Second Leaflet – Front
The distribution of my second leaflet will also commence today. Due to time constraints, the second leaflet will be in limited circulation.
Second Leaflet – Back
If you are still awaiting my first leaflet by late afternoon today and believe you may have been missed please do not hesitate to contact me. I will ensure delivery.
Posted inElection, ERYC|Comments Off on First Leaflet Completed – Second Leaflet Commences
This morning I distributed leaflets to Moorfield, Wilberfoss. This completes the village, which I have enjoyed covering fully by myself.
The roads on Moorfield resemble a patchwork quilt and this is not the worse part!
By fully distributing leaflets myself to Barmby Moor and Wilberfoss, I have been able to see firsthand aspects like new developments and the condition of the roads.
The distribution of my first leaflet’s latest position is now:
Barmby Moor – Completed
The Cattons – Completed
Newton upon Derwent – Completed
Pocklington – Completed
Stamford Bridge – 80% complete
Sutton Upon Derwent – Completed
Wilberfoss – Completed
If you are still awaiting my leaflet and believe you may have been missed please do not hesitate to contact me. I will ensure delivery.
Posted inElection, ERYC|Comments Off on Moorfield Leaflet Distribution Completes Wilberfoss
Andy Strangeway 
You must be logged in to post a comment.