A road closure on Melmerby Green Lane near Ripon starts this morning.
Between 7.30am and 5.30pm on Thursday and Friday, a section of Melmerby Green Lane, between the A61 and Barker Business Park, will be shut for carriageway repairs.
As previously reported by the Stray Ferret, the road is being closed for works carried out by North Yorkshire County Council.
North Yorkshire County Council’s highways team, said:
“Drivers will be able to follow a diversion route to avoid Melmerby Green Lane while the work is in progress and there will also be advance notifications on the A1.”
The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.
We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.
The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.
Pure Gym to open in former Knaresborough supermarketA Pure Gym is set to open in a former Knaresborough covid vaccine centre and Lidl supermarket.
The Lidl on York Road closed in 2018 when the supermarket relocated to a larger site nearby.
In February 2021, the site was taken over by Homecare Pharmacy Services, which administered thousands of covid jabs from a building in the car park until it moved in September last year to larger premises on Knaresborough’s Chain Lane.
In January this year, Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission to convert the site into a gym.
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Now, documents submitted to the council have confirmed that national fitness chain, Pure Gym, will move into the site.
Pure Gym has lodged an application to the council to operate opening hours from 6am until 11pm, Monday to Sunday.
The company does not plan to increase the size inside the former Lidl unit and will instead use the existing space for the gym.
The council will make a decision on the opening hours at a later date.
The new gym would become Pure Gym’s second in the Harrogate district. The company operates a 24-hour facility on Harrogate’s Tower Street.
Why more construction challenges lie ahead for Ripon leisure centreThere were celebrations at Ripon’s Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre this month when a multi-million pound swimming pool opened after months of costly delays.
It was hailed as a “major development” by Harrogate Borough Council, which invited the city’s three-time Olympic medalist to officially open the new facility that proudly displays his name above the main entrance.
The opening on March 2 was also welcomed by residents who were left without a pool for months after the closure of Ripon Spa Baths in November.
Jack Laugher holds his Olympic gold medal at the opening.
But attention is now turning to the outcome of an investigation into ground conditions beneath the older half of the leisure centre where an underground void was discovered in 2020.
The investigation by engineering firm Stantec could end next week and will be followed by a report setting out what reinforcement works will be required ahead of the completion of the venue’s redevelopment project, which is nine months overdue and £4million over budget, and included the new pool.
A spokesperson for the council said:
“These investigations began in February and should be finished in the coming week.
“Once they have been completed, we will have a comprehensive understanding of what is required to ensure people in Ripon can keep fit and active for years to come.
“Should remedial work be required, the final stages of the investment project – predominantly to the ground floor of the existing leisure centre – will be completed once this work has been carried out.”
The underground void was discovered in 2020, but only became public knowledge last May when the £110,000 investigation was agreed by councillors.
Read more:
- Swimming club ‘mortified’after Harrogate council hikes fee for new pool
- Sinkhole experts urge councillors to consider new site for Ripon pool
- Ripon Leisure Centre: Harrogate council plans 3D soil map amid sinkhole fears
This was followed by an initial report from Stantec last November which was described as “sobering reading” by council leader Richard Cooper.
‘Significant deterioration’
The report suggested there had been a “significant deterioration” of the ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre, which was built in 1995 and like much of Ripon sits on gypsum deposits.
It also said piles were not driven deep enough into the ground during the initial construction and that it remained unclear why this happened as “many critical records” were missing.
The report added strengthening works could include steelworks, thickened floors and grouting where mortar is pumped into the ground – the same method “successfully” used to stabilise the new pool.
However, it said strengthening alone is “unlikely to mitigate risks to acceptable levels” and that other measures would be required, including long-term monitoring.
The new Ripon swimming pool.
The council decided to build the pool next to the leisure centre in 2019 despite some councillors raising “deep concerns” about ground stability at the site where a sinkhole opened up the previous year.
‘Safe to use’
The council has continually insisted that professional advice has made it clear that the site is “safe to use”.
But what remains to be seen are the crucial conclusions of the ongoing investigation, which is likely to stretch the project further into this year.
Ripon Independents councillor Pauline McHardy said while she and many residents were “delighted” with the new pool, it was now key that any extra costs and delays were kept to a minimum.
She said:
Teenagers steal equipment from Spofforth primary school“We must remember that a sinkhole appeared on the land prior to the work starting, so Harrogate Borough Council knew the risk they were taking of building on that land rather than elsewhere in Ripon.
“I hope the remainder of the work can be completed quickly and with minimal further cost to deliver the combined leisure and swimming facility that Ripon was promised.”
Six teenagers who stole equipment from Spofforth Church of England Primary School are being hunted by police.
North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened on Saturday, March 5, at 5pm.
Officers said they believed the teens attempted to break into the school on School Lane in the village, but were unsuccessful.
The suspects then broke into the school’s equipment shed, stole multiple items and caused criminal damage to school property.
Read more:
A police statement added:
‘Irrecoverable’ housing debts written off by Harrogate council doubles“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help identify suspects in relation to the incident. Five of the suspects have been described as teenage boys and one of the suspects has been described as a teenage girl.
“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Fleming.
“You can also email ethan.fleming@northyorkshire.police.uk. Please quote reference number 12220039590.”
The amount of “irrecoverable” housing debts written off by Harrogate Borough Council has almost doubled this year.
A total of £61,853 in debts owed to the council have been crossed off for 2021/22 – almost twice as much as the £32,277 in 2020/21 and the largest amount in at least the last six years.
A council spokesperson said the increase was mostly down to debts owed by temporary accommodation users who have stayed at council hostels, houses and flats across the district, but were no longer traceable.
The spokesperson also said a large amount of the debts were owed by council tenants who died and had no assets to pay what they owed.
The spokesperson said:
“There are a number of reasons we have decided to write off the debt from former council tenants. The majority of these come from either tenants that have sadly passed away or tenants who left their property and remain untraceable.
“In both instances, there is almost no way that this can be recovered and, if it could, may ultimately cost more than the outstanding debt to try and do so.
“The vast majority of the increase – compared to last year – is due to the level of rent debt being written off for former temporary accommodation tenants.
“If the former tenant applies for council housing at a future date the arrears can still be recovered.”
Before any debts over £500 are recommended for write off, the council said at least two searches are carried out using tools such as the National Anti Fraud Network before further checks are made for housing benefit or waiting list applications.
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- Plan submitted to demolish Bilton garages for social housing
Meanwhile, the majority of debts under £500 are considered to be “too small to make the cost of recovery action worthwhile,” the council said.
Largest debt £2,903
There were almost 100 incidents where council tenants had died in 2021/22, with the debts totalling almost £19,000.
The single largest debt was £2,903 owed by a temporary accommodation user who was considered to be untraceable after ending their stay.
A decision to write off all of the debts – some of which predate this year – was taken by the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, Cllr Graham Swift, at a meeting on Monday.
Cllr Graham Swift
A report to Cllr Swift said the council had made “sufficient bad debt provision” in its finances to accommodate the write offs and that this would not impact on its spending plans.
It also said the amount of the provision made will be reviewed and increased if necessary for any future write offs.
The council spokesperson added:
Developer appeals decision to reject Harrogate district eco-homes“The total arrears represent less than 0.5% of the annual housing debit.
“The money is a loss to the housing revenue account, which is funded almost entirely from rent income from tenants, rather than through council tax.”
A developer has appealed a decision to refuse plans for nine new eco-homes near Flaxby.
Holmes Planning Ltd submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council for the development in October 2021.
It would have seen houses built to environmental standards and include solar panels, air-source heat pumps and super-tight insulation.
It also included self-build and custom homes on the site at York Road in Flaxby.
The council rejected the plan on the grounds that it was outside the development boundary, the affect on the character of the area and because the number of homes was below the council’s requirement per hectare.
However, the developer has appealed the decision to the government.
Read more:
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- Plan submitted to demolish Bilton garages for social housing
In documents submitted for the challenge, the developer argued that there was not enough custom build developments in the district.
It said:
“The appellant submits that the custom self-build deficit is so severe, and likely to get worse, that this material consideration outweighs any departure from the Harrogate District Local Plan and that the appeal site is suitable for custom self-build and the appeal, if allowed, would be secured for custom self-build through the Unilateral Undertaking.”
A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
Police appeal after ducks stolen in HampsthwaitePolice have appealed for information after five call ducks were stolen in Hampsthwaite.
Officers said the theft happened on Swincliffe Lane in the village when a secure pen which was keeping the ducks was accessed.
North Yorkshire Police said the ducks were stolen during the evening between March 2 and 3, 2022.
A police statement added:
“Police are appealing for anyone who may have any information or had noticed any suspicious activity in that area at the alleged times of the thefts to make contact with ourselves.
“If you have any information we ask that you contact PC 46 Brendon Frith on 101 and select option 2 or alternatively by email: Brendon.Frith@northyorkshire.police.uk Please quote reference number 12220037836.”
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Care home managers warn staffing crisis is ‘only getting worse’
Harrogate care home managers have warned the staffing crisis is only getting worse and that it will inevitably cause more bed blocking problems for the NHS.
Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, described the current situation as “dire” and said she has “never known it as bad as this”.
She said:
“The sector is desperately short of care staff.
“At Harrogate Neighbours we can’t increase our packages for home care and we are struggling to keep our care home above water, with staff having to work extra time to cover spare shifts.”
Susie Harrison, manager at Highgate Park care home and chair of Harrogate and District Registered Managers Network, also said the staff shortages were the “underlying cause” of delays in discharging hospital patients into care homes.
She said:
“Care homes can’t take any more residents because they don’t have the staff and this means people end up stuck in hospital – that is the reality of the situation.”
Hospital can’t discharge patients
Harrogate District Hospital has confirmed it currently has around 40 patients who no longer require hospital care but can’t be discharged because they do not have a suitable location to continue their recovery.
This latest figure comes after the hospital recently warned it was “very full” and that this was having an impact on waiting times.
As well as the social care staffing shortages, Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said covid is also playing a “big part” in the bed blocking problems.
He said:
“When care homes have had to close due to covid outbreaks, or the service they provide has been affected due to their staff being unable to work after catching the virus or having to self-isolate, we have been unable to discharge patients into their care.
“We know how being in a more familiar location can aid recovery and we are working closely with our partners in social care to ensure patients who no longer require hospital care are able to be discharged as soon as possible.”
There are currently around 1,000 vacant care jobs across North Yorkshire and a recruitment campaign has been launched by North Yorkshire County Council to try address the shortfall.
Make Care Matter campaign
Make Care Matter aims to change perceptions about working in the sector which has endured a major challenge to attract and retain staff long before the current crisis.
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- Visiting restrictions to be eased at Harrogate and Ripon hospitals
- Harrogate hospital bed occupancy high as winter pressures bite
Since the campaign launched in January, 268 job applications have been progressed, with 197 interviews resulting in 91 job placements.
Senior officials at the county council have said this shows some progress has been made, although they added it will take more than a recruitment campaign to solve the staffing problems.
Richard Webb, corporate director for health and adult services at the county council, said government promises to reform how social care is funded and how much staff are paid will be the key.
He said:
Harrogate’s Cloud Nine appoints new marketing manager“We have seen a step-change in the care market since summer 2021, with very tough competition in the labour market, which is having a significant impact on care providers being able to recruit.
“The county council and the NHS have put additional funding into the sector to help sustain services, manage covid-19 and, recently, to support the workforce, including a one-off pay bonus for 16,000 care workers.
“Whilst the council welcomes the government’s proposals for changing how much people pay for care, we also want to see national action to help stabilise care providers and to improve the pay and status of care workers.
“In the meantime, we work closely with our care providers and NHS colleagues to ensure that as many people can go home from hospital as soon as is safe and feasible to do so.”
Harrogate-based hair and beauty brand Cloud Nine has appointed a new brand and marketing manager.
Laura Proctor has taken up the role, which comes as part of an expansion of the workforce at the company.
Cloud Nine recently appointed a new HR business partner, Beth Daley.
Speaking on her new role, Ms Proctor said:
“Cloud Nine is a brand I am extremely passionate about and I’m thrilled to be joining the team – this is an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to support the brand on its growth journey.”
Harrogate agencies post record quarter
Paul Snape (centre) with (L to R) Caroline Joynson, Susan Reid, Sarah Hone, Richard Lee and Helen Brady.
Media and profile agencies Appeal and GBM posted a record quarter with £175,000 in sales – an increase of 54%.
The Harrogate-based companies, which are sister organisations, have also appointed two new senior consultants to deliver a raft of new projects for a range of firms, from regional software and technology businesses to professional services organisation.
Paul Snape, founder, said:“In 2020, we launched new services, leveraging our media coverage to generate inbound sales leads online for growing SMEs, and that has helped us expand the US work as more and more firms strive to get a foothold in the North American market.”
Ripon’s newest business is another First for Rebecca
Rebecca Crallan will open the doors to The GreenHouse – Ripon’s newest business – at 10am tomorrow..
Ms Crallan, who earned a Double First in biology at Cambridge University, before obtaining her PhD at York, is leaving the world of academia and research work behind her for a brand-new career in retail.
Rebecca Crallan with her environmentally-friendly Miniml refillables range of cleaning products
Latterly based in London, where she worked for four years at Cancer Research UK, she has returned to her native Ripon, to put her scientific know-how into creating the eco and environmentally-friendly indie business.
The Stray Ferret visited 11, North Street yesterday for a sneak peek of the products on offer, and to hear why Ms Crallan decided to launch her venture in the city where she was born and bred.
She said:
“I came up with the idea while working at home during the covid lockdown.
“We’re all aware of reports on how we are damaging our planet, polluting the earth, oceans and air with plastics and gases and causing climate change.
“But those reports all call for action: If we act now we can change the outcome.”
Blankets made from redundant yarns, reduce the amount of material going as waste to landfill
She added:
“My mission is to make it easier for people to choose the greener option. From household chores to home styling and everyday needs to luxury treats.”
The products on sale have been carefully selected and locally sourced to minimise the impact on the environment.
Items on sale have been chosen with eco and environmental considerations top of mind
In addition to a refillables range of eco-friendly cleaning products, Yorkshire-made blankets created from recycled or redundant yarns are on offer.
There are also home and garden goods, locally-produced artisan-made wrapping papers and cards. .
Read more:
In setting up the business, Ms Crallan was able to call on the retail expertise of her partner Patricio Maglio.
His day job is at ASDA head office in Leeds and on some nights he is on ceremonial duty, setting the watch on Ripon Market Square, as one of the city’s four hornblowers.
Opening hours for the GreenHouse are between 10am and 4pm from Wednesday to Saturday. .
The shop also sells takeaway coffee, served in biodegradable cups.
Plan submitted to demolish Bilton garages for social housing
Harrogate Borough Council has lodged plans to demolish 10 garages in Bilton to build two new houses.
The garages are on Woodfield Close, near the iron bridge in the Harrogate suburb.
As part of the proposal, two one-bedroom homes would be built on the site.
A council report in August said there were 24 garages on the site but only 12 were occupied. Of these, four were used by local residents.
The report proposed demolishing seven garages to allow for the new development but the number has now increased to 10.
Read more:
- Pannal garages to be demolished for housing despite parking complaints
- Government rejects plan for new townhouses in Ripon
The council owns and rents out garages across the district and has increasingly looked at the pockets of land as a way to build social housing.
In planning documents, the council said the development would help to provide “much needed affordable homes”.
The move comes as the council approved plans to earmark the site for housing back in August 2021.
The authority also plans to build a two-bed property for social rented housing on grassland it maintains on the corner of Poplar Crescent and Poplar Grove
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the Woodfield Close plan at a later date.