Harrogate hospital trust appoints new board chair

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has appointed Sarah Armstrong as the new chair of its board.

Current chair Angela Schofield announced she is retiring having been in the role since November 2017.

Ms Armstrong, a former director of operations at Healthwatch and chief executive of York Centre for Voluntary Service, will take up the role from April 1.

She is also a non-executive director at Harrogate Integrated Facilities, a wholly-owned subsidiary company of the hospital trust that looks after its estate.

Ms Armstrong said: 

“I am delighted to be appointed chair of HDFT. Being a non-executive director over the last few years has enabled me to understand the work that the trust does, and the difference it makes. I feel extremely proud to be part of HDFT and very much look forward to undertaking this new role.”

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Steve Russell, chief executive of HDFT, said: 

“Sarah’s vast knowledge and experience has been invaluable since she joined the trust’s three years ago and I am looking forward to working with her in her new role.

“The energy and enthusiasm she brings is infectious and her inquisitive, challenging nature keeps us on our toes and ensures we are always striving to provide the best possible healthcare for our community.”

Harrogate Convention Centre re-development to be speeded up over £475,000 loss fears

Harrogate Borough Council is set to bring forward part of its redevelopment of the town’s convention centre over fears it may lose £475,000 in bookings.

A report due before the council’s cabinet next week will recommend setting aside £2.8 million from its reserves to accelerate creating “breakout rooms” in studio 2.

Paula Lorimer, director of the convention centre, said previously that bringing the studio part of the project forward needed to be a priority as it would be a “game changer”.

The work to studio 2 will include the creation of seminar rooms to cater for up to 1,200 people. Currently, the studio only caters for 570 delegates, which can deter some organisations from booking.

The work for studio 2 is now expected to be considered as a standalone project, while approval for the wider first phase of the project is likely to return before councillors at a later date.

The report to councillors says:

“If the studio 2 package is not ready by April 2023, the potential negative impact on the HCC order book would be significant.

“It is highly likely that the contracted events for the period 2023/24 would be lost, as without studio 2 these conferences would exceed the current breakout capacity of the venue.”

£12.9m hit to local economy

The council estimates that if the acceleration of studio 2 is not approved then the authority faces a loss in income of £475,000 and an associated economic impact on the district as a whole of £12.9 million.

This is because events for the convention centre are often booked 18 months in advance.

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Ms Lorimer told a cabinet meeting in December 2021 that there was a “strong case” to bring the studio project forward.

She said:

“We are lucky to have one of the largest and most gorgeous auditoriums in the country with just over 1,900 seats, but we only have breakout space for 570 people.

“These larger conference rooms that we are hoping to have in studio 2 will mean we will attract much larger conferences.

“We therefore believe there is a very strong case to accelerate this part of the project.”

The remainder of the project has yet to receive a final go-ahead from councillors and could cost up to £47 million over three phases if approved.

Other plans as part of the project could involve three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 sq m hall and a refurbished auditorium.

Around £20 million would be needed to complete a first phase of redevelopment, with another phase later.

Harrogate council strike action averted after national ballot

The prospect of Harrogate Borough Council staff going on strike over pay has been removed after a national ballot.

Trade union Unison balloted members over whether or not to take industrial action after members rejected a 1.75% pay increase last year.

The offer followed a national consultation from the Local Government Association over a pay increase.

Of 62% of Unison members in the Harrogate district, 74% voted to refuse the pay offer.

However, a national ballot held last month on whether to take strike action over the offer saw just 14.5% of Unison members turn out to vote.

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Under government trade union laws, strike action cannot legally progress unless there is at least a 50% turnout for the ballot and the majority votes to strike. Because the national turnout was just 14.5%, the strike will not therefore take place.

David Houlgate, secretary of the Harrogate branch of Unison, said the proposed 1.75% pay offer would only increase pressure on frontline council services.

He said:

“While an overwhelming majority of those who voted were prepared to show their anger at the employers’ derisory 1.75% pay offer by taking strike action, they are prevented from doing so because the number of votes cast in the ballot is less than 50% of the number entitled to vote in the ballot.

“With inflation predicted to hit 6% this year, this amounts to another real terms pay cut for council workers across the country and will increase the pressure on frontline services, already struggling with a huge number of vacancies and losing employees at an alarming rate.”

Council staff ‘deeply unhappy’ over pay

Unison and other trade unions have said they will now look towards next year’s pay offer.

Mike Short, head of local government at Unison, said:

“The results show there’s deep unhappiness among council and education staff about a pay offer so far below the ​spiralling cost of living.

“There’s a real danger ​local authorities and schools will now lose staff to employers willing ​and able to g​rant above-inflation wage rises. Leading supermarkets, hospitality outlets and ​other private sector firms ​have either made, or are ​considering, pay increases allowing workers to keep on top of ​rocketing bills.

“Unison will consider ​its next steps and liaise with ​other unions when the​ir ballots are complete.”

Harrogate district reports 278 covid cases as rate continues to rise

The Harrogate district’s covid rate has increased again after another 278 cases were reported today.

Latest UK Health Security Agency figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average has risen to 1,117 per 100,000 people — an increase on yesterday’s figure of 1,088.

It remains above the county average, which is 999, and the England rate of 1,006.

The number of positive covid patients currently being treated at the hospital stands at 20.

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Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency has found a new strain of the Omicron variant, known as BA.2, in Harrogate.

The variant was found in four tests from 101 carried out by the Wellcome Sanger Institute, which is funded by the Department of Health, in the week up to January 15.

However, the dominant strain of Omicron continues to make up most cases in the district.

The UK Health Security Agency has designated BA.2 as a variant under investigation.

With tomorrow’s lifting of Plan B restrictions, the Stray Ferret will no longer report daily updates on infections. However, we will continue to provide coverage on the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the Harrogate district.

Man sentenced for carrying a baseball bat down Parliament Street

A Harrogate man has received a community order after admitting carrying a baseball bat down Parliament Street and making unlawful threats of violence.

Dan Swift, 21, of Fewston Crescent, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday charged with threatening unlawful violence towards other persons which would cause fear for personal safety.

Swift was also charged with carrying a baseball bat on Parliament Street on September 26 last year without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

He pleaded guilty to those charges.

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The court imposed a community order, which included 100 hours of unpaid work to be undertaken over the next 12 months.

The court said Swift’s guilty plea was taken into account when imposing the sentence.

Harrogate Station Gateway could take a year longer to complete than expected

Work on Harrogate’s Station Gateway project could continue into 2024 — considerably longer than first indicated.

The scheme was given the green light by North Yorkshire County Council’s executive yesterday, paving the way for its implementation.

The Department for Transport, which is funding the initiative, had set a deadline of March 2023 for completion. Councils supporting it had said in consultation documents “it is anticipated that construction of the scheme will begin in spring 2022 for approximately 12 months”.

But North Yorkshire County Council, which is the lead partner on the scheme, said after yesterday’s meeting the Department for Transport had now advised the deadline could be extended into 2024.

A county council spokesman said:

“Although the Department for Transport set an initial completion date of March 2023, the department has advised that completion could extend into 2024.”

This could lead to longer-term disruption for businesses already concerned about the impact on trade, although the councils have said “we will aim to ensure all roads remain open to traffic at all times, and noise and other disturbance from the works will be minimised”.

What happens now with the gateway?

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive councillor for access, has hailed the £10.9 million gateway initiative as the “greatest investment in decades” in Harrogate town centre.

Key proposals include reducing Station Parade to one lane and the part pedestrianisation of James Street to encourage more walking and cycling.

Yesterday, senior county councillors gave their backing for the scheme to move to detailed design stage and for a final business case to be drawn up.

The final case will be submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which administers the funding for the Harrogate, Skipton and Selby schemes, which together are worth £42 million.

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Council bosses said the business case could be submitted by May 2022.

They added work could start on the Harrogate project “later this year”. They had previously indicated work would be underway by spring or summer but now appear to less specific.

Impact on businesses

The council backed the scheme despite considerable opposition from businesses and residents groups.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, told councillors that businesses had been “ignored” and that an economic impact study did not take into account the disruption on businesses.

He said:

“Does the economic impact study take into account the disruption delivering this Project will have on businesses already on their knees through to the ongoing impact of covid?”

Barrie Mason, assistant director of highways at the county council, responded to say officers were “reluctant” to make a final economic case while “designs were evolving”.

However, he added that the “foundation” of the council’s economic case had been shared with businesses and the public at a meeting organised by Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce in November 2021.

Mr Mason added:

“We delayed publishing a final economic case until after the consultation had been completed and any amendments could be taken into account.”

He went onto to say that the county council would “work closely with contractors” to minimise any disruption to the town centre by construction of the scheme.

Plan approved to demolish Harrogate social club for flats

Plans have been approved to demolish a Harrogate sports and social club to make way for 14 flats and a community facility.

The proposal by Mitre Residential LLP would see St George’s Sport and Social Club, on St George’s Road, flattened.

According to planning documents, it would be replaced by a three-storey building comprising of 14 two-bedroom flats and a replacement community facility, which would be used as a dance hall.

Harrogate Borough Council gave the go-ahead for the plan last week.

The site was previously used as a sport and social club, but more recently has been used by a dance club.

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The developer said in documents submitted to the council that the proposal would help to relieve pressure on greenfield sites for housing.

It said:

“The development will provide 14 two-bedroom flats and the new proposals will be in keeping with the style and type of housing surrounding the site. 

“The new hall will replace facilities that are no longer required but still provide a viable club for members who have shown an interest in maintaining the facilities.”

Harrogate Civic Society said in response to the application that it was pleased to see the community facility replaced as part of the plan.

It said:

“We are pleased to see a replacement facility, albeit much reduced in size. If this can provide the needs of all those that use the current building, then this is satisfactory.”

Harrogate district covid rate rises again as 278 cases reported

The Harrogate district’s covid rate has increased again after another 278 cases were reported today.

Latest government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average has risen to 1,088 per 100,000 people — slightly up on yesterday’s figure of 1,075.

It remains above the county average, which is 982, and the England rate of 998.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

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The number of positive covid patients currently being treated at the hospital stands at 20.

The government will lift covid Plan B restrictions on Thursday. It means mandatory face coverings will no longer be required and vaccine passports for large scale events will be removed.

Harrogate set for ‘greatest investment in town centre in decades’

County councillors have today voted to give the green light to Harrogate’s £10.9 million Station Gateway scheme.

The project, along with similar schemes in Selby and Skipton, will now move onto the detailed design stage.

The decision comes despite widespread opposition to the initiative from businesses and residents.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive today that the schemes were the “greatest investment into three of our town centres in decades”.

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He added that the council had “a mandate” to carry out the gateway scheme after residents responded to its 2019 Harrogate Congestion Study.

Cllr Mackenzie said:

“They [residents] gave a clear message to us. In order to combat congestion they did not want new highways, they wanted better measures for walking and cycling.

“The gateway schemes do exactly that.”

Business and residents criticism

However, the scheme has long been criticised by Harrogate business groups and residents.

A joint letter signed by Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Harrogate Business Improvement District and Independent Harrogate warned that work on the scheme would create ‘another 12 months of major disruption and misery’ for businesses already struggling to get over covid.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, told councillors today:

“Sadly, the views of the business community have been continually ignored. As have those of other key organisations, in particular Harrogate Civic Society and residents’ organisations who believe what is being proposed will not bring the benefits being espoused.”

In response, Cllr Mackenzie said he and the authority had spent “a great deal of time” listening to businesses in the town.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Residents Association called on senior county councillors to “look long and hard” at the objections made against the project.

The county council’s executive voted unanimously to approve the scheme.

What happens now?

The gateway project will now move onto the detailed design stage before being submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority as a final business case.

From there, the combined authority will draw on government funding to begin implementing the Harrogate scheme and others, including Skipton and Selby.

County council officials said in a report that they expect to submit a business case for the Harrogate project by May 2022.

A press release issued by North Yorkshire County Council after today’s meeting said work was likely to start ‘later this year’. It added:

“Although the Department for Transport set an initial completion date of March 2023, the department has advised that completion could extend into 2024.”

 

Plan to build 26 homes on former Masham livestock mart

Developers have submitted plans to build 26 homes on a former Masham livestock mart.

The site off Leyburn Road in the town operated as a livestock mart for farmers until it closed in 2006.

Now, Ripon-based Briahaze Village Homes Ltd has lodged plans to Harrogate Borough Council to build houses on the site.

In documents submitted to the council, the proposal would see 26 homes built, ranging from one-bedroom townhouses to five-bedroom detached properties.

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The developer said that the site had stood empty for some time and the plan would help to redevelop the land.

In its planning statement, the developer said:

“The site has been vacant for a lengthy period as the need for local markets has evolved and there is no opportunity for the livestock mart to reopen. 

“The property has been marketed but not had any serious interest. Instead, the applicant seeks approval for the redevelopment for residential development and make best use of this previously developed land.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.