Ripon businessman ‘dismayed’ by council’s choice of contractor

A local businessman has criticised Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to choose a Somerset company to manage its investment in leisure services.

Jim Anderson, who runs Ripon metal recycling firm K A Anderson, said he was ‘utterly dismayed’ the council had not chosen a local company to handle the management of the project.

Mr Anderson said plenty of firms have had a hard time during the pandemic and it was wrong to award the contract to Somerset company Alliance Leisure.

Mr Anderson, whose business has been running for 40 years, said the contract should have gone to a local company.

He said:

“You see plenty of business struggling in Harrogate now.

“I just think there are lots of good local firms that could do the work. I think whatever the work, it should be given to them especially now.”

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Alliance Leisure will be tasked with progressing schemes, which include a refurbishment of Harrogate Hydro and a new leisure centre in Knaresborough, until they are ready to be constructed.

The company, which was awarded the contract without a competitive tender process, will be responsible for project management and business planning.

The contract does not include construction and the council has said the vast majority of the investment will be given to companies “within the region throughout the construction supply chain”.

An e-mail seen by the Stray Ferret from Michael Constantine, head of operations at the council, defended the decision to appoint Alliance Leisure.

It said:

“We are proposing to use Alliance Leisure as they have readily available, procurement compliant, specialist experience which, despite the range of local businesses in the borough, is not easily identifiable at a more local level. 

“Alliance Leisure have experience of working within region having recently assisted Hambleton District Council with a leisure redevelopment.”

The council borrowed £1.7 million for design and business cases for the scheme.

It is not known if this is the precise sum being paid to Alliance Services.

It comes as last week the council announced that its preferred site for the new leisure centre in Knaresborough was the existing leisure centre site on King James Road.

Senior councillors are expected to discuss the matter at a cabinet meeting next Wednesday (December 2).

Harrogate district’s tier 1 hopes boosted

Harrogate and North Yorkshire’s hopes of being placed in tier one restrictions when lockdown ends next week received a boost today as daily covid infections continued to fall sharply.

The Harrogate district recorded just 11 new positive cases — the lowest daily number since October 1, according to Public Health England figures today.

It takes total cases since the pandemic began to 3,420.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire as a whole recorded just a further 115 cases.

The county is expected to learn which tier it will come under in the coming days as part of the government’s new restrictions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined the new system to MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon.

It will see the first tier toughened up with people encouraged to work from home, while pubs and bars in tier two areas will be asked to close unless they serve substantial meals.

Last orders at pubs will now be called at 10pm, with drinkers allowed until 11pm to finish their drinks.

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Tier three, the highest restrictions, will see hospitality closed and no mixing of households both indoors and outdoors.

The county’s public health bosses had called for stronger restrictions on the lowest tier after the last system “did not really work”.

Regions across the country are due to learn which restrictions they fall under on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate district’s seven-day rate has also fallen below 200 for the first time in a month to 190 per 100,000 people.

A further two coronavirus deaths have also been recorded at Harrogate District Hospital in the latest NHS England figures.

One death was recorded on November 21, while another happened on November 17. It takes the total number of deaths at the hospital up to 95.

‘Vital’ that Harrogate hospitality reopens next week

Hospitality bosses in Harrogate have said it is vital that the sector is able to reopen after the second national lockdown.

The country is expected to return to some form of tier restrictions on Thursday, December 3.

The Prime Minister is to make an announcement today on restrictions over Christmas and, before then, a tougher three-tiered system- although the 10pm closing time for pubs and restaurants could be relaxed.

It comes as public health bosses in North Yorkshire said the lowest tier under the last system “did not work” and that they expected it to be “somewhat stronger” after lockdown.

But owners of restaurants and pubs have said they need clarity in order to plan ahead for their businesses.

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Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa, which includes the Deer House pub, said it has been an “immensely frustrating” time for the sector.

He added that he wanted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to give clarity on what restrictions will be in place after the lockdown.

Mr Banks said:

“All I wish is that he would get a move on and tell me what I am supposed to be doing, because at the moment we are sitting and waiting and cannot plan.

“If I can’t reopen, then I can’t reopen. But if I can reopen then at least I can plan for it. Being stuck in limbo is just rubbish.”

Mr Banks added that, while it is “absolutely vital” for the sector to reopen, he could not see pubs and restaurants being open in two weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, Andy Barnsdale, general manager at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa, said, while the hotel has lost Christmas parties, he was still hopeful ahead of the announcement.

He said:

“We are optimistic about being able to reopen on December 3, but to what level depends on what tier we are put in.

“This in turn will determine how many staff members we will bring back from furlough.

“Whilst we have cancelled Christmas parties, we are hopeful that we can still offer Christmas lunches and afternoon teas, as well as having our Majestic Winter Tepee open at weekends.”

Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group which runs the Yorkshire Hotel, said it was important that hotels and bars could trade in December to see them through the start of next year.

He said:

“We are hoping to be open after December 2.

“I hope we open up in tier one. My fear is that we open up in tier two or three or another version of that.”

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, said the lowest tier, which the county was under before lockdown, “did not work” and had “no teeth”. He added that he expected it to be toughened up under the new system.

A further 37 cases of coronavirus in Harrogate district

A further 37 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England figures today.

It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 3,350.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day rate continues to track below the national average.

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Currently, it stands at 221 per 100,000 people compared with the England average of 248.

The weekly covid rate fell below the England average this week for the first time since October.

Three men to appear in court following raid on Starbeck ATM

Three men are due to appear in court next week charged with conspiracy to steal and aggravated vehicle taking after they targeted three ATMs, including one in Starbeck.

The men targeted the ATMs between March 4 and March 10 and started with an attack on one in in Doncaster where large amounts of cash were stolen.

They subsequently targeted another in Shepshed, Leicestershire and one in Starbeck, Harrogate – both of these attempts were unsuccessful.

Police arrested the men following a high speed pursuit in York in the early hours of Tuesday, March 10. 

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The stolen vehicle they were driving, a white Seat Leon, was later found abandoned in a hedge near the York Designer Outlet shopping centre.

The three suspects were found in a tree shortly afterwards when they were spotted by the NPAS police helicopter.

They will appear before York Crown Court on Thursday, November 26.

Somerset company chosen to develop £26 million Harrogate leisure projects

Harrogate Borough Council has appointed Somerset company Alliance Leisure to develop plans to refurbish Harrogate Hydro and build a new leisure centre in Knaresborough.

The council formally chose Alliance Leisure yesterday as development manager for the £26 million projects.

The company was appointed directly, without a competitive tender process.

A council report said its selection procedure complied with EU procurement regulations and would “avoid the traditional more time-consuming procurement process for public organisations”.

Alliance Leisure will be tasked with progressing both schemes until they are ready to be constructed. From there, it will also be able to bid for the construction contract for the projects.

The council borrowed £1.7 million for design and business cases for the scheme.

It is not known if this is the precise sum being paid to Alliance Services.

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Hambleton District Council also hired Alliance Services to help build Northallerton Leisure Centre.

Cllr Stan Lumley, cabinet member for leisure, tourism and sport, approved the appointment.

The Stray Ferret asked the council why Alliance was chosen, why it was appointed without competitive tender and how long the process would take to get to construction. However, we had not received a response by the time of publication.

On Wednesday, the council announced that its preferred site for the new leisure centre in Knaresborough was the existing site on King James Road.

The existing swimming pool site in Knaresborough.

The existing swimming pool site in Knaresborough.

Residents had previously raised concern that the Grade II listed Conyngham Hall could have been chosen for the project.

A Hands Off Conyngham Hall Grounds petition by the Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats attracted more than 1,600 signatures.

But that option now seems to be off the table.

Ian Clark, Knaresborough Civic Society’s secretary, welcomed the decision. He told the Stray Ferret:

“This is good news for many people in Knaresborough. Conyngham Hall was not a suitable option for a leisure centre.

“It would not have done the historic building any favours if they built a new site right next to it and replaced park land with a car park.”

Harrogate district covid rate falls below England average

The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen below the national average for the first time since October.

The weekly average for the district now stands at 245 infections per 100,000 people, compared with 263 for England.

The rate has fallen from a record high of 307 last week, which was the second highest rate in North Yorkshire.

It’s the first time the rate has been below the national average since October 25.

But Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, warned that some figures could have been affected by recent changes in how cases are recorded.

Public Health England now reports cases based on where the test was carried out, instead of where a person is registered with the NHS.

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The change has seen Harrogate’s total cases drop by 201.

It comes as a further 59 positive tests were confirmed in the district in the last 24 hours, according to Public Health England.

The number takes the total amount of cases since the start of the pandemic to 3,313.

Meanwhile, Dr Sargeant told a North Yorkshire Outbreak Management Advisory Board meeting today the lowest level of restrictions could be “somewhat stronger” after lockdown.

The country is set to exit the second shutdown on December 2, but ministers have yet to decide what the tier system will look like in two weeks time.

Dr Sargeant said previously that the first tier, which North Yorkshire was under before lockdown, “did not work” and “had no teeth”.

He added that officials at the council expected an announcement on the new restrictions at the end of next week.

Simon Weaver tests positive

Elsewhere, Simon Weaver, Harrogate Town manager, is expected to miss his team’s trip to Leyton Orient this weekend after testing positive for coronavirus.

He tested positive earlier this week after going into precautionary self-isolation before the Crawley Town game on November 14.

Paul Thirwell, assistant manager, will take charge this weekend while Weaver continues to isolate.

Harrogate is the cannabis hotspot of North Yorkshire

Police have raided more cannabis farms in the Harrogate district in the last three years than any other area of North Yorkshire.

A Freedom of Information request by the Stray Ferret to North Yorkshire Police revealed that 25 or more cannabis plants had been seized on 13 occasions in the district since 2017.

The district has also seen the most police activity this year, with 11 cannabis raids compared with just four in all the other districts combined.

In total, police have raided 43 cannabis farms across the county since January 2017.

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Officers also made 22 arrests relating to cannabis farms, though the figure includes people who may have been arrested for more than one offence.

North Yorkshire Police have been approached for comment, but did not respond by time of publication.

Figures on the number of cannabis farms seized across North Yorkshire. Data: North Yorkshire Police.

Figures on the number of cannabis farms seized across North Yorkshire broken down by Safer Neighbourhood Command. Data: North Yorkshire Police.

‘Sophisticated’ cannabis farms

Police were called to a cannabis farm in the district just two months ago.

In September, officers launched an investigation after a large cannabis farm was found in a former Ripon nightclub.

Officers were called to the former Matrix nightclub on Kirkgage when two people were reportedly seen running away away after being disturbed during a routine building check.

Despite an extensive search, including the use of a police drone, the two people were not found but a search of the building found a “large scale, sophisticated” cannabis farm.

£60 million A59 Kex Gill reroute could start in summer

A £60 million project to reroute part of the A59 Harrogate to Skipton road is scheduled to start next summer, if government funding and planning permission is granted.

The project, which will take a year to complete, will see the creation of a three-mile diversion west of Blubberhouses at Kex Gill.

The Department for Transport and North Yorkshire County Council hope the new route will solve problems caused by landslips, which have blighted travel on the road for years.

The road was closed for eight weeks in 2016 and traffic diverted through Ilkley and Otley after heavy rain caused a landslip.

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County councillors are set to pledge further funding next week for the realignment of the road if costs go above a government grant.

Plans for the new road on the A59 at Kex Giill. Picture: North Yorkshire County Council.

Plans for the new road on the A59 at Kex Giill. Picture: North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told the Stray Ferret he was “hopeful” the scheme will go ahead.

He said:

“We are pressing for a decision on the funding.

“It has been a difficult year and there has been a change of government since we put the bid in.

“But everything we are hearing from the Department for Transport is positive.”

Cllr Mackenzie added the project could begin without traffic disruption to begin with but it might occur towards the end when the new road is connected with the existing A59.

The Department for Transport has indicated it will offer up to £56 million towards the project, with the county council covering the remaining £4.95 million.

While the government has yet to give final funding approval, it has set a condition that any further costs would need to be met by the authority.

Council bosses have estimated the overall cost to be £60 million, but added it could increase to £61 million if a public inquiry is held.

A planning application for the project will go before the council’s planning committee on December 15.

Senior county councillors have been recommended to accept the funding condition at a meeting on Tuesday next week.

Ripon coronavirus testing site being considered

A coronavirus testing site in Ripon could open in an effort to expand capacity.

Victoria Turner, public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said at a press briefing today the authority was “scoping” a mobile site in the city from next week.

However, no further details have been revealed.

Ripon has some of the lowest rates of covid infections in the Harrogate district.

Today’s press briefing also revealed the full-time Harrogate testing site on Dragon Road is averaging 180 tests per day – well below its capacity of 320.

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A further 50 cases of coronavirus were confirmed today in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England.

The figure takes the total number of cases up to 3,254.

There are further encouraging signs that the spread of the virus is slowing.

The seven-day average rate of infections for the district has fallen to 241 per 100,000 people, down from 307 last week.

It means the district has fallen from having the second highest rate in the county to the fourth highest behind Selby, Craven and Scarborough.

The R number has also gone down from 1.6 to 1.2.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health for North Yorkshire, told today’s press briefing of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, a partnership of emergency agencies, that consensus was needed over future restrictions.

He said the tier one measures, which were in place in the county until the second lockdown, did not give people “a sense of seriousness about the situation”.