£1billion bid launched to dual all of A66

One of the busiest roads in northern England could be made into a dual carriage way as part of a £1 billion plan revealed today.

National Highways, formerly Highways England, has launched a consultation into the project, which would dual the remaining parts of the road between the M6 at Penrith and A1 at Scotch Corner.

The road is used by thousands of drivers in the north of England each day to travel between the north east and Cumbria and on to Scotland.

Baroness Vere, minister for roads, visited the consultation hub on the site of the former Llama Karma Kafe today, where she was joined by Neil Hudson, the Conservative MP for Penrith and The Border, along with local council and business leaders.

The consultation will run for six weeks until November 6. Following the outcome of the consultation, National Highways will apply for a development consent order which would pave the way for the project to be given the go-ahead.

Nick Harris, National Highways chief executive, said:

“We look forward to hearing people’s thoughts on our vision to bring far-reaching benefits to those who use and live near the route.

“By creating better links we can unlock access to tourism, jobs, essential services and new opportunities.”

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Baroness Vere said:

“Upgrading the A66 is a project at the heart of our plans to build back better and level up the north by improving infrastructure and boosting connections across the region.

“Whether you’re commuting, visiting the area on holiday, or transporting freight, this upgrade will bring huge benefits to the area by cutting congestion and speeding up journey times.

“This consultation is a great opportunity for people and businesses to help shape the future of this project so it works for everyone.”

You can have your say on the A66 scheme here.

Harrogate church opens free wellbeing cafe

A free wellbeing cafe has opened in Harrogate to help people with their mental health by offering a place where it is ‘okay not to be okay’.

The cafe, called Renew HG1, opens weekly at Harrogate Baptist Church on Victoria Avenue to give people a space to help with anxiety or loneliness.

Launched this month, the scheme is part of a wider initiative run by Nottingham-based Renew Wellbeing, which helps churches open welcoming and inclusive spaces in partnership with mental health teams to improve mental and emotional wellbeing.

The scheme has seen more than 100 cafes open across the country, with 22 centres opening in the north of England.

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The cafes offer tea, coffee, games and newspapers to read.

Harrogate’s centre is open every Monday from 10.30am until 12pm and is free.

For more information on the Renew centres, visit the Renew Wellbeing website.

Final approval for 135 homes in Killinghall

A plan to build 135 homes in Killinghall has been given final approval.

Harrogate Borough Council has granted permission for the scheme, which was submitted back in 2017.

The homes will be built off Otley Road, before the junction with the A59 Skipton Road.

Approval was given after the council agreed a section 106 with Leeds-based Home Group.

The agreement will see 50 homes classed as affordable built on the site.

Of these, 34 will be made available to rent, including one, two, three and four-bed properties. Another 16 will be offered as part of a shared ownership scheme.

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The remaining homes will be sold on the open market.

The agreement also includes the “ongoing management and maintenance” of public open space at the development.

Following submission of the proposals, Killinghall Parish Council offered no objection to the plan.

However, it raised concern that access to the site from Otley Road would create a “rat run” through to Skipton Road.

A statement put before the council by planning agents Lichfield and Partners on behalf of the developer said the scheme would bring economic benefits to the area.

It said:

“The application proposals would have significant net social, economic and environmental benefits, which clearly outweigh any adverse impacts of the development.”

Highest daily covid cases in Harrogate district since January

The Harrogate district has recorded its highest daily covid cases for eight months.

A total of 156 cases were reported in today’s Public Health England figures — the most since January when a third national lockdown was put in place.

It’s the highest daily infections since January 4, when 172 cases were recorded.

Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital has confirmed another covid death according to latest NHS England statistics.

The death was reported on Tuesday.

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It takes the number of deaths at the hospital from patients who tested positive for covid since March last year to 187.

The district’s seven-day covid rate has increased to 372 cases per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate is 322 and the England average stands at 287.

Elsewhere, 127,832 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 119,662 have had a second dose.

Man charged with sex offences at Harrogate district care home

A Durham man has been charged with a string of sexual offences while working at a Harrogate district care home.

Carl McQuilliam-Jenkins, 48, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning accused of six offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

He is accused of sexual activity with a mentally disordered female while working as a care worker.

The charges allege that Mr McQuilliam-Jenkins knew or could reasonably be expected to have known that the woman had such a disorder and he engaged in various sexual activities while involved in her care.

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The care home cannot be named for legal reasons.

Mr McQuilliam-Jenkins appeared before magistrates and spoke only to confirm his name before the case was referred to York Crown Court.

He was released on conditional bail and will appear before crown court on October 18.

Harrogate and Knaresborough would be most underrepresented under unitary council proposals

Harrogate and Knaresborough residents would be the most underrepresented in North Yorkshire under proposals to change councillor boundaries for the county’s new unitary authority.

The proposal, which will be submitted to the government by the leader of North Yorkshire County Council, would see the number of councillors in Harrogate and Knaresborough reduced to 13 with each representing an average of 6,194 residents.

This would be higher than all other constituency areas in the county.

There would be an average of 5,546 residents per councillor in Skipton and Ripon, 5,472 in Selby and Ainsty, 5,169 in Richmondshire, 5,099 in Thirsk and Malton, and 5,005 in Scarborough and Whitby.

It would also mean one councillor in Cayton, Scarborough would represent 3,680 residents, while another in Knaresborough Castle and Aspin would serve almost double that with 6,690.

The boundary changes were agreed for submission to the government by county council leader Carl Les at a meeting on Tuesday when concerns were raised that residents’ voices would be diluted and councillors’ workloads increased.

‘Unfair on people of Harrogate and Knaresborough’

Liberal Democrat Cllr Philip Broadbank, who represents the Starbeck area on both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council, said the proposals were “particularly unfair on the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough”.

He said: 

“It just doesn’t seem right that one particular area, for some unknown reason, should be at a disadvantage to the rest of them.

“I do accept that when we tell voters we are going to reduce the number of councillors, most of them will say ‘oh good’.

“But I get angry about this because it is such an important issue. Electoral balance is absolutely vital if we want this new council to work and people to accept it is going to be fair and balanced.

“I just don’t understand why such a large area of people should be underrepresented.”

Cllr Broadbank also put forward separate proposals to increase the number of Harrogate and Knaresborough members on the new authority to 14, which would reduce the average residents per councillor to below 6,000.

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However, this was shut down by Cllr John Weighell, who led a cross-party working which came up with the plans to be submitted to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government for a decision.

Cllr Weighell said while he accepted some residents would be underrepresented, it would be “completely wrong” to break up town centre boundaries in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

‘Only way to maintain identity’

He also argued many currently serving councillors who sit on both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council already manage their workloads for a similar amount of residents.

He said:

“I do accept underrepresentation, I always have, but I think this is absolutely the only way to maintain community identity.

“Of the 18 Harrogate and Knaresborough members currently in the borough council area, 16 are twin-hatted and that says everything really.

“Some people are saying ‘we can’t represent that number of residents’ – but they are doing it already.”

If approved by the government, the boundary changes would come into force when a shadow authority is elected to the new unitary council in March 2022.

The new arrangements would then stay in place until 2027 when the Boundary Commission will carry out a full review.

Across North Yorkshire, there would be 89 councillors serving the county’s 600,000 population.

This would be a higher proportion of representatives than the 99 that serve Leeds’ 800,000 residents, but a lower proportion than the 126 councillors who serve County Durham’s 425,000 population.

Wanted: Harrogate residents to appear on TV’s Yorkshire Auction House

A TV company is looking for Harrogate residents to take part in a new series of The Yorkshire Auction House.

The programme, which first aired on the Really channel, is fronted by Antiques Road Trip star Angus Ashworth.

Producers STV Studios are looking to talk to anyone who may have collections they would like to sell, or who are planning to downsize, emigrate or need to clear their house for any reason.

Those who take part could be invited to Ashworth’s auction in Ryedale where they could make money.

He said:

“I would urge anyone who needs help with a clearance to join me. It never fails to amaze me what can be found lurking in an attic or the depths of a garage. 

“It’s always a privilege being invited into people’s homes and hearing the stories behind their hidden treasures, so if you’d like help with your clearance – and the opportunity to make a bit of money – please get in touch with us.”

To take part in The Yorkshire Auction House, email takepart@yorkshireauctionhouse.tv.

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Harrogate district covid rate increases as 96 infections reported

The Harrogate district has reported 96 covid infections, according to today’s Pubic Health England figures.

The district’s weekly infection rate now stands at 336 per 100,000 people, while the North Yorkshire rate is 287 and the England average stands at 275.

Today’s NHS England statistics show no further covid deaths were recorded at Harrogate District Hospital. 

The death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 186.

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Meanwhile, the hospital is currently treating 10 patients for covid according to the latest government figures.

Elsewhere, 127,844 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 119,653 have had a second dose.

Two males plead guilty to Ripon robbery

A teenager and a 21-year-old man are to be sentenced after a robbery on Bondgate in Ripon.

John Paul Wilson, 21, pleaded guilty at York Crown Court. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also pleaded guilty.

Both men were charged with robbery and possessing an offensive weapon.

The two men will appear for sentencing on October 19.

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Officers from North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today enquiries were ongoing into other suspects linked to the incident on Friday, August 13.

Police arrested five people after a teenager was robbed at knife point outside the former Ship Inn, Bondgate.

The force put out an appeal following a spate of anti-social behaviour in the city last month.

Construction starts today on Otley Road cycle route

Construction on Harrogate’s long-delayed Otley Road cycle route is set to get underway today.

Work on the North Yorkshire County Council scheme will be carried out from 7am to 5pm every weekday for 10 weeks.

Temporary traffic lights will also be used and there will be overnight road closures for resurfacing,

The Stray Ferret reported this month that Hull-based PBS Constructed Ltd has been commissioned to construct the first phase of the route as part of a £827,100 contract.

Contracts for the final two phases of the scheme would also be awarded via open tender.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, previously apologised for any disruption caused by the construction of the scheme.

He said:

“The work has been timed to start after the busy summer holiday period, but we realise there will be some disruption, so we apologise for that and thank people in anticipation for their patience.

“Most of the work will be carried out during the day, to minimise noise for residents at night, though some work, such as resurfacing, can be carried out only at night under a full road closure.”

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Work will include widening Otley Road on the approach to Harlow Moor Road as well as the creation of a designated left turn lane on the western approach to Harlow Moor Road and designated right turn lane on the eastern approach.

An off-road cycle route will also be created between Harlow Moor Road and Cold Bath Road as part of the first phase.

Work on the route has been beset by delays due to negotiations with the Duchy of Lancaster over the exchange of Stray land.

Harrogate Borough Council agreed in March to designate a plot of land on Wetherby Road as Stray land in exchange for the loss of grass verges on Otley Road for the new cycle path.