Public Health England monitoring covid variant reported in Yorkshire

Public Health England is monitoring a new variant of covid that has been reported in Yorkshire.

The VUI-21MAY-01 strain has so far had 49 positive cases confirmed, most of them within the Yorkshire and Humber region, and PHE has been monitoring it since April.

PHE said on its website that it had increased testing and that there was “no evidence” that it rendered vaccines less effective.

The government agency said:

“There is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective.

“PHE is carrying out increased laboratory testing to better understand the impact of the mutations on the behaviour of the virus.”

It added:

“All appropriate public health interventions are being undertaken, including additional contact tracing and targeted testing.

“Where cases have been identified, additional follow-up of cases, testing of contacts and targeted case finding will limit the spread of variants.”

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It comes as public health bosses in North Yorkshire confirmed that cases of the B16172 variant, the so-called Indian variant, had been identified in the county.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Louise Wallace, director of public health for North Yorkshire, said the county was still “well prepared” to deal with any variants of concern and that the advice to residents remained the same.

She said: 

“There have been a small number of cases of the Indian variant identified across North Yorkshire.

“As the public would expect, national Test and Trace and Public Health England have been working together to identify and follow up the cases and their contacts to minimise the risk of spread.

“Our public health advice remains the same whatever the variant of covid – continue with the basics of hands, face, space and fresh air, and meet people outside rather than inside as much as possible.”

Spofforth residents ‘not surprised’ by 72 homes appeal

A leading figure in the fight against plans to build 72 homes in Spofforth has urged the government to reject it as the battle was reignited this week.

Yorkshire Housing has challenged Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to reject its proposal for the site on Massey Fold.

The developer already has outline permission to build on the site but councillors turned down an application for appearance and landscaping in November.

Chris Heslop, a third-generation farmer and parish councillor in the village, said the development would turn the village into a “carbuncle of urban sprawl” when it went before the council.

Speaking yesterday, he said he wasn’t surprised Yorkshire Housing had challenged the decision, which will now be decided by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Mr Heslop said:

“I just hope that during the appeal they uphold the decision that was made. There is nothing really we can do about it.

“Spofforth needs housing and it needs a level of low-cost housing, but this would not meet those needs.”

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More than 300 local people and organisations, including Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, have raised concerns about the scheme.

In its decision notice, the council said the plan would have a “detrimental urbanising impact upon the character and setting of Spofforth”.

But, in a statement of case by planning lawyers Walton & Co, which is representing the developers, said the “solitary” reason for refusal was “expressed in generic language”.

It said:

“It is therefore unclear which particular aspect of the layout or design of the proposed scheme is considered to give rise to such impacts, and the assertions made in the reason for refusal are entirely unsubstantiated.”

A decision on the appeal will be made by the government at a later date.

Just one covid case reported in Harrogate district

Just one covid case has been recorded in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Public Health England figures.

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

The last covid death was confirmed in on April 11.

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It means the covid death toll at the hospital remains at 179.

Meanwhile, latest vaccination figures show 103,456 people in the district have received a first dose of a covid vaccine.

A total of 63,624 have had a second vaccine so far.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate has dropped to 13 infections per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 15 and the England rate stands at 20.

Investigation into hole in the ground at Ripon Leisure Centre

Harrogate Borough Council is to investigate a hole in the ground that’s appeared at Ripon Leisure Centre.

In a report due before senior councillors next week, the authority said it is required to investigate the “void in the ground” in order to retain its business insurance on the building.

The city has a history of sinkholes caused by the soluble of nature gypsum, the rock that lies under much of the area.

Construction firm Willmott Dixon was awarded a £10.2 million contract last year to build the pool and refurbish the leisure centre. It is due to be complete in November 2021.

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The hole was discovered next to the entrance of the existing leisure centre last year and has been filled with crushed gravel as a short-term solution.

However, consultant engineers have told the council that further investigation will be required and remedial work if necessary.

The current insured value of the centre is £3,796,135 plus 10% contents, which the authority says would be lost should any damage be caused as a result of the work.

But, council officers have said this would be a “worst case scenario” and is considered to be an “unlikely event”.

In order to carry out the work, the council will have to self-insure as it says it will not be covered by any third-party insurance.

A report due before the council’s cabinet next week says:

“In order to retain the benefit of our existing insurance cover in the future, the council is obliged to mitigate known issues which could have an effect on this insurance cover. 

“The discovery of a void by the existing leisure centre is an issue which needs investigating and remedial works undertaken if necessary. 

“If the remedial works are not undertaken, the council’s insurers have stated that subsequent losses would not be insured. 

“However during the period of time these investigation and remediation works are ongoing they would not be covered by insurance therefore the council would have to self-insure for all non-negligent damage claims arising.”

It added that the engineers found that the hole had been there “for some time” and was not a result of the current work at the leisure centre site.

Councillors have been recommended to approve the investigation, which is estimated to cost £110,000, and any remedial works.

The Stray Ferret asked the borough council what caused the hole to appear, how wide it was and if any further voids or sinkholes had been found.

A council spokesman said:

“As a result of the reduced level dig – to prepare the new swimming pool site – for the casting of the reinforced concrete foundation slab, a void was discovered under an area of the existing leisure centre.

“This void, which is understood to have been present a number of years, will now be investigated further.

“While this will need to be resolved, we are fortunate that it was discovered as part of the multi-million pound Ripon Leisure Centre improvement project, and we can now carry out the necessary remedial works in the coming months.

“And once the whole project is complete, the leisure centre will provide the much-needed modern facilities that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents and something they can be proud of for years to come.”

Concerns over the Leisure Centre site

Cllr Andrew Williams, leader of Ripon City Council, said the authority had asked the borough council about concerns over the site before.

Sixteen months before Harrogate council approved the project in 2019 to build the new swimming pool, a sinkhole appeared in the leisure centre car park.

Cllr Williams said:

“If there is ongoing problem with the build site then it is in the public interest to know.”

Ground instability problems caused by the soluble nature of gypsum have been seen in many parts of Ripon.

The Stray Ferret reported in October 2020 about the evacuation of a residential block at Bedern Court, caused by subsidence in the area.

In February 2018, a sinkhole opened up on the car park of Ripon Leisure Centre, off Dallamires Lane.

In 2016, a dozen homes in Magdalens Road were evacuated after a 66-ft wide sinkhole opened up.

Developers challenge Spofforth 72-home refusal

Developers behind a controversial 72-home plan in Spofforth have lodged an appeal against Harrogate Borough Council’s refusal of the scheme.

Councillors on the authority’s planning committee turned down the application by Vistry Partnerships and Yorkshire Housing in November last year.

At the time, more than 300 local people and organisations, including Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, raised concerns about the scheme on Massey Fold in the village.

The proposal already has outline permission, but councillors rejected the application which dealt with the appearance and landscaping of the development even though a council report recommended approval.

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The council said the plan would have a “detrimental urbanising impact upon the character and setting of Spofforth”.

Now, the developers have taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning appeals.

A statement of case by planning lawyers Walton & Co, which is representing the developers, said the “solitary” reason for refusal was “expressed in generic language”.

It said:

“It is therefore unclear which particular aspect of the layout or design of the proposed scheme is considered to give rise to such impacts, and the assertions made in the reason for refusal are entirely unsubstantiated.”

A decision on the appeal will be made by the government at a later date.

It becomes the latest Harrogate council planning decision to be challenged by developers.

Retail firm Euro Garages has also taken the authority’s rejection for a drive-thru Starbucks coffee shop on Wetherby Road to appeal.

The decision saw the planning committee go against council officer recommendations.

Last week, the authority decided to drop its defence of the refusal after officers said their previous recommendation would “undermine” their case and that losing also risked legal costs of more than £50,000.

Instead, residents will fight the proposal at a hearing on June 15.

Harrogate hospital: ‘Worrying’ drop in early cancer diagnoses

A fall in the number of people being diagnosed with early cancer at Harrogate District Hospital during the pandemic has sparked fears many may get treatment too late.

Official figures seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service show a 13.7% reduction in cancer cases detected at stage one – when the chances of survival are highest – during the first 12 months of the covid outbreak compared with the same period a year before.

Cancer charities fear this means many people may unknowingly have the disease and are missing out on potentially life-saving treatment – and they have urged anyone with possible symptoms to get checked as a matter of urgency.

Lisa Spivey, Macmillan Cancer Support partnership manager for West Yorkshire and Harrogate, said the “worrying” drop in diagnoses was down to patients being too scared to visit GPs in case they became infected with covid.

She said:

“Covid has been at the forefront of everyone’s minds while cancer and other long term conditions have been forgotten.

“The last 12 months have had a massive impact on the number of people coming forward with any sign or symptoms. During the first wave especially, there were huge fears about covid and GPs being busy.

“It’s vital that we do catch cancer at the early stages because it gives us the best chance of treatment and recovery.

“It’s a massive worry that more people may have been missed this year so we need anyone who has any symptoms – or anyone who just needs advice – to please come forward.”

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Dr Kathryn Scott, chief executive of Harrogate-based charity Yorkshire Cancer Research, added:

“We’ve estimated that there could be more than 3,500 missing cancers in Yorkshire. These cancers are less likely to be found at an early stage, when there are more treatment options and the likelihood of survival is higher.

“The good news is that we have seen a surge in referrals recently, and we strongly urge people experiencing possible symptoms of cancer, or any unusual changes to their body, to contact their GP as soon as possible.”

The NHS has worked hard to maintain cancer care during the pandemic, with services at Harrogate hospital remaining open throughout.

While 509 patients at the hospital were diagnosed with stage one cancer between March 2019 and February 2020, this dropped by 13.7% to 439 in the same following period – a fall of around five people a month.

The number of people being diagnosed during the later stages – where the cancer spreads and becomes progressively harder to treat – has also fallen in all categories.

Emma Radcliffe, lead cancer manager at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said while the hospital is not facing the challenge of backlogs because services have continued, there are uncertainties ahead around how many patients could come forward with late stage cancer.

She said:

“The team has worked incredibly hard throughout the pandemic to continue providing vital cancer care – that hasn’t stopped. We’ve introduced new measures to keep our most vulnerable patients out of the hospital environment.

“In terms of the impact the pandemic will have had on cancer services going forward, because we have kept services going we don’t have a backlog so will continue to care for patients in a timely manner.

“However, there is a potential challenge because we don’t know about those patients who’ve not come forward to us, and the impact for them and us. It may be that their cancer is more challenging to treat – that’s why it’s so important that if someone is concerned, they see their GP as soon as possible.”

She added:

“Our really important message to people is that if you’ve had unexplained blood that doesn’t come from an obvious injury (such as blood in your poo or pee), an unexplained lump, weight loss which feels significant to you or an unexplained pain that lasts three weeks or more, it could be a sign of cancer.

“It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable, so just speak to your GP. We can’t stress that enough.”

More than 100,000 people have first covid vaccine in Harrogate district

More than 100,000 people have received a first dose of a covid vaccine in the Harrogate district.

According to latest Public Health England figures, 101,976 people have had a first dose. The number represents 71% of people aged over 18 in the district.

A total of 61,863 people have had a second dose of a vaccine — 43% of over-18s.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate has dropped to 18 infections per 100,000 people.

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In North Yorkshire, the average is 17 and the England rate is 21.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

It means the death toll at the hospital since last March remains at 179, according to NHS England figures.

The last covid death recorded at the hospital was on April 11.

Meanwhile, health officials warned today that North Yorkshire could face a fresh period of “turbulence” after a small number of cases of the Indian variant of covid had been confirmed in the county.

Louise Wallace, the county’s director of public health, told a North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum briefing today that cases of the B16172 variant had been identified, although she said she could not confirm how many or where.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Ms Wallace said North Yorkshire was still “well prepared” to deal with any variants of concern and that the advice to residents remained the same.

She said: 

“There have been a small number of cases of the Indian variant identified across North Yorkshire.

“As the public would expect, national Test and Trace and Public Health England have been working together to identify and follow up the cases and their contacts to minimise the risk of spread.

“Our public health advice remains the same whatever the variant of covid – continue with the basics of hands, face, space and fresh air, and meet people outside rather than inside as much as possible.”

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at the county council, told today’s briefing that while infection rates remained low, the county should still expect some “turbulence” this summer as he urged people to take up their vaccine offer “to protect ourselves, our families and our communities”.

Police: ‘Avoid contact’ after Indian variant found in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire Police has urged people to be wary of touching each other after it was revealed a “small number” of cases of the Indian variant of covid had been found in the county.

Louise Walker, North Yorkshire’s director of public health, revealed today the variant was present in the county. It is not known if any of the infections ar ein the Harrogate district.

Superintendent Mike Walker, who is leading the force’s response to the pandemic, urged people to avoid unnecessary contact with people not in their household.

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Superintendent Walker said:

“Even though limited indoor gatherings and indoor hospitality are now allowed under step three of the roadmap, in line with the rule of six or two households restrictions, we strongly urge people to be very careful until more is known about this variant.

“Please avoid any unnecessary social contact with those who are not part of your household or support bubble, and please keep following the ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ advice from the health experts.

“We have come a heck of a long way since the terrible peaks of this pandemic, which forced the country into three lockdowns.

“We need to tread very cautiously as we move forward and be prepared for whatever may occur over the coming weeks.”

The force revealed today it hadn’t issued any fixed penalty notices for breaches of covid rules during the last week.

Superintendent Walker added that officers would only take action “against blatant breaches of the health protection regulation”.

County council set to buy Cardale Park land for £1.8 million

North Yorkshire County Council looks set to buy land at Cardale Park previously earmarked for a mental health facility for £1.8 million.

Senior county councillors on the authority’s executive will be recommended to approve the purchase at a meeting next week.

The three acres of land on Beckwith Head Road, Harrogate, will be used to build an extra care facility and will be bought from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

A report due before councillors says the land will be used for the “purposes of progressing the scheme to assist with social care market development in the Harrogate area”.

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The land had previously been given approval for a 36-bed mental health facility, following the closure of Harrogate District Hospital’s Briary Unit, which helped adults with mental illness.

However, those plans were dropped in 2019 and inpatients on the unit were sent to Foss Park Hospital in York instead.

Cllr Jim Clark, a Conservative councillor who sits on the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel to represent North Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret previously that he was pleased the site was going to be used.

He said:

“It is important that this site is used for the benefit of local people.

“I would have preferred it to be a mental health facility, but I am glad that it is going to be used for assisted housing for people instead.”

The trust, which runs mental health services in Harrogate, has relocated services following the closure of the Briary Wing.

The unit’s mental health crisis team moved to The Orchards in Ripon last year.

Businesses warn £7.9m Station Gateway project could be “hugely damaging”

Harrogate business organisations have said the £7.9 million Station Gateway project could have a “hugely damaging” impact on the town centre.

The project, which is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, could see James Street pedestrianised and reduce Station Parade to single lane traffic.

The county council is now set to progress both the James Street and Station Parade proposals to design stage with further consultation to follow.

But Harrogate Business Improvement District, Independent Harrogate and Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce issued a joint statement this afternoon criticising the scheme.

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Sara Ferguson, the Harrogate BID chair, David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce and William Woods and Robert Ogden, Independent Harrogate co-founders, said:

“All three organisations, which between us represent hundreds of town centre businesses, are disappointed that our collective voices have not been listened to.

“In responding to the consultation, we put forward a number of alternative suggestions that we believe will help Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council achieve their objectives, give cyclists dedicated space away from the main A61 Station Parade, assist pedestrians by making changes to the top end of James Street, give priority to buses arriving and leaving the bus station, and protect the interests of town centre retailers.

“We are also strongly of the view the main gateway into the town centre from the bus and railway stations is Cambridge Street, and it is here that Harrogate Borough Council should be fully focussing its attention.

“Two months ago, Cllr Mackenzie shared our concerns about reducing Station Parade to one lane, therefore we are pleased to note more design work and further consultation is to be undertaken on this important issue.

“Cllr Ireland says ‘proposals for sustainable alternatives to the car’ have significant support from residents, businesses and visitors alike, yet this is not what we are hearing from the business community, in particular the retailers, many of whom fear what is being proposed will have a hugely damaging effect on their livelihoods, and the town per se.

“Despite many feeling the outcome is already a done deal, we will continue our dialogue with local councillors and officers, as the final outcome will change the face of Harrogate town centre forever.”

A proposal to pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate, which is being consulted on as part of the Station Gateway plans.

A proposal to pedestrianise James Street in Harrogate, which was consulted on as part of the Station Gateway plans.

Of the 1,101 who responded to the survey, 45% supported the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured the Station Parade one-lane proposal.

However, 17% said they favoured a part-pedestrianisation of James Street and 27% backed two lanes for Station Parade.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told the Stray Ferret that he was “mindful” that businesses had their own views on matters such as James Street pedestrianisation.

He said:

“Pedestrianisation is one of those things that divides opinion. I’m mindful that many businesses on James Street have expressed their own view on it. 

“I wouldn’t like to second guess which option will be chosen when the county council’s executive meets next week.”