Calvin Robinson Chief Reporter, Author at The Stray Ferret

Harrogate Hospital records no further coronavirus deaths

No further coronavirus deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to today’s NHS figures.

It means the number of deaths at the hospital remains at 81.

Meanwhile, yesterday the hospital reported that the number of patients who had tested positive for coronavirus and been discharged had increased to 139.

Nationally, a further 22 people who were confirmed with covid-19 have died in hospital. Of that number, two were in North East and Yorkshire.

NHS England said the patients were between 52 and 99 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.

It takes the death toll from coronavirus in England’s hospitals up to 29,013.

Council leaders prepare for North Yorkshire devolution

Discussions over a devolution deal for North Yorkshire took a step further this week after leaders of district authorities met with government ministers.

Simon Clarke, the local government minister, held further talks with authority leaders on Tuesday as local authorities look to continue to thrash out a deal for the county.

It comes as council leaders are considering options for devolution which may include a combined authority with an elected mayor, but are yet to agree on what proposals to put to government.

The list of requests will need to be agreed by the county council, York and the district authorities before any negotiations can begin with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Such a deal could see further powers over transport, skills and housing handed over to North Yorkshire from Westminster.

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, told The Stray Ferret that Mr Clarke told authority leaders to “get on with it”.

He said:

“There is a very clear message coming out of government that devolution is a key part of recovery.

“They are very keen now that they have got Sheffield signed up and they want to see solutions for Yorkshire.

“He is giving us that encouragement to progress on this.”

Meanwhile, Unison Harrogate Local Government branch said it has requested a meeting with the chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council over potential proposals to reorganise local authorities in the county.

Unison said it has already received concerns from staff over the risk to jobs under any reorganisation. Branch secretary, David Houlgate, said the union would ask for full engagement if any proposal develops.

What is a combined authority?

A combined authority is when a group of councils come together to make joint decisions on such things as transport. It does not replace existing local councils.

The directly elected mayor is seen as the precondition for devolution. They chair the combined authority and form a cabinet made up of the leaders of the authorities in the region.

An example of this is in the Tees Valley Combined Authority, where Ben Houchen was elected mayor in 2017. The leaders of the five districts, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, and Middlesborough all sit on Mr Houchen’s cabinet.

The government has given the Mayor of Tees Valley and its combined authority new powers over transport, housing and planning.

Scale of Harrogate council’s coronavirus deficit unclear

The scale of Harrogate Borough Council’s coronavirus shortfall remains unclear as authority officials say there is “a number of unknowns” in estimating the impact of lockdown.

Paul Foster, the council’s head of finance, told a full council meeting that the council’s deficit could be anywhere between £9 million and £14.5 million.

But, in May, council officers said the shortfall could be as high as £15 million due to a loss of income on leisure, homelessness and car parking.

It comes as the authority revealed a £327,000 overspend last year, with £270,000 of that figure put down to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the cost is just the tip of the iceberg in what is expected to be a much larger deficit come the end of the next financial year. Other authority leaders have warned of impending bankruptcy notices at councils across the UK due to mounting deficits.

Some councils may have to look to their reserves to bail them out. Harrogate council had £27 million held over for a rainy day as of April 2019, but it remains unclear how it intends to tackle its estimated shortfall and whether or not it will use its reserves.

Mr Foster told councillors that the authority would not be issuing a section 114 notice – a drastic measure used in times of dire financial circumstances – which would ban any further spending.

He said the shortfall remains unclear at this time because of a number of factors.

“There will be a significant financial detriment due to covid-19, but it is challenging to estimate with certainty as you will appreciate there are still a number of unknowns.

“There are additional costs in responding to the pandemic, for example in the areas of homelessness and waste collection.

“However, more significant will be the irrevocable loss of income in relation to leisure, the convention centre, parking and planning. But also in relation to funding on both council tax and business rates.

“The estimated deficit ranges from £9.3 million to £14.5 million in 2020/21 depending on the assumptions that you make.

“As I’ve said, there are still a number of unknowns around when certain facilities can open, how long social distancing measures will be in place and how our customers will behave.”

Mr Foster added that the council’s deficit position will be kept under review, along with budget plans and its reserves. The outcome of the reviews are expected to be brought before senior councillors at future cabinet meetings.

A further £500 million package of funding was announced by the government last week to help with spending pressures.

Funding allocations have yet to be revealed, but the scheme is expected to reimburse authorities for lost income and allow council tax and business rates deficits to be paid over three years instead of one.

Councillor’s ‘white lives matter’ comments ‘deplorable’, says council leader

The leader of Harrogate Borough Council has described comments made by a parish councillor for a “white lives matter” protest as deplorable and shocking.

More than two weeks ago, Cllr Ernest Butler, who sits on Darley and Menwith Parish Council, posted comments on his Facebook page suggesting that people moving to the UK were “taking over”.

The borough council received complaints about the remarks, but pointed out that its code of conduct does not extend to social media comments made by councillors.

Cllr Matthew Webber, Liberal Democrat councillor, asked council leader Richard Cooper at a meeting of the authority’s full council last night about the council’s position on the matter.

Cllr Cooper said:

“First thing to say is Cllr Butler, who I had never heard of before this, his comments are deplorable and just really shocking.

“But there is a legal position here about what the borough council can and cannot do and I will ask the council’s solicitor to forward a copy to you of that legal position which has been supplied to those people in the media.

“You will be able to see for yourself. In fact, after so many years on the council, you should understand the standards procedure and what is and is not possible.

“But I will ask for your benefit for the council’s head of legal and governance services to forward that to you and copy all councillors in as well.

“If I was Darley and Menwith Parish Council, I would have thought twice about co-opting this gentleman in the first place and I would certainly be putting pressure on him to stand down.”

Councillor Richard Cooper (bottom right) told a full council meeting that Cllr Butler’s comments were deplorable.

It comes as Cllr Butler’s comments sparked controversy with anti-racism campaigners who took complaints to his employers.

When The Stray Ferret approached Cllr Ernest Butler he was not apologetic about his comments and said he had not done anything wrong.

He said:

“I am not a racist person. What I said online is true, there are just people out there that disagree with me and want to bring me down. I just stick my head above the parapet and say what other people can’t. It’s not racist to say people from European countries are taking jobs here and driving down the wages.”

Council gives final backing to leisure services overhaul

Harrogate Borough Council’s full council has backed an overhaul of leisure services in the district by handing control of facilities over to a new company.

Councillors voted through the proposal at a meeting last night which will see the authority spend £300,000 on start up costs for the authority-owned company called Brimham’s Active.

Opposition Liberal Democrat councillors tabled an amendment for affordable pricing, accountability and workers rights, which was also backed.

The new company will see 11 facilities in the district handed over to the company, including the Harrogate Hydro and the new Ripon Leisure Centre.

Council officials have said the decision to hand over the leisure facilities to Brimham’s Active will save £400,000 a year and that the authority will have a majority on its board.

It follows a council consultation which saw nearly half of respondents disagree with the move and residents in Starbeck vowing to fight any future threat to the area’s 150-year-old baths.

The existing Knaresborough Pool could be replaced with a new leisure centre, either on the same site or somewhere else

Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said she backed the new company but raised concern over a lack of consultation.

She said:

“Many have felt that they have not had an opportunity to have their say on their facilities.

“We have not been involved in the final draft until now. Lots of seminars and overview and scrutiny, but no involvement.

“Therefore all we could do is vote for, against or vote for an amendment on the recommendations made by cabinet.”

But Stan Lumley, cabinet member for culture, media and sport, said he had insisted that people were kept informed on the new company,

He said:

“This is the culmination of almost three years work.

“I am quite dismayed that people can say that they have not been involved or informed. We have had several opportunities to discuss this and comment on what we planned to do.

“Right at the outset, almost three years ago, I insisted that officers not only kept members informed but also that borough council employees were kept informed along this journey.

“We have consulted and we have taken notice of that consultation.”

The borough council is also expected to borrow £26 million to invest in new facilities, such as a new Knaresborough leisure centre, which senior councillors said go “hand in hand” with the new company.

Leisure services in the district currently run at a loss of £3.5 million a year and some facilities have increased in cost year on year.

The council will spend £300,000 to set up the company through project start up costs and it is expected to operate from August 2021.

No further coronavirus deaths at Harrogate Hospital

No deaths of patients who tested positive for coronavirus have been recorded at Harrogate District Hospital today, according to NHS figures.

It means that the death toll at the hospital remains at 81.

Yesterday saw the first coronavirus death in 16 consecutive days at the hospital and care home deaths near 100 in Harrogate.

Meanwhile, a further 42 people who tested positive for covid-19 have died in England’s hospitals.

Of that number, six were recorded in the North East and Yorkshire.

NHS England said the patients who died were aged between 22 and 100 years old and six, between the ages of 60 and 94, had no known underlying health conditions.

It means the national total number of deaths in hospitals has increased to 28,969.

Top Harrogate hotelier hopes VAT cut will generate demand

A top Harrogate hotelier has said he hopes that a cut in VAT for the sector and a discount on sit down meals will help to generate demand.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced today that VAT for the sector will be cut by 15% for six months and a 50% discount for sit down meals from Monday to Wednesday for the whole of August.

The sector is worth a reported £200 million to Harrogate and employs around 9,500 people across the district.

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa and chairman of Harrogate Hospitality and Tourism Association, said the measures were good news for the sector which has bore the brunt of lockdown.

He said:

“It’s great news if it generates demand for us.

“The discount was very creative and I’m going to have to get my head around the announcement and come up with marketing strategies.

“So far the response has been very good to reopening our pub.”

The move comes as restaurants, bars and cafes reopened across the Harrogate District this past weekend after three months of lockdown.

The measures by Mr Sunak are the latest effort to get the sector, which saw 80% of businesses across the UK temporarily stop trading during lockdown, back up and running.

Local authorities in the Harrogate District have already moved to create more space outside bars and restaurants to increase capacity.

But industry owners have already warned that businesses will have to take advantage of the remaining summer months in order to survive a “tough winter” period.

Harrogate Borough Council leader, Richard Cooper, warned earlier this week that some businesses will not survive the impending economic downturn.

Harrogate MP gives ‘cautious welcome’ to Stray FM assurances

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, has given a cautious welcome to assurances from Bauer Media over the future of Stray FM.

Mr Jones wrote to the owners of the local radio station following its decision to come off air and become Greatest Hits Radio.

Since then, more than 3,000 people have signed a petition set up by the local Liberal Democrats to save Stray FM with hundreds submitting stories of what the station means to them.

In response to Mr Jones, Dee Ford, group director of Bauer Radio, said:

“Our plan at this stage is to deliver local news much as it is currently delivered by Stray FM.

In fact, we expect access to the size and scope of the wider Bauer news team will enable the local team to better cover major local stories and issues.

“With respect to your question concerning the retention of a Harrogate-based news team, while we are yet to make any final decisions on specific staffing requirements, we expect to retain these roles.”

Ms Ford added that Greatest Hits Radio will still have locally based journalists and businesses will have “improved options” for targeting their advertising.

She said any money raised locally for its charity, Cash for Kids, would also go towards supporting local children.

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Mr Jones said he welcomed the assurances from Ms Ford, but added that the “devil will be in the detail”.

He said:

“This is positive movement on the issues local people have been raising and, frankly, a much more optimistic position than I expected we would be in. Any new arrangements for our local radio have huge shoes to fill and it is good to hear that several key principles about keeping it local, supporting local organisations and prioritising local advertising are understood and will be kept.

“However, we now need to see what those principles will mean in reality; how they will manifest themselves in what we hear when we tune in.”

“So, alongside local businesses and our community, I want to meet with senior management at Bauer Media to hear exactly how the promised local news will be delivered, practical examples of the community support they expect to do and the kinds of packages they will offer to local advertisers.

“It would be great too if we could retain some sort of local branding so that, if we can confirm the news content and the community and business support, the station doesn’t feel like a one-size-fits all operation even when it is still very much grounded in the community.

“In conclusion, this is progress and I am pleased certain principles about being a locally-based community-grounded radio station are confirmed. As ever, the devil will be in the detail and that is what we need to look at next.”

Last Harrogate street to be pedestrianised to help bars

The last street in Harrogate will be partly pedestrianised this week. North Yorkshire County Council has said no further road closures are planned beyond that.

The authority has so far helped 11 businesses in the town to provide extra seating space outside premises and had said it would only close roads “if there is a clear demand”.

It comes as both the county council and Harrogate Borough Council promised to work with bars, restaurants and cafes to open up space in an effort to increase capacity.

From tonight, The Ginnel, which hosts Monty’s Rock Bar and Manahatta, will become the latest street to be closed to provide extra space.

The road will be closed between 5pm until 11pm Wednesday to Saturday and 1pm until 11pm on Sundays.

https://www.facebook.com/134929643221066/posts/3127553957291938/?d=n

Gareth Bentley, food, licensing and occupational safety manager at the borough council, confirmed the pedestrianisation of The Ginnel area to the authority’s scrutiny committee.

Mr Bentley said the move was needed to help with more capacity.

He said:

“It’s not something that comes naturally to allow people to drink on the street, but the reality is that when licensed premises implement the covid-19 control guidance well their occupancy is 30% or 40% of what it used to be.

“We are working really hard to promote relaxations to allow them to use the outdoors more and more with an eye on making sure that it is done respectfully.”

Meanwhile, parking bays have already been suspended on Montpellier Hill and Royal Parade as part of the measures to create space.

But cones placed on West Park proved to be controversial with business owners and county council officials took them down.

The pedestrianisation of streets come as the hospitality sector looks to take full advantage of what remains of the summer months to increase capacity and raise income.

However owners in the sector have raised fears that some businesses will fall victim to the three month battering of lockdown and the upcoming winter.

Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa, said that bars, restaurants and hotels should expect a tough winter.

Meanwhile, last night, borough council leader, Richard Cooper, warned that some businesses will not survive the impending economic downturn.

Police admit its response to Stray gatherings ‘not 100% right’

North Yorkshire Police has admitted it did not get its response to a large gathering and drug use on the Stray last month “100% right”.

It comes as hundreds of people gathered on the Stray last month where police found canisters of laughing gas and empty takeaway boxes and beer bottles in what was described as a “festival atmosphere”.

Now, Steve Thomas, detective superintendent at North Yorkshire Police and commander for Harrogate, has said the force did not “get to grips” on the gathering quickly enough.

He apologised to councillors on a Harrogate Borough Council scrutiny committee for the initial response but added the force will now respond earlier to such incidents.

He said:

“I’m really sorry that we were not able to get to grips with it in time for it not to affect the people that reported it to us.

“I was working on the evening that it happened and as soon as we were aware, we deployed through the force control room additional resources.

“Unfortunately, once you get a gathering of that size, it is a question of trying to engage as best as possible and trying to encourage them to remove litter in a sensible way.

“It was quite difficult and I’m not saying that we got that entirely right but we certainly learned from it.

“What we did from that point onwards is increase our patrol strategy to make sure that we were earlier to engage with the groups rather than letting it get either too big or too much alcohol consumed.”

Since the incident, police have sought to educate on the use of laughing gas and issued a warning after finding an “awful lot” of canisters.

Steve Thomas, detective superintendent at North Yorkshire Police (middle right), answered questions from Harrogate Borough Council’s scrutiny committee.

Speaking about the dangers of inhaling the gas, Sergeant Heidi Lewis, children & young people engagement officer, said:

“People may believe that because this gas is widely available and easily purchased, that it is harmless. However, inhaling this gas can lead to unconsciousness and ultimately suffocation, as the body is essentially starved of oxygen.

So when you know the risks irresponsible use of this gas poses, it’s not so much of a laugh is it?”

Early morning rant alert. Part 1 of 2 #Harrogate #Stray #Sunshine pic.twitter.com/nDyqaC9eF3

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) June 25, 2020

Following the gathering, volunteers and council staff cleaned up the Stray with one describing it as the “biggest mess in six years”.

It comes as North Yorkshire Police still tops forces across the country for the most coronavirus fines handed out since March.

The force handed out a total of 1,171 fines to people breaching coronavirus regulations up to June 22 with the majority of the fines issued to people visiting the county’s beauty spots.

Officers said most visitors had come from West Yorkshire to the county.

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