£4.1 million spent on PPE in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire County Council has spent £4.1 million on personal protective equipment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been revealed.

A report due before the authority’s audit committee next week said the council has distributed four million items of PPE to 67 different sites, including care homes.

Gary Fielding, corporate director of strategic resources, said in the report the authority had to spot purchase stock in the first weeks of the pandemic due to problems with the supply chain.

A total of 17% has been spent on suppliers in County Durham and Teesside.

Of the remainder, 40% was spent on national suppliers, 28% on local suppliers and 15% on regional suppliers.

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The council has distributed one million aprons and one million faces masks, with 282,000 items of PPE sent out on a weekly basis.

Mr Fielding said:

“The council never ran out of PPE at any point during the pandemic, and by the summer had secured stock to cover the council needs based on forecasted usage, up to the end of March 2021. 

“Currently the council holds around 8.4 million items of PPE in stock at a secure storage location”

It comes as the county council has estimated that the pandemic will cost the authority an additional £82 million this year.

This is due to an increase in spend on support for vulnerable residents and measures to combat covid, as well as lost income from council tax and business rates.

As a result, council bosses are considering increasing council tax by 1.99% next year, equivalent to a £27 rise, in an effort to plug its financial gap caused by the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the council had anticipated a funding gap of £186 million by next year due to austerity. However, it has since found £173 million in savings.

Now the authority needs to find £103 million over the next three years to cover loss of central government funding.

Officials have launched a consultation on the budget proposals, which people can take part in until January 11.

County council leader, Cllr Carl Les, has urged residents to take part.

He said:

“We want North Yorkshire to be a thriving county and pride ourselves on being a well-run authority, but the funding gaps in our budget create huge uncertainty. 

“I would encourage everyone to take part and let us know their views on our council plan priorities, setting council tax for next year and our longer term plans.”

£85,000 project to create a masterplan for Ripon’s future

Consultants are to be paid £85,000 to devise an “inspiring and innovative” vision for regenerating Ripon.

Harrogate Borough Council has advertised a 12-month contract to draw up a masterplan for the city.

The scheme, called the Ripon Renewal Project, will provide a framework for future development that also considers current initiatives, such as the regeneration of the former Ripon barracks.

Applicants have until December 22 to apply. Work is due to start on January 10 and last all of next year.

Whoever is appointed will be tasked with setting out “clear and robust” delivery timescales, funding options and a business case for the council to use to bid for money for projects.

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The contract brief says:

“The aim of this project is to maximise the opportunities within Ripon which will regenerate the city and boost the local economy.”

A computer generated image of the proposed Ripon Barracks site

A computer generated image of the proposed redevelopment of Ripon barracks.

The brief says the council will use its own funds as well as funding from York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and North Yorkshire County Council for the initiative.

Ripon has a population of about 16,000 people.

Plans for the 1,300-home re-development of the former Ripon barracks were submitted in September.

The development is a joint project between public bodies Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is part of the Ministry of Defence.

The planned homes will include a significant number of two and three-bedroom mid-range houses plus apartments.

The project also includes a community centre, employment space, shops, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.

Residents have raised concerns about issues such as transport and health.

 

Harrogate charity prepare to transport people to covid vaccinations

A Harrogate charity is preparing to lend its support to the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine.

Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA) is set to offer drivers to transport people to vaccination appointments.

The drivers and other local volunteers will be part of what has been described by Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, as “one of the biggest civilian projects in history”.

The nearest site to have confirmed to have received the first wave of Pfizer vaccines is the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, whose hospitals include Leeds General Infirmary.   On Saturday the NHS announced that a small number of GP practices will then follow from December 14th.

HADCA is now preparing drivers and staff to help to provide transport for people who have no other means of transport to where ever the vaccines are being given.

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A spokesperson for the charity said:

“We are working hard to put everything in place to be ready to take people to have their vaccinations when they are called to do so.

“A small team of voluntary car drivers will offer transport to those passengers without other means of transport and who would be suitable to use our service.”

The charity said people would need to be able to get in and out of the back of a passenger vehicle independently in order to use the service.

Richard Flinton, chair of the North Yorkshire Resilience Forum, a partnership of emergency agencies, said earlier this week that it was supporting the NHS and local partners in preparing to offer the vaccine.

He said:

“Working together with all the partners, we will ensure that the facilities and resources, which are required to support the roll-out of vaccines, are in place here. We have a strong track record in North Yorkshire of responding well to emergencies and we are already driving forward these plans together at pace.

“A vaccine has been both long-awaited and anticipated, so whatever needs to be done will be done. This programme will be led by the NHS and we look forward to further information in the coming days.”

The government has said it expects vaccinations to start this week, with elderly people in care homes and care home staff among the highest priority.

A total of 800,000 doses are expected to be distributed, but it is unclear how many will be awarded to each local area.

Harrogate Town fans gear up for return to Envirovent Stadium

After nine months away, Harrogate Town fans are gearing up for a return to the Envirovent Stadium.

Football supporters have been absent from grounds since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with matches played behind closed doors.

For Town fans, it has meant missing out on the club’s promotion to the Football League for the first time.

Now, the club will welcome back a small amount of fans for the game against Forest Green Rovers tomorrow with social distancing measures in place.

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Jordan Ford, of the Harrogate Town Supporters Club, said he was “itching” to get back in the ground.

He said:

“It’s not the same watching it on TV and it will give us a chance to tell the players well done for last season.

“From a supporters club and all of our members point of view, I think the club have done a sterling job in getting everything sorted. Everything has been clear in terms of updates.”

The government gave the go ahead for fans to return to football grounds as the country returns to a tier system last week.

Saturday’s game will be a test event with around 450 season ticket deposit holders expected to attend.

However, no tickets will be available on general sale.

Only those in tier one or tier two areas will be able to attend the game, ruling out much of the areas surrounding North Yorkshire that are in tier three.

The club has introduced one way systems, hand sanitising areas and signage for spectators.

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.”