A further 52 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Harrogate district

A further 52 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to Public Health England figures.

It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 1,887. Figures also show a further 156 cases county-wide.

Meanwhile, latest weekly rate figures up to October 19 show Harrogate had 164 cases per 100,000 population.

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The district is third highest in the county behind Craven which has 175 and Selby with 196.

It comes after the first coronavirus death in three weeks was reported at Harrogate District Hospital yesterday.

A total of 84 people who tested positive for covid have died at the hospital since the start of the pandemic, according to NHS England figures.

Police: Stay away from North Yorkshire during half term

North Yorkshire Police has urged people in tier three areas not to travel to the county during this October half term.

Amid concerns that people from the “very high” tier will venture into the county, police have asked people not to travel unless it is for work, education or caring responsibilities.

It comes as the county currently sits in the lowest tier, meaning it follows the national guidance with no additional restrictions.

Those areas in tier three, such as Lancashire and Greater Manchester, cannot socialise indoors with other households and have seen pubs closed.

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People under “very high” restrictions are advised not to travel outside of the area.

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for the force’s response to coronavirus, urged people from those areas to stay away this half term.

He said:

“North Yorkshire is notorious for providing a warm welcome to visitors. But at the moment, we would ask residents from tier three locations to please stay in their own area and help us with the containment of this virus.

“If we can maintain a united approach and stop the spread, I can assure you that when it’s safe to do so – North Yorkshire will welcome you with open arms.”

He also urged young people in the county to follow social distancing guidance and to stick to the rule of six during the break.

“I would appeal to parents and carers to have those conversations with their children, to ensure they are aware of the possible consequences of their actions and encourage them to adhere to the regulations.”

Earlier this week, Superintendent Walker added that there would be a visible presence across the county amid concern that people would also travel from tier two areas, such as York and West Yorkshire.

He said, while the force could not enforce travel restrictions, there would be officers out enforcing the national rules.

“For the public of North Yorkshire and the City of York who are worried what I can say is that officers will be patrolling, they will be visible and they will absolutely be enforcing face coverings and the rule of six as they have been doing throughout the pandemic.”

It comes as the force has handed out 1,151 coronavirus penalties, the most of any police force in the country.

The vast majority were issued for non-essential journeys at the start of lockdown.

The force is also considering introducing “covid cars” as part of £291,897 worth of funding from government to help with enforcement of covid restrictions.

Battle lines drawn as councils to vote on local government shake-up

Battle lines have been drawn over the future of local government in North Yorkshire as political leaders reveal plans for a shake-up in the number of councils.

Both North Yorkshire County Council and the seven districts are to vote on their proposals in a few weeks, which would see proposals submitted to government to scrap the two-tier system.

Armed with accountancy firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG, both camps claim their models could save the county millions.

Today, district council leaders published their plans ahead of a submission to government.

The model, which the districts brought in KPMG to help devise, would see the county split in half with a council in the east and west.

The district councils’ proposal for an east/west model as outlined in the KPMG report.

The KPMG report, which the district councils have contributed £175,000 so far to pay for, outlines the case for two councils in the county.

It would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton in the west, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough in the east.

The report shows district leaders compared 11 different options, one of which included a north/south divide and another with three unitary councils.

It also includes the gross value added, which is the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area, for each region. The figures are based on data from the Office for National Statistics.

However, officials settled on an east/west model with 363,297 people in the west area and 465,375 in the east. Council leaders argue the model could save the county up to £56 million a year.

County council’s single authority plan

Meanwhile, the county council wants a model which would see a single unitary council for the entire county alongside the City of York Council.

Its plan is due to be published next week ahead of a meeting on November 4 when the proposal is expected to be agreed and submitted to Secretary of State for Local Government, Robert Jenrick.

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County council officials said the model could deliver up to £252 million in savings over five years to support crucial frontline services.

The county has drafted in PwC to estimate the savings, which authority bosses say could amount to an initial £30 million a year.

Cllr Gareth Dadd, deputy leader and executive councillor for finance, said the council had an “unique” opportunity with the model.

“We are presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity at a key moment in our history, as we battle to emerge from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.

“A unique chance to deliver very significant savings that will be ploughed back into frontline services, support enhanced local democracy and end unnecessary waste. Our bid maximises all the benefits and delivers those benefits more quickly. It is also the least disruptive.

“Our proposal represents a saving of up to £185 a year for every household in North Yorkshire which would be put back into service delivery. It would be negligent of us to not to chase down such an opportunity.

“No other bid can deliver the scale of savings in such a timeframe, while protecting nationally recognised services for the county’s most frail and vulnerable residents.”

The district councils will now vote to submit their model to government, while the county council will also vote on its proposal.

The government has set a deadline of November 9 for outline proposals to be submitted. A deadline of December 9 has been set for full proposals.

30 coronavirus cases confirmed in Harrogate district today

A further 30 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the Harrogate district in the last 24 hours.

It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 1,835, according to Public Health England figures.

Meanwhile, a further 122 cases have been reported in the whole of North Yorkshire.

The number of coronavirus infections in the Harrogate district has increased sharply since the second wave of infections.

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The latest rolling seven-day average to October 18 shows the district has a rate of 160 per 100,000 people.

The figure is the third highest of the seven North Yorkshire district council areas, behind Craven on 172 and Selby on 177.

The first coronavirus death in three weeks was reported at Harrogate District Hospital today.

 

North Yorkshire MP: Don’t send county into tier two

A North Yorkshire MP has urged the government to “scotch rumours” that North Yorkshire is heading for tier two restrictions.

Kevin Hollinrake told the Stray Ferret it was only fair on businesses to impose tighter measures when there was an “absolute need”.

The MP, whose Thirsk and Malton constituency has relatively low infection rates, said district-wide rather than county-wide measures could be introduced if necessary to reflect the variable rates in North Yorkshire. He said:

“I have made the case for a more localised, evidenced-based approach regularly to the Prime Minister and Health Secretary, including twice last week on the floor of the House and will continue to do so.”

Public health officials earlier this week said there were “ongoing discussions” about moving the county and the wider Yorkshire region up a tier.

Dr Lincoln Sargaent, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, said there was a national desire to “simplify” the system.

But in a Commons debate last night, Mr Hollinrake asked Edward Argar, minister of state for health, to “scotch rumours” about North Yorkshire moving to tier two.

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He said:

“If there is any need to put us in a higher tier, will he look to do that on a district-wide level, where there is significant variation across North Yorkshire, rather than purely at county-wide level?”

Mr Argar said the position remained that same as last week when Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government was considering that option.

North Yorkshire is in tier one but is surrounded by tier two areas, including York and West Yorkshire.

 

First covid death at Harrogate hospital in three weeks

Harrogate District Hospital has today reported its first coronavirus death in over three weeks.

It is the first covid death at the hospital since September 29 and only the second since July.

It takes the total number of coronavirus deaths at the hospital since the start of the pandemic to 84, according to NHS England figures.

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Yesterday Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said the hospital had 10 covid patients, with one in intensive care.

Ms Bloor added there were 116 coronavirus patients in hospitals across the county, which was well below the level in the early days of the pandemic in spring.

She said:

“We are seeing the number of inpatient admissions with covid increasing, but we are not yet at the levels of hospitalisations that we were back at the beginning and in the middle of April.

“We have currently got 116 people in hospital beds; we had in excess of 300 in early April.

“It is a relatively stable position, although we are seeing a slight upward trend in terms of those numbers.”

Harrogate District Hospital set aside 100 beds for covid patients in preparation for the second wave.

Hospital bosses said last month that they were more confident of coping this time.

Harrogate hospital currently treating 10 coronavirus patients

Harrogate District Hospital currently has 10 coronavirus patients with one in intensive care.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, revealed the figures at a North Yorkshire Resilience Forum press briefing yesterday.

Ms Bloor said there were 116 coronavirus patients in hospitals across the county, which was well below the level in the early days of the pandemic in spring.

She said:

“We are seeing the number of inpatient admissions with covid increasing, but we are not yet at the levels of hospitalisations that we were back at the beginning and in the middle of April.

“We have currently got 116 people in hospital beds; we had in excess of 300 in early April.

“It is a relatively stable position, although we are seeing a slight upward trend in terms of those numbers.”

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She added that accident and emergency and 999 call demand had returned to pre-covid levels.

Harrogate District Hospital set aside 100 beds for covid patients in preparation for the second wave.

Hospital bosses said last month that they were more confident of coping this time.

The number of coronavirus cases in the Harrogate district has increased sharply since the start of September.

However, there has not been a death reported at Harrogate hospital since September 29.

Harrogate coronavirus testing site opens with 57 appointments

Harrogate’s new full-time coronavirus testing site opened this afternoon with 57 appointments made available.

The site in the Dragon Road car park, which is run by the Department of Health and Social Care, is capable of testing up to 320 people a day.

The number was expected to be lower during the initial pilot period.

After the pilot period, the facility will be open between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week.

Appointments are available to book online and officials expect the site to be used predominantly by Harrogate residents.

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Forty-four covid cases were confirmed in the district in the last 24 hours, according to Public Health England figures today.

The total number of cases in Harrogate since the start of the pandemic now stands at 1,805.

A further 207 positive cases have been reported across North Yorkshire.

 

North Yorkshire bids to be part of care home visiting pilot

North Yorkshire has bid to be part of a new pilot scheme that would enable care home visits.

The scheme, which was revealed by care minister Helen Whately last week, would allow one relative or friend of a care home resident to be treated as a key worker.

This would enable people to visit loved ones in homes during the winter, though no dates when this might be implemented have been revealed.

Richard Webb, director of care at North Yorkshire County Council, and Mike Padgham, chair of the Independent Care Group, have written to the government offering the county’s homes to be part of the pilot.

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In a letter to Ms Whately, they said:

“The lockdown of care and nursing homes has been vital to protect residents and staff. However, it has taken its toll on residents, particularly those with dementia whose mental health and happiness has suffered as a result.

“The lockdown has also been distressing for their relatives, as in some cases it has been months since they had visited in person.

“We very much welcome the pilot and hope it is carried out quickly so that, if it is successful, we can speedily roll out the system to all care and nursing homes across the country.”

Last week Ms Whately told MPs on the health and social care committee that the government would soon pilot the proposal.

She said:

“I can’t give you a date, but what I can say is we’re moving forward with it and we are going to pilot it.

“Visiting is incredibly important for residents and their families and care homes. I really want us to enable visiting but it must be safe.”

Judy Bass, whose 99-year-old father lives in a Harrogate care home and who is campaigning for visits to care homes, questioned whether the project would even be possible, given the struggle to deliver testing around the country.

She told the Stray Ferret last week:

“I don’t think it’s particularly a step forward. I think it’s placatory, because they have known about this for so long. It just needs to be put in place.

“Piloting it – I don’t even know how that would operate or if it would have any effect. They just need to put it in place. Relatives need to be given key worker status and tested and allowed to visit.”

North Yorkshire care homes have restricted visits throughout October.

 

Discussions ‘ongoing’ over moving North Yorkshire into tier two

Discussions are ongoing over whether to move North Yorkshire into tier two of the local lockdown restrictions.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health for North Yorkshire, said today that although the county’s infection rate was low compared with its neighbours, it was still influenced by what goes on in surrounding areas.

Dr Sargeant told a press briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of organisations that respond to emergencies:

“We have to consider that North Yorkshire is surrounded by areas that are already in higher tiers or moving in that direction.

“We have to consider that although our rates have thankfully remained lower than most of our neighbours, we will probably still be part of discussions that will take in what is happening with our neighbours.

“That will probably colour how the discussions about further interventions might occur. We need to be mindful of that.

“We have to balance what is needed to control infections against the considerations from our business leaders in terms of what impact restrictions might have on the hospitality sector in particular.”

North Yorkshire currently sits in tier one, but is surrounded by tier two areas including York and West Yorkshire.

A move into tier two would ban gatherings with other households indoors.

Dr Sargeant said public health bosses in North Yorkshire and elsewhere in the county were in “ongoing discussions” with government about what tier the wider area, which would also include East Riding of Yorkshire, York, Hull, North East and North Lincolnshire should be in.

However, officials said any decision on moving the region up a tier would be made by Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

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Dr Sargeant added that, if the county did change tier, there was a lack of clarity on how an area could move back down.

He added:

“If and when North Yorkshire were to move into tier two, it would be important for us to understand what would be the benchmarks and indicators that would signal that we have been successful in the various measures and step back down into tier one restrictions.”

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of Sheffield City region, confirmed this morning that a deal had been agreed with government to place South Yorkshire into tier three.

The movement of areas into tiers has raised concern over people travelling between different level of restrictions.

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for covid response at North Yorkshire Police, said, while the force could not enforce limits on travel, people should follow the tier guidance.

He added:

“But for the public of North Yorkshire and the City of York who are worried what I can say is that officers will be patrolling, they will be visible and they will absolutely be enforcing face coverings and the rule of six as they have been doing throughout the pandemic.”