Crime commissioner’s office to move to Harrogate Police Station

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe is set to relocate her office to Harrogate Police Station.

The Conservative commissioner, whose job is to scrutinise the performance of the force as well as the fire service, will move in alongside officers on Beckwith Head Road on June 1 this year.

Ms Metcalfe’s office, which employs about 30 staff, is currently based on Granby Road in Harrogate.

Granby Road

The current office on Granby Road in Harrogate

The move comes as part of the commissioner’s strategy to optimise her estate and “improve partnership working and communications”.

Simon Dennis, chief executive and monitoring office at the commissioner’s office, said:

“We expect to save approximately £80,000 per year by changing our office arrangements. Like many progressive organisations, the commissioner’s team has a strong commitment to flexible, agile working and our office accommodation needs have changed in recent years.

“We have been working closely with the estates team, chief constable and chief fire officer to ensure we are all making the most efficient and effective use of the police and fire station buildings.

“In addition to our office re-location the team will also work more flexibly from home and other police and fire buildings.

“The team are really excited and are looking forward to the move which will not only save money but improve our working relationships with the police and fire service.”

Harrogate Police Station

Ms Metcalfe added:

“The public expect police and fire buildings to be used efficiently, especially at this time of strain on our finances, so I am pleased that we can make a contribution towards savings by vacating our office at Granby Road.”

The commissioner’s office said it would continue to review the use of its estates as it planned for devolution and the introduction of a mayoral office.

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North Yorkshire Council set for £513,700 redundancy payout to three senior managers

North Yorkshire Council looks set to make three former district council managers redundant at a cost of £513,700.

The council, which replaced Harrogate Borough Council and seven other district and county councils at the start of the month, is restructuring its workforce.

According to a report due before the authority’s executive, senior managers who were transferred to the council under TUPE regulations can be offered “substitute duties” which fit their job descriptions.

Some senior staff left for other jobs before the authority was formed, while others took up roles on the new council.

However, three of the senior managers are due to be made redundant after the roles they were allocated were “time-limited”.

The report said:

“There are three senior managers where the substitute duties allocated are time-limited, and on conclusion they will be in a redundancy position.

“Legal advice has been sought and confirms this position.”

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As a result, the council looks set to pay an estimated £513,700 in exit packages to those being made redundant.

None of the officers are former employees of Harrogate Borough Council.

The payments will be split by £107,000, £108,000 and £298,000.

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, said the move to one council has helped to save £3.7 million in senior officers’ pay.

He said:

“A huge amount of work has been undertaken to bring together the previous eight councils into one and ensure that there is value for money for North Yorkshire’s taxpayers. 

“The move to one single management team for North Yorkshire Council has saved about £3.7 million in pay for senior officers every year. The fact that there are only three senior managers in this situation is significantly less than other councils in this position. 

“To have these managers still involved for a defined period has been of significant benefit to the new council, making full use of their skills and experience for work that would otherwise have needed extra resources in terms of appointments, interim managers or consultants.”

A meeting of the council’s executive is set to discuss the matter on Tuesday, May 2. Senior councillors have been recommended to refer the matter to full council.

In December, Unison wrote to the authority warning it not to offer senior managers more favourable redundancy terms than other staff.

The letter came as Hambleton District Council agreed to pay £767,065 to four senior officers who decided they do not wish to work for the unitary North Yorkshire Council after April 1.

The payments were agreed even though the four directors had been assured they would be offered “suitable roles” at no financial loss to themselves when they transferred to North Yorkshire Council.

Former Harrogate Borough Council chief executive Wallace Sampson negotiated a £101,274 redundancy pay-out before his departure at the end of March.

Ripon pair guilty of smuggling £100 million from UK to Dubai

Two people from near Ripon have been found guilty of helping to smuggle more than £100 million from the UK to Dubai following a major national investigation.

Jonathan Johnson, 54, and Jo-Emma Larvin, 43, a model and former girlfriend of boxer Joe Calzaghe, were found guilty yesterday following a trial at Isleworth Crown Court.

The pair, both of Grantley near Ripon, were charged with removal of cash from England and Wales which they knew or suspected was acquired through criminal conduct.

Both acted as couriers and were convicted alongside Beatrice Auty, 26, from London and Amy Harrison, 27, from Worcester Park in Surrey.

An investigation led by the National Crime Agency has so far seen eleven of the couriers in the network convicted.

£104 million smuggled to Dubai

The network smuggled more than £104 million from the UK to Dubai during 83 separate trips between November 2019 and October 2020, overseen by ringleader Abdullah Alfalsi, 47, who was jailed for more than nine years in July last year.

The couriers, who were paid around £3,000 for each trip and would be booked on business class flights due to the extra luggage allowance, communicated on a Whatsapp group entitled ’Sunshine and lollipops’.

Larvin made two trips to Dubai in August and September 2020.

One trip was with Amy Harrison when they took seven cases between them containing £2.2 million and another with her partner Jonathan Johnson, when they took eight suitcases containing £2.8 million.

Larvin and Johnson were arrested at Manchester Airport in March 2022.

The network collected cash from criminal groups around the UK, which was believed to be the profits of drug dealing, and took it to counting houses, usually rented apartments in central London.

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The money was then vacuum-packed and separated into suitcases which would typically each contain around £500,000, weighing around 40 kilos. They were sprayed with coffee or air fresheners in an effort to prevent them being found by Border Force detection dogs.

Ian Truby, senior investigating officer at the National Crime Agency, said: 

“These couriers were important cogs in a large money laundering wheel.

“The crime group they belonged to was responsible for smuggling eye-watering amounts of criminal cash out of the UK.

“This simply wouldn’t have been possible without couriers doing their bidding, in return for a sunshine holiday and a slice of the profit.

“Cash is the lifeblood of organised crime groups, which they re-invest into activities such as drug trafficking. This fuels violence and insecurity around the world, which is why our investigation into other cash couriers continues.”

Larvin and Johnson will be sentenced later alongside five other couriers who have pleaded guilty at previous hearings.

 

Daleside Garage in Pateley Bridge reopens in new location

A Pateley Bridge garage has reopened its doors after relocating within the town.

Daleside Garage, which was based on Bridgehouse Gate, has moved to brand new premises at Corn Close Farm on Low Wath Road.

The garage reopened its doors today.

The move comes after developer Chartwell Barns Ltd submitted plans to build a three-storey block of flats on its former premises.

Karley Haley, who owns Daleside Garage with her husband Glenn, said the move will help to retain the MOT testing station, as well as servicing and repairs, in the town.

She added the garage had also invested in new equipment at its new base.

Ms Haley said:

“Huge investment into brand new ramps means a broader range of vehicles can be tested including larger class 7 commercial vehicles, camper vans and heavier electric vehicles allowing the garage to cater for the vehicles of the future.”

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She added the garage hoped to install electric vehicle charging points on the new site in future.

The proposals for 15 homes on the former Daleside Garage site on Bridgehouse Gate have yet to be decided.

The plan was submitted in April last year to Harrogate Borough Council, which has since been abolished.

North Yorkshire Council, which replaced the borough council this month, is expected to make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Business Breakfast: Knaresborough housebuilder partners with housing association

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The fourth in our series of networking events, with Banyan Bar & Kitchen, is a breakfast event on April 27 from 8am.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Knaresborough housebuilder partners with housing association

A Knaresborough house builder has partnered with a national housing association to build 449 homes.

Ilke Homes has announced the partnership with The Riverside Group, which currently oversees more than 75,000 homes across England and Scotland.

The company is working with the housing association to finalise plans for the homes at a 21-acre site in Kent.

The homes will be a mix of houses and apartments and will be manufactured at Ilke Homes’ factory in Knaresborough.

Subject to planning approval from Thanet District Council, the company hopes to start work at the site in 2024.

Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, said:

“ilke Homes continues to partner with some of the country’s most well-known housing associations, largely in part to our ability to deliver high quality, energy-efficient homes quickly. The Riverside Group, as part of its adopted ESG strategies, has acknowledged the increasing importance of sustainability and our partnership will help future-proof their investment from rapidly changing building regulations and government guidelines.

“We look forward to working with both local planning officials and other stakeholders to progress the proposals through planning to deliver a truly sustainable and well-designed community that will be providing much-needed, high-quality housing for the area.”

Harrogate business group appoints acting chief executive

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce has appointed an acting chief executive.

Martin Mann, who was vice president of the organisation, has been confirmed to take on the role.

The move comes as current chief executive, David Simister, is seriously ill in hospital..

Mr Mann confirmed on LinkedIn that his new role would not affect is IT support business

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Police release CCTV after burglary at Ripon Rugby Club

Police have issued CCTV of three people following a burglary at Ripon Rugby Club.

Officers said the incident happened on Saturday, March 11, between 1am and 1.45am at the club on Mallorie Park Drive.

It involved a glass door being smashed and a large amount of alcohol stolen.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Officers are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the people in the images as officers believe that they could have information that could help with the investigation.

“Anyone with any information is asked to email elliott.chamberlin@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC Elliott Chamberlin.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12230044072 when passing on information.”

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Blood testing to move from Harrogate to Knaresborough due to Sainsbury’s pharmacy closure

A blood testing service in Harrogate is set to move to Knaresborough after the closure of a supermarket pharmacy.

The relocation comes as Lloyds Pharmacy in Sainsbury’s on Wetherby Road is set to close.

The service, which is run by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, is operated from the supermarket pharmacy to provide flexibility for patients who require a blood test.

This is in addition to appointments at Harrogate District Hospital.

The service will relocate to Chain Lane Community Hub in Knaresborough on Tuesday, May 2, and will be open Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 11am.

Emma Jocelyn, phlebotomy manager at HDFT said: 

“We know that being able to have a blood test at a community location is extremely popular.

“We were keen to continue this service in the future and we are delighted to have found the ideal venue at the Chain Lane Community Hub which offers ample free parking, is well served by public transport, is fully accessible and has convenient shopping nearby.”

Ms Jocelyn added:

“The Chain Lane Community Hub location will be more convenient for some people, and we know that for others, the chance of being seen more quickly than at our hospital due to the shorter queues will appeal.

“We look forward to welcoming those people who need our help to our fantastic new location.”

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People who would have previously gone to Sainsbury’s for blood tests are being encouraged to visit the Chain Lane Community Hub amid upcoming building work at the hospital, which will reduce the waiting area at the hospital blood test service.

Visitors will not need to book an appointment, however they will need to bring with them an ICE request form from their GP or consultant for the test to be undertaken.

Sue Vasey, from the Chain Lane Community Hub, said: 

“We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming the phlebotomy team to the community centre.

“This will be great for the people of Knaresborough and surrounding areas and we look forward to supporting this important new service to the town.”

Lloyds Pharmacy announced in January it was to close 237 of its outlets in Sainsbury’s supermarkets nationally.

The group said it made the decision due to “changing market conditions”.

Harrogate and Knaresborough to host international orienteering race

An international orienteering event is set to be held in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The EuroCity races will be held this July and see participants compete in multiple locations including Cordoba, Vigo, Ghent and Sopot/Gdansk.

Harrogate and Knaresborough are set to host parts of the race on July 15 and 16.

The event is set to see between 300 and 500 participants take part.

Kay Hawke, project officer at British Orienteering, said:

“It is a typical orienteering event where participants wear an electronic timing chip and receive a map at the Start (they are not allowed to see the map beforehand).

“They must visit all of the controls (checkpoints) on their map in numerical order, choosing what they think is the best way between the checkpoints, simple – fastest time (and controls completed correctly) wins.”

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She added:

“The beauty of the sport is that following someone may not be the best option anyway, especially if they have chosen a longer route to a control.”

The Saturday will see a short sprint event based from and around the grounds of Knaresborough Castle, while Sunday will see an urban event around the streets of Harrogate.

For more information on the EuroCity race and how to take part, visit the website here.

Business Breakfast: Harrogate mobile company partners with United States firm

It’s time to join the Stray Ferret Business Club. The fourth in our series of networking events, with Banyan Bar & Kitchen, is a breakfast event on April 27 from 8am.

Don’t miss out on this chance to network with businesses from across the Harrogate district. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate mobile applications company has announced a partnership with an American telecommunications company.

Mobile Tornado, which is based at Cardale Park, has partnered with Stolz Telecom, which provides telecommunication services to public safety and enterprise sectors in the United States.

The partnership will see the American company act a reseller for Mobile Tornado’s push-to-talk over cellular and workforce management technologies in the US.

Luke Wilkinson, of Mobile Tornado, said: 

“We are delighted to be partnering with Stolz Telecom, a highly respected company in its field. This partnership will open up new growth opportunities for Mobile Tornado in the United States.”

Robert Stolz, president of Stolz Telecom, said: 

“Our vision is to create safer, more proactive organisations by redefining the boundaries of critical communications.

“We are excited to be able to offer Mobile Tornado’s world-leading solutions to our customers, the people who keep our communities safe.”

Directors group celebrates 120th anniversary

Business leaders across Yorkshire are celebrating the 120th anniversary of the Institute of Directors.

The group was formed in 1903 and granted a Royal Charter in 1906 ‘to represent the interests of members and of the business community to government and in the public arena.

Jon Geldart, director general at Institute for Directors.

Jon Geldart, director general at Institute for Directors.

To mark its 120th anniversary, IoD members are gathering at their prestigious London headquarters – 116 Pall Mall – on 13 June to celebrate with networking, exhibitions, speeches and a tour of our iconic building.

IoD Director General Jon Geldart said: 

“We are very proud of our heritage as the voice for business and directors across the home nations.

“The IoD is also a movement for good, shaping regional and national agendas and influencing policy makers and government.”

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Man pleads guilty to failing to stop after serious crash in Harrogate

A man has pleaded guilty to failing to stop and report a serious crash on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road last year.

Harris Hendry-Hussain, of Swinton Court, Harrogate, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning charged with three offences.

The 21-year-old, who spoke only to confirm his name and address, was charged with driving without insurance, failing to stop after a road accident and failing to report the accident.

The prosecution told the court Hendry-Hussain was driving a Volkswagen Golf on the morning of the incident on March 6, 2022.

At 3.10am, police were called when Hendry-Hussain’s car crashed into two parked cars on Cold Bath Road.

The prosecution said a male, who was a passenger in the Volkswagen, was left at the scene and required hospital treatment for neck and back injuries.

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It added the 21-year-old was later identified on CCTV fleeing the scene of the crash.

In a statement at the time, North Yorkshire Police said it was only by “sheer luck” that no one died as a result of the collision.

Hendry-Hussain pleaded guilty to all three charges put to him in court this morning.

Harrogate Magistrates Court adjourned the case for sentencing on May 11.