A union official has predicted some Harrogate district schools will close because of the impending teachers’ strike
Members of the National Education Union plan to strike on February 1 and stage further walk-outs in February and March.
Gary McVeigh-Kaye, branch secretary of NEU North Yorkshire, said all primary and secondary schools across Harrogate would be impacted by strike action. He said:
“It is likely that there will be a mixture of full and partial school closures. Furthermore, plans are being made to hold picket lines at schools across the area, though these have not been confirmed yet.”
Mr McVeigh-Kaye said teachers in North Yorkshire were “in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis” caused by a below inflation pay offer, school funding and a shortage of teachers. He added:
“Hardworking teachers have had enough and are now taking the only course of action open to them and withdraw their labour.”
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The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, the local education authority, what impact it expected the strike to have on schools, who is responsible for making decisions on school closures and what measures it was putting in place to cope.
It replied in a statement:
“Information about school staff’s union membership is not retained by North Yorkshire County Council, or schools, in line with national rules on data governance, although we expect to be provided with headline data from the union on overall numbers. It is a personal decision for those members whether they participate in the strike action.
“Individual schools will co-ordinate the impact of any strike action, but we will support them with general guidance on mitigating the impact on pupils where possible, alongside the Department for Education’s own guidance.
“Headteachers will also be provided with advice from their professional associations in managing strike action within the protocols for employers when responding to strikes.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has said she plans to meet union leaders this week to try to avert the strike.
Department for Education guidance says headteachers are expected to take “all reasonable steps” to keep schools open for as many pupils as possible during a strike,
A senior hospital consultant has warned Ripon Grammar School students about the dangers of vaping.
More children are taking up vaping in the UK, with products easily available over the counter in supermarkets.
Dr Elizabeth Garthwaite, who is chair of governors and a parent at the school as well as a kidney specialist and clinical director for medical specialities with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, told hundreds of teenagers she was among many medical professionals increasingly concerned about the impact of vaping on health.
Dr Garthwaite said:
“We are seeing increasing numbers of young people presenting to hospital with problems associated with addiction, but also medical problems which are associated with vaping.”
Although originally designed as a form of nicotine replacement to help smokers break their addiction to cigarettes, vaping is far from harmless, warned Dr Garthwaite, who said:
“It was never designed as a safe alternative. The multiple chemicals used to create the vapes, and in particular the flavours and smells, are often dangerous and have unpredictable consequences.”

Dr Elizabeth Garthwaite
Dr Garthwaite talked about a sporty 17-year-old A-level student who is now using a wheelchair after suffering from acute nicotine poisoning and severe lung damage after vaping.
She added:
“Although there is no tar or smoke, the nicotine and other sticky carbonated chemicals are cancerous and will stick in the lungs and move into your circulation, causing significant damage to the whole body.
“As health care professionals, we are concerned that vaping is seen as safe and easy for young people. This is not what nicotine replacement was designed for. It was developed to enable those individuals who were addicted to cigarette smoking, and suffering the consequences of this, to reduce their exposure to the toxic smoke and tar released from cigarettes.”
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Government rejects £20m levelling up bid for Harrogate Convention Centre
The government has rejected Harrogate Borough Council‘s bid for £20 million to go towards the redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre.
Last night’s decision is a significant blow for plans for a £49 million upgrade of the ageing centre and casts further doubt on the facility’s future.
More than 100 projects have been awarded a share of £2.1 billion from round two of the Levelling Up Fund.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, led by Michael Gove, rewarded six schemes from Yorkshire and the Humber, including £41 million to West Yorkshire Combined Authority for better bus services.
There was also £19 million to regenerate Catterick Garrison in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Richmond constituency.
But there was nothing for Harrogate Convention Centre or anywhere else in the Harrogate district.
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A council Cabinet report on August 17 said it had submitted a levelling up funding bid on August 1.
It said Investment would “help to ensure that HCC can both sustain and enhance its position within the market place, support the ‘levelling up’ agenda and ensure that the economic benefits that this project delivers to the wider economy are maximised”.
But it also warned:
“Expectations do need to be managed as there are still some significant challenges in relation to this bid, in particular: Harrogate district is a priority three area therefore our chances of success are not high (only 7% of those were funded in round 1 of the fund).”
Control of the centre will transfer to North Yorkshire Council on April 1, when Harrogate Borough Council is abolished.
Last week Richard Flinton, who will be chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, refused to commit to the £49 million redevelopment and said the conference and events venue needed to be vibrant and relevant in the face of competition from a new venue in Leeds rather than “an enormous drain on public finances”.
Homeless man admits theft at two Harrogate hairdressersA homeless man has admitted committing theft at two Harrogate town centre shops on the same morning this week.
Anthony Fraser, 37, pleaded guilty to stealing products worth £380 from hair and beauty salon Hart & Hart on Commercial Street on Monday.
He also admitted taking products of an unknown value from the nearby barbers shop belonging to Nathan Cosgrove.
Fraser, who gave his address as Harrogate Homeless Project on Bower Street, appeared before magistrates in York yesterday.
He was remanded on bail until February 10, when he is due to be sentenced.
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Harrogate firm Cicada announces death of founder Di Burton
Di Burton, founder of Harrogate PR firm Cicada, has died at the age of 68.
The company, which Ms Burton founded in 1987, announced in a statement on its website today that she had died this month.
She was also a former member of the Cabinet Office communications review team, a former director of Harrogate Theatre, a board member of the Northern Aldborough Festival and an alumna of Harvard Business School.
Cicada’s statement said:
“If you met Di, you were unlikely to forget her.
“Assertive and inquisitive by nature, her infectious personality always left a lasting impression.
“She will be remembered as one of Harrogate’s best-known and most respected business figures and one of the country’s leading PR practitioners.”
The statement added Ms Burton turned the company “into a thriving PR consultancy that helped a wide range of companies to manage their reputation, raise their profile and boost their bottom line” and that colleagues “benefitted from her enthusiastic leadership and mentoring”.
It said:
“As Di’s husband Andy eloquently puts it: ‘Di was one of those people for whom tomorrow could not come quickly enough. Much of her mind was always in the future; there was always so much more to accomplish’.”
Cicada’s current management team acquired Cicada in 2015, which enabled Ms Burton to retire although she continued to work by training PR professionals.
Ms Burton is survived by husband Andy, children Sarah and Rupert and grandchildren. Her funeral will take place at All Saints Church, Ripley at 2.30pm on January 30.
The family has requested no flowers at the funeral, but instead for donations to either Harrogate’s Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre or Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
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Harrogate council defends decision to transfer audit staff to Veritau
Harrogate Borough Council has defended its decision not to transfer some staff to the new North Yorkshire Council.
Five audit services staff recently discovered they would transfer to Veritau, a shared service group owned by local authorities in Yorkshire and north-east England.
Public services union Unison said on Tuesday it was “dismayed” by the decision, which it said came after more than a year of talks in which it was expected all staff would transfer to the new super-council under TUPE terms.
Unison Harrogate branch secretary Dave Houlgate said it had raised a dispute and called on Harrogate Borough Council to “stand by its staff and resist this late change”, adding:
“We object in the strongest terms to this late change of plan which shows total disregard for the staff involved, denies them the opportunity to move on to new terms and conditions negotiated and agreed by Unison and ignores established procedures and protocols that are in place.”
A council spokesperson said today:
“Engagement with staff, and consultation with trade unions, has taken place at every stage of the transition to North Yorkshire Council. This will continue, ensuring staff are kept informed of progress and have the opportunity to raise concerns. All staff also continue to be offered support.
“The audit service for the new council will be provided by Veritau, a company created in 2009 by North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council. Veritau has provided audit and other specialist services to the authorities, as well as other organisations, for many years. Providing income that will continue for the new council. Veritau already provides services to five of the seven district and borough councils that will be replaced by North Yorkshire Council.
“It is proposed staff currently providing the service in Harrogate will move to Veritau on April 1. Employment protection ensures that they will transfer on their existing terms and conditions. Individuals will have the option of choosing Veritau’s terms and conditions, should they wish to do so.”
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Fly-tipped jalapenos could solve mystery of Harrogate couple’s missing van
A Harrogate couple who run a mobile business selling tacos hope the discovery of some tinned jalapenos by the side of a road will lead them to whoever stole their van.
Tom and Emma Peak set up Tacoporium six years ago and sell their Mexican treats at weddings, festivals and corporate events.
But the business suffered a blow when one of the two vehicles they use, a white Ford van, was stolen from the back of their house just off King’s Road on Sunday night.
Fortunately, it isn’t their main vehicle but it contained numerous items including cutlery, trays, a cooking back — and jalapenos.
Today the couple received an email from Ryedale District Council accusing them of fly-tipping a list of items that had been dumped near Malton.
Mr Peak explained to the council the van had been stolen and now hopes that knowing where the goods were deposited will help narrow down the police search of where to look for the still-missing van.
He has even seen the funny side, posting on Instagram:
“Now let’s find that van and nail these fools who don’t appreciate a good quality pickled pepper.”
He told the Stray Ferret:
“They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. They put no value on my jalapenos whereas they are the best money can buy.”
Mr Peak plans to drive to Malton this week to collect the abandoned items — and reassured customers the business would continue despite the missing van.
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Harrogate hospital pays six-figure sum to patient left severely disabled
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has paid a six-figure sum to a patient who suffered a stoke and cardiac arrest after an operation, leaving him severely disabled.
The trust and York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were found jointly responsible for the treatment of the 74-year-old patient, who suffered a minor stroke in January 2016.
Having developed some slurring of speech and a headache, he was taken to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance, where he was admitted to the stroke unit and underwent a CT scan of the head.
As part of the legal case against the two trusts, solicitors acting on behalf of the man made several allegations of negligence. It was alleged imaging was wrongly reported and surgery was unnecessarily performed.
During the surgery the patient suffered a stroke and later a cardiac arrest from which he was successfully resuscitated. He was left severely disabled and brain damaged.
Solicitor Elizabeth Maliakal, a specialist in medical negligence claims at Hudgell Solicitors, led the legal case on behalf of the patient, whose daughter was appointed his deputy by the Court of Protection to manage her father’s affairs.
Ms Maliakal alleged the operation had been carried out without the patient or his family being fully informed of the risks involved, and without being informed that the benefits of surgery were small. She said the case centred on two key aspects of care and treatment:
“Firstly, there was no need for surgical intervention and, had my client not undergone surgery, he would have avoided the stroke which occurred during surgery and the later cardiac arrest.
“Secondly, he was inadequately consented over the decision to operate and, given doubts about his mental capacity to consent, his family were not consulted over the decision either.
“Had an appropriate discussion taken place regarding the relative risks and benefits, neither my client nor his family would have consented.
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Ms Maliakal (pictured above) added:
“Whilst our medical experts felt that he may well have gone on to suffer further strokes in the near future, had he not undergone the surgery, they were of the opinion that he would not have been left as profoundly disabled as he is now.
“He has been left with a catastrophic injury. He is paralysed, has little vision in his right eye and reduced vision in his left eye. He is unable to talk, he is doubly incontinent, needs to be fed through a tube and requires hoists to be moved. He now lives permanently in a nursing home.”
‘Denied liability’
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust and York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust agreed a six-figure sum for damages. The precise amount has not been revealed.
The compensation agreed covers the cost of future care, nursing home fees, private medical treatment, medication expenses and aids and equipment.
Mrs Maliakal added:
“This was a hard fought case. Initially both trusts denied liability and it was only after court proceedings were commenced that settlement discussions took place. The negligent treatment left my client severely disabled, and in need of round the clock care, which could and should have been avoided.
“As part of our investigations into the case we instructed independent medical experts, including a vascular surgeon, a stroke physician and neuroradiologist. The Trusts agreed to compensate
A joint statement for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust and York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Boy rescued in freezing conditions from River Nidd in Knaresborough“The trusts sincerely regret the difficulties experienced by the claimant and are pleased to have been able to reach an amicable compromise of his claim. The trusts wish the claimant and his family well for the future.”
A boy was rescued from the River Nidd in Knaresborough in bitterly cold conditions yesterday.
The full circumstances surrounding the incident, which happened just before 4.30pm, remain unclear, as is the condition of the boy, who was taken to hospital by ambulance.
However he is not thought to have suffered serious injuries despite being in such cold water for a period of time.
Police and firefighters joined paramedics at the scene.
A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said:
“We received an emergency call at 4.18pm on Tuesday afternoon to reports of a teenager who had experienced a medical episode and fallen into the River Nidd at Knaresborough.
“Two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle were dispatched to the scene and one patient was conveyed to Harrogate District Hospital.”
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:
“Police were contacted by the ambulance service at just before 4.30pm yesterday in relation to reports of a person in the River Nidd at Knaresborough.
“Officers attended the scene to assist the fire service and ambulance crew.
“The patient was conveyed to hospital in the care of the ambulance service.”
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North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said it was summoned at 4.24pm to the river near Harrogate Road. The log added:
“Crews from Knaresborough and Harrogate responded to a young male in a river. The young male was rescue from the river and transported to hospital via road ambulance.”
The Stray Ferret was contacted by a member of the public who said local dog walker James Warburton had noticed the danger and rushed to help.
We contacted Mr Warburton, who confirmed he was involved but declined to comment further.
First ever nurses’ strike begins at Harrogate hospital
Nurses at Harrogate District Hospital have gone on strike today for the first time ever.
A picket line is in place outside the hospital on Lancaster Park Road for the first of two 12-hour strikes called by the Royal College of Nursing.
Surgical nurses, paediatric nurses and accident and emergency nurses were among those taking part in this morning’s industrial action. Some passing vehicles sounded their horns in support of the strikers.
Amanda Brown and Andy Law, RCN officers from Leeds who joined Harrogate nurses on the picket line this morning, told the Stray Ferret the action was necessary because the NHS is “broken”.
Mr Law added the NHS was short of 47,000 nurses — up by 7,000 on a year ago.
Although the strike will disrupt some services for patients, Ms Brown said people requiring urgent care would not be affected:
“We’ve ensured staffing levels are safe.”
Today’s action is the latest wave of industrial action in the Harrogate district. Ambulance workers, rail workers and postal workers have all been on strike this winter.
Pat Cullen, the RCN’s general secretary and chief executive, has warned the strikes could escalate in the weeks ahead if a settlement isn’t reached.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said “unaffordable” pay rises for nurses would prevent investment in the NHS.
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