Some staff at Harrogate District Hospital are selling their annual leave and applying for further financial help in a desperate bid to make ends meet.

The hospital is allowing NHS workers to trade time off for extra payments until the end of the year, while a hardship fund has also been set up to help with the soaring costs of energy, fuel and food.

This comes at a time when staff are set to vote on strike action over a below-inflation pay offer which unions have described as another real-terms pay cut.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, told a board meeting today that he had “always been against” staff selling annual leave, but the cost of living crisis now meant that providing support was “absolutely vital”.

He said:

“My justification for this is that the financial position of some staff is putting them under more stress than the benefit of having a holiday.”

A total of 17 staff have so far applied for extra payments instead of time off, while 271 applications have been made to the hospital’s hardship fund, which is offering grants of up to £500.

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Wallace Sampson, hospital trust board member and chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, said he had “mixed feelings” about staff being able to sell annual leave as he believes it is “very much needed” to help with their wellbeing.

In response, Mr Coulter said he agreed but this was the preference of some workers and that a five-day limit on the amount of time off that can be traded would ensure staff do get some down time.

He said:

“There is an absolute maximum of five days, so staff can’t sell all of their annual leave.

“We have agreed the policy for this year as a one-off, partly recognising that people have a lot of annual leave because of covid.

“We will need to review the initiatives, but at the moment they are absolutely vital.”

Winter strike possible

His comments come as strike action could span across several months this winter after the Royal College of Midwives union notified hospital bosses that it will ballot its members over pay.

Other unions including GMB and Unison are also said to be making preparations for a vote.

The prospect of staff striking at what is always a busy time for under-strain services in winter has been described as “worrying” by senior officials at Harrogate District Hospital, which has begun making contingency plans.

Around 100 of the hospital’s lowest-paid staff will see an uplift from a rise in the legal minimum wage to £10.90 in October.

However, Dr Suzanne Tyler, executive director at the RCM union, said the government needed to go further and give all workers a better pay rise after its members rejected a 4% increase offer.

Dr Tyler said in a statement:

“Our members have spoken and just like us they believe a below inflation pay award is not good enough, they deserve more.

“The results and turnout speaks volumes about the feelings of a fragile, exhausted, and undervalued workforce, because taking industrial action is always the very last resort for midwives and maternity staff.

“They obviously now see no other alternative to getting a fair and just pay award from their governments.”

Two gritters powered by electricity are to join North Yorkshire’s winter fleet to save money and reduce carbon emissions.

The North Yorkshire County Council-owned company NY Highways has bought the gritters, which are supplied by Dorking-based Bucher Municipal.

According to the council, the vehicles have an anticipated fuel saving of up to 20 per cent compared to standard, diesel-powered gritters. It said in a media release:

“The gritting bodies which deploy the salt will run on an electric battery that can charge in just over 30 minutes. The battery will be able to do multiple runs before needing to be recharged.”

North Yorkshire has a 5,753-mile network of roads. The council’s winter gritting programme to maintain key routes lasts from October to April.

Cllr Keane Duncan

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transportation, said:

“The electric-bodied gritters are a first for the council’s winter service delivery.

“Innovation is high on our agenda and it is another way we are showing our commitment to achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030.

“The two gritters don’t have any hydraulics which mean there’s less chance of mechanical failure. This increased reliability is vital when we are against the clock trying to deliver the best winter service that we can.”

Picture shows: From left, Andrew Park and Chris Mitchell of Bucher Municipal, Nigel Smith, head of highway operations at North Yorkshire County Council, Rory Hanrahan and Craig Winter of NY Highways, and Mike Francis, operations manager at NY Highways.

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The directors of Harrogate-based estate agency Knight Frank have set up an independent business.

The change will see the directors launch a new company with a fresh identity called North Residential.

Harlan Pollitt and Daniel Rigg secured independent ownership of the business after operating in Harrogate for 15 years.

The team will continue to be located on Harrogate’s Albert Street, with the office currently undergoing refurbishment.

Emma Kingham has been promoted to director, Harriet Cheshire has also become a director and Fiona Lippell, who has been with the business for over 15 years, remains office manager.

A statement by North Residential said that although it was independent, it would “maintain an amicable working relationship and continue to collaborate as necessary” with Knight Frank, which operates internationally.

Mr Pollitt said:

“Whilst retaining our position as the leading estate agent in Harrogate, we have plans to invest considerably to expand into more regions over the next few years.

“We are thrilled that our existing, highly valued team, that have become known and respected within the local community over many years, will each have an incentive in helping to make it even more successful.”

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• Harrogate gym to lift one million kilos in memory of Jamie Leese

Members of a Harrogate gym are to attempt to lift one million kilograms to raise money in memory of former client Jamie Leese.

Jamie died in May aged 30 following a long battle with a brain tumour. After his diagnosis at the age of 21, he trained regularly at Fitness Garage with personal trainer Guy Lister.

From midday on October 8, Fitness Garage personal trainers, clients, family and friends will take part in the Lift For Jamie challenge to raise money for Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity.

They will work in pairs to lift their choice of weights — whether that is deadlifts, bench presses or squats.

The event is designed to be inclusive with no time limits or weight requirements for participants.

Andy Gardner, co-owner of Fitness Garage said:

“As a community, we wanted to come together to remember Jamie.

“Given his regular workouts for the nine years he was undergoing treatment, a weightlifting challenge seemed like a fitting tribute to Jamie whilst also raising funds for a charity that was close to his heart and that of his family.”

The event aims to raise £2,500 for the local charity, which supported Jamie during his treatment.

Harrogate district estate agents Verity Frearson are supported the event through their 100 Days of Giving campaign, which supports local causes as part of its 100th anniversary celebrations.

You can donate here.

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More than six weeks have passed since Beech Grove in Harrogate reopened to through traffic.

But the planters that blocked the highway remain by the side of the road — prompting speculation that they might be brought back.

Beech Grove was closed to through traffic for 18 months from February last year to encourage cycling and walking in the area.

When the experimental order implementing the measure expired in August, the planters were moved to the side and traffic could once again use the route to travel between Otley Road and West Park.

A no-through road sign also remains in place, prompting questions about whether measures to restrict traffic on Beech Grove could be brought back.

Beech Grove is regarded as a key part of wider plans to create a traffic-free route for cyclists between Harrogate train station and Cardale Park on Otley Road.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, why the planters and sign had not been removed and whether there were any plans to once again prohibit traffic on Beech Grove.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at the council, said the council was still considering what to do. She said:

“The planters are safely placed at the side of the road but will not be removed until we have considered the potential links from Otley Road to the town centre further.

“The sign was missed in error and we will remove it as soon as possible.”

Last month Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transport, said it would “bring forward a detailed and coordinated plan, connecting active travel initiatives such as Otley Road and Station Gateway together”.

How Beech Grove figures in these plans remains to be seen.

Harrogate’s high care costs are being compounded by the cost of living crisis as bosses warn that they have no choice but to pass on some of the “colossal” price rises to residents.

With care homes being hit by huge increases in energy and food prices, the average weekly cost of a residential care home in the district is now £1,029.

That figure remains the highest in North Yorkshire and is equivalent to almost £54,000 a year.

The climbing costs come at a time of significant workforce pressures as care homes continue to rely upon agency staff and constantly recruit to try to fill vacancies.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of care charity Harrogate Neighbours, described the price rises as “colossal” and said further increases in insurance costs and workers’ wages were adding to the pressures of keeping care services running.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours

She added that the only way for care homes to be able to keep their costs down was for the government to provide more funding and support for services.

Ms Cawthray said:

“There is a serious shortage of funding in health and social care.

“This has been going on year after year and the situation is only getting worse as more people get older and need to go into care.”

After years of funding cuts and promises to fix the broken care system, the government earlier this year announced a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone will have to spend on care over their lifetime.

This was due to be funded by a 1.25% rise in National Insurance, however, the tax rise was reversed by prime minister Liz Truss and funding will now come from general taxation.

The price cap and other measures are to be tested out as part of a “trailblazer” scheme which has seen North Yorkshire County Council chosen as one of six local authorities to introduce the reforms several months ahead of elsewhere.

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There are, however, questions over when this will begin next year and if it will entail a huge bill for the county council.

Aside from the trial, Cllr Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services at the authority, said it was doing “everything possible” to support the care sector, although he added these efforts were being made “within the constraints of the funding allocated by central government”.

He said:

“We continue to make the case to the government for comprehensive reform and funding of social care.

“The council is implementing a three-year deal to address the actual cost of care provided by care homes, ahead of many other local authorities.

“We are now working with the sector on a similar long-term plan for home care.”

Meanwhile, the county council has further plans to build an extra care facility after purchasing a £1.8 million plot of land at Harrogate’s Cardale Park, and there are also proposals to introduce “micro-providers” in more rural areas.

Cllr Harrison added: 

“In the Harrogate area, we are pursuing several projects to try to improve market conditions, including identifying potential new opportunities to provide care directly.

“We are also hoping to see the introduction of micro-providers in rural areas and are working with care providers to pilot new workforce models, attracting people to the sector with the prospect of the rewarding careers which can result from caring for others.”

Springwater School in Starbeck has been rated ‘good’ in a newly published report by Ofsted.

Government inspectors visited the school, which has 97 pupils aged two to 19, in June.

Their report rates the school as ‘outstanding’ in four of the five areas assessed but the overall assessment is ‘good’.

It says leaders at the school, which has pupils with severe or profound learning difficulties, “have very high expectations of how well staff look after the pupils in their care” and that “pupils are given highly personalised support by a team of very caring staff”.

Personal development was described as exceptionally strong and arrangements for safeguarding effective.

The report adds:

“Staff ensure that pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life.

“The learning atmosphere in school is positive. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, try hard when in class. They are keen to join in and eager to learn new things.

“Pupils demonstrate how much they appreciate learning by laughing and smiling.”

Inspectors say pupils receive ‘highly personalised support’.

Sixth form ‘excellent’

Sixth form provision is described as “excellent”. The inspectors said:

“The sixth form curriculum is very well planned. It prepares students for adulthood very effectively. The curriculum includes life skills such as shopping and cooking, as well as important knowledge about how society works. Students also take courses that lead to accreditation. Students in the sixth form are incredibly positive about their experiences of school.”

Staff and leaders’ “holistic approach to managing behaviour” is described as “extremely effective”.

Headteacher Sarah Edwards said:

“The governors and I are delighted with the outcome of the two-day inspection which was rigorous and professionally challenging, as I am sure you would expect.

“I am so pleased that they captured what we as a team already identified as the strengths of the school and its pupils.”

Ms Edwards said the school had worked hard on “developing and implementing a suitable curriculum designed to meet the very diverse needs of all of our learners” since its last inspection in 2019, which raised “some concerns that standards may be declining”.

Ms Edwards thanked staff and added:

“I remain extremely proud of what Springwater delivers. There are four out of five of the judgements at an outstanding level, and the inspection team identified that ‘the quality of education has improved’.

“I am confident that the report and inspection experience captured our strengths brilliantly.

“Springwater is a brilliant place where children thrive and in turn the dedicated staff team have an enormous satisfaction in seeing children and young people flourish regardless of the special educational needs.”

Ms Edwards added there was “an extremely high demand for pupil places at this popular and over subscribed special school”, adding:

“As a result, there continue to be vacancies in support roles and the school would love to hear from any member of the community who would be willing to volunteer, to support pupils to access learning activities and community visits.”

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Police said this evening that a missing Harrogate schoolgirl has been found safe.

North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal for information this afternoon after the girl had failed to return home since Thursday.

But officers said tonight she had been “found safe and well”.

We have consequently updated our coverage by removing details of the girl in order to conceal her identity.

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The RSPCA has said that two dogs who were so thin their ribs were protruding when police seized them are now healthy and seeking new homes.

Rocco, a mastiff, and Smudge, a lurcher, were taken from a home in Harrogate when Robbie Nelson refused to sign them over to the animal welfare charity last year.

A vet who examined the dogs concluded both animals were malnourished.

He gave Rocco a one out of nine score on a body condition test, which is classed as a state of emaciation, while Smudge scored two out of nine.

Robbie Nelson, 24, of Woodfield View, was banned from keeping animals for five years when he appeared in court in July.

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His brother Charlie Nelson, 28, of Woodfield View, Harrogate, was also disqualified from owning pets for five years when he was sentenced this month.

RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton found the dogs underweight and living in accommodation littered with household waste, scrap bikes and dog faeces when he was called out by police to a flat on Starbeck High Street on March 18, 2021.

The flat was covered in dog faeces.

The RSPCA said today that under its care, Rocco and Smudge have returned to a healthy weight and condition and the charity will “now look to find them loving new owners”.

Inspector Hutton said:

“We thank North Yorkshire Police for alerting us to the dreadful situation Rocco and Smudge were in. It meant we were able to rescue them and now we will be able to find them new homes where they are loved and cared for.”

Rocco (left) and Smudge now, looking healthy and seeking new homes.

A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine following a drugs raid by North Yorkshire Police.

Police used a warrant to enter a house in Ripon and seized a large quantity of powder, believed to be cocaine.

According to officers, a number of other items including scales, mobile phones and cash, were also seized during the operation in the south of the city on Friday.

A local man and woman, both in their 20s, were arrested on suspicion of possessing class-A drugs with intent to supply and taken into custody.

They were interviewed and have been released under investigation to allow further enquiries to be carried out, including forensic tests of the substances.

Inspector Penny Taylor said:

“Information from communities is vital to help us tackle drug offending, and I’d urge anyone who has information about drug activity to share it with us.

“All reports are taken seriously and could help us make a real difference in your community.”

Anyone with information about drug dealing in their community can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, and select option 1 to speak to the force control room.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 and the charity will share the information with North Yorkshire Police.

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