Harrogate council halts covid business grants

A “very high number” of Harrogate businesses applying for coronavirus support grants could mean the council runs out of cash under one scheme sooner than expected.

Harrogate Borough Council was allocated £4.6m as part of the government’s Additional Restrictions Grant scheme to help firms forced to close during lockdown. So far it has handed out more than £2m in two phases of payments.

It had planned to open a third phase tomorrow but now says this is “on hold” because it is still working through a backlog of applications.

And because the council is not expecting any further grant money from the government under this scheme, it could mean some businesses expecting a third and final payment later this month may not get it.

The council said in a newsletter to businesses:

“We received a very high number of applications in phase two, far more than anticipated, and we are continuing to work hard to complete assessment of these.

“Until we have assessed and awarded all the grants in phase two we are unable to commit to a further grant funding phase.”

The high number of businesses asking for financial support shows how seriously the strain of the pandemic is still being felt in Harrogate’s shutdown sectors of the economy and could mean all of the £4.6m is used up before the third phase is opened.

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Some business owners who had been expecting a third payment told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the grants will be “the difference between survival and closure” for many firms as they also called on the government to provide more support.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We recognise that many businesses across the district are relying on this financial support for their survival, so that’s exactly why we’ve been working as hard as possible to get money out the door.

“In total, across all schemes since the first lockdown, we’ve distributed £70 million to more than 5,000 businesses.

“There are strict criteria for the various grant schemes, and the different phases of those schemes, and we’ve had to make sure businesses are eligible for the support on offer.”

Under another scheme, the Local Restrictions Support Grants, the council was allocated £23m and up to the end of February had paid out £18.5m.

Almost £100,000 has also been paid out to pubs that do not serve food and are eligible for a one-off payment of £1,000.

Harrogate Borough Council said it was now keen to signpost towards the government’s Restart Grant, which will aim to help businesses get back on their feet as lockdown is lifted.

Non-essential retail businesses able to reopen from 5 April will receive grants of up to £6,000, while hospitality and leisure businesses will receive up to £18,000 before they make a full return on 17 May.

For more information go to www.harrogate.gov.uk/business-investment

Work on new Tesco set to begin on Monday

Building work on a new Tesco Express in Killinghall is set to begin on Monday.

The supermarket is to open a store on the site of the former Three Horseshoes pub in the heart of the village on Ripon Road.

Castlehouse Construction, which is carrying out the work, notified residents this week.

It said in a letter to them that work is expected to last for 34 weeks, which would mean a finish date in November. The company is also building four flats.

Demolition of the pub is due to commence on March 29 and take four weeks. The letter adds:

“This operation may cause some noise but we will endeavour to keep this to a minimum.”

In August, Tesco applied for an alcohol licence from 6am to 11pm seven days of the week at the site, which has hosted a pub for 150 years.

A Tesco spokesman said:

“We are pleased to say that work is beginning at our new Killinghall Express store.

“We hope to have the store opened by 2022 but we’ll keep the local community updated as the work continues.”

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A pub has operated on the site for 150 years.

Locals asked the public body Historic England to grant the pub listed status but this was rejected.

The Greyhounds Inn opposite the site has been closed for years, which means the centre of Killinghall could be without a pub when they are allowed to re-open, despite huge growth in the village.

North Yorkshire health chief: Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is safe

A senior NHS official in North Yorkshire today insisted “safety is the number one priority” in the coronavirus vaccine rollout after some European countries paused the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab amid concerns over blood clots.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer of NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said while some patients may be feeling uneasy about receiving the jab, regulators had been “absolutely clear” that it is safe as she urged everyone to take up the opportunity as soon as it arises.

Her bid to reassure the public comes after Germany, France, Italy and Spain joined the list of countries to suspend use of the vaccine while they seek further clarification on its safety.

Speaking at a meeting of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum today, Ms Bloor said:

“We understand that this action may be concerning for some people around the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine but I want to reassure you safety is the number one priority for the NHS.

“The phenomenon of blood clots can occur naturally – they are not an uncommon thing.

“Over 12 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have now been given across England and the number of blood clots that have been reported after having had the vaccine is not greater than the number that would have occurred naturally.”

The European Medicines Agency previously said there was “no indication” that the jab causes blood clots and is expected to release the final findings of an investigation on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the UK’s medicines watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, has also said that evidence “does not suggest” the jab causes clots.

Ms Bloor added:

“Given this, the NHS will continue to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine and we would urge people to come forward when invited.

“This will give us the greatest chance of keeping the cases of covid at bay within communities and hospitals, and also allowing us to progress along those timings that have been outlined in our roadmap.”

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It was also announced today that more than 188,000 people in North Yorkshire have now received their first coronavirus jab and 13,000 their second.

More than 50,000 of those have been delivered at Harrogate’s mass vaccinations centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

Those who are currently being called up for their vaccine include over 50s and those with underlying health conditions between 16 and 60-years-old.

Ms Bloor said the “fantastic” progress in working through the age groups meant North Yorkshire remained on track to meet the government’s target of vaccinating all over 50s by 15 April and every other adult by 31 July.

It comes as the number of people with covid in North Yorkshire’s hospitals has continued to fall with a drop from 129 last week to 96 today. Twenty three of those patients are in intensive care.

In the county’s main hospitals there are currently 13 patients in Harrogate, 25 in York and three in Scarborough.

The weekly rate of coronavirus infections is also continuing on a downward trend with the figure for North Yorkshire standing at 46 cases per 100,000 people and Harrogate 38.

These are both below the national average of 58.

Census will provide an ‘everlasting picture of North Yorkshire during pandemic’

North Yorkshire residents are being urged to complete their census forms this weekend.

The census survey, which happens every 10 years, gives a snapshot of the population at that time and is used to inform local and national government policy.

Households across the county should have received an invitation to take part in the 2021 version, which includes a new question for armed forces veterans and two voluntary questions about gender identity and sexual orientation.

Data from the census will be available in 2022 but no personal data will be released for 100 years.

Sunday is census day and people are being urged to complete the survey, which takes about 20 minutes, as soon as possible after then although it can be done now.

County council leader Carl Les said:

“Everyone benefits from the census. It informs decisions nationally and locally on vital services and issues.

“Ultimately, it ensures millions of pounds are invested in emergency services, mental health care, school places, hospital beds, houses, roads, GPs’ and dentists’ services based on the information people give.

“That’s why it is important to complete the census – to ensure an accurate picture exists to help us to direct our funds and services to the right places.”

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Ruth Dyble, census engagement manager at the Office for National Statistics, said the census would provide “an everlasting picture of North Yorkshire during a pandemic”. She added:

“It’s a great thing to do as a family and quick and easy to complete. I would encourage everyone to make sure their voice is heard and leave a record for future generations.”

 

 

 

Major transport schemes for Harrogate up for debate on Thursday

Four major transport schemes aiming to get Harrogate walking and cycling towards a greener future are set to be debated this week.

North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee will meet on Thursday to discuss the next stages of the £7.9m Station Gateway project, Otley Road cycle path, Beech Grove Low Traffic Neighbourhood and schemes under the government’s Active Travel Fund.

The projects are funded from different sources and are at varying stages of development. But all have the same aim to cut carbon emissions by making the towns more accessible by bike or on foot.

Station Gateway

The Station Gateway project has the potential to be the biggest shake-up in the town centre for decades and a report to Thursday’s meeting says it is focusing on “investment in infrastructure to improve public and sustainable transport connectivity”.

What that means in simple terms is giving priority to pedestrians and cyclists, which could involve Station Parade being reduced to one lane of traffic and the full or partial pedestrianisation of James Street.

Under the plans still being drawn up are also two new bus priority areas at Lower Station Parade and Cheltenham Parade, junction upgrades, new cycle lanes and cycle storage facilities, as well as an increase in safe space for people on foot, new flexible public events spaces and water features.

A consultation on this scheme is underway and once it ends on March 24 the aim is to finalise designs for construction to begin by summer 2022 with completion in 2023.

Otley Road cycle path

The long-delayed Otley Road cycle path project was first unveiled in 2017 as part of a wider £4.6m package of sustainable transport measures for the west of Harrogate.

Four years on and North Yorkshire County Council has still not started construction because of delays with utility works and drawn out discussions over changing byelaws so parts of the Stray can be used for the two-way cycle path.

But the report to Thursday’s meeting says preliminary roadworks are now underway and that it is hoped construction of a first phase could finally start in autumn this year.

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Beech Grove 

The Low Traffic Neighbourhood on Beech Grove caused controversy when it was introduced earlier this year with planters placed on the road to stop through traffic and create quieter streets where residents feel safer walking and cycling.

It has made getting around the area by car more difficult and that is the idea behind it – to drive down car use.

The report to councillors says it should be noted that the Low Traffic Neighbourhood is temporary for now but could become permanent subject to an ongoing consultation, which ends in August.

Active Travel Fund

The final scheme set for debate on Thursday is the Active Travel Fund from which North Yorkshire County Council has received more than £1.2m of government cash to get more people walking and cycling as the nation emerges from the pandemic.

The cash will be used for three projects in Harrogate, including segregated cycle lanes and improved crossings on the A59 between the town and Knaresborough, as well as the same upgrades plus bike storage in the Victoria Avenue area of Harrogate.

There are also plans for cycle lanes and a one-way system for vehicles on Oatlands Drive but this has been met with a hostile response from residents, with 50% of respondents to an online survey strongly opposing the plans.

North Yorkshire County Council previously said it acknowledged the concerns over traffic levels and how much existing cycle lanes are used and added all comments would be taken into account before a final decision is made.

The meeting will start at 10am and can be viewed on the county council’s YouTube channel.

Harrogate buses are the best, says Transport Secretary Grant Shapps

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has held up Harrogate’s bus service as an example of what other places should aspire to.

The government published a national bus strategy yesterday.

Ministers say the strategy ‘will deliver better bus services for passengers across England, through ambitious and far-reaching reform of how services are planned and delivered’.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Shapps said successive governments had failed to invest sufficiently in buses, which carry twice as many passengers as trains. He added:

“Buses can and should also be the transport of choice, in my view.

“London, Brighton and Harrogate have already proved this, with frequent modern services and dedicated lanes attracting millions of journeys a year from the private car.

“We want to do that everywhere throughout the country, yet in most regions outside London services have been in decline for decades.”

The strategy praises the 36 bus that links Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds, which is run by the Harrogate Bus Company.

According to the document, it “offers a sophisticated and comfortable service which has transformed the passenger experience and encouraged people to make the switch to bus”.

The strategy also says bus operators and councils will have to negotiate agreements on how buses are run, which will require local authorities to take greater responsibility for bus services.

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The agreements must be reached by June 30 if buses are to receive further emergency funding from the covid bus services support grant.

Mr Shapps added:

“I can confidently predict that they will all be on board. Local authorities, in collaboration with operators, will then produce bus service improvement plans by the end of October this year.

“Future government financial support will depend on local authorities and operators coming together under an enhanced partnership or franchising agreement.

“For our part, we will work with councils to introduce bus priority schemes this year, and we will roll out marketing to attract millions of new passengers to the network—people who have never used buses before.”

Shadow Transport Secretary Jim McMahon said:

“This strategy should have been used to revolutionise the bus industry, but I am afraid it lacks ambition and does not even touch the sides of the cuts and rocketing prices that passengers have witnessed over the past decade.”

Skipton Road roadwork misery set to end next month

Northern Gas Networks has pledged to finish its long-running Skipton Road roadworks next month after more misery for motorists over the weekend.

The company apologised today after temporary traffic lights failed on Friday night, causing delays.

Highways chief Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, tweeted that Northern Gas Networks should respond “much more promptly” to traffic light failures.

Yes, these are @NGNgas works under @northyorkscc licence. The utility company and its contractor should respond much more promptly to failure of temp lights at this very busy location. https://t.co/wKE2M2qAAl pic.twitter.com/EFhUXmFmZJ

— Don Mackenzie (@Mac1Don) March 13, 2021

Scott Kitchingman, site manager for Northern Gas Networks, said:

“We apologise to road users in Harrogate for the problems with the temporary traffic lights on Skipton Road last Friday.

“The issue was reported to us and a team was sent out to the site as quickly as possible.

“While this has been a complicated project, it is now in its final stages, and we expect all works on Skipton Road to be completed in April.”

Skipton Road is one of the busiest roads in Harrogate.

Northern Gas Networks began work replacing metal pipes with plastic ones in July last year.

Four-way traffic lights caused tailbacks not only on Skipton Road but also on adjoining King’s Road and Woodfield Road.

Work was due to end in November but was eventually paused in October and recommenced in January.

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Bilton Working Men’s Club submitted a claim for loss of earnings last year because the roadworks made it more difficult for people to get to the building, and led some people to think it was shut.

Separate roadworks are likely to cause delays in Knaresborough this week.

Temporary traffic lights are in place on Manor Road and the B6163, adding to congestion on Thistle Hill.
Both sets of works are expected to be finished by the end of the week.
The work on Manor Road is being carried out by Yorkshire Water and the work on the B6163 is by North Yorkshire County Council.

 

North Yorkshire Police: no action after Sarah Everard vigil in York

North Yorkshire Police said today it hasn’t taken any action against people who gathered at York Minster on Saturday for a candlelight vigil in memory of Sarah Everard.

Met Police chief Dame Cressida Dick has faced calls to resign over its handling of a vigil on London’s Clapham Common on Saturday, where officers handcuffed women and removed them from the gathering.

But there were no similar scenes in York on Saturday night.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Around 150-200 people attended a candlelit vigil outside York Minster on Saturday evening in memory of Sarah.

“Officers allowed people to lay flowers whilst ensuring that the gathering took place in a safe and lawful way.

“No enforcement action was taken against anyone in attendance and most people had left the area by around 6.30pm.

“Our thoughts are with Sarah’s loved ones at this very sad time.”

Met Police officer Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with Ms Everard’s murder.

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‘Create low emission zone in Harrogate’

A bus company has called for Harrogate to introduce a low emission zone as part of the debate about the proposed £7.9 million Station Gateway project.

If adopted, only low polluting hybrid and electric vehicles would have access to Lower Station Parade, which runs alongside the town’s bus station.

The Station Gateway project is a government-funded scheme to regenerate the town centre and promote sustainable travel.

Consultation is ongoing, and Alex Hornby, chief executive of the Harrogate Bus Company, a subsidiary of Transdev, said a low emission zone should be created covering the town’s bus station and Lower Station Parade alongside it.

Currently, Lower Station Parade is a one-way street with two lanes of traffic, both of which are open to all road users.

He said:

“While we see the Station Gateway proposals as a positive step towards our shared aim of a low emission town, we must go further for Harrogate’s future by making the most of this tremendous opportunity.

“The creation of a low emission zone, covering the current bus station, plus Lower Station Parade which currently divides the bus and rail stations from the main shopping area, is vital if we are serious about improving Harrogate’s air quality.”

Mr Hornby said the company’s electric buses had improved air quality but more needed to be done:

“The proposed bus priority measures at Lower Station Parade and Cheltenham Parade – the first such measures to be put forward in the town’s history – are a positive start, and are to be welcomed, but by themselves are unlikely to go far enough to achieve Harrogate Borough Council’s stated aim of creating a net-zero carbon economy by 2038.”

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Mr Hornby added previous consultations had shown a majority of the public supported non-car solutions to traffic problems and “now is the time for bold thinking”.

A partnership of North Yorkshire local authorities has secured £31 million from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities fund for three separate projects in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby.

The aim is to finalise designs and start construction work by summer 2022, with completion in 2023.

An online consultation into the Station Gateway proposals runs until Wednesday 24 March 2021. You can take part here:

Could Harrogate’s Queen Victoria monument be moved?

Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam has raised concerns the £7.8 million Station Gateway project could lead to the town’s Queen Victoria monument being moved.

The white marble monument on Station Parade was given to the town in 1887 and has looked down on many generations since.

But a consultation on the proposed gateway project, which would radically alter Station Parade, asks people for their views on moving the monument.

The consultation says:

“We have proposed changes to the way the space around the monument is used.

“These changes do not require the monument be moved but we would welcome people’s thoughts on whether this is the best location for the monument.

“We appreciate this monument is very important to the community and any plans to move it would require extensive and meaningful engagement with the public and key stakeholders.”

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Mr Neesam said he understood that in 1887, when Richard Ellis presented the statue, he inserted several covenants into the deed of gift, requiring that if any attempt were made to move the statue, the land should be offered back to the Ellis family.

It is not known whether the Ellis family still has any links with Harrogate but any attempt to move it could be problematic.

Karl Battersby, director of business and environmental services at North Yorkshire County Council, which is one of the councils behind the gateway project, said:

“The proposals put forward for consultation do not require the Queen Victoria monument to be moved.

“It is not our intention to move the monument, nor is it necessary to the scheme.”

Asked whether he was satisfied with the statement, Mr Neesam said:

“I am not re-assured by this statement. If they have no intention of moving the statue, why invite public opinion?”