The scale of Harrogate’s climate change challenge has been revealed in new figures published as part of a latest consultation.

Residents and businesses have until January 2 to have their say on Harrogate Borough Council’s new carbon reduction strategy which sets out how the district will play its part in cutting emissions to try avoid the devastating effects of global warming.

CO2 emissions have fallen by 32% in the district since 2005, however, it is still producing over one million tonnes per year with a combined annual energy bill of over £400m.

And if the district continues at this current rate, it will have used up its carbon budget – which allows a maximum of 9 million tonnes of CO2 between now and 2050 – 20 years before that end date under national targets.

These figures are why the council’s new strategy says “big and rapid changes” are now needed, not just by local and national leaders, but by everyone.

It said:

“Climate scientists, observing real life data, are clear that the UK is already experiencing disruptive climate change.

“2020 was third warmest, fifth wettest and eighth sunniest on record. No other year has fallen in the top 10 for all three variables in this country.

“Achieving net-zero and meeting our local carbon budget must involve the joint efforts of local authorities, businesses and industry, individual consumers and the rest of the public sector and national government.

“By pulling together partners and strategies, we can deliver a bigger impact than if we act alone.”

Read More: 

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• Green Shoots: The Harrogate wind farm that powers 8,000 homes

This urgent need for action was brought into even sharper focus in October when Harrogate’s first Climate Action Festival was launched in the run up to the COP26 summit.

Organised by the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, the festival highlighted what can be achieved on a local level by residents and businesses before world leaders put forward their pledges at the summit in Glasgow.

Making houses more energy efficient was an important target that came out of COP26 and this will be key for Harrogate which for many years has used more gas and electricity than regional and national averages.

Carbon emissions per person in Harrogate are also higher than the national average.

Domestic energy consumption accounts for 34% of the district’s carbon footprint, while transport emissions account for 31%.

The fumes from diesel and petrol vehicles are a particular area of concern as unlike other declining emissions, the numbers are on the rise.

This is why council officials are pushing ahead with plans to reduce car use through projects such as the £10.9m Harrogate Gateway, the Otley Road cycle path and other active travel schemes which give greater road priority to pedestrians and cyclists.

There is also an aim to get 10,000 electric vehicles on the roads by 2023 ahead of the ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars seven years later.

Out of all the districts in North Yorkshire, Harrogate has seen the largest increase in electric vehicles. However, the council’s strategy says there is still much work to do as most motorists are making the switch from diesel to petrol cars, not electric.

It said:

“An area of concern in the district is road transport emissions which are not declining like other sectors.

“A significant cause of this is likely to be the swing away from the use of diesel vehicles towards higher-CO2 petrol, with the increasing take up of ultra low emission vehicles not yet counteracting this move away from diesel.

“It’s essential the local people and businesses know the direction we are taking.

“We will work closely with the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition to champion carbon reduction measures and raise awareness and simulate action.”

The new carbon reduction strategy will replace the current version which was adopted by the council in October 2019.

To have your say go to www.harrogate.gov.uk/consultations-engagement

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for strong winds across the Harrogate district over the weekend as Storm Arwen hits the north of England.

The yellow warning for Saturday follows a higher amber warning from Friday afternoon for the north east of England and coastal areas.

Storm Arwen is also predicted to bring cold temperatures with the possibility of sleet and snow over some lower ground although it is likely to be short-lived.

Met Office has issued the following advice as to what to expect with a yellow warning:

• Flying debris is likely and could lead to Injuries or danger to life
• Probably damage to trees, temporary structures and buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs
• Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected
• Some roads and bridges likely to close
• There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage

Read more:

• Green Shoots: The Harrogate wind farm that powers 8,000 homes

• Harrogate businesses come together to target net-zero emissions
• Harrogate climate coalition becomes a charity

Ninety eight people have tested positive for covid in the Harrogate district over the past 24 hours, according to data from Public Health England.

The district’s seven day average case rate is now 550.9 (cases per 100,000 population) which is higher than North Yorkshire’s which stands at 545.6.

Earlier this week the seven day case rate in the district fell below the county average for the first time in three months.

Selby has the highest seven day case in North Yorkshire with a figure of 624.6.

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The have been no new deaths at Harrogate District Hospital of patients who tested positive for covid — the number of people in the district who have died of the virus remains at 198.

In the final of a series of articles on crime issues in the Harrogate district, candidates standing to be North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner are questioned on how they will resolve problems with the 101 call system. 

Candidates battling to be named North Yorkshire’s next Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner later this week have pledged to focus on tackling the persistent lengthy 101 call waiting times that have plagued the county’s police force for years.

All of the hopefuls seeking to represent more than 800,000 residents of York and North Yorkshire in holding the county’s police to account say they would launch a review of the service or look to introduce improvements.

The force’s 101 line has regularly struggled to meet demand since it was was introduced in 2011 as a national measure to ease demand on 999, which was being used as a default when people did not know the local non-emergency number.

After a wave of complaints over lengthy call waiting times and large proportions of callers hanging up, in 2015 the then commissioner, Julia Mulligan, issued a review of the 101 service.

After continuing issues in 2018 she announced a £3 million upgrade of the Force Control Room, the recruitment of 32 new full-time staff and new training and tutoring facilities, the cost of which was met by increasing residents’ council tax.

In September, ahead of making controversial comments about women’s safety and resigning, the previous commissioner Philip Allott was told by North Yorkshire County councillors the non-emergency line was “not fit for purpose and it hasn’t been fit for purpose for the last eight years” and that “the phone just doesn’t get answered”.

Labour

Asked about the how she intended to tackle the force’s 101 issue, Labour candidate Emma Scott-Spivey, said she intended to rebuild the frontline, which meant giving police and fire services “all the tools they need to keep us safe”.

“My parents were police officers, dedicated and hard-working public servants. I am a student paramedic working with emergency services day in day out. I know how important it is that our emergency services are properly resourced. Repairing the damage done by chronic government cuts is the biggest challenge the commissioner faces.”

The Harrogate district has recorded another 133 positive covid cases in the past 24 hours according to data from Public Health England.

Harrogate’s coronavirus infection rate has fallen below the North Yorkshire average for the first time in almost three months.

The district’s weekly rate per 100,000 people currently stands at 548.4 – just below the North Yorkshire figure of 551.6 (latest data up to November 19).  Before this, the last time Harrogate’s rate was below the county’s was on 27 August.

Selby has the highest infection rate in North Yorkshire at 637.8 cases per 100,000 people.

There have been no new recorded deaths of patients who tested positive for covid at Harrogate District Hospital.

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The total number of people in the district who have tested positive for covid since the pandemic began now stands at 23, 456.

It comes as everyone in England aged over 40 can now book booster vaccines from today.

Sixteen and 17-year-olds initially offered a single dose can now also book their second after a recommendation from the government’s scientific advisers who concluded it was safe and effective.

The vaccinations can be booked online, or by calling 119.

However, there are still no walk-in sites available in the Harrogate district after local health officials earlier this month said they were working to do so “as soon as possible”.

There have been 83 new positive covid cases in the Harrogate district.

It brings the total number of people who have tested positive for covid in the district since the pandemic began to 23,323.

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Harrogate’s seven day case rate (per 100,000 population) is now lower than the North Yorkshire average at 527.9. North Yorkshire’s is at 535.9. Latest data up to 18 November,

On Friday, the number of people who have died at Harrogate District Hospital from patients who tested positive for coronavirus increased to 198.

As of Tuesday, 23 covid patients were being treated at Harrogate District Hospital.

Yesterday, thousands attended services across the Harrogate district to commemorate the fallen on Remembrance Sunday. Here are some images from two of the largest attended services where people fell silent to pay tribute to those who have died in conflict.

Harrogate:

Ripon: 

With more than 20,000 jobs across hundreds of organisations, the social care sector in North Yorkshire is vast.

Those working in it – including support workers, home managers and nurses – often say it is helping others that makes care one of the most rewarding careers out there.

But there are myths and misconceptions about the sector which the county’s biggest-ever recruitment campaign is now hoping to bust.

The Make Care Matter campaign has launched this week in response to plummeting numbers of job applications for the around 1,000 empty roles in the county, and bosses say changing the image of the struggling sector will be the key to getting it back on its feet.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council said:

“Sometimes the image portrayed is that care workers are not professionals, We feel very strongly that they are, just like doctors, teachers and nurses.
“A career in care really does open doors and offers something for everyone as we have got hundreds of different roles. Care also gives you a future with certainty as it is a growing sector with good prospects.
“We want to bring new people in because there are so many opportunities for people with different skills and interests.
“Now is both the most challenging and best time to get started.”

It is not for young people, it is a job for women and it is unskilled – those are just some of the stereotypes that care careers carry with them.

But take a look behind the scenes and bosses say you will see that people from all types of backgrounds have stepped into the profession, from builders and retail workers to accountants and young graduates.

They also say care can be a “lifetime” career with many opportunities to climb the ladder of progression.

Yet bosses are not hiding away from some of the challenges that the sector is currently facing.

Social care was struggling before the pandemic and its long-standing structural issues have only been exacerbated by the virus outbreak.

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In North Yorkshire, there has been a recent 70% drop in applications for jobs across the county’s 500 providers, some of which are continuing to go out of business due to rising costs.

There is also the issue of compulsory Covid vaccines for frontline staff which has left around 250 workers in limbo after the government deadline passed on Thursday.

Mr Webb said while the council was working to redeploy these staff into other areas, some would see their contracts ended.

He also welcomed progress on the government’s long-awaited promise to fix how the social care system is funded.
Mr Webb said:

“We are looking to redeploy these staff wherever possible rather than lose them completely, and we have found that some at the last minute have had a change of heart and decided to take up the vaccine.
“We also welcome the first stage of the reforms announced recently. There are issues around workforce and pay which we are hopeful the government will address.”

To find out more about the jobs available go to www.makecarematter.co.uk

One hundred and four people have tested positive for covid in the past 24 hours, according to figures released by Public Health England.

It brings the total number of people who have tested positive for the virus in the district to 22,469 since the pandemic began.

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• Anti-vaccine protest at Harrogate roundabout
• Green Shoots: The Harrogate wind farm that powers 8,000 homes

Harrogate has had a consistently high 7-day average case rate (per 100,000 population) in North Yorkshire. It stands at 480 – only the Selby district is higher at 582.7 (latest data up to November 11).

North Yorkshire’s 7-day average case rate is 444.1 – which is above the England average of 363.

The NHS no longer publishes data relating to covid deaths at the weekends.

Since the pandemic began 197 people have died with covid at Harrogate District Hospital.

Can you hang a tune, juggle a bit maybe or do a few nifty dance moves? If so, your town needs you.

Harrogate Business Improvement District, which is made up town centre businesses, is looking for new street entertainers to liven the town up and make shopping a more upbeat experience.

Matthew Chapman the Harrogate BID manager said:

“We are looking for entertainers from all genres whether it be singers, magicians, actors or dancers – anything that will add to the shopping and hospitality  experience – the quirkier the better.”

Harrogate already has regular buskers who knock out Adele or Sinatra classics outside M&S on Cambridge Street in the hope of making money.

Mr Chapman says there’s no move to stop them. The aim is to provide a more consistent offer in the town and place entertainers in different areas, possibly at the rear of Primark on Oxford Street or at the end of Cambridge Street outside HSBC.

The BID has a small budget to support the new performers.

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If you think you’ve got what it takes and want to get involved, get in touch with the BID. Mr Chapman said:

“If people have got videos or YouTube accounts then we can see them perform – or you can email us and come in for an audition. We want to create a vibrant town centre so that people can enjoy the experience as well as the retail and hospitality offerings.”

The BID is keen to trial new performers during the Xmas period and roll it out across next year.

To contact the BID email info@Harrogatebid.co.uk

Do you know that Harrogate has a long history of street entertaining and that in Victorian times it could all get a bit raucous?  Read Harrogate Historian, Malcolm Neesam’s article on the very lively scene that existed in previous centuries.