Council plans to bring North Yorkshire leisure services in-house

North Yorkshire Council looks set to bring the entirety of its leisure services in-house.

The move would consolidate its operators, including Brimhams Active, into an in-house service over the next four years.

North Yorkshire Council’s transition overview and scrutiny committee will consider the proposal at a meeting on Monday (December 4).

Cllr Simon Myers, executive councillor for culture, arts and housing at North Yorkshire Council, said:

“The strategic leisure review provides us with an exciting opportunity to transform the delivery of our leisure service and improve outcomes for communities across North Yorkshire.

“What we are recommending puts us at the forefront of a national movement to transform services with a renewed focus on physical and mental health and wider well-being.”

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The recommendations follow the first phase of the council’s strategic leisure review, which includedinput from communities and sports groups, as well as organisations such as Sport England and North Yorkshire Sport.

A cross-party working group of councillors visited sites throughout North Yorkshire and their feedback also informed the proposals.

The council said the proposals will build on current best practice, expertise and experience and aim to transform leisure centres into sport and active well-being hubs.

Meanwhile, a report to the committee also recommends carrying out a leisure investment strategy, which will include a review of each leisure site.

The report added:

“This will build on the work already undertaken from the asset condition surveys and will consider further the condition of each site, future role and sustainability as a part of the new delivery model.”

The move comes as Brimhams Active, which was set up by the former Harrogate Borough Council in 2021, recently completed multi-million pound refurbishments at the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre and Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The company was set up following a strategic review carried out by the borough council, which recommended a local authority controlled company called Brimhams Active be formed to run leisure services in the district.

Its sites include Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre, Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre, the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon and Nidderdale Leisure and Wellness Centre in Pateley Bridge.

Harrogate Christmas Fayre takes shape ahead of return this week

The installation of Harrogate Christmas Fayre is underway ahead of its return this week.

The fayre, which will run for 17 days, will feature 50 trade stalls around Cambridge Street selling festive food and drink, gifts, jewellery, homeware and more.

There will also be carol singers and live entertainment.

Families also can look forward to the return of the Candy Cane Express road train, which takes them on a ride around the town centre, as well as an open-top bus with a tour guide to learn about Harrogate‘s landmarks.

The Candy Cane Express. Credit: Smart Avenue Media

The Christmas fayre was extended to run over three weekends, rather than two as previously, in April this year.

Organisers Destination Harrogate and Market Place Europe announced the news after local hoteliers and businesses called for an extension to support them further.

In the announcement, John McGivern, events manager at Destination Harrogate, said the extension would provide “an excellent opportunity to boost our visitor economy even further at a crucial time of year.”

The Harrogate Christmas Fayre will return on Friday, December 1.

It will run from 10am – 7pm from Monday to Saturday, and 11am – 4pm on Sundays.

Harrogate Ice Rink. Credit: Smart Avenue Media

Harrogate Ice Rink, which will also return on Friday, will be in Crescent Gardens along with a carousel, bungee trampolines and game stalls as part of the fayre.

In addition, the festive Little Bird Market can be found in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens on Saturdays and Sundays between 2 and 17 December.

Read our Christmas market guide here to find out which festive events are happening near you.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate PR agency joins B Corp ethical elite

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

Harrogate PR agency Cause UK has achieved the prestigious B Corp certification.

B Corp is a certification awarded for ongoing commitment to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Cause UK was established in 2010 by sisters Clair and Ann Challenor-Chadwick, and specialises in supporting organisations that have positive impact. Its clients operate in the arts, charity, social enterprise, and public sector. The team also supports ethical businesses.

Clair said:

“B Corp is a rigorous process that demands Cause UK meets the highest standards of social responsibility and environmental stewardship. So, we’re incredibly proud to meet this milestone.”

B Corporations are accredited by B Lab, a non-profit network that works to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. Its international network of organisations supports a collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.

B Corp certification is awarded to businesses that strive to balance purpose and profit, using their operations as a force for good.

Harrogate companies that have already achieved the certification include Harrogate Spring Water and lifestyle brand NEOM Organics.

Clair added:

“In 2024, we aim to represent more businesses in order to afford us to support more good causes. We believe most businesses now take responsibility for people and planet, and we’re keen to work with those who share these values as part of our five-year growth strategy.”

Sponsors lend names to Harrogate Town stands

Harrogate Town unveiled two new stands last night for its League Two clash with Wrexham. 

The PIB Insurance stand is brand new and large enough to host a record away crowd, and the new-look Myrings stand now has seating behind the goal in what was previously an all-standing section. 

Ross Barnitt, a senior director at PIB, said:  

“Back in the 2015 season I was fortunate to witness Town achieve their highest ever league finish to secure play-offs in the National League North. At the same time, PIB was formed with its first two employees. 

“In the years that followed, Town have written their own history with impressive promotions to the National League and then the Football League, and PIB have grown to more than 4,000 employees across eight countries. 

“Our shared commitment to supporting local communities and shared passion for excellence makes us very proud to partner with Harrogate Town at this exciting time in their history.” 

Harrogate estate agent Myrings is a long-time supporter of Harrogate Town. Managing director Gemma Myring said: 

“Myrings are extremely proud to unveil the amazing new stand for home supporters. This marks yet another terrific milestone on the Club’s journey into Sky Bet League Two of the Football League along the road to the next promotion. Just in time for their home fixture vs Wrexham too!” 

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Pannal dental practice stops treating adults on NHS

A Harrogate dental clinic will no longer provide a full NHS service next year because it says it cannot afford to. 

Pannal Dental Clinic (PDC) sent letters at the weekend to its patients to let them know of the new arrangements.

The letter, which has been seen by the Stray Ferret, said: 

“As of the 1st January 2024, our team will cease to provide NHS care for adults. Instead, we will be able to provide your dental care on a private basis and to aid this transition we have introduced a patient membership plan.” 

The change came as a shock to some patients, including Pannal resident Petra Turner.

She told the Stray Ferret: 

“A number of Pannal and Burn Bridge residents are now finding that they have to join the PDC dental plan or stay on as a pay-as-you-go (a lot of money) patient in order to stay on their list.” 

She added: 

“We (a family of four) have been with this practice for 22 years. If the three adults in our family were to join the PDC basic plan, we would have to pay £750 a year. This would include two dental check-ups and two hygienist appointments per person. A very nice hourly rate.” 

But Dr Greg Cadman, owner and principal dentist at PDC, said he had no choice but to reduce the NHS contract. 

Under a system introduced in 2006, any dental practice working to an NHS contract must fulfil a target of units of dental activity (UDAs) set by the Integrated Care Board (ICB) that gave it the contract. 

A check-up is worth one UDA, but a filling is worth three. Confusingly, multiple fillings in one visit still count as three UDAs.

Earlier this year, Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee called the UDA system “not fit for purpose”. 

Pannal Dental Clinic has failed to meet its targets in three of the last four years, and missing them carries a penalty known as a “clawback”, where the ICB can claim back the value of the underachieved units.

As a result, the practice had to pay back a large sum of money. 

Dr Cadman said: 

“We are not terminating our NHS contract – we are reducing it and prioritising children.

“We lost a couple of associates due to them wanting to work privately, and another went on maternity leave. With staffing levels like that, it became impossible to hit the target.

“There’s no clawback if you fulfil 90% of your UDAs, but we hit 89.7% – just 0.3% off the target – so we were hit with a full clawback of tens of thousands of pounds that had to be paid within just three months.”

He said the problem had been exacerbated by the recruitment crisis in the NHS, which had grown more acute since Brexit and the Covid pandemic. He said: 

“There always used to be dentists who would take on NHS work, but now many are finding it too difficult under the current system. We’ve advertised for new NHS dentists in numerous places for six months – without a single applicant. Even dental nurses are hard to find.

“There’s definitely still a place for the NHS – it’s really important, and I don’t want to see it go. But for practices like ours, working within it is very difficult.”

The reduction in PDC’s NHS contract is symptomatic of a national trend. The British Dental Association has said that NHS dentistry is facing a “genuine crisis” of access.

A YouGov survey in March 2023 found that one in five people in the UK (22%) are currently not registered with a dentist, and of these, 37% said this was because they couldn’t find an NHS dentist.

One in 10 (10%) even admitted to attempting their own dental work.

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Dutch lifestyle brand takes last empty unit on James Street

The last empty shop unit on James Street in Harrogate has been let to a fast-growing Dutch lifestyle brand. 

Rituals will open in early 2024 at 34 James Street, between Hoopers and Hotel Chocolat, in the unit formerly occupied by jewellers Ernest Jones. 

The company sells “home and body cosmetics”, which according to its website are “inspired by the wisdom and traditions of ancient cultures”. 

The shop unit was marketed by Leeds-based property consultants Central Retail. Director Tom Limbert said: 

“Rituals is a high-end, luxurious brand with fabulous products, so will add to the already strong tenant mix on James Street. 

“Having also been responsible for the recent transactions of Mint Velvet relocating to the former Joules unit, and Cornish Bakery taking the former Paperchase, we’re delighted to see James Street fully occupied and looking back to its best.” 

Rituals was founded in 2000 in Amsterdam and has since grown into a multinational concern. It has more than 900 stores in 33 countries and is still expanding. 

It currently has more than 60 stores and concessions in the UK and has plans to open 25 more next year across the UK and Ireland, of which the Harrogate shop will be one of the first.

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The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal: The story of Dementia Forward

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise money for a minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget who needs our help this Christmas.

Today, we hear the story of Dementia Forward.

“I sometimes feel national charities have lost touch with local communities.

“The need for dementia support was huge and the funding was usually decided in London.

“We felt we could do a better job by being rooted in the community.”

It was this realisation that prompted Jill Quinn to improve local dementia support in the Harrogate district.

Jill, who previously worked for two national dementia charities, said she “wasted many years in retail management” before realising that the voluntary sector was where she belonged.

Dementia Forward was born in 2012 after Jill and other founding members left their previous healthcare jobs on a Friday and launched the charity the following Monday morning.

The team places need at the centre of the charity – something that can’t be done 200 miles away. She added:

“People know when they put their pound in the pot, they’d be getting better services in the local area.

“You can’t design a service to be delivered in the local area from an office in London.”

Dementia Forward began with just seven members of staff. The team was donated second-hand laptops and worked from a small office in Ripon.

Kathy Patton, one of the founding members, added:

“We knew from working at a national scale what clients really want and needed, so we set up local activities – like the hub club and coffee mornings.

“It was our dream to have a hub building like we do now.”

George Armitage House – the flagship hub in Burton Leonard – was donated to Dementia Forward by a lady who had previously lived there. After her husband died, she wanted the money from his estate to go to something meaningful – and so the team’s first hub was born.

Some of the Dementia Forward team.

Things were looking bright for Dementia Forward and the team was right – there was a huge need for local dementia support. Within just 18 months, the charity was commissioned to cover three areas of North Yorkshire. A decade later, Dementia Forward now covers the entire county.

The charity now employs more than 60 staff members, has 250 volunteers and helps 4,500 families.

Dementia Forward offers unrivalled support for those suffering with these life-changing diseases and their carers. It hosts weekly social events and groups for people to attend, as well as community groups and cafés.

The charity also has a young onset group – known as Time Out Together – which helps those who have developed symptoms of dementia under the age of 65.

People enjoy puzzles, board games and quizzes. They sing together, go on trips to the beach, walking excursions, art gallery visits and much more.

There is a certain sense of family that runs through Dementia Forward and it is clear the demand for its help and companionship is only growing.

It provides a lifeline for families and carers that are losing their loved one before their eyes.

However, the charity can only continue its amazing work with the help of charitable donations.

Kathy added:

“Every penny donated will go towards improving the lives of our clients. The money goes to them rather than the machine of a charity.”

Without Dementia Forward and its services, many people would have nowhere to turn.

Please give generously and support this vital local organisation. Nobody deserves what these families are facing – especially at Christmas.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and improving the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going.

Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need.

Please click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or your friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Let’s not forget who needs our help this Christmas. Thank you.

The NHS found that one in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK are living with dementia. If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

 

Fraudster who targeted Harrogate woman for hundreds of thousands of pounds jailed

A serial fraudster who manipulated a Harrogate woman into giving him hundreds of thousands of pounds has been jailed.

Marc Raven, 61, claimed he was a successful businessman, and deceived the victim into marrying him and selling her home.

Raven, of no fixed address, caused “immeasurable damage” to her and her family, York Crown Court heard.

He pleaded guilty to fraud against two women.

Raven, who had also been known as Marc Bookey, Marc Cohen and Marc Stewart, met one of the victims through a dating app in January 2018, and they were married by October.

Raven told her he had a large amount of money in a Singaporean bank account that he was having difficulty accessing. He encouraged her to sell her home in Harrogate and use the money to live on, making her believe they would soon be buying a property worth more than £1 million.

Meanwhile, he was taking money from her, with the promise he would pay her back when his money arrived. They made offers on a number of houses, but this would never progress, with Raven blaming the sellers.

Between June 2018 and May 2019, the victim had transferred him more than £200,000. She had to declare herself bankrupt and move in with family.

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Raven was arrested by North Yorkshire Police. During the course of their investigation into him, officers discovered another victim in Singapore.

Raven had begun a relationship with her in 2016, and the following year he contacted her to say he had been hospitalised in Dubai, and needed money to pay medical fees and customs fines. 

In reality, Raven was fit and well in the UK. Between July 2017 and August 2018, the victim transferred about £100,000 to Raven.

When interviewed by police, Raven continued to claim that he had money in Singapore. As part of the investigation, international financial enquiries were carried out there, showing his claims were false.

‘Immeasurable damage’

In a personal statement read at court yesterday, the daughter of the woman Raven married said: 

“The damage Marc has done to my family is immeasurable, and no punishment will ever repair the damage he’s done to my mum. I just hope that he’s unable to cause this much harm and pain to anyone again.”

Raven was jailed for eight years and one month.

DC Neil Brodhurst, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Raven was a serial fraudster, who lied again and again to obtain money from women he was in a relationship with. It’s no exaggeration to say his deception has shattered lives.

“While nothing can undo the damage he has caused, I hope that this result can at least bring about some closure for the victims. And it will ensure that no one else can ever be taken in by his lies, or forced to suffer what they have endured.

“Financial abuse is a form of domestic abuse. It can happen to anyone of any age. Sometimes it can take a long time for victims to realise what is happening. But if you feel uncomfortable about how someone you know is behaving with your money, they may be financially abusing you.

“It’s not easy to take the first step to break free of financial abuse, but you will not be alone – the police are here to support you. Call us on 101. We will talk to you in confidence about the help that’s available.”

Councillors push ahead with scaled-back £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway

Senior Conservative councillors have agreed to drastically scale-back Harrogate’s £11.2m Station Gateway in an effort to rescue the troubled scheme.

This morning North Yorkshire Council’s executive said it will remove the part-pedestrianisation of James Street from the plans and will end its hopes of reducing Station Parade to single lane traffic so it can build cycle lanes.

The council said a rethink was needed because Harrogate-based property firm Hornbeam Park Developments, which owns several commercial properties on James Street, issued a legal challenge in the summer that left the original vision in tatters.

The council admitted that it made a technical error during the consultation stages of the proposal.

It means the council’s flagship active travel scheme for Harrogate is still set to go ahead but may only include a redeveloped One Arch and Station Square, better traffic signals, a bus lane on lower Station Parade, new paving for pedestrians and cycling parking at Harrogate Station.

North Yorkshire Council said it will explore the possibility of creating south-bound segregated cycle on Station Parade although this is not guaranteed.

The council is also developing gateway schemes in Skipton and Selby worth a combined £42m with funding from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

The council’s executive member for highways, Cllr Keane Duncan, said today:  

“Delivering capital projects of this scale in an era of high inflation and supply chain issues is not straightforward and not easy. It’s important we as an executive do not shy away from that reality. It’s important we are clear and realistic about what we can achieve.

“Our revised proposals focus on the core elements with the most public support and are built on cross-party engagement and frank and honest conversations.

“We are not reneging on the ambition and scale of our overall vision. The update today represents positive progress and puts us in the best possible position to deliver this landmark package of investment whilst avoid potential pitfalls, delays and constraints that we’re being very honest about.”

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Due to inflation, the Station Gateway project will still use its entire £11.2m budget, despite key elements being removed.

A report that went before councillors ahead of today’s meeting warned there are financial risks in developing a revised scheme.

This point was reiterated by executive member for finance, Cllr Gareth Dadd, who said the authority could be left “on the hook” if costs spiral.

The Department for Transport previously insisted that all projects must be built before March 2025.

This leaves a tight window for the council to get the project finished in time. The council also does not know if the government will agree to the changes.

The council must now undertake more public consultation, publish updated Traffic Regulation Orders and submit a new business case to West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which won the initial funding. It expects this process to take another five months.

If the business case is approved next summer, construction could begin by Autumn 2024.

Woman in 70s injured following Harrogate collision

A woman in her 70s has suffered injuries following a collision on Skipton Road in Harrogate.

The incident happened at the Texaco garage at 9:45am yesterday (November 27) when a Vauxhall Corsa collided with a pedestrian who was crossing the road.

The pedestrian, a woman in her 70s, is receiving treatment in hospital.

North Yorkshire Police is now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage to gather further information.

In a statement, the force said:

“The pedestrian suffered injuries following the collision and is receiving treatment in hospital.

“The driver of the Corsa is assisting officers with their investigation.

“Anyone who witnessed the collision, saw the vehicle involved or the pedestrian in the moments leading up to it, or has dashcam footage, is urged to make contact with North Yorkshire Police if they have not already done so.

“Please email ian.mckenzie@northyorkshire.police.uk  or phone 101 quoting reference number 12230225350 when passing on information.”

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First human case of swine flu strain in UK detected in North Yorkshire

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced the first human trace of the influenza A(H1N2)v strain was detected in a North Yorkshire patient.

The disease, which is commonly known as swine flu, is similar to flu viruses currently circulating in pigs in the UK.

The UKHSA said yesterday that the strain was detected during a routine flu inspection undertaken with the Royal College of General Practitioners and is the first human case to be detected in the UK.

It said the individual was tested by their GP after “experience respiratory symptoms”, adding:

“Influenza A(H1N2)v virus was detected by UKHSA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and characterised using genome sequencing.

“The individual concerned experienced a mild illness and has fully recovered.”

The source of infection has not yet been discovered and the case remains under investigation.

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Anyone experience respiratory symptoms is advised to avoid contact with other people while symptoms persist – particularly the elderly and those with existing medical conditions.

The UK Health Security Agency also said:

“As is usual early in emerging infection events, UKHSA is working closely with partners to determine the characteristics of the pathogen and assess the risk to human health.

“UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely and is taking steps to increase surveillance within existing programmes involving GP surgeries and hospitals in parts of North Yorkshire.

“To assist in the detection of cases and assessment of transmission, those people who are contacted and asked to test are encouraged to do so.”

The last outbreak of swine flu was in 2009; a virus spreading through pigs and birds caused a subsequent pandemic in humans in the UK.

The UKHSA said there have been 50 human cases of influenza A(H1N2)v reported globally since 2005 – none of which are “genetically related” to the most recent strain.

Chief veterinary office, Christine Middlemiss, added:

“We know that some diseases of animals can be transferred to humans – which is why high standards of animal health, welfare and biosecurity are so important.

“Through our animal and human surveillance systems we work together to protect everyone. In this case we are providing specialist veterinary and scientific knowledge to support the UKHSA investigation. Pig keepers must also report any suspicion of swine flu in their herds to their local vet immediately.”