Harrogate district’s leisure and housing companies ‘will transfer’ to North Yorkshire Council

Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed its leisure and housing companies will be transferred to the new North Yorkshire Council, but questions remain over what will happen thereafter.

Brimhams Active and Bracewell Homes were launched in the last three years with the backing of just under £11 million from taxpayers.

The borough council said in a statement this week that “there are no plans to change how they’re currently run, albeit they will transfer” when the authority is abolished next April.

This comes as council officers from across North Yorkshire are working together on county-wide plans for how all services will work when they come under the control of the new North Yorkshire Council.

Currently, housing and leisure services across the seven districts are run in different ways through arm’s-length companies, management firms, charity trusts and by the local councils themselves.

Councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said the correct decision-making process would be followed for the future of services and that he would not be drawn on whether it would be better to scrap the current set-ups.

He said:

“Leisure and housing are two of our work streams going forward for the next 10 months and it would be wrong to try and prejudge what recommendations are going to be made for the new council to adopt.

“These are two important issues and we recognise that Harrogate has companies doing these pieces of work.

“But this has to be fed into our ongoing work which will then give recommendations to the executive and wider council.”

Brimhams Active launched last August when it took over control of leisure centres and swimming pools in Harrogate, Starbeck, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

‘New vision’

Harrogate Borough Council hailed the move as a “new vision for the future” of services and said it would save around £400,000 a year through business rates relief and VAT benefits.

Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the council’s opposition Liberal Democrat group and Brimhams Active board member, said the company has so far been a success despite challenges with covid closures and staffing shortages:

“Several local authorities have stopped even providing leisure services, it is not a compulsory service.

“Setting up Brimhams Active has meant the council continues to offer and develop the service for the benefit of our residents.”

However, Cllr Marsh was less praiseworthy of Bracewell Homes which launched in 2019 with the aims of turning the council a profit and delivering much-needed affordable homes.

She said:

“I had hoped that Bracewell Homes would deliver social housing, but that has not happened. It was never the kind of housing company that I was arguing for.”

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Confirming both companies will be transferred to the new council, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We are working collectively with the county council and neighbouring district councils to ensure a smooth transition to the new authority on 1 April.

“Part of this work involves looking at local authority controlled companies such as Brimhams Active and Bracewell Homes.

“Decisions on what they might look like in the future will be made by North Yorkshire Council.”

Woman dies following car crash in Harrogate district

A 92-year-old woman has died after being involved in a serious car crash in the Harrogate district at the weekend.

The crash happened just after 8pm on Saturday at the crossroads of Spring Road, Moor Lane and Wharf Lane in Netherby, which is near Harewood, on the fringes of the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire Police said after the incident that the woman had sustained serious injuries and today confirmed she had died in hospital. It said:

“Sadly the 92-year-old woman who was a passenger has passed away in hospital. Her family have been informed, our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

“We are continuing to appeal for information following this collision.”

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The collision involved a navy-coloured Jeep Cherokee and a Blue Volkswagen T-Cross.

The Jeep Cherokee was travelling down Moor Lane towards Spring Road and the Volkswagen was heading east to west on Spring Road.

Police are asking for anyone who witnessed the accident, saw the vehicles prior to the incident or have dash cam footage that may be relevant to contact them.

You can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for 917 Jon Moss, of the major collision investigation team. Or email Jon.Moss@northyorkshire.police.uk.

The crime reference number is 12220091836.

How stressful is it managing Harrogate Town?

Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver has had many nerve-wracking moments during his 13 years on the touchline at Wetherby Road.

But he was recently fitted with a monitor to see how a 90-minute match affects his heart, in an experiment captured by Sky Sports.

Weaver was fitted with a heart monitor at The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate before the club’s final game of the season against Sutton United on May 7.

The game promised to be an emotional one as it was the last game for veteran midfielder Lloyd Kerry before he retired.

One moment in particular, where Jack Diamond rounded the keeper only to see his shot hit the post, saw the exasperated gaffer put his head in his hands.

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The cardiologist Professor Chris Gale showed Weaver the results of the heart monitor after the game, which thankfully showed his ticker was healthy and in good condition.

There were a few peaks, such as when Diamond hit the post and the manager’s heart rate rose to 115bpm.

Weaver told Sky Sports after the game:

“Now I know my heart’s in good nick, it comes as a relief. It’s interesting how excited you can get during a game. It can really raise that heartbeat so I have to stay fit to do this job.

“I try and transmit a bit of calm to the lads, we have our moments where we get a bit too excitable. It doesn’t do the players any favours if I’m off the Richter scale!”

Click here to watch the full video.

Decision on Harrogate town council could take two years

A decision on whether to create a Harrogate town council is unlikely to be made until at least 2024, a meeting heard last night.

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council, outlined the lengthy legal process to members of Harrogate Civic Society.

Mr Sampson said North Yorkshire Council, which comes into existence on April 1 next year, would have to undertake a community governance review before any changes to Harrogate’s governance can take place.

This would involve two stages of consultation, likely to take place next year, followed by a final recommendation on whether to approve a town council.

If approved, a legal order would be made, followed by other processes before implementation.

Harrogate civic society meeting

Last night’s meeting.

Speaking at last night’s packed meeting, at which he and Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, discussed local government reorganisation and devolution, Mr Sampson said:

“It’s really difficult to say how long that process will take but our best guess is 15 months to two years. If it happened by 2024 that would be a good timeframe.”

Mr Sampson also said elections for a mayor for the combined North Yorkshire and York regions would “probably” take place in 2024.

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Last night’s meeting discussed the implications of the momentous changes brought about by North Yorkshire devolution and local government reorganisation.

Harrogate Borough Council and six other district councils, along with North Yorkshire County Council, will be abolished next year when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into being on April 1.

8,000 council staff

Eight thousand staff will be brought together into what will be one of the largest councils in the UK, in a move estimated to save about £30m a year.

The loss of Harrogate Borough Council has led to concerns that Harrogate may lack a political voice after the changes, with most key decisions set to be made by North Yorkshire Council in Northallerton.

Last month Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader for Harrogate and Knaresborough, called for the process to create a Harrogate town council to begin “as soon as possible, within the next couple of months” but this seems unlikely to happen.

Philip Broadbank, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harrogate Starbeck on North Yorkshire County Council, attended last night’s meeting and said afterwards the party would continue to push for the process “to be done as quickly as possible” but he accepted it would take time.

Cllr Swift told the meeting that Harrogate Borough Council’s civic centre at Knapping Mount “won’t be a white elephant” after the authority is abolished and would continue to be used by staff employed by North Yorkshire Council. He said:

“It’s going to continue to save you £1m a year forever.”

Ofsted returns to St Aidan’s for ‘very positive’ monitoring visit

Ofsted inspectors were back at St. Aidan’s Church of England High School for their first monitoring visit last week, following the school’s ‘inadequate’ report this year.

The report was published in January and was highly critical of the school’s leadership and management. It said pupils are “at risk of harm” due to its safeguarding measures.

The school was rated ‘good’ in four of the five areas assessed during September’s two-day visit. These were: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and sixth form provision.

But its ‘inadequate’ grading for leadership and management meant it automatically achieved the same overall outcome.

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Schools that receive an ‘inadequate’ rating are subject to regular monitoring visits by inspectors to check on progress.

A full inspection will take place within 30 months of the last report.

A St Aidan’s spokesperson said the school will provide more information about the visit before the end of term, but it was a “very positive experience” overall.

They said:

“As a result of our most recently published Ofsted inspection report, St Aidan’s is subject to monitoring visits to assess progress against our statement of action.

“We were pleased to welcome Ofsted back for the first of their monitoring visits recently. While this was a very positive experience we are unable, as is standard practice, to share any further details at this stage. We are hopeful that we will be able to provide more information before the end of term.

“We would also like to pass on our thanks and gratitude to our staff, children and young people, parents and carers, and all stakeholders, for their on-going support in making St Aidan’s the very special place that it is.”

Key planning document delayed for west Harrogate residents facing 4,000 new homes

Residents worried that west Harrogate won’t be able to cope with thousands of new homes are facing further delays to see another key document on how under strain services should be improved.

The West Harrogate Parameters Plan was met with dismay when it was approved by Harrogate Borough Council in February after almost two years of work between council officers and housing developers.

It was criticised as a “developers’ charter” by locals who said the long-delayed plan failed to recognise the pressure that around 2,500 new homes will put on the area’s roads, schools and health services.

And now a delivery strategy on when proposed improvements will be carried out and how much they will cost has been hit by yet more delays.

The West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy was due for completion in May – but the borough council has now failed to say whether it will be approved before the end of the year.

Cllr Howard West, chairman of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council, said he had “little faith” in the outcome of the delivery strategy, but added he was prepared to accept the latest delays if it “yields the infrastructure we need”.

He said:

“Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council has offered to cooperate with Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council from day one regarding highway infrastructure for the new settlement on Harrogate’s Western Arc.

“Our offers of continuous involvement have constantly been rebuffed with a ‘we know best’ attitude that allows only a token consultation once the draft has already been made.”

West Harrogate was identified for major expansion during the creation of the district’s Local Plan when a government inspector ordered the parameters plan to be made.

Once complete, both the delivery strategy and parameters plan will be used together to shape decisions on how west Harrogate will cope with 2,500 new homes – although as many as 4,000 properties are set to be built in the wider area by 2035.

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There are proposals for two new primary schools and four playing pitches, as well as two new local centres for shops and health services.

Land has also been designated for other businesses, as well as new cycle lanes, footpaths and bus routes.

As part of the delivery strategy, a review of existing infrastructure is being carried out ahead of the document being published in draft form during a public consultation.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said it aims to publish the draft document in mid-July, but did not say when it could be signed off.

The spokesperson said:

“Since the completion of the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, we have been working with our appointed consultants to prepare the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy document.

“This has included topic based discussions with technical officers on matters such as education, sports and green space, transport and health alongside phasing and trajectory input from site promoters.

“We are currently in the process of pulling this information together to provide a document to help the long term coordination of infrastructure across the west Harrogate sites.

“We intend to hold an information session with local stakeholder groups in mid-July to present the draft West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy document, with a further session scheduled for autumn before the document is signed off.”

MPs watch: ‘anger’ over partygate and Northern Ireland politics

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

This month, historic elections in Northern Ireland saw Sinn Fein become the largest party and the Sue Gray Downing Street parties report was finally published.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but, as usual, we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found out on Mr Jones:

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Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

Two senior promotions at Harrogate law firm Raworths

Harrogate law firm Raworths has announced two senior promotions in its commercial team.

Jon Healey, who leads the corporate and commercial team, has been promoted to partner of the firm.

Matthew Hill has been made head of commercial client services, after Simon Morris became managing partner in April. Mr Hill will also continue in his role as head of dispute resolution. 

He said:

“Raworths’ commercial team has considerable breadth and our clients benefit from a genuinely collaborative approach.

“I am looking forward to continuing Simon’s great work in overseeing the delivery of outstanding client service”

He also congratulated Mr Healey on his promotion, adding:

“Since joining Raworths in 2019 his expertise and leadership have been invaluable to our clients and the wider team.” 

Raworths has been based in Harrogate for over 125 years.

Samaritans of Harrogate calls for donations from local businesses

Samaritans of Harrogate has called for local businesses to donate prizes for its upcoming charity golf day.  

The event, on June 24, will be the charity’s first golf day since 2019 due to covid. 

It has asked local businesses to donate prizes in sets of four, such as hampers and food vouchers. They will be awarded to the winning golf teams or used to make up the raffle.  

Fundraising co-ordinator Carol Chapman said:  

“The involvement of local businesses would help us to raise vital and much needed funds to keep this service running, which is run solely by local volunteers.

“We are extremely grateful for any donations from local businesses that help us achieve this.”

Members of the public can enter as teams of four for the golf competition, with five places left to fill. 

The event will begin at 1:30pm at Harrogate Golf Club and will continue into the evening, with raffle prizes being announced at the clubhouse.  

In 2019, the golf day raised almost £6,000 for the charity, which contributed to the £35,000 a year needed to keep the charity running.  

Samaritans offers a confidential phone service for people feeling distressed or who are struggling with their mental health.  

The Harrogate branch has around 120 volunteers who listen and offer advice to callers, as well as helping with fundraising events.  

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Bilton’s Peter the Peacock living his best life in Lancashire

Bilton’s Peter the Peacock is now happily living among fellow peacocks on a farm in Lancashire.

Peter had wandered around the Tennyson Avenue area for years and was considered part of Bilton. Facebook and Twitter accounts were set up in honour of the enigmatic bird.

But in June last year Peter vanished, which shocked the local community.

It emerged a resident had contacted the RSPCA about Peter after he was seen limping, and the colourful creature was whisked away to the vets for treatment.

Residents in Bilton mobilised and considered launching a campaign to bring the bird back. Bilton councillor Paul Haslam even offered to rehome him on his farm.

But their efforts were in vain, as the RSPCA said they had already found a new home for him.

A year on from the saga, the Stray Ferret asked the RSPCA for an update on Peter, and it’s good news.

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After visiting the vets, Peter crossed the Pennines for rehab with a specialist keeper in Lancashire.

He has since been happily rehomed on a farm with other peacocks, also in Lancashire.

His new owner said:

“Peter is doing really well and he enjoys wandering around on 400 acres of nearby farm land. He no longer limps on his right leg and he enjoys sleeping in his own barn.

“He tends to keep himself to himself but has the company of three other peacocks when he is feeling sociable. We love having him and are delighted that he is happy here.”

An RSPCA spokesperson said it’s the “perfect home” for Peter:

“Peter lived for many years on his own but was found to be injured.

“He was returned to full health in our care and a new home was found with many other peacocks for company where he will be able to spend the rest of his days.

“We are grateful to the residents who cared for him but it would have been illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to release him back into the wild in Bilton because peacocks are classed as a non-native species. Fortunately, we were able to find him the perfect place to live in Lancashire.”

Bilton Working Men’s Club decides on new name

Bilton Working Men’s Club is to be renamed Bilton Club in an attempt to broaden its appeal.

The club revealed last month it planned to change its name for the first time since it was founded in 1913.

Names such as The Bilton and The Club @Bilton were among those suggested.

But Alan Huddart, the club treasurer, said the choice of Bilton Club was almost unanimous and would probably come into effect at the start of July. He said:

“We want to make the club as inclusive as possible.”

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The club has also appointed Phil Smith to the newly created post of manager.

Mr Huddart said Mr Smith, who previously managed Sports Direct in Harrogate, would be responsible for the day-to-day running of the club, which is on Skipton Road.

He will also be involved in moves to convert some of the unused space on the first and second floors into commercial and residential use.

Mr Huddart said the club was expecting “huge increases” in its energy bills and needed to find ways to generate more income.

Anyone can visit the club but members, who pay £10 to join and then an annual £10 fee, are entitled to 50p off the price of a pint. Membership costs half as much for seniors.