“Unforeseen circumstances” has led to the start of a £1 million project to replace Oak Beck Bridge being delayed, council officials say.
The scheme, which is planned by North Yorkshire County Council, will see the bridge on the A59 in Harrogate replaced.
Authority officials say the bridge is in poor condition and needs to be replaced.
Work was due to start in January, but a start date for the project has yet to be confirmed.
The Stray Ferret asked the county council when it expects to start work on the scheme.
Philip Richardson, bridges manager at the authority, said:
“We realise the importance of replacing Oak Beck Bridge. Unfortunately we have not been able to progress the scheme as quickly as we would have liked due to unforeseen circumstances and we cannot confirm a start date.
“At the moment our legal team are still in talks over land agreements for the widening and discussions with Yorkshire Water are ongoing in relation to apparatus close to the existing structure.
“Please be assured that we will begin work as soon as we are able and provide suitable notice.”
Read more:
- Harrogate Oak Beck Bridge project to cost £1m
- Harrogate rail campaigner ‘optimistic’ early morning train could be reinstated
Meanwhile, The Stray Ferret reported this week that the project is set to cost taxpayers £1 million.
A contract valued at £1,067,929.93 has been handed to Leeds-based Howard Civil Engineering to demolish, design and build the new bridge.
The company said on its website that work would take 24 weeks and access would be maintained over the bridge.
It said:
“Access over the bridge will be maintained throughout the project, with the exception of night works for surfacing.”
The A59 road on which the bridge is situated is heavily used by traffic, especially by people visiting Aldi, B&Q and Pets at Home on the Oak Beck retail park.
The volume would increase if Tesco is given permission to build on the former gas works site nearby.
Councillors raise concern over Harrogate fire station cutsCouncillors have raised concerns over plans to cut the number of fire engines at Harrogate fire station.
North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, has suggested operating just one fire engine at night as opposed to the current two.
Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee discussed the proposals, which were unveiled as part of a consultation into changes at the fire service.
The station would continue to be resourced with two fire engines during the day but it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am, when fewer incidents usually occur.
The move would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county, and a self-rostering staffing system introduced.
Cllr Robert Windass, who spoke at the constituency committee this morning.
Cllr Robert Windass, who is a former fire fighter, said he welcomed the removal of the tactical response unit which he described as a “total waste of time”.
However, he raised concern over the reduction of crews on a night.
He said:
“My worry is at night time. Night time is when most people die in house fires.
“To have one crew going out, there will be another machine coming from another station. But say it was down at the bottom of Woodfield, the next nearest response vehicle is either going to come from Ripon or from Knaresborough.
“Both of them are part-time, what they call “on-call stations”, where they will get a bleeper going off at home and they would have to go down the fire station before that machine turns a wheel.
“So it’s going to take them quite a few minutes to get to the fire. That concerns me.”
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The committee agreed to invite Ms Metcalfe and the chief fire officer to the next meeting to be quizzed by councillors.
Cllr Chris Aldred said the committee had to get it right before it responds to the consultation.
He said:
“It is so important, as Robert has just stated, that we have a second crew.
“Fires may statistically may not happen that often at night, but as Robert has just said, the ones that do lead to deaths.”
The changes are part of Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service will deploy its people, equipment and resources.
Fire officials told a meeting last month that the proposals would help to save £1.5 million a year from 2025.
Jonathan Foster, interim chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said that the proposals were about investing in “protection and prevention”.
He said:
Flower power to flood Harrogate in summer competition“I stress this very much so, this is about reinvestment back into the on-call duty system to improve overall availability and then also to reinvest in protection and prevention activities so that we can protect the people of North Yorkshire and City of York in a much more effective manner.”
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Flower power to flood Harrogate in summer competition
Town centre shops are pulling out all the stops to take part in a floral competition organised by Harrogate BID.
The Floral Summer of Celebration will see the organisation work with Harrogate in Bloom to stage the contest after a two-year absence.
More than a dozen businesses have already signed up across five categories as they aim to live up to Harrogate’s reputation for floral excellence.
Harrogate BID Manager Matthew Chapman said:
“Harrogate is famed as a floral town, and to mark this wonderful heritage we are staging a Floral Summer of Celebration.
“This will take place between July 15 and August 12, and will see the town centre become home to a floral trail featuring eight unique displays. There will also be an exhibition in Victoria Shopping Centre looking at different aspects of Harrogate’s floral history.
“Floral-themed shop windows will play a big part in this celebration, and we hope as many businesses as possible will participate in the competition.
“We already have more than a dozen businesses signed up, and with three weeks to go, I’m confident they will be joined by plenty more.
“The floral displays will be located across the town centre, and together with dozens of hanging baskets outside town centre businesses, the numerous flower beds maintained by Harrogate Borough Council, more than 200 barrier baskets funded by Harrogate BID, and some specially commissioned floral street art, Harrogate will be a blaze of colour and well worth a visit.”
The project is being supported by Harrogate Borough Council through the government’s Covid-19 business recovery funding.
There are three weeks left for businesses to sign up before judging takes place, with criteria including first impression, overall design, containers’ size and style, and condition of plants.
Read more:
Charity seeks sponsor to maintain vital minibus service
A sponsor is being sought for a vital transport service provided by a Harrogate charity.
Harrogate Skills for Living Centre (HS4LC) runs a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) to enable its service users and residents to get around.
With adaptable seating, it can carry up to two wheelchairs and was in use throughout the pandemic to ensure people could access important services.
Now, a partner is being sought to support the service, which costs £1,500 a month to lease, or to buy a new vehicle for around £35,000. It could carry the sponsor’s branding to show the company is supporting a local charity.
HS4LC CEO Hadyn Moorby-Davies said:
“The WAV is an absolute lifeline for our residents and other service users and frees them from reliance on public transport services.
“During the pandemic, it was the only way some of our residents could get out. Both our care homes use the WAV regularly both for local shopping trips and trips further afield, for instance out to the countryside and coast.
“The only downside is sharing it across services as the demand is always there. In reality we could do with two or even three!”
For more information about sponsoring the vehicle, contact HS4LC.
Until a partner is found, HS4LC continues fundraising to keep the minibus on the road. To donate, visit the JustGiving page.
Man jailed for scamming two Harrogate district women of life savingsA man has been jailed for scamming two Harrogate district women out of more than £450,000 and their entire life savings.
Police say the women were groomed over several months and have been left “absolutely devastated”.
They were called by a person claiming to be from the police, who said their accounts had been compromised.
He advised them to go to their bank and withdraw all their money in cash, which would then be picked up by a ‘police courier’ for safekeeping.
The two victims, whose names and precise locations are not known, were also told to purchase gold bullion with money from their bank accounts and then the gold was collected by the ‘couriers’ to be kept safe.
Ashley Thompson, 26, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for money laundering and fraud by false representation at the Inner London Crown Court yesterday.
Year-long police investigation
North Yorkshire Police received reports a year ago of victims being targeted by the crime, which is known as courier fraud scam.
Officers from the force’s economic crime unit worked with gold dealers to raise awareness of the crime and put other dealers on notice to watch out for suspicious gold sales.
On November 9, they were alerted to Thompson trying to sell one of the gold bullion bars in a London pawnbroker.
Working with City of London Police, two North Yorkshire Police officers travelled to London to arrest him and he was subsequently charged with fraud and money laundering offences.
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In interview, Thompson claimed he had hired a lock-up storage facility and that he had found the gold bar in a bag of tools but had no idea who owned it. He said he had waited to see if anyone claimed it but when no one did, he decided to try and pawn it for cash.
The investigating officers found that Thompson had created fake documents to prove the lock-up facility existed, when in reality it did not.
Victims ‘groomed’ over months
North Yorkshire Police Detective Constable Neil Brodhurst from the force’s economic crime unit, who led the investigation, said:
“Throughout the trial Thompson denied any knowledge of the gold bar’s origin, sticking to his story that he had simply found it in a bag of tools. He also couldn’t explain why he’d gone to the lengths of faking a hire contract for a non-existent lock-up facility to show the pawnbroker.
“The two victims of this courier fraud were absolutely devastated by it. They were groomed over a period of several months with their trust and good nature callously exploited to the extent that they lost their entire life savings to someone claiming to be a police officer.
“We unfortunately see courier fraud targeting North Yorkshire residents time and time again and I’d like to take this opportunity to issue another warning about it. The fraudsters use incredibly calculated and manipulative tactics to convince their victims that they are legitimate police officers or bank officials and will keep going until they get what they want.
“Remember, the police or your bank will never contact you and ask you to move or transfer money and will definitely never ask you to purchase high value items or to hand over your bank cards. Please be on your guard and share this warning with your friends, family and networks.”
DC Brodhurst added he hoped Thompson’s sentence “will serve as some closure for our victims”.
Thompson, of Margery Street, London, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation and was found guilty of money laundering.
He received a 15 month prison sentence for money laundering and a concurrent 6 month sentence for fraud by false representation.
Runners unite to volunteer for community through new Harrogate groupA new project is bringing together fitness, socialising and giving time to the community in Harrogate.
Community Fit will see a group of volunteers get together for a short, social run to a location where they will help out with a project for an hour before running back again.
Organisations to benefit could include charities, schools, community groups or environmental organisations.
Anna Glazier from HADCA said:
“Community Fit ticks all the boxes – being active, socialising, helping others – all of which can improve your sense of wellbeing.
“We aim to be accessible to people who may not yet be regularly active, as well as to committed runners who would like to incorporate something a little bit different into their weekly training.”
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Two trial events have already been held, which saw more than 16 hours of help given by volunteers to the Pinewoods Conservation Group and Artizan Cafe and Creative Space across two evenings.
The new project is a collaboration between North Yorkshire Spot and Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA) which each have a member of staff dedicated to organising it. They said runners at the trial events loved the energy and enthusiasm of the group, as well as how much they could achieve in just an hour when working together.
The first meeting of the group takes place on Wednesday, June 15 at 5.45pm. The group will run around 1-2 miles from Community House on East Parade in Harrogate, returning by around 8pm after the work is complete.
New participants are welcome and do not have to be fast or experienced runners – the journeys will be at a social pace. To register to attend, visit the Community Fit website or find the group on Facebook or Instagram.
Harrogate police officer pleads not guilty to sexual assaultA Harrogate police officer pleaded not guilty in court today after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman.
Joseph McCabe, 27, of Starbeck, is currently suspended from duty as a North Yorkshire Police officer based in Harrogate.
The officer appeared before York Magistrates Court this morning charged with sexual assault by touching. The case concerns an alleged incident at a North Yorkshire property last summer.
Prosecutor Charlotte Dangerfield said Mr McCabe, was allegedly “trying to stroke” the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
It was also alleged that he was pulling at her hair, added Ms Dangerfield. She alleged that Mr McCabe was trying to have sex with the woman who was unwilling.
The defendant’s solicitor, Mr Hague, claimed the incident was “not sexual in nature” and added:
“He [Mr McCabe] thought there was going to be sexual interaction (but) she rejected it and he respected that”.
The magistrate questioned Mr Hague about the relationship between the defendant and the woman. Mr Hague responded and said:
“It had been a friendship for sometime with regular friendly communication, just a typical workplace relationship.”
Mr McCabe is set to appear before York Magistrates Court again on October 11 and has been released on unconditional bail.
Read more:
Fans hopeful new Harrogate Town ticketing system will boost crowds
Harrogate Town fans are optimistic that a new deal with US ticketing giant Ticketmaster will solve some of last season’s problems at the turnstiles.
The club announced this week that Ticketmaster will become its official ticketing partner on a ‘long-term contract’ with immediate effect.
Last season, well-documented problems with the club’s ticketing system soured the matchday experience on occasions and left some fans unable to attend a home match against Stevenage in September.
Throughout the season, fans were unable to buy tickets at the ground after 11am on matchday and tickets were only available online until midnight the night before a game.
It meant the club’s shop on Commercial Street was the only place to pick up a ticket close to kick off.
Read more:
Jordan Ford, Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Group, called the previous system “not fit for purpose” and had put fans off going to games.
He said:
“An improvement in the ticketing system will be welcomed by all supporters. It was apparent that what was in place wasn’t fit for purpose, and no doubt impacted on the number of fans coming to the ground. It’s good to see the club recognising areas of improvement, and this is definitely a positive move for both the club and its fans.”
The club said details on ticket prices for next season will be announced soon.
The new ticketing system is part of a £3.5m investment by chairman Irving Weaver into the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road.
Hamilton Mattock, Harrogate Town ticket office manager, said:
Aaron Bertenshaw’s family to fundraise at Knaresborough Bed Race“We are delighted to have come to an agreement with Ticketmaster Sport and are looking forward to improving our ticket purchasing journey for supporters. Given the problems faced over the 21/22 season, Ticketmaster will make the entire ticketing process much smoother for both staff and supporters with their support and range of solutions. The platform will continue to develop and meet the needs of our fans as we continue with our ambition of growing the crowd.”
The family of Harrogate singer songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw, who died in December, will be raising money for Diabetes UK at this weekend’s Knaresborough Bed Race.
Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, died aged 26 after struggling with diabetes and mental health issues.
Since his death, his mother Sammy Oates has been campaigning to plug the gap in services between people affected by the two conditions.
She is now lending her support to Diabetes UK’s new Diabetes is Serious campaign, which calls on the government to create a national recovery plan to support frontline healthcare teams getting diabetes services back on track after covid.
Ms Oates and Christine Holmes, a volunteer for Diabetes UK, will be part of a team operating a stand at Saturday’s bed race. The stand will provide information about diabetes and raise funds through a raffle and tombola. Tickets can be bought at the Worlds End and Castle Inn pubs in Knaresborough and The Blues Bar in Harrogate.
Supermarket Morrisons has agreed to match fund the sum raised.
(from left) Samantha Oates, Andrew Jones and Christine Holmes at the House of Commons.
Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, who recently met Ms Oates and Ms Holmes at the House of Commons, is expected to draw the winning raffle ticket.
Read more:
- Funeral celebrates life of Harrogate musician Aaron Bertenshaw
- Knaresborough poised for first Bed Race in three years
Mr Jones said in a statement he “strongly supported” the Diabetes Is Serious campaign. He was one of 100 MPs who recently attended an event about it at the Commons. He added:
“Diabetes is a growing issue and has implications across other parts of healthcare including mental health as Samantha’s family story so powerfully shows.
“Samantha has taken an event that is very personal and painful and turned it into a campaign that is public and positive.
“It is impressive. I look forward to attending the Knaresborough Bed Race and supporting Samantha’s raffle raising money for Diabetes UK’s important work.”
Next week is Diabetes Week in the UK
A new Diabetes UK report revealed that 47% of people with diabetes in England experienced difficulties managing their condition in 2021. Sixty-three per cent attributed this in part to not having sufficient access to their healthcare team.
The charity, which organises Diabetes Week next week, said in a statement:
Northern Powergrid criticised over ‘unacceptable’ Storm Arwen failings“Diabetes is serious and isn’t something you can ignore. If people do not receive the care they need, it can put them at risk of serious complications, which can lead to premature death.
“The coronavirus pandemic has created a backlog in the delivery of this routine yet vital care and, despite the tireless efforts of the NHS, many people living with diabetes are still struggling to access it.”
“We’re calling for an urgent recovery plan from the UK Government to tackle these devastating diabetes care delays before it’s too late. Urgent action is required now.”
Energy regulator Ofgem has today published a damning report into how Northern Powergrid handled Storm Arwen.
The storm battered the Harrogate district and much of the UK in November and caused widespread disruption to homes and businesses. Over one million customers lost power as winds hit 98mph.
The storm struck during bitterly cold weather and left some rural homes in the district, including in Beckwithshaw and parts of Nidderdale, unable to cook or heat their homes.
Northern Powergrid is the company responsible for the electricity distribution network across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire.
Six-month review
Ofgem published its findings after a six-month review into how Northern Powergrid, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks and Electricity North West responded to the storm.
The review focused on whether the power outages could have been prevented and whether correct and timely information was given to customers.
A fallen tree in Jennyfields during the storm.
It also looked at whether power was restored quickly enough and how customers were supported after the storm including the processing of compensation payments.
It found some households remained off power for an “unacceptable” amount of time, received poor communication from their network operator and compensation payments took too long.
It highlighted Northern Powergrid in particular for not contacting vulnerable customers prior to the storm.
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Below standards
The report warned Northern Powergrid that the performance at its call centre fell below standards, which could be a breach of licence conditions.
It also suggested that some of the electricity poles that fell onto power lines were susceptible to damage because of their age, although it said this needs further investigation.
Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Ofgem, said:
“The frequency of extreme weather events is only set to increase so it is really important that industry, and those involved more widely, learn from Storm Arwen to better respond in future.”
The three energy firms have already agreed to pay nearly £30m in compensation to affected customers but following the report, they have agreed to pay a further £10.3m.
Read the report in full here.
Northern Powergrid’s response
Phil Jones, chief executive of Northern Powergrid, has published a full response to the Ofgem report on its website.
Mr Jones said:
Reservoir parking costs could cause ‘tremendous problems’ on nearby roads“As we said at the time, we understand how challenging Storm Arwen was for our customers and we are sorry for the difficulty and disruption it caused to their lives. We appreciate the patience that they showed and the dedication of our team who worked through some of the most difficult conditions we have ever faced.
“The extreme nature of the event meant we learned some difficult lessons. It highlighted some limitations in our systems and showed us things we can do to be able to provide a stronger response to more extreme storms. We are committed to doing those things to make the communities that we serve more resilient to extreme weather events.”
Two local councillors have said the proposed introduction of parking charges at three local reservoirs could cause “tremendous” problems for local residents and visitors.
Yesterday, Yorkshire Water announced it would be introducing parking charges at Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross reservoirs on a trial basis.
Comments on social media indicate many people believe parking at these much-loved beauty spots should remain free. Yorkshire Water has said all funds raised will be reinvested in the sites.
Harrogate Borough councillor Victoria Oldham and parish councillor, Graham Hebblethwaite, both felt the charges could put off visitors using the car parks and that they’d park on nearby roads instead.
All three reservoirs are surrounded by farmland and narrow roads. Both councillors believe increased parking on the roads would create traffic problems, be a danger to pedestrians and potentially block the road to farm machinery.
Cllr Victoria Oldham, Conservative councillor for the Washburn ward, said:
“It will cause tremendous problems. I can understand if they are planning to make improvements but these come at an expense to others.
“When you’re out walking in a beautiful environment such as the Washburn Valley you often get distracted by the scenery but putting a timer on parking means some people may miss out on what is around them.”
Cllr Oldham said she’d be willing to talk to Yorkshire Water alongside residents about the plans.
Graham Hebblethwaite, chair of Washburn Parish Council, who lives half a mile from Fewston reservoir said:
“We have white lines on the road but that doesn’t stop people parking on them, I can’t ring 101 every time a car parks on the lines there’s just not enough time. It’s an easy money maker but they don’t have to live with it, it’s locals who will experience the problems.”
The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3, an all day pass for £5 and an annual pass for £30.
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The Harrogate group of ramblers often visit the reservoirs, it said in the short-term it won’t cause problems but as it looks to plan future walks the charges could mean they choose not to start from one of the reservoirs.
Keith Wadd, publicity officer for the group, said:
“Anything that discourages walking in the countryside is a retrograde step. In the longer term it is likely fewer led walks will start from one of the reservoirs.
“The Washburn Valley is virtually inaccessible on public transport so a parking charge could put some people off and makes a place of beauty less accessible.”
Those commenting on social media called for the money to be invested in refurbishing public toilets and removing fallen trees off the land. Yorkshire Water has said the money will go towards the first ever in-house Yorkshire Water ranger team.
The nine rangers will help visitors enjoy their stays, do maintenance jobs and tackle anti-social behaviour that poses a threat to people, wildlife and the environment.
Alastair Harvey, lead countryside and woodland advisor at Yorkshire Water, said:
“We have thought long and hard about the introduction of these charges. We believe we’ve catered for all types of visitors we see. Whether they are looking for a day out or to visit every day to walk their dog.
“As well as improving security and safety at our sites, the parking charges will also be used to fund a variety of conservation, community, and facility improvement projects. It will also help wildlife to thrive on our sites.
“Ultimately, we hope that during the trial we will see incidents of fly tipping and antisocial behaviour decrease; making these sites safer and more enjoyable for people, and more wildlife friendly too. Likewise, we hope that the charges will encourage people to at least consider travelling via public transport, cycle paths, and walking routes rather than by car.”