North Yorkshire’s devolution deal: What’s in it and how will it work?

The historic devolution deal struck between North Yorkshire and the government on Monday will bring millions of pounds into the county — but it could have been more.

Signed off by Greg Clark, secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, the 32-page document promises £540 million over 30 years.

It will also see North Yorkshire and York join other major counties and cities in getting its own mayor and a combined authority to oversee the funding.

Local leaders have lauded the deal as an opportunity not to be missed, but analysis of the document shows it could have offered more.

Guaranteed funding

In 2020, officials at North Yorkshire County Council started discussions with government over the potential for a devolution deal for the county and City of York Council.

This culminated in a 140-page document being drawn up listing the requests for new powers and funding from Whitehall.

It was formally submitted in January 2021 and included proposals such as a £750 million mayoral funding pot over 25 years and more powers over skills, transport and energy.

The funding pot, known as “gainshare”, is guaranteed annual funding from central government.

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Fast-forward 18 months and the fruits of the negotiations between ministers and council bosses have produced something slightly different.

Instead of the requested £750 million funding pot over 25 years, £540 million over 30 years has been agreed.

The initial proposal tabled by council bosses would have seen £25 million a year come into North Yorkshire and York – instead it will be £18 million.

North Yorkshire County Council's offices in Northallerton.

North Yorkshire County Council’s offices in Northallerton.

However, more power over skills and transport will be devolved.

It will see whoever is elected mayor and the new combined authority have control over the adult education budget and the ability to draw up its own transport strategy.

Control over bus franchising has also been granted to the county and the power to set up Mayoral Development Corporations, which have the power to buy land for housing or employment to regenerate a defined area.

Much of the deal echoes what was given to Tees Valley in 2015, whose Conservative mayor Ben Houchen has since exercised his economic development powers to buy Teesside International Airport and Redcar Steelworks.

Extra funding for homes 

Aside from the £540 million over three decades, funding has also been allocated for specific areas.

For example, ministers have awarded £12.7 million towards building homes on brownfield sites over the first two financial years of its existence.

A further £2.65 million has been allocated specifically for low carbon and affordable housing.

It suggests that ministers were more happy to part with cash on housing schemes under the deal than in other areas.

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The only other area in the deal awarded specific funding was £7 million to “drive green economic growth” towards the ambition of creating a carbon negative county.

However, this cash is subject to a business case being submitted to government.

No Harrogate Convention Centre money

While the deal offers funding for the wider county, much of the detail on specific towns and areas amounts to “commitments to engage” or mentions already announced cash for schemes.

Harrogate itself is mentioned four times in the document. Three of those mentions are for the A59 Kex Gill realignment and Station Gateway projects, which are underway. Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge, Boroughbridge and Masham are not mentioned.

The fourth time Harrogate is mentioned is for Harrogate Convention Centre.

As previously reported, funding for a £47 million upgrade of the centre was requested. But although the centre is mentioned in the devolution document, funding was not pledged.

However, the deal is a provisional agreement and it remains to be seen where the funding will go when the mayor and combined authority is established.

‘Very relieved’

Much of the deal is years in the making for those who have sat around the negotiating table with ministers.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said he was relieved to have signed off on the provisional agreement with ministers.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m very relieved that we have got to this point. We have now got to explain it to the public.”

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

A glance at the main points of the deal shows the government willing to part with millions of pounds worth of funding on the condition that a new layer of governance is set up to oversee it.

For the IPPR North think tank, the new money is welcomed and “should be seized”.

However, Rosie Lockwood, head of advocacy at the think tank, pointed out that cuts due to austerity meant North Yorkshire still faced a difficult future.

She said:

“A devolution deal which unlocks funding and transfers powers from Whitehall to North Yorkshire and York is good news for communities across the area. This is an opportunity to be seized.

“But North Yorkshire and York will face challenges as it moves forward, not least because local government has already been eroded by austerity. We can’t forget that the north saw a £413 per person drop in annual council service spending over the austerity decade.”

What happens now?

Despite the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, putting his signature to the deal, it will still require approval from both North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council.

A public consultation will also be carried out on the devolution deal in the coming months.

From there, the councils can then undertake a governance review to set up the combined authority and mayor, should councillors back the deal.

If all goes ahead, a combined authority for North Yorkshire and York could be in place by autumn next year and a mayor elected in May 2024.

Business Breakfast: Ripon BID launches training hub for teenagers

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Ripon BID has launched a training hub with the aim of bringing students and local businesses together.

The Ripon Apprenticeship & Training Hub (RATH) will help engage 14-16 year olds into the work place to promote career development, soft skills and good work ethics.

RATH has been set up by the Ripon Business Improvement District (BID) which was established last year.

The BID said that through paid work placements and close mentoring, students will learn good working standards at the very start of their career paths and businesses will be able to access staff when needed.

Annette Duffy, BID Director and RATH lead says

“We’ve employed students for a few years now with great results. Our recruits have lots of enthusiasm and are keen to learn and I love watching them grown in confidence.

This is an exciting new hub to accelerate these opportunities for local businesses and school children. The website is live and opportunities are already online.”

Alexander Pickering, Ripon Grammar School student on a Specsavers placement adds

“I was thrilled to play a small part in a much bigger team of people at Specsavers, in helping to save someone’s sight. I never expected to learn so much and achieve something so worthwhile during my work experience.”

RATH will be attending the Summer FunFest day on August 18 at Studley Cricket Club and is encouraging students to come down, have a go at the activities and talk to the team about work and training opportunities.

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Cheese auction raises money for Samaritans

Cheese lovers at the Great Yorkshire Show raised over £5,500 for the Samaritans which will go towards supporting rural communities in need.

An auction is held every year in the Cheese and Dairy Section of the Great Yorkshire Show, giving visitors the chance to bid for a round of their favourite cheese.

This year’s auction raised £5,579 which will go to The Samaritan’s Regional Rural Initiative for the benefit of rural communities.

Alison Lumley from the Samaritans of Yorkshire & Humberside Rural Initiative said:

“Thank you for such a generous donation to Samaritans of Yorkshire & Humberside Rural Initiative. The Samaritans understand that those involved in farming or living in rural communities are especially likely to experience isolation and loneliness, on top of all the pressures of work. We know that talking to someone confidentially about your feelings without fear of judgement can be a massive help.

This donation will be used to support our work raising awareness of the benefits to mental health of talking and of the availability of our 24/7, free to access emotional support service.”

The Samaritans can be contacted on the phone free on 116 123 or email  jo@samaritans.org .

 

Harrogate’s Grove House set for £15m transformation into care and community facility

One of Harrogate’s most historic buildings looks set to be brought back to life as a major new care home and community facility.

Grove House, a grade two listed building opposite the fire station on Skipton Road, was the home of Victorian inventor, philanthropist and mayor Samson Fox.

The building was then used as a hospital during the First World War and shortly afterwards was acquired by the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.

Grove House

Grove House

Harrogate’s Graeme Lee, chief executive of Springfield Healthcare, bought the six-acre site from the Buffaloes three years ago for more than £3m.

Mr Lee, whose company owns six care homes, including Harcourt Gardens in Harrogate, now wants to invest £15m to create what he calls “the holy grail of care”, combining high quality facilities for residents with extensive community use.

He told the Stray Ferret he expects to secure planning permission this autumn after lengthy negotiations with Harrogate Borough Council and begin work in spring next year.

Work is expected to last 18 months, meaning the project could be ready by January 2025.

How the 70-bed facility alongside Grove House will look.

Under the plans, Grove House will be converted to accommodate 23 independent living apartments. In addition, a 70-bed care home and eight houses providing supported living for over-65s will be built on land alongside Grove House.

Schoolchildren from nearby Grove Road Community Primary School will be invited to participate regularly in activities alongside residents and use the gardens for study and play.

The school, which doesn’t have any grass play areas for pupils, has already used the site for its summer sports day this year.

Mr Lee also wants to host an annual garden party for the community on the site.

Grove House

An artist’s impression of how the site will look.

He said the currently disused site would be brought back to life and become “one of the best examples of developing relationships between older people and young people in the UK”.

He added:

“We are in a difficult period. As a business owner in Harrogate I want to do all I can to help the community.

“I’m driven by that and Grove House achieves that by giving back to the community and school.

“My 28 years in care has led me to this.”

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Harrogate Town’s new women’s manager leaves suddenly

The manager of Harrogate Town‘s women’s team has left — five days after his appointment was announced.

The club issued a press release last week saying Liam Cope had taken over the reins and had already recruited several players. He was also due to help with  player development.

But today a Town spokesman said “the agreement has since been ended and we are looking to recruit again”.

Cope, who has managed Ossett Town Ladies and been assistant manager at Leeds United Women, was due to arrive with a backroom team including a nutritionist and goalkeeping coach.

He said his ambition was to take the club to the next stage up the football pyramid by reaching the Women’s National League.

But the role is being advertised again. The closing date for applicants is Tuesday next week.

The Stray Ferret asked the club why Mr Cope had left suddenly and whether his backroom team would also not be joining the club.

A club spokesman said he understood “the club and Liam had mutually agreed that it would be best for him not to continue in the role”.

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Harrogate Town Ladies currently play in the North East Regional Women’s Football League, which is one step below the Women’s National League Division One North.

They play home matches on the 3G pitch at Rossett Sports Centre, with their first fixture scheduled to be at home to South Shields on September 4.

Mr Cope said it was a fantastic club and he didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone at it.

But he added it was a club “in a state of transition” and “I’m not at a stage in my life where I can join a club in transition”. He added he “wasn’t aware of the size of the project” when he agreed to take on the role.

 

Owners of missing dachshund Maggie joyful she’s back home

The owners of Maggie, the miniature dachshund who was taken from her home in Harrogate, said she’s well and fully recovered from her ordeal.

Maggie went missing from Laurie and Paul Smith’s home on Swan Road on Monday morning.  A neighbour’s CCTV had captured images of a woman the Smiths believed snatched her from the front garden.

The couple began a frantic hunt for their missing pet and posted the CCTV images on social media. A huge response led the couple to a house on Oakdale Avenue, half a mile from their home, where they believed Maggie was. The Smiths called the police who recovered their dog.

Paul told the Stray Ferret that Maggie is now safe but shaken by her ordeal:

“We are elated and enormously relieved. Number one we found her; number two she isn’t harmed. Last night Maggie was a bit disturbed – she wouldn’t sleep in her travel cage which is where she normally likes to sleep.

“This morning though she seems fine.”

The hunt for Maggie went viral with thousands of engagements on social media. Paul said he has had reservations about social media but on this occasion it was a fantastic tool:

“A lot of my opinions about social media have all been negative but this was one of ringing endorsement.

The community of Harrogate came together and even further afield across the UK. We’d like to thank everyone involved.”

The Smiths are now looking into how they can use GPS technology to keep Maggie safe and say their attitudes towards her have changed. They won’t let her trot about and give her as much freedom, they said.

Officers are speaking to a woman as they work to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to email Paul.Southgate@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference number 12220135089

Maggie resting on her pink blanket at home last night

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Transdev offers £1 fares if you travel with grandparent

Bus company Transdev is offering young people journeys across the north for £1 — as long as they take a grandparent.

The company said its Go with Granny offer aimed to bridge the generation gap by encouraging older people to use their concessionary travel passes while taking grandchildren with them.

Transdev, which is the parent company of the Harrogate Bus Company, operates routes in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, giving families a chance to go on long day trips for just £1.

The offer is for one weekend only — on Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14 — and applies to young people under 19.

The company said in a statement today that many people will struggle this summer to find the money to take their grandchildren on a day trip.

Transdev chief executive Alex Hornby said:

“We know everyone is trying to keep their spending down this summer, especially with energy bills due to rise again in October.

“At the same time, the school holidays often see grans — and grandads too — looking after the grandchildren while mum and dad are at work, and we don’t see why they should have to stay at home.

“By offering young people the chance to go with granny on the bus, we want to help bridge the generation gap and make sure everyone has the chance to enjoy an amazing two days filled with magical memories.”

A video featuring the deal can be found here.

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Harrogate support group launched for pupils moving up from primary to secondary school

A Harrogate therapy centre is launching a support group for pupils moving up from primary to secondary school in the wake of the pandemic.

Created by The Harlow’s new psychotherapeutic counsellor Laura Keay, ‘Stepping Up’ is a programme aimed at providing children with an environment of “listening, sharing and empowerment”, so that they can embrace this change.

Ms Keay works with adults and has a specialism in children and young people at the centre at Cardale Park.

She has worked with people suffering from a wide range of issues including anxiety, stress, social anxiety, exam pressure, harmful eating, self-esteem issues and bullying.

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She said:

“Moving from primary school into secondary education can be a huge challenge for young people; even more so when we take into account the last few years of educational disruption due to the pandemic.

“The whole premise behind Stepping Up is to give children the tools to navigate this change and thrive in their new environment.”

Stepping Up will also support parents and guardians. It will help them understand the stages of child development and gain insight into effective language and behaviours that will support the confidence of their child through this key stage.

With a maximum group size of eight – with one parent or guardian per child – Stepping Up involves five two-hour sessions at £20 per session.

For more information call 01423 595000 or email info@theharlow.co.uk.

Firefighters called to blaze at factory in Birstwith

Firefighters were called to Birstwith this morning when a drying plant in a food factory went up in flames.

Crews from Ripon and Knaresborough went to Kerry Ingredients shortly before 7am this morning.

They used breathing apparatus and hose reel jets to tackle the fire.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said:

“There was damage to the drying equipment and pipework. The cause of the fire is not confirmed.”

Firefighters left the site by 9.18am.

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Harrogate man charged with strangling and ABH

A Harrogate man has appeared in court charged with intentionally strangling a woman and causing her actual bodily harm.

Gavin McClure, 53, of Avenue Grove, Starbeck, is alleged to have assaulted the female on Saturday night.

He was also charged with threatening to kill the woman, who was named in court.

Mr McClure appeared at York Magistrates Court on Monday, when the case was adjourned for trial by jury at York Crown Court on August 30.

Mr McClure, who did not enter a plea to the charges, was denied bail and remanded in custody.

He did, however, plead guilty to a further charge of possession of cannabis at Harrogate police station on Sunday.

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Business Breakfast: Manager appointed to Knaresborough’s new community bank

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Newcastle Building Society has appointed Heather Pearman to manage its new community branch in Knaresborough which opened in July.

Since the last bank in the town was closed in 2021,  the building society said it had worked closely with the borough and county councils to restore banking access.

The building society said its community branch, inside Knaresborough library, showed its commitment to maintaining a high street presence across North Yorkshire.

Heather Pearman joins with over 10 years’ experience in financial services, having previously worked for Knaresborough’s Bradford & Bingley and Santander branches for 15 years.

She said:

“The people of Knaresborough have been crying out for the return of financial services to this thriving market town and we hope the arrival of our community branch will deliver the essential support they’ve been missing.

“After some time away from Knaresborough it’s a privilege to return to the town I love, and engage with some of the familiar and new faces that make this town such a jewel in North Yorkshire’s crown.

I look forward to integrating our new community branch into the heart of Knaresborough and delivering the much-needed local financial facilities for people and businesses in our area.”

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Harrogate solicitors, McCormicks, is the main sponsor for this year’s 28th annual Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards.

The awards mark the achievements of outstanding young people aged under 35 and nominations are now open. Organisers say the winners don’t need to be famous, they can be completely unknown but have achieved something amazing for themselves or their community.

Chairman Peter McCormick OBE said: “This year has already seen some terrific achievements by young people from Yorkshire but we want to hear about more!”

The Awards dinner will be held for the first time since 2019 on Thursday 17 November at the Centenary Pavilion at Leeds United’s Elland Road ground and is the main fundraiser for the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation which makes grants to young people and organisations supporting them across the region.

The nomination categories are as follows:

The Awards have raised more than £1.3m for young people and projects helping them across the region and anyone nominate a potential winner. Simply visit the Awards website at www.yorkshireyoungachievers.co.uk. The closing date for entries is Friday 2 September.