Senior staff could get pay rises totalling around £133,000

Some of the most senior staff at Harrogate Borough Council could be in line for pay rises totalling around £133,000 between them.

The authority has proposed a new senior management pay structure with increases to the upper salary limits for 17 top earners including the chief executive Wallace Sampson, two directors and several heads of service and managers.

Mr Sampson is the highest paid member of staff and could see his upper limit increased to £130,000 under the proposals, which were supported by the council’s human resources committee on Wednesday and will require a final approval from full council next month.

It follows a review by the Local Government Association (LGA) and Yorkshire and Humber Employers Association, which concluded the recruitment and retention of senior staff was challenging and that pay was a factor.

The review looked at council salary levels elsewhere in the region, as well as Harrogate’s cost of living, and proposed several pay rises to be introduced from 1 July.

These will not apply to mainstream staff who had their pay structure reviewed two years ago and are currently in negotiations for a further rise.

Speaking at a meeting on Wednesday, Kay Atherton, head of organisational development and improvement at the council, explained:

“In 2019, as part of the National Joint Council pay agreement, a new pay structure was agreed for mainstream staff where some staff did see an uplift in pay.

“That pay structure was to address the issues of low pay – which it did.

“At this point in time, because we have only reviewed the pay structure for mainstream staff recently, we don’t feel we need to do that again.”

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Under the proposals for senior staff, the vacant position of director of community would be scrapped after Paul Campbell suddenly stepped down last spring and was paid £55,065 in compensation for loss of office after three and half years in the role

His responsibilities – which included emergency planning, housing, parks, and health and safety – have since been shared between the other two directors and this arrangement is likely to continue.

Rachel Bowles is director of corporate affairs, while Trevor Watson is director of economy and culture, and he could see his title renamed as director of economy, environment and housing under the proposed changes.

The pair would also see their upper salary limits increased from £92,194 to £100,000, although this is only an upper limit and how much they and all other senior staff actually earn is based on a grading system.

Meanwhile, Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre, would remain on the same £104,502 salary, while the managing director of the council’s new leisure company Brimhams Active, Mark Tweedie, could earn up to £76,350.

For the 12 heads of service, the upper limit would be boosted from £63,584 to £75,000.

Meanwhile, some managers, including those in charge of communications and engagement, elections, and democratic services will see no increase in their upper pay limit.

All council workers last received an across-the-board 2.75% pay rise in August, but union officials have issued a warning over the “perception” by lower-paid workers and the public of reviewing senior staff pay now.

In response to the LGA review, Unison Harrogate said in a statement:

“Whilst we do not dispute the legitimacy of the senior management proposal, perception is something that does need to be factored in.

“Staff, who have recently been offered a derisory 1.5% pay rise, will understandably question why a senior management review is happening much quicker than one for the majority of staff, which seems way off in the future.

“It is our expectation that the council gets on with the pay and grading review for mainstream staff now, prioritises it and delivers on it in a much quicker time frame than is being proposed.”

Live: Harrogate traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Friday, I’m back this morning with updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links you rely on in the morning.

It’s Leah with you today.

Temporary traffic lights, train delays and traffic hotspots are all included in our blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group.

If you are experiencing delays, and it is safe to do so, please let us know or social media or call 01423 276197.

9am – Full Update

That’s it from me this morning, I will be back with you from 6.30 on Monday, with updates every 25 minutes.

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Harrogate Convention Centre events still on despite lockdown delay

The first events back at the Harrogate Convention Centre are still set to go ahead despite the lockdown delay.

Home and Gift Buyers Festival and the Manchester Furniture Festival will both be in the convention centre from July 18 to July 21.

It will mean the event will run for one day before the coronavirus restrictions are potentially eased on July 19.

Clarion Events, which is organising the events, has said it is working closely with local authorities to ensure it is safe.

Visitors will be asked to provide a negative lateral flow coronavirus test on the door or proof of double vaccination and wear a face mask.

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There will be wider aisles, increased ventilation and daily cleaning regimines to try and prevent the spread of coronavirus as well.

Entry to both the Home and Gift Buyers Festival and the Manchester Furniture Festival is free. Visitors will need to register attendance here.

Show director Russell Rule said:

“With the backing of our key customers, venue, and local authorities, we can see that the appetite and enthusiasm is there for an in-person buying and selling event.

“There is great excitement from both exhibitors and visitors to reconnect in Harrogate.”

Mayfield Grove: crime concerns to be aired this afternoon

Police and council officers are holding a drop-in session this afternoon to address concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour around Harrogate’s Mayfield Grove.

People on Mayfield Grove and nearby Mayfield Terrace, Strawberry Dale, Nydd Vale Road and Nydd Vale Terrace have long-term concerns about criminality in the area, which is just a short walk from the town centre.

North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council issued a three-month closure order on 38 Mayfield Grove in March.

The authorities can apply to a court for a closure order on a premises if they have concerns about antisocial behaviour and criminal behaviour.

With the order expiring this month, a letter sent to homes in the area said today’s outdoor community engagement drop-in session would enable police and council representatives to talk to residents “regarding 38 Mayfield Grove, the closure notice and future steps”.

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It is being held from 4pm to 6pm on the green triangle of land between Mayfield Grove and Mayfield Terrace.

A summit involving police, council officers and residents’ representatives was held in March.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said the area had been quieter since the closure order but they remained concerned about problems merely shifting from house to house in the area.

They added:

“I’ve felt safer over the last few months but am now worried for my safety and the safety of my children.”

Paul Ivison, who is setting up a Mayfield Grove and Mayfield Terrace residents association, said the main issues included drug dealing, speeding cars, parking and dog fouling.

A man died at 38 Mayfield Grove in March. Another man is awaiting trial for murder.

 

Two in hospital after armed police incident in Bilton

Two people are being treated in hospital after an incident involving armed police on Woodfield Road in the Bilton area of Harrogate today.

Officers were called to Woodfield Road after being alerted to a disturbance in a council flat close to Woodfield Community Primary School before 7am.

Police put a cordon in place and a long stretch of the road was closed until a man was led away at about 10.10am.

North Yorkshire Police has now said a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of affray.

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It tweeted this afternoon:

“A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of affray and has been taken to hospital for treatment.

“A woman was also taken to hospital with an injury to her hand.

“The cordon has now been lifted and the road has reopened.”

Bilton shocked after four-hour armed police incident

People in Bilton have spoken of their shock after the suburb became the scene of a four-hour armed police incident this morning.

Officers were called to Woodfield Road after being alerted to a disturbance in a council flat close to Woodfield Community Primary School.

A large stretch of the road was closed amid reports of a man behaving erratically in a first-floor window.

Crowds gathered to watch about half a dozen armed police officers, protected by a shield, stand in a garden outside the flat. An ambulance was also on hand.

Police were seen talking to the man, who was leaning out of the window.

A nearby resident on Woodfield Road, who asked not to be named, said they became aware of the commotion at about 6.30am and police arrived after it got louder. She said:

“There were loads of police. It was a worrying incident.”

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A workman in the area told the Stray Ferret he arrived in the area at 7.30am and was shocked to see about eight police vehicles and an ambulance.

“There was a guy throwing stuff from a window and shouting, and a lot of police cars moving about. It was shocking.”

A police cordon was erected as more and more people began to gather on the street to watch the drama unfold.

North Yorkshire Police issued a short statement saying a police negotiator was at the scene and the public were not thought to be at risk.

Eventually, at about 10.10am, a man was escorted by police into a van and the road reopened, bringing a tense and dramatic morning to a conclusion.

A man is led away by police on Woodfield Road

A man is led away by police on Woodfield Road.

Armed police have been talking to a man at a house in Bilton this morning.

Armed police outside the flat.

Police officer stands next to the cordon at Woodfield Road this morning.

Police officer stands next to the cordon at Woodfield Road this morning.

Woodfield Road was closed by police.

Woodfield Road was closed by police.

 

Man arrested after four-hour police incident in Bilton

A man has been arrested on Woodfield Road in Bilton after reports of knives being thrown out of a window.

North Yorkshire Police, including armed officers, were been to the scene at around 6am this morning.

A cordon was put in place to allow emergency services and a negotiator to speak to the man.

Seven police vehicles were called to the street this morning and officers had to divert residents and traffic down Elm Road. The road remains closed between Elm Road and Skipton Road.

Local residents told the Stray Ferret they are “shocked” by the incident.

North Yorkshire Police has released a statement, earlier this morning, saying:

“We’re currently at the scene of an ongoing incident on Woodfield Road in Bilton. A cordon is in place to allow emergency services, including a police negotiator, to respond.

“Please avoid area until further notice, the wider public are not believed to be at risk. We will provide an update when the cordon has been lifted.”

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‘Cement is the new toilet paper’ as materials shortage hits Harrogate

The operations manager at a local charity has said cement is the new toilet paper as he struggles with a building materials shortage.

With low supply due to problems importing goods into the UK and high demand due to lots of interest in home improvement projects, materials have jumped up in price.

Local suppliers have warned that if someone has priced up a job a few months ago then they should “rip it up.”

As building materials seem to be so difficult to find, it has made it more difficult for those who are in the middle of projects.

Local charity Horticap has just finished work on its Hopkins@Horticap cafe and is currently refurbishing an adjacent garden.

Phil Airey, operations manager at Horticap, told the Stray Ferret:

“For us it is like cement has taken over toilet paper as the hot ticket item of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have got the posts here ready to go into the ground but no cement to keep it in place.

“The cafe building is now complete but there’s still plenty of work to do at the garden, which we are trying to make more accessible.”

Andy Broadwith, sales director at GH Brooks.

Andy Broadwith, sales director at GH Brooks, also told the Stray Ferret that his company is currently 50% down on building materials into the yard:

“As the UK relies on building materials from abroad, when there is a problem with shipping we will see a shortage.

“With low supply and high demand, it has been horrific for cost.

“Let’s say a couple wants to do a two-storey extension, the average price of all of those building materials has gone up by 32%.

“I do not think it will last though. When people reassess how much the job will cost and see such an increase some will have to cancel.”

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Timber is one of those essential materials that has more than doubled in cost over the last year.

David Gibbs, a manager at Harrogate Timber Ltd, said:

“It really is unprecedented. We have never seen such a rise in price like this before.

“We really just cannot get the stuff in we need right now, it has been really hard work. Everyone seems to be wanting to do work on their homes right now.

“Costs are rising but people are still spending. They still want to do the work they planned.”

Harrogate social care a ‘ticking time bomb’, care boss warns

There are warnings social care in Harrogate is facing a “ticking time bomb” as costs for families soar above £1,000 a week and industry leaders call for swifter government action to bring about major reforms.

After years of promises to fix the system, the government is coming under renewed pressure for failing to establish a firm plan to tackle the sector’s funding crisis which experts believe is a major reason for the UK suffering Europe’s worst covid death toll.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will bring forward a 10-year plan later this year but, in the meantime, families across the country are feeling the financial and emotional fallout from a sector under strain.

In North Yorkshire, the Harrogate district is the most expensive area to get care for loved ones with the average weekly cost of residential care this year reaching £1,055 and the same figure for nursing climbing to £1,061.

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Over a one-year period, these costs equate to more than £55,000.

While there are no legal limits on costs, North Yorkshire County Council does set an approved rate of £599 and £592 for residential and nursing respectively – and 90% of care providers in the Harrogate district currently exceed this.

These climbing costs driven by an inflated market are why Ross Kneller, director of St Margaret’s Home Care, believes social care is facing a “ticking time bomb” with worrying consequences for elderly and vulnerable residents who rely on the system.

He said his company – which provides 24/7 care services in Harrogate, York and Selby – is up against a wave of big businesses looking to cash in on these high prices by using less qualified and less skilled staff.

Mr Kneller said:

“There is a real feeling in the industry that we are at the cusp of a devastating wave that is about to crush the lives of thousands of vulnerable people.

“The domiciliary homecare market is an ever-growing giant of an industry. The nation is living longer, and they all want to stay at home for as long as possible.

“This booming industry is naturally attracting a host of new domiciliary care agencies all looking to take a share of the market.

“The private market is the preferred target for profit seekers. The private market pays the highest rates and is therefore the preferred choice for any venture looking to reap maximum profits from the industry.

“What about the majority of elderly, and vulnerable, across the country who rely on social services to provide them with quality care? They are being forgotten and will very soon suffer for the lack of care on offer to them.

“Thankfully there are many providers who still see the industry as a vocation led business, as well as a means to making profit.

“Unless the government helps agencies there will come a time when only the wealthy will receive the care they need as they grow older or become ill.”

After years of government cuts, local authorities including North Yorkshire County Council are under massive financial pressure, and in turn, care homes who they fund have been cash-strapped too.

Meanwhile, and in the midst of the pandemic, government plans to address an imbalance in the system have been blown out of the water.

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A cap on the costs of social care, a specific tax to help find the extra billions needed in funding and directing more cash straight to care homes are all ideas which have previously been brought to table.

But until the government eventually brings forward its exact proposals to reform the system, many struggling families will have to wait longer and dig deeper into their pockets.

How is social care funded?

Under current rules, those needing social care must fund it themselves down to their last £23,250, and only then will the local authority step in.

In the Harrogate district, it is North Yorkshire County Council which carries out assessments to determine how much support people should get.

Richard Webb, the council’s director of health and adult services, said around 70% of people using care services in the district fund it themselves.

He also said the authority had taken action on the climbing costs by carrying out a Covid-delayed actual cost of care exercise, as well as purchasing a £1.8m plot of land at Harrogate’s Cardale Park to build an extra care facility.

Mr Webb added there was also the potential for the council to buy other sites for more care facilities across the county as it looks to intervene in the market.

He said: 

“The rising costs make the purchase of care more expensive for the Council and individuals who are contributing to the cost of their care.

“The council is considering a range of options in the care market with a view to supporting providers and ensuring sustainable costs can be achieved in the medium to long term.

“The consequence of an inflated care market is ultimately that people will pay more and their resources will be used more on the costs of care. When those resources deplete then the cost burden shifts to taxpayers via council funded care provision.”

What is the picture across the UK? 

Unlike health care, social care is not generally provided for free in England.

In Scotland, free personal care is already available, while home care is free for the over 75s in Northern Ireland, and some care costs are capped in Wales too.

A personal cap on care costs in England was reportedly being considered by ministers prior to the coronavirus outbreak and is an idea which was first raised during talks with Sir Andrew Dilnot, the former UK statistics chief, whose proposals were previously abandoned in 2017.

Great Yorkshire Show to go ahead

The organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate have confirmed the event will go ahead next month after all.

The event appeared in doubt after the government announced on Monday that existing social distancing restrictions will continue until July 19.

The extended period included the show, which is scheduled to take place from July 13 to 16.

This led to two days of uncertainty before this afternoon’s statement from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which organises the event. It said:

“We are delighted to announce that the Great Yorkshire Show will take place as planned despite the delay to ending coronavirus restrictions.

“The Great Yorkshire Show was planned under social distancing measures and we are continuing to work closely with North Yorkshire County Council public health to deliver a covid-safe show.

“We are discussing some of the details which may require additional measures to be put in place.

“We have already adapted the show so that most of it is held outdoors this year and it’s been extended to run over four days for the first time in its history.”

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