Harrogate solicitor succeeds Greg Clarke as chair of Football Association

Peter McCormick, a senior partner of Harrogate law firm McCormicks Solicitors, has been appointed interim chairman of the Football Association.

The news was announced yesterday following the sudden resignation of Greg Clarke for describing black players as “coloured” and other comments he made about gay and female players.

The Football Association, which was formed in 1863, is the governing body of football in England and Wales.

A Leeds United fan, Mr McCormick is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment lawyers.

He is now the first person to have been chairman of both the Premier League and the FA.

McCormicks Solicitors, which is based on East Parade, describes itself as a ‘fearless law firm with a fearless reputation’.

Mr McCormick, who was awarded an OBE for services to charity in 2000, was elected vice-chairman of the FA in 2017.

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An FA statement yesterday said:

“Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA chairman with immediate effect and the FA board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course.

“We would also like to reaffirm that as an organisation, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to promote diversity, address inequality, and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game.”

Clarke said in a statement:

“I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include.

 

10 days left to reach £300,000 Long Lands Common target

The organisation behind plans to build the Harrogate district’s first community-owned woodland has just 10 days left to raise the final £50,000.

The Long Lands Common Community Benefit Society, which aims to buy open farmland between Harrogate and Knaresborough, has so far secured £252,400 of its £300,000 target.

It has set a deadline of November 20 to reach the target.

The society recently delivered 48,000 leaflets to local homes encouraging people to buy shares in the scheme.

It now plans to take news of the appeal national and offer people “their own piece of Yorkshire land”.

The greenbelt section of land sits between the Bilton Triangle and The Avenue in Starbeck.

A duck pond and a sensory garden are just some of the ideas for the land. Photograph: Gary Lawson.

It consists of 30 acres of farmland that was previously looked at by North Yorkshire County Council as a location for a bypass.

The society hopes buying the land will prevent another bid for a bypass, create a green space local people can enjoy and increase the biodiversity in the area.

Chris Kitson, one of the organisers, said:

“We want to be part of the solution. Habitats are being lost by local developments and we want to address that imbalance.

“We are very hopeful about reaching our target. We just need more people to buy shares and help make a positive change.”

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One of the first items on the society’s agenda is to improve access to the woodland by creating an accessible entrance suitable for wheelchairs and prams.

Once the money is raised the Long Lands Common team will consider other plans, including creating a duck pond, wildflower meadow and a sensory garden.

The volunteers hope that through further social media campaigning and word of mouth the target will be reached and plans can get underway.

To learn more and buy shares, head to the website here.

Harrogate primary school’s plea: help our pupils who are isolating

A primary school in Harrogate has launched an urgent appeal to help pupils who are struggling with self-isolation at home.

Grove Road Community Primary School currently has 11 staff, including the head teacher, and about 140 pupils self-isolating either because they have coronavirus or have been in contact with somebody who has.

Chris Harrison, the assistant head, told the Stray Ferret its appeal for help had generated an “incredible” response so far:

“We have been trying to look after those families. With job strains and the added pressure of the kids being at home it stacks up.

“Our original appeal was for food but we have had so many food donations. We’d particularly like to thank Resurrected Bites and Chartwells.”

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Now the school is asking people to donate toys to help with happiness or digital devices to help with learning.

The government said it would give devices to schools for pupils to use at home but Grove Road was not allocated any.

Some of the food donations that have flooded in.

Mr Harrison said this was the first time many pupils have had to fully isolate for two weeks.

He added it was particularly difficult for families without outdoor space.

Anyone who can help with the school’s appeal should get in touch with the school on Twitter or give the reception a call on 01423 506060.

Harrogate man who made 3,000 face shields steps up again

A Harrogate man who made more than 3,000 face shields during the first coronavirus lockdown has started production again.

Sid Lovatt began 3D printing as a hobby but it soon took over his life when he became inundated with requests in the spring.

He set up a couple of printers in his home and they were churning out shields 24 hours a day. At one point Mr Lovatt was donating around 100 a day.

The printers can be set to transform sheets of plastic into different objects — in this case, face shields.

The 3D printer set-up at Geek Bar in Harrogate.

Now the UK is in the midst of a second wave Mr Lovatt, who had stopped production entirely, has dusted off the 3D printers for another round.

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Doctors surgeries and care homes are among those requesting face shields during the second wave of coronavirus.

Mr Lovatt will make the masks and the Supplies for Key Workers in and around Harrogate Facebook group, which helps local people affected by covid, will deliver them to those in need. All for free.

This time though, Mr Lovatt will operate alongside a team in the Geek Bar in the centre of Harrogate, where he works.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We will be making around 30 face shields a day now so it’s not near the same demand as last time.

“Hopefully it will stay that way but we’ve got some stock left over to fill any gaps. This time we will have eight people all working to make the face shields.”

Unemployment claims in Harrogate district fall by almost 300

The number of people claiming jobless benefits in the Harrogate district fell by almost 300 in October, the largest drop since the pandemic began in March.

A total of 3,595 people in the district claimed out-of-work benefits in October, down from 3,875 in September.

The figures, which were published today by the Office for National Statistics, reveal 3.8% of the district’s population claimed out-of-work benefits — down from 4.1% in the previous month.

Harrogate is below the UK-wide figure of 6.3% for people claiming the benefits, which include Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit.

The number of UK benefits claims fell from 2.7 million in September to 2.6 million last month.

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The government has now extended the furlough scheme until the end of March, and today’s figures suggest it has helped Harrogate safeguard jobs during the pandemic.

The scheme sees the government pay for 80% of employee salaries up to £2,500 a month. Employers cover pension and national insurance contributions.

However, a Harrogate employment lawyer told the Stray Ferret last month he was aware of cases where firms had put restructure plans in place for October 31 and shed staff then, shortly before the Prime Minister announced another lockdown and an extension to furlough.

New bid to get rough sleepers off Harrogate district’s streets

Harrogate Borough Council plans to buy three houses in town to reduce the number of rough sleepers.

The government’s £105 million Everyone In scheme funded organisations that help rough sleepers during the first lockdown.

Now ministers have set up a new programme called Next Steps, which provides further funding.

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Harrogate Borough Council bid for £1,084,570 from the programme to help with short and long term interventions on rough sleeping in the district.

However, the government looks set to offer the authority £449,326 – nearly half the amount requested.

Once finalised, the council intends to use the funding to buy three former council dwellings to house those people at risk.

The authority has estimated the cost of purchasing the three homes will be £696,000, which officials say would be funded from both the grant and the authority’s housing revenue account.

Town centre locations

A report due before senior councillors on the the council’s cabinet today said the homes would be prioritised within the town area.

It says:

“The property purchases will be prioritised within the Harrogate town area In order to provide proximity to services for rough sleepers and that each potential purchase will be approved by the head of housing and property before an offer on each of the properties is made.”

Senior councillors have been recommended to delegate power to the head of housing to accept the the grants from government, subject to confirmation.

Local authorities were encouraged to house rough sleepers temporarily under the Everyone In initiative during the first lockdown.

The borough council housed people in hostels in the town, as well as in Leeds.

According to council figures, 29 rough sleepers in the district were taken off the streets, of which 10 are still being supported by the authority.

The Stray Ferret asked the council what has happened to the remaining 19 which were housed, but has yet to receive a response.

3 pupils test positive for covid at Harrogate’s Rossett School

Three pupils have tested positive for coronavirus at Rossett School in Harrogate.

Parents were informed of the news yesterday in a letter from headteacher Helen Woodcock, which described the infections as ‘single, unconnected confirmed cases’.

It is believed about 60 pupils are isolating as a result of the infections.

The letter says:

“We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England.

“The students who have been in direct prolonged contact with the confirmed cases will also have received an additional letter and will be self-isolating for the allocated period.

“The school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well.”

The letter urges any children that develop covid symptoms to isolate for at least 10 days. It adds other household members, or members of support bubbles, should also not leave the house.

Nobody at Rossett School, which has 1,400 pupils, was available for comment.

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Citroen car stolen in spate of Harrogate burglaries

Thieves stole a Citroen car from a driveway and took cash during a spate of burglaries in Harrogate last weekend.

Homes on King Edward’s Drive, Verity Walk and Fulwith Drive were targeted.

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information on the three incidents, which happened between Friday and Sunday.

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Officers said it was unclear if the three burglaries were connected but have urged residents to be vigilant of any suspicious activity.

A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“The first occurred on King Edward’s Drive at some point between 6-8 November and involved car keys being taken from the house and a Citroen car taken from the drive, which was later recovered from Minskip. Ref: 12200196833

“A second burglary occurred at Verity Walk either in the evening of Saturday or early hours of Sunday when offenders attempted to gain access to a property but were unsuccessful. Ref: 12200196761

“A property on Fulwith Drive was targeted between 5–8pm on Sunday when suspects entered the home through a broken window and stole a safe containing a number of items and cash.  Ref: 12200196948

“At this stage it is unclear if these burglaries are connected but North Yorkshire Police advises Harrogate residents to be vigilant for any suspicious activity, strange vehicles in the area and individuals who seem out of place. If you have any information, CCTV or witnessed any of these incidents please call 101  and quote the relevant reference number above or email: Elizabeth.Estensen@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk“

Greens petition against Harrogate Spring Water’s Pinewoods plans

The Harrogate and District Green Party has started a petition opposing Harrogate Spring Water’s plans to extend its bottling plant in the Pinewoods.

Harrogate Borough Council will next month consider an application by the water company to expand its existing site from 0.77 hectares to 0.94 hectares in the area of Pinewoods known as Rotary Wood.

Rebecca Maunder, a Green Party member and Pinewoods dog walker, said people were “shocked and dismayed” at the prospect of trees being felled.

Her petition to save Rotary Wood, which has so far generated more than 700 signatures since it began at the end of last week, says the proposal would destroy acres of woodland planted by children, damage wildlife and biodiversity and lead to the creation of more plastic bottles.

The petition adds:

“Harrogate district has 8% woodland cover compared to a national average of 12% and a European average of 36%.”

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Harrogate Spring Water, which was bought last year by multinational firm Danone, has had outline planning permission since 2016 to expand to the west of its existing site.

The company is due to consult online with interested parties next week to discuss the proposal.

Nicky Cain, brand manager for Harrogate Spring Water, said it was “working towards presenting our application to the planning committee on December 8”. She added:

“The environmental aspects of our application remain top of our agenda and shall ensure any ecological impact is offset and provide commitment towards a local planting scheme.

“We shall continue to engage with stakeholders, both prior to planning and ahead of any future reserved matters scheme, providing opportunities to hear their views on planting and landscaping.”

The council has received more than 300 letters of objection since the plans were submitted, including from the Rotary Club of Harrogate, the Pinewoods Conservation Group and Harrogate Civic Society.

A report from the council’s arboricultural manager, Paul Casey, said the loss of 2.8 acres of woodland floor would remove the “green corridor” link between the north and south of the site. He said:

“There are no proposals put forward that would mitigate for the loss of this woodland.”

 

 

BBC in Harrogate tonight for FA Cup draw coverage

BBC cameras will be in Harrogate tonight as part of its coverage of the FA Cup second round draw.

Presenter Mark Chapman will speak to Harrogate Town manager Simon Weaver and chairman Irving Weaver live from the EnviroVent Stadium to get their reaction to the draw as well as discussing their meteoric rise into the English Football League.

Harrogate’s story has captured the imagination of the football world in what has been a bleak year for the sport.

Town beat semi-professional Skelmersdale United 4-1 on Friday night to book their place in the second round and earn £25,500 in prize money.

Harrogate are ball number 21 and another victory would put them into the third round for the first time in their history.

The draw itself will take place in a studio in London from 7pm on BBC2.

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The third round would potentially pit them against Premier League opposition, such as Manchester City, Liverpool or even local favourites Leeds United.

For a more straightforward route to the third round, Town could hope to draw one of the non-league sides that are left in the competition, such as Canvey Island, Marine and Boreham Wood.

But tough fixtures against former Premier League clubs Hull City, Bradford City and Portsmouth could also await.

Town have reached the second round once before. In 2012/13, they agonisingly lost to Hastings on penalties in a second round replay.