Harrogate homelessness figures show need for eviction ban extension, say Lib Dems

Harrogate’s Liberal Democrats have called for an extension to an eviction ban after official figures show 53 families in the district are deemed at risk of homelessness.

According to official figures, 89 households in Harrogate are assessed as being threatened with homelessness with another 78 assessed as homeless from January to March this year.

33 of households who were homeless or threatened with homelessness cited the end of a private rented tenancy as the reason for losing their last settled home.

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Meanwhile, three households in the district were also revealed to be rough sleeping between January and March.

Cllr Trevor Chapman, housing spokesperson for the local Liberal Democrats, said the government must extend the eviction ban to prevent homelessness.

He said:

“Families in Harrogate & Knaresborough must be protected from homelessness. Instead, it seems like the Conservatives are happy to leave people to fend for themselves at a time when jobs are at risk and people are struggling.

“People deserve better. These figures are yet further proof the Government must rethink its heartless decision to resume evictions from August 23.”

Following the end of the government’s “Everyone in” scheme, Harrogate Borough Council has sought to work with those in temporary accommodation to find a permanent place.

Part of the council’s plan is to get more people into Avondale Hostel, which it has just bought. It plans to renovate the building and make sure that it is only families living there.

Another key part is the council’s new hostel on Spa Lane. The construction works have been delayed and the expected completion date of October has been moved back to early next year.

BTEC results delay an ‘unnecessary obstacle’, says Harrogate College principal

Harrogate College’s principal has described a decision to pull BTEC results as an “unnecessary obstacle” for schools and colleges.

Danny Wild, principal at the college, said the college has been able to offer those students who decided to stay with them a place ahead of the results being released and support those heading to university.

It comes as Pearsons, the exam body, decided to pulled its results for the qualification late last night in order to re-grade them in line with A-levels and GCSEs.

Both exams are now being graded via school-based assessments following a U-turn by the government.

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Pearsons has since apologised for the uncertainty that the decision, which is expected to affect 450,000 pupils across the UK, will cause.

Mr Wild said he has not received any further communication from Pearsons today, but added that the college would continue to support its students.

He said:

“It’s an unnecessary obstacle for schools and colleges to have to navigate and it’s massively distressing for students.

“We have continued to communicate with our students and support them.”

He added that those who did a BTEC at GCSE and were coming to the college would continue through the enrolment process ahead of the results being released.

Those who did the qualification equivalent to A-level and are staying on at the college would do the same. But those who are leaving for university will still receive support from the college in areas such as UCAS applications.

The move comes as students across Harrogate received their GCSE results today.

Having not sat exams, the grades awarded were based on centre assessments. So far, there has been much less controversy over the results than last week, which saw more than a third of centre-assessed results in the Harrogate district downgraded by the government’s algorithm.

The process has since been reversed and assessed grades reinstated – but it has left many students still uncertain over their university places.

Students receive GCSE results across Harrogate district

Students across the Harrogate district have been celebrating their GCSE results after the challenges they faced this year.

Year 11 students received their results by email, marking their achievements in similarly subdued style to the way the year ended.

Having not sat exams, the grades awarded were based on centre assessments. So far, there has been much less controversy over the results than last week, which saw more than a third of centre-assessed results in the Harrogate district downgraded by the government’s algorithm.

The process has since been reversed and assessed grades reinstated – but it has left many students still uncertain over their university places.

GCSE results from each school will be published below when released by schools across the Harrogate district.

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Ashville College

Two students achieved grade 9s across the board at Ashville College, as 25% of all students gained the top grades of 7s, 8s and 9s in all their results.

Three of those pupils were new to Ashville last September and have made significant progress since – despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The school described the pupils’ engagement with online lessons as ‘remarkable’. Acting head Elspeth Fisher said:

“Our Year 11 pupils have faced a challenging year with lockdown and a lack of opportunity to demonstrate their hard work over the preceding two years.

“We were therefore delighted that centre-assessed grades would be the basis of the grades awarded for GCSE pupils.

“We are very pleased with the commitment our pupils have demonstrated to their GCSE studies and also towards the transition lessons they have recently attended in preparation for A Level and BTEC courses and we look forward to welcoming them back in September.”

 

Harrogate Grammar School

Harrogate Grammar School has not published details of its students’ grades. Headteacher Neil Renton said:

“We are very pleased with the outcomes our students have achieved this year.  The outcomes reflect the high standards that we typically achieve along with our continued emphasis on providing a broad and balanced curriculum, meeting the differing needs, aspirations and interests of our learners.

“We are very proud of our year 11 students who embraced all the opportunities that the school offered them, not only in a broad curriculum in areas such as science, maths, languages, humanities and the arts, but also the wide range of extra-curricular activities such as sport, music and charities. We admire them for their commitment, sustained effort and for achieving their own excellence.”

 

Nidderdale High School

Students at Nidderdale High School received their GCSE results this week – though those who studied for BTECs are still awaiting results.

As well as traditional subjects, students were able to gain skills in other areas, including working alongside professional crafters at Number 6 Studio in Pateley Bridge in order to gain a GCSE in art, craft and design.

The school has not released statistics for the grades achieved by this year’s students.

Headteacher Kath Jordan said:

“Our Year 11 students are very much more than the grades they have achieved this year. Many of this talented year group have been involved in student leadership, charity fund raising, sport, music and drama extra curricular activities. They have been excellent role models for our younger students.

T”he grades our students have received today are a result of their hard work and commitment, the excellent support of their parents and other family members. They are also the product of the skill, expertise and professionalism of their teachers and other support staff.

“We wish our students all the very best of Team Nidderdale luck and success as they move onto Sixth Forms, Colleges and Apprenticeships.”

 

Outwood Academy Ripon

The schools is celebrating after 77.3% of students achieved a grade 4 or higher in both English and maths, along with 68% of combined science students achieving two grade 4s or higher.

Student Ryan Chandler was among the high achievers, gaining six grade 9s and two 8s. The school congratulated all those who are now able to move on to the next phase of their education and careers.

A spokesman for Outwood Academy Ripon said:

“It is wonderful to finally congratulate our students for the many fantastic outcomes of their hard work. This year 11 cohort have had to contend with some significant challenges and have done so admirably and without any loss of enthusiasm.

“Although they have missed seminal moments at the end of their final year with us we have no doubt that they will be successful in the next steps they take in education and employment.”

 

Ripon Grammar School

A total of 97.6% of grades awarded to the 131 students were 9-5s (equivalent to A*-B in the previous ratings system) and 67.7% were 9-7s (A*-A).

Seven students achieved 10 or more grade 9s, Lucy Cox, from Ripon, gained 11 grade 9s and an 8, while Eleanor Chaplin from Boorughbridge, Eloise Hopkings from Ripon and Sophie Pointon from Thirsk all achieved 11 grade 9s.

Chloe Stringwell, from Ripon, and Bertie Wood, from Brafferton, were both awarded ten grade 9s and two grade 8s. Bertie, an aspiring lawyer and keen sportsman, will return to RGS in September to study chemistry, history, maths and economics or business studies.

He will be joined by Henrietta Jarvis, from Roecliffe, whose eight 9s and three 8s have helped her take the first step towards a career as a vet.

Joel Wilson, meanwhile, will study A levels in psychology, history, English literature and chemistry as he pursues a career as a barrister. Already an accomplished fencer, he said his biggest challenge over the last two years has been balancing the sport with his academic studies.

Headmaster Jonathan Webb said:

“Without the opportunity of an examination, our departments worked hard to award grades which we believe were fair, valid and as accurate as possible in the situation.

“Consequently, I am extremely encouraged by our results today and am really looking forward to welcoming our new sixth formers back to school in September.”

Teen jailed for stabbing nurse in Harrogate

A teenager from Harrogate who stabbed a nurse so viciously he had his spleen removed was on bail at the time for torching two seaside chalets and causing almost £150,000 of damage.

The youth – who was just 15 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons – left a man within an inch of his life after being beaten and stabbed repeatedly, York Crown Court heard.

On January 3 this year, the teen was part of a gang of three youths who robbed a man at knifepoint after he had been to a cashpoint.

The victim – a Romanian national who worked as a nurse – was “stabbed, kicked and robbed” in an alleyway in Harrogate town centre in the early hours of the morning when the gang stole £100 from him.

The 15-year-old  – who was already on a youth rehabilitation order after accumulating a “shocking” criminal record of 41 previous offences – was the one who delivered the blows with the 10-inch blade. The victim suffered horrific internal injuries and had to have his spleen removed.

Prosecutor Mark McKone said:

“His bowel was damaged (and) he had to have a colostomy (operation). (The victim) had a one-inch stab wound in his left side.

“There were two penetrating wounds to the diaphragm, two penetrating wounds to the colon, leading to removal of part of the bowel and a colostomy. The spleen was removed. That has left (the victim) susceptible to infection for life.”

The victim, said to be a family man, also suffered wounds above his eye and to his upper arm, a punctured lung and cuts to his knees. Surgeons managed to repair the damage but had to fit a colostomy bag.

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Mr McKone said that the 15-year-old – who has roots in both Harrogate and Scarborough – was the “lead” player in the attack. He said:

“CCTV showed (the victim) laid on his back, with his arms and legs splayed out in an attempt to fend (the teen) off. (The teenager) kicked him to the legs and body. All three (youths) were surrounding (the victim).

“(The teenager) leant forward with the knife. He brought the knife down in a wide, sweeping, slashing motion, using so much force that the knife ricocheted off the left eyebrow bone and fell on the pavement.”

The victim went back to Romania temporarily to convalesce, but he could no longer exercise or play with his young son. He was also unable to use his skills as a nurse to help during the pandemic.

The teenager fled to Leeds following the attack, where the knife was thrown into a stream. He told police he had taken cocaine about an hour before the attack and didn’t know what he was doing.

£149,400 repair bill

The court also heard details of the arson offence for which he was on bail. The teen, high on cocaine and booze, was in Scarborough’s North Bay in the early hours of August 22 last year with another youth carrying a box of matches.

They broke into Peasholm Park Cafe and stole £60 from the till. The teens also burgled two seafront chalets in North Bay, stealing hundreds of pounds’ worth of goods, wrecking the holiday homes and damaging 14 others.

Six chalets were severely fire-damaged and strewn with smashed glass from broken windows, said Mr McKone. The repair bill came to £149,400.

The 15-year-old defendant was brought in for questioning but said he was “just watching the fire service putting the fire out”.

‘Challenging’ behaviour

Defence barrister Tom Storey, for the youth, said he had a drink and drug problem and had downed about eight cans of beer before the arson attack.

The teen – now 16 – had already admitted the Harrogate robbery, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing an offensive weapon when he appeared at the Crown Court in February, when his young accomplices were given custodial sentences of at least 18 months.

Appearing in court via video link on Tuesday wearing a white designer T-shirt, he admitted three counts of burglary, criminal damage and arson in relation to the offences in Scarborough. He was to be sentenced for the “planned” robbery, GBH and knife possession in Harrogate at the same time.

Mr Storey said the teenager’s family had lived a “transient” life and he ultimately ended up in care where his behaviour was described as “challenging”. His offending began at the age of 14, when he was placed in a children’s home in Scarborough.

‘Dangerous young man’

Judge Sean Morris said despite the teen’s tender years, he had to lock him up “because I consider you to be a dangerous young man”.

Mr Morris said the stab victim had suffered “life-changing” injuries and told the youth he had shown a distinct lack of remorse. He added:

“That man was lucky to get away with his life. And while he lie wounded and bleeding on the ground, you robbed him. You could have left him for dead.”

The youth was jailed for four years and eight months, of which he will serve at least two-thirds behind bars, possibly even the whole tariff if he is still judged to be dangerous.

The judge ordered that upon his release, he must serve an extended three years on prison licence due to his “exceptionally serious record…which beggared belief”.

The other youth involved in the arson and burglary incidents has also admitted the offences and will be sentenced on September 25. He was 14 at the time and lives in Scarborough.

Jinnah restaurant granted licence to sell food and drink outside

Indian restaurant Jinnah on Cheltenham Parade has had an application to sell food and drink outside approved despite concerns that it could contribute to “unsavoury behaviour” late into the night on nearby streets.

Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee met this morning online to approve the new conditions. It also allows Jinnah to sell alcohol off the premises with a meal after 10 pm through delivery services.

The restaurant already has a licence to sell food and drink inside the building between 10:00 am to 00:00 am Monday to Saturday and 12:00 pm to 22:30 pm on Sunday but they wanted to change it to sell food and drink outside until 10.30pm.

Since reopening in July after the lockdown, Jinnah put tables outside for customers to eat and drink. However, its existing licence only allows customers to order food while inside the premises.

A nearby resident spoke to the committee and said he objected to the potential extra noise that people eating and drinking outside could cause. He said it leads to “unsavoury behaviour” near his house.

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He said:

“There’s an element of ‘unsavoury behaviour’ that happens on the backstreet that will be compounded by the ability to serve outside later into the evening. People will smoke on the street and sit on the wall. It can be disturbing and goes on late into the evening.”

Ms Katrina Cowton, speaking on behalf of Jinnah, said the restaurant wanted customers to “enjoy the outside ambience” during the summer months.

She said:

“We’re not wanting it to be a like a bar, it’s for a dining experience. The owners of Jinnah are very family-oriented and we do take it into consideration that residents are nearby. We don’t want to have an impact on their family life.”

Public support vital for Harrogate’s first community woodland

Plans for a 30-acre community-owned woodland are dependent on public support to meet an ambitious financial deadline.

Harrogate community project, Long Lands Common, has to raise £300,000 by mid-November if it is to succeed. Currently the amount raised stands at just over £60,000, less than a third of what is required. It would mean 4,765 individual purchases of a £50.00 share are needed.

The greenbelt plot of land stands between Bilton Triangle and The Avenue in Starbeck. An official shareholding scheme was launched last week to allow people to buy into the community project.

Jo Smalley, Membership Secretary of Long Lands Common, said:

“Our fundraising target to purchase the land is currently November 20 as agreed by the landowner. Despite the encouraging response so far, we know we cannot be complacent and must continue to push on with determination. There is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes by our experienced team of volunteers to put us in the best position to make the project a success. It is humbling to be working alongside such a committed team of local people.”

Long Lands Common Limited (LLCL) is made up of volunteers from the Nidd Gorge Community Action Group, the team responsible for blocking North Yorkshire County Council’s plans to build a relief road through Nidd Gorge.

The committee’s vision is for the Harrogate community to come together to create an accessible space for families, future generations and wildlife habitats.

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LLCL have said the space will be hugely beneficial for the Harrogate district’s mental health. The project will also support the Northern Forest’s goal which is to plant 50 million trees across Northern England.

A duck pond, wildflower meadow, sensory garden and woodlands craft area has been included in visionary plans. Sights are also set on a children’s woodland and educational area to support learning. Over 1500 people have pledged their interest to date.

Ms Smalley said:

“A £300,000 target is of course an ambitious one but we are feeling confident given the support we have received so far from the communities of Harrogate and Knaresborough in the pledging stage, and those people who have already gone on to buy their shares since they went on sale just two weeks ago. We appreciate the support very much and look forward to seeing the rest of our pledges turned into pounds!”

Volunteers are asking for all who have shown an interest to further their support by buying shares. Shares have to be bought in £50 lots, with the minimum amount set at £50 up to £37,500.

Shares can be bought on behalf of an organisation, business, as a gift or donated as inheritance wishes. Anyone buying shares has to be at least 16 years of age.

To learn more and buy shares, go to the Long Lands Common website. 

NHS paid consultancy firm £1m to set up Harrogate’s Nightingale

The NHS paid consultancy firm KPMG almost £1m to help set up Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital.

NHS documents, which were first reported in the Huffington Post, confirm that during the first three months of the NHS Nightingale in Harrogate, KPMG was paid £922,899 by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

A local procurement expert told the Stray Ferret that KPMG would have taken on a project manager role for the hospital to help organise contractors, sort leases, order equipment and work out staffing rotas.

Under emergency covid-19 procurement powers, the NHS did not have to go out to competitive tender for the contract.

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The Stray Ferret asked KPMG how they spent the money and how they ensured the contract represented value for money but they declined to make a comment.

The document also revealed that in June the NHS paid Harrogate Borough Council £378,220 in “miscellaneous expenditure”. HBC told the Stray Ferret that they have not charged the NHS any rent for using the Convention Centre.

After weeks of uncertainty, it was confirmed this week that the Nightingale will remain in place until March 2021 after its contract was extended. However, a review will take place in October to assess its need.

Yorkshire Showground cancelled events worth over £70 million

Harrogate’s Yorkshire Event Centre has calculated the huge impact its cancelled events have had on the local economy.

To date, 148 events have been cancelled or postponed at the Yorkshire Event Centre and Pavilions of Harrogate, both owned by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society. The total cost of struck-off events has cost the Centre nearly £6 million, but the total cost to the Harrogate economy is much higher.

Cafés, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, hotels and other local businesses have all struggled as a result.

Heather Parry, Managing Director of Yorkshire Event Centre Ltd, said:

“This is a challenging year for events businesses and it is no different for us at the Great Yorkshire Showground. Last year, businesses and events at the Showground were worth £73.7 million to the local economy.”

The calculation comes days after the Harrogate Convention Centre, home of the Nightingale Hospital, announced it will remain closed until March next year.

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The Yorkshire Event Centre sits in the Great Yorkshire Showground. The venue is home to some of the country’s biggest shows including The Great Yorkshire Show itself, which welcomes more than 130,000 visitors to the Harrogate district.

Bev Kemp, owner of The Bijou in Harrogate said:

“We rely very highly on events for tourism, a heck of a lot. We have lost the biggest conferences this year and I don’t know if we’re going to get them back. From March when lockdown started I would say at least 60% of our bookings have been cancelled, possibly more. We always get lots of people for the Great Yorkshire Show so that’s a huge loss. I am worried about hospitality on the whole in Harrogate. I think it’s going to take a few years to pick up.”

But, Ms Parry remains positive with future events coming to the showground. The Harrogate Bridal Show, the UK’s largest and longest running bridal event, has still been given the go-ahead in October.

Ms Parry said:

“We have taken robust steps to ensure that we can provide a safe, secure and flexible space to host events, in line with the latest government advice on social gatherings. As such, we have worked closely with the organisers of the Harrogate Bridal Show to meet their requirements.

The Harrogate Bridal Show is expected to run at the Yorkshire Event Centre from October 4 – 6.

New Harrogate rescue centre rehomes 19 cats

While most independent businesses were forced to close down during lockdown, one local cat rescue has thrived since it first opened in April.

Celia Dakin, owner of Harrogate Cat Rescue, had always planned to open a centre for rehoming stray cats.

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, many national animal charities had to stop neutering feral animals, including cats, and this has increased the number of kittens being born without a loving home. Celia felt this was the perfect opportunity to set up a rescue business.

In just over three months, the rescue centre has rehomed 19 cats and kittens and is currently in the process of homing a further 10 kittens and three adult cats. Celia has always been ‘cat mad’ and has two 11-year-old cats of her own, Geoff and Lady.

Celia told the Stray Ferret:

“Initially, I was approached by a lady who told me that there was a fairly large colony of cats where she worked, and that she had seen kittens. So, I started my rescue.”

Celia runs her business from her home in Harrogate, which has a no-kill policy. This means that no healthy or treatable cats are euthanised or killed even if the shelter is at full capacity.

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She currently houses a poorly five-year-old shorthair cat, Mack, who tested positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), an incurable viral infection.

He has a large wound on the side of his neck caused by a cat bite, which has now become ulcerated. He also needs dental surgery to remove his rotten teeth. Despite his tough life, Mack has a friendly nature and is in need of a loving home.

The cat lover currently has 22 cats in foster care, including Emily, a six-year-old Ragdoll and Bengal crossbreed, who was sent to Celia when her owners chose to travel abroad.

The rescue encourages new owners to get their cats neutered at four months old, if they haven’t been already.

Celia said:

“I believe that every cat deserves a chance, as most stray and outdoor cats have been failed by humans. I am active in encouraging co-operation between me and other rescues in Yorkshire, with the aim of working together for the benefit of all cats.”

“Neutering cats is an extremely high priority; unneutered males age quicker and are more prone to disease, as they have to fight for food, females and survival. Unneutered females leave home as their hormones dictate and are repeatedly raped by the unneutered males, leading to multiple pregnancies, causing stillbirth, deformity and disease.”

All cats and kittens that are cared for by the Harrogate Cat Rescue receive a veterinary health check, flea and worm treatment, microchip and at the least their first vaccination. The adoption fee for an adult cat or kitten is £90 each.

To find out more about the adoption process, visit the Harrogate Cat Rescue website.

Road through Granby park a ‘hammerblow’ for nearby residents

A road through a park on the former site of Harrogate Rugby Club will destroy a green space that has been a lifeline to people during lockdown, according to a local residents group.

Richborough Estates and housebuilder Redrow have submitted plans for 95 homes to be built on Granby Farm which is next to the park. The site is designated for development within Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

The plans include an access road which cuts through Pickering Gardens, a park that was created when the former Harrogate Rugby Ground was redeveloped.

When HBC granted planning permission for Redrow to develop the rugby ground in 2013, a legal document called a Section 106 agreement was attached to it that said the green space must be protected as an amenity for the residents.

Members of the local resident’s association told the Stray Ferret that the access road proposal is a “hammerblow” as many bought the properties on the assumption that the park would not be developed.

They’ve called on Harrogate Borough Council to reject the application.

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Jane Tankard from the Devonshire Gardens Residents Association said she fears the Section 106 agreement to protect the land is “not worth the paper it’s written on”.

Mark Tordoff, chairman of the group, told the Stray Ferret that the park has been “keeping residents sane” during lockdown.

Mr Tordoff said that since the green space opened at the beginning of 2019 it’s regularly used for community events, sports and socialising between residents.

Sarah Carr, land and planning director for Redrow in Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret:

“The proposed access is via our existing Devonshire Gardens development and cuts through a small section of the public open space. We were aware at the time of the potential for future development so made sure that this was clearly visible in our marketing materials for Devonshire Gardens, as well as briefing purchasers at the point of reservation.”

The plans are due to go before Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee next month.