Harrogate Borough Council has approved £42,000 worth of funding in an effort to tackle a work backlog in its revenue department.
The council has faced an increase in workload and staffing shortages during covid and the energy crisis.
In a report to Cllr Graham Swift, cabinet member for economic development and resources, the authority said the response to the pandemic and the £150 energy rebate had increased pressure on “an already busy team”.
The authority now plans to appoint 2.5 full time equivalent staff until March 2023 to help tackle the backlog.
It comes as the government awarded the borough council funding to help cover costs associated with covid and the energy rebate.
A report presented to Cllr Swift by officers said:
“Revenues section has currently been using temporary staffing resources to provide experienced revenues staff with quality assurance checking for both council tax and business rates.
“The ability to extend this provision through to March 31, 2023 will provide resilience and continuation of consistent knowledge within the team to be able to effectively prioritise on clearing the backlog.”
Call to restart consultation on new Harrogate district town
A councillor has called for a consultation on the new Harrogate district town the size of Thirsk to be extended or started again.
Arnold Warneken, who represents the Green Party on North Yorkshire County Council, issued the plea after it emerged the consultation documents had been changed midway through – without people being told.
The move has heightened concerns among residents in the area affected that the planning process is being rushed before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished on April 1. They say allowing more time would increase support for the process and show transparency.
The proposed new town, called Maltkiln, would be built in the Cattal and Green Hammerton area in the east of the district.
The council opened a six-week consultation on October 3 into its draft new settlement development plan document, which sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how Maltkiln is designed and developed.
It emerged this week that both the hardcopy and online versions of the document had been changed during the consultation process.
Cllr Warneken said although the changes were minor, the failure to inform people was significant, particularly “given the magnitude of this plan and its impact on the surrounding parishes”.
He said in a letter to the council:
“I accept mistakes do happen but how we deal with them is critical in demonstrating how seriously we take our accountability and transparency.
“I am surprised that I and the parishes were not advised by Harrogate Borough Council of these errors.
“I think we all agree that it’s important that the new settlement process is actually done correctly and not just seen to be done right, initially I was thinking an extension to the process might suffice but on reflection I would like to ask that the consultation be restarted with the corrected document.”
But the council said the consultation would end on November 14 as planned.
A spokesperson said:
“The online portal version of the Maltkiln development plan document included a minor change that was not included in either the online PDF or hard copy version.
“Both the online PDF version and hard copies of the consultation material have been amended to reflect this change.
“The amendment related to the inclusion of an extra paragraph in the climate change chapter, the result of which effects [sic] the numbering of paragraphs. As well as an additional sentence at the end of local centre chapter.
“At the time that we made the amendment, we had only received a limited number of responses and having reviewed these, none of them relate to the wording that has been revised.
“Should someone have saved the earlier version of the document in order to comment at a later date, these comments are also reviewed to ensure that they relate to the correct part of the document.”
You can have your say here.
Stray Views: Where is green energy in Maltkiln plans?Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
I read with interest your article regarding consultations over the proposed Maltkiln development. I’m concerned about sustainability, green energy and insulation standards.
With this in mind I went on the council website to see what is planned. I wasn’t able to see any detail about the standards for insulation, provision of solar panels and heat pumps or anything about district heating schemes.
We have thousands of houses being built in this area and elsewhere with no solar panels and they have gas boilers. A new town is the ideal place to incorporate the latest green technology to make new homes more comfortable and affordable to keep warm.
I tried to find a comments section which is not easy so I left my comments in one text box hoping they will be read.
It is awash with jargon and very little explanation or simple key points to aid understanding of what is proposed. I did notice that there is some provision for ‘affordable’ homes which is what we really need and also self build which would be good for those wanting the ‘passive house’ standards of insulation and very low energy costs which should be available to all.
Ralph Armsby, Harrogate
This proposal is sheer stupidity. If there is a nighttime fire to the local Harrogate area and then one breaks out in outlying areas how is one appliance going to cope. Even if an appliance comes from Knaresborough the journey time element means it’s useless.
The fire last night at a caravan storage site and a vechicle had to come from Malton a journey tine of well over one hour, useless.
Nighttime fires are not usually detected as soon as daytime ones so total loss and possible deaths can occur.
I never saw anything about this proposal as I live six miles to the west of Harrogate near Menwith Hill and the distance means that we are at greater risk anyway.
Allan Campbell, Nidderdale
Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.
Care home appeals for 103 cards to mark Marjorie’s milestone birthdayA care home in Boroughbridge is appealing for help to make a resident’s birthday extra special this month.
Marjorie, who lives at Boroughbridge Manor on Roecliffe Lane, will turn 103 on November 23.
Its staff are asking for people from far and wide to send birthday cards for her, with an ambitious target in mind.
Posting on social media, the home said:
“We are trying to obtain at least 103 cards.
“We are calling upon our local community, families, visitors and people far and wide to help celebrate this amazing milestone.”
The care home, owned by Barchester, first put out the call for cards in August – having previously found cards would still be arriving long after a birthday if they appealed nearer the time.
Staff this week said they had received almost 70 cards to date and were hopeful of reaching their milestone by the time of Marjorie’s birthday.
Cards can be sent to: Activities Team, Boroughbridge Manor Care Home, Roecliffe Lane, Boroughbridge, YO51 9LW.
More detail needed on Harrogate district parish council devolved powers, says councillor
More detail is needed on plans to give Harrogate district parish councils more powers, says a Knaresborough town councillor.
North Yorkshire Council will take charge of all local government in the county on April 1. The seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, and North Yorkshire County Council, will be abolished.
Under a pilot scheme, lower-tier authorities will be offered the chance to manage more local services as part of a “double devolution” approach designed to prevent too much power being centralised in Northallerton.
It could see Ripon City Council, Knaresborough Town Council, Pateley Bridge Town Council and others in North Yorkshire take on more powers over assets and services.
However, Cllr David Goode, a town councillor in Knaresborough, has said the devil will be in the detail on the proposals.
He pointed out that the country faces another round of austerity measures in the coming years, which may impact on what services could be given to lower-tier councils.
He said:
“At this stage, the opportunity is to participate in a number of pilot projects in 2023, but a more substantial programme of discussions on transfers will not start until 2024 and the reality is that the development of opportunities for assets management and service delivery will take many years to evolve.
“What is not discussed in detail at this time is the potential impact of another round of austerity cuts from central government and what impact these may have on the delivery of services by the new North Yorkshire Council.
“A key future role for town and parish councils may be to offer alternative solutions to local residents for potential service solutions that could replace those being withdrawn.
“For such a programme to be successful it will be very important for a town council like Knaresborough’s to truly engage with the community, such that local residents are fully engaged in decision making about the town council developing new and innovative service solutions that could replace disappearing services, that residents value, but may not be part of any transfer deal from North Yorkshire Council.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Andrew Williams, the leader of Ripon City Council, said:
“We very much welcome the move by North Yorkshire County Council’s executive to establish a policy on double devolution to town and parish councils.
“The report that will be considered on Tuesday is exactly what were told it would be, so it is very much full steam ahead and I have high hopes that Ripon will be leading the way on this issue.”
Councils will be able to propose taking on a wide range of assets and services, rather than picking from a list.
However, the county council intends to make it clear that proposals to take on decision-making powers, such as planning or traffic regulation, will not be considered.
It would also not consider “expressions of interest with regard to services and assets that generate a significant net income for the new council”.
Once invited, local councils will have until March 2023 to express an interest in taking on more services.
In a report due before the county council’s executive on November 8, Neil Irving, assistant director of partnerships, said:
Metals recovered from council cremations raise £12,000 for bereavement charity“Double devolution is entirely separate from the proposed devolution deal between the government and the local authorities in York and North Yorkshire.
“Double devolution has operated for over 10 years in some other parts of the country, including Cornwall and Wiltshire.
“There is also significant experience of existing councils in North Yorkshire successfully transferring services and assets to community groups and to town and parish councils.”
Our Angels, a charity set up by grieving parents, has received a cheque for £12,000 raised by recycling metals recovered from cremations.
The money was donated by Harrogate Borough Council, whose bereavement services sell off the metals twice a year, with consent from bereaved families.
The recycled metals include those used in the construction of the coffins and in orthopaedic implants such as replacements hips and knees and replacement joints.
Our Angels was formed in January 2009 when a group of bereaved parents joined together to support families who had lost a baby.
Emma Lofthouse, chairperson of Our Angels, said:
“Without generous donations like this one from Harrogate Borough Council, Our Angels would not be able to provide its vital support services for bereaved parents.
“Although, sadly, we can’t stop the loss of a baby, we can make sure that every family who faces a loss knows that there is support out there for them.
“Every penny we receive goes into caring for families in their hardest moments, from the memory boxes, sibling support packs, miscarriage care packs, right through to the vital equipment we supply to the Harrogate hospital maternity ward.”
Cllr Sam Gibbs, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“I’d like to thank those families who, during a difficult time, have consented to us recycling metals recovered. By raising this money, everyone involved has done their bit to helping local charities such as Our Angels.”
Harrogate borough mayor Cllr Victoria Oldham said:
“Our Angels support so many bereaved parents at what must be such a difficult time. I hope these valuable funds will help them make a difference to the lives of people they support across the Harrogate district.”
The photo shows commercial and community development manager Jon Clubb, Harrogate mayor Cllr Victoria Oldham, chairperson of Our Angels Emma Lofthouse, Harrogate deputy mayor Cllr Robert Windass and bereavement services manager Stephen Hemsworth.
Council appoints London consultants to draw up North Yorkshire growth strategyAn £89,537 contract to draw up a strategy to grow the economy in North Yorkshire has been handed to a London company.
North Yorkshire County Council has commissioned Steer-ED to carry out the work on behalf of the upcoming North Yorkshire Council.
The new authority will come into force on April 1, 2023.
The Stray Ferret asked the county council whether it had considered local companies for the work and if the strategy could have been drawn up by its own staff.
Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said:
“The advent of the new North Yorkshire Council provides us with an opportunity to create a county-wide strategy to drive forward economic growth and support existing businesses while attracting new enterprise.
“Working with council officers, Steer-ED will produce a new county-wide economic growth strategy which will be guided by extensive consultations and engagement with a number of key organisations. This will help us maximise North Yorkshire’s economic potential and drive inward investment across the county.
“Steer-ED was appointed following a competitive procurement process, and the contract was awarded in accordance with the procurement framework requirements. The framework consists of 41 consultants from across the country, and all were invited to tender for the contract.
“Our economic development teams will work very closely with Steer-ED. The decision was taken to recruit consultants to provide an important external perspective as well as ensuring there is additional capacity so the work is completed soon after the launch of the new North Yorkshire Council on April 1 next year.”
The move is the latest contract to be awarded to a national firm as the county council transitions towards the new North Yorkshire Council.
In July, the Stray Ferret revealed that four consultancy companies were awarded £5 million for “reorganisation support for North Yorkshire Council”.
The contract was awarded to KPMG, Price Waterhouse Cooper, PA Consulting Ltd and Capita Business Service Ltd.
However, councillors on the authority criticised the move as a “waste of money” and questioned whether it could have been better spent elsewhere.
Guide to bonfire and fireworks displays in the Harrogate district
This story is sponsored by Belmont Grosvenor School which will be holding a Bonfire Night Party on Friday, November 4. There will be s’mores round the campfire, music, hot food, a licensed bar, stalls and more. Gates open at 6pm, the bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm and the firework display starts at 7.20pm.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate and cost £10 for adults (children under the age of 18 are free). Get them in advance by emailing kaye.walker@bewonder.co.uk.
Bonfire night is fast approaching so we have put together a list of events coming up in the Harrogate district.
They all take place over the weekend of November 4, 5 and 6.
Let us know if we have missed your event and we will add it to the list. Email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or call us on 01423 276197.
Belmont Grosvenor School Bonfire Party
Where: Belmont Grosvenor School, Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 2JG
When: 6pm start, 6.30pm fire lit, 7.20pm firework display
Tickets: £10 with children under the age of 18 entering for free
Ripon Rowels Rotary Charity Bonfire and Firework Display
Where: Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge Road, Ripon, HG4 1UG
When: 5.30pm start, 7pm fire lit, 7.30pm firework display
Tickets: adults £6, children £3, family (2 adult, 2 child) £12, under 3s free
Spofforth Village Firework Display
Where: Spofforth Cricket Ground, School Lane, Spofforth, HG3 1BA
When: Gates open 5pm, 7pm-7.15pm firework display.
Tickets: Family pre-paid £12:50 and on the gate £15. Adult pre-paid £4 and on the gate £5. Child pre-paid £2:50 and on the gate £3.
Swinton Bivouac Silent Bonfire Night
Where: Swinton Bivouac, Masham, Ilton, Ripon, HG4 4JZ
When: 6.30pm bonfire lit. There will be no fireworks or loud bangs.
Tickets: free entry, food and drinks available from the Bivouac Café
Aspin Park Academy Fireworks Night, Knaresborough
Where: School grounds
When: 5.15pm start, 6.30pm firework display
Tickets: Advance online booking – adults £4, children £3, family ticket £12, preschoolers free. On the gate – adults £5, children £4
Harrogate Stray Bonfire and Fireworks, Harrogate Round Table
Where: Oatlands Stray, Harrogate, HG1 1BJ
When: 5pm start (there will be entertainment), bonfire lit 5.30pm, 7.15pm firework display
Tickets: free entry, donations welcome
Upper Nidderdale Scouts Group Pateley Bonfire
Where: Pateley Bridge Showground
When: 6pm start, 6.30pm torchlit procession and bonfire lit, 7pm fireworks
Tickets: free entry, donations welcome
Kirkby Malzeard community village bonfire
Where: North Close Farm, Ripon Road, Kirkby Malzeard
When: 6pm start, 6.30pm bonfire lit, 7pm fireworks
Tickets: Free entry but donations welcome to fund next year’s event. Parking is available at North Close Farm. No sparklers allowed. Bring a torch.
Yolk Farm Bonfire and Burger Night – dog-friendly
Where: Yolk Farm, Minskip Road, Minskip, York, YO51 9HY
When: 5.30pm start, 6.30pm bonfire lit, no fireworks
Tickets: free entry for the event, advanced bookings only for Burger Night in the restaurant – 5:30pm and 8pm sittings
Staveley Arms Bonfire
Where: The Staveley Arms, Greenfields, North Stainley, Ripon, HG4 3HT
When: 6pm
Tickets: £5 per person to include a choice of hot dog or cup of soup
A parent from Harrogate has raised concerns that the growing cost of living, including childcare fees, could see children put at risk.
The mum, who asked us not to use her name, said rising fees were putting pressure on household budgets as they also faced increased costs for mortgages, fuel and more.
As an NHS nurse, whose partner is in the police, she said she had little money left each month after bills were paid – and now she faces a further rise in nursery fees from January.
She said:
“Even we are struggling on fairly decent wages. I have considered taking my son out of nursery, but we don’t have much alternative – my mum has got health needs and I want to know his needs are being met.
“If I’m considering that on the wage that I’m on, what are other people considering?
“We aren’t paid any more – how are we supposed to afford all of these rises without going bankrupt?”
With a take-home monthly pay packet of £1,700 from her full-time role, the mum said she already pays more than £550 a month on childcare, and her mortgage has recently risen by £200 a month. She also pays for business insurance on her car to be able to do her job, and often buys equipment out of her own pocket because NHS budgets are so stretched.
She also said she worried that families facing growing costs might decide to remove their children from childcare, even after accessing funded hours on government schemes.
Not only could they potentially be left somewhere unsafe or unregistered, such as with an older sibling or family friend, but their contact with professionals would also be delayed and any early warning signs not spotted.
She added:
“From a safeguarding perspective, the reason those [funded] hours have been brought in is because the ages of nought to five are the most vulnerable time in a child’s life, where they are more likely to experience significant harm or death.
“If children are in nursery, parents get that break. If they don’t get that break, we’re putting pressure on people. But if they’re not in childcare, nothing is going to get pocked up until those children start school or end up needing medical care.”
Her son is at Nature’s Little Learners nursery in Starbeck, where he is entitled to 30 hours’ free childcare funded by the government. That provision is given to working parents of children aged three and over and only applies during term-time, so is used by many pro-rata across the full year.
However, the owner of the nursery said the money paid through North Yorkshire County Council for those funded places was significantly below the cost of offering them.
Sam Williams said parents would pay £62.50 for a full day’s nursery, from 8am to 6pm, from January. By contrast, the money paid to the nursery through the funded hours scheme was just £43.10 per day.
As a result, most nurseries charge a fee to cover extras, such as food and equipment. Nature’s Little Learners had been charging £8 per day for this, but from January will charge £19.40 to cover the difference in costs.
If it did not do so, she said, it would not be able to continue offering childcare.
Other nurseries around the UK have been forced to close their doors as a result of rising costs. Ofsted data for April 2021 to March 2022 showed there was a net decrease of 4,000 childcare providers.
Ms Williams said:
“All businesses have their own operating cost. This will be different for each unique setting. When deciding on the daily rate at Nature’s Little Learners for 2023, we have taken into consideration staffing cost, training, rent, rates, utilities, food costs, resource cost, travel, recruitment cost etc.
“We understand that families need to be able to afford childcare in order for them to go to work, and without working families we wouldn’t have a nursery.”
Ms Williams said the nursery had introduced flexible timings for families who did not need childcare from 8am or until 6pm, allowing them to pay less and use only the hours they needed.
As a result, the nursery’s staffing costs would be lower during those times. She said while staffing was the highest cost for any nursery, there were also growing pressures with rising costs which childcare providers were facing.
She added:
Business Breakfast: Kirkby Malzeard business group hosts free advice session“We have considered that this coming year is set to be challenging for families as well as businesses. We appreciate the financial pressures that families are currently facing, and to minimise the impact of another increase to families’ expenses, we have attempted to amend our sessions, and offer a more flexible approach instead of an increased fixed daily rate.
“We are thankful for all our families who have support the introduction of the new session times and prices and really appreciate everyone’s words of kindness.”
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
A business group in Kirkby Malzeard will host a free pop-up advice session with some of North Yorkshire’s top business advisers on Monday.
David Kerfoot and David Poole feature in the line-up of consultants at the event, organised by Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Business/Community Group.
The advisers will be giving free advice on funding, networking, training and bespoke business strategy planning.
Mr Kerfoot, who comes from Northallerton and is a deputy lieutenant for North Yorkshire, is a successful businessman who founded a company in 1980 and built it into a £75m business, supplying oils to the food, cosmetics and aromatherapy industries.
Mr Poole, from Bishopdale, is a retired businessman who was formerly managing director and deputy chairman of Thalis plc, and is now a driving force in the Lower Wensleydale Business Network.
The KMLD Business/Community Group, which is part of the local parish council, aims to support rural businesses during challenging economic times and also a special interest in arts and crafts businesses due to the large number of artisans living and working in the area.
The pop-up session will be held from 10am to 11am on Monday, November 7 at St Andrew’s Church, Kirkby Malzeard.
Businesses from across the Harrogate district took part in a recruitment fair at Harrogate College this week.
Representatives from 10 businesses visited the college on Wednesday to meet with and interview local students.
Businesses from across the district met with and interviewed Harrogate College students.
Firms including Springfield Healthcare, West Park Care, Cairn Group, Disability Action Yorkshire, Vida Healthcare and Harrogate Healthcare Facilities Management Ltd (Harrogate Hospital) attended the event.
ATM Ltd, Arc Inspirations, Anchor Care Homes and Morrisons also took part.
Danny Wild, Harrogate College principal, said:
“We were delighted to have so many of our key local employers coming along to support this event, which attracted a lot of interest from our students.
“To have a couple of job offers being made on the day was fantastic, and I know that most of the participating businesses also took away contact details for a number of other students that they may well be back in touch with.
“This recruitment fair emerged following Harrogate College Employers’ Network feedback, and is part of our continuing push to ensure our training helps local businesses thrive.
“It was very encouraging to see the first one go so well and we look forward to holding more fairs, supported by our local business partners, as a regular part of the college’s calendar going forward.”