Harrogate district records 38 more covid cases

The Harrogate district today recorded another daily high of covid cases, as 38 infections were reported.

According to Public Health England figures, the number takes the total cases since last March to 8,131.

The figure is the highest since February 1, when 51 cases were recorded.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

Read more:

NHS England figures show the last death was reported in April and the total number of covid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

Harrogate hospital is currently treating three covid patients, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate stands at 96 cases per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 86 and the England rate stands at 105.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and welcome back, it’s Connor with you this morning with updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links.

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 is all from me today. I will be back tomorrow from 6.30am for all of your traffic and travel news. Do feel free to get in touch if you spot any problems on the roads.

Roads

The roads are starting to become quite busy this morning as more cars get onto the road for the morning commute. Here are the hot spots to look out for:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to become quite busy this morning as more cars get onto the road for the morning commute. Here are the hot spots to look out for:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to become quite busy this morning as more cars get onto the road for the morning commute. Here are the hot spots to look out for:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are starting to become quite busy this morning as more cars get onto the road for the morning commute. Here are the hot spots to look out for:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

Trains

Buses

Harrogate district records highest covid rate in four months

The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate of infection is at its highest level since February.

The rate now stands at 91 cases per 100,000 people, according to latest North Yorkshire County Council figures.

The last time the rate was as high was on February 22, when it reached 92.

North Yorkshire’s average is 81 and the England rate is 100.

Read more:

The Harrogate district recorded a further 28 infections today, according to Public Health England.

It takes the total number of infections in the district since the start of the pandemic to 8,093.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.

NHS England figures show the last death was reported in April and the total number of covid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

Rededication service for remote moorland burial site

A rededication service for a remote rural cemetery near Thruscross will take place next month.

The isolated moorland burial site was opened before the village of West End was flooded in 1966 to create a reservoir to serve West Yorkshire.

Beneath the waters lie the ruined remains of a church, churchyard, school, houses and other buildings.

All residents of West End were relocated from their Washburn Valley homes before construction work on the dam began.

At the same time, the new cemetery was opened so that the bodies exhumed from the churchyard could be reburied.

Before the village disappeared Atlantis-like under millions of gallons of water, a final service took place at Holy Trinity.

The then Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd. Llewelyn Hughes, spoke about a place of Christian worship for a thousand years, soon to be in its own watery grave.

One person, who attended the service, said afterwards:

“Seeing the vacant churchyard with its open graves and tombs was an eerie experience, while the Dean’s oratory, delivered in the flickering light of hundreds of candles, was powerful, atmospheric and something I will never forget.”

It’s more than 55 years since the deceased men, women and children of West End were relocated to their new place of rest, high on the moors above the reservoir.

During the past two years, Norman Wheat and fellow Thruscross parish councillors, with support from parishioners at St Saviour’s Thornthwaite, have transformed the cemetery.

Photo the Rev. Alastair Ferneley

The Rev. Alastair Ferneley, who will conduct the rededication service

At 3pm on July 4, the lives of all those buried there, will be celebrated.

The service will be conducted by The Revd. Alastair Ferneley, Vicar of Dacre with Hartwith and Darley with Thornthwaite, who said:

“People may not be aware, due to its remote but lovely location, that the cemetery on Greenhow Hill Road, has, thanks to the hard work of Norman and others, been improved in the last couple of years.

“This has involved the laying of paths, and the planting of wildflowers and trees, making maintenance much more manageable and the cemetery much more attractive.

“Following the reburials of the dead from West End in the 1960s, other local people have been buried in the cemetery and there is space for centuries to come.

“All are welcome to attend, including local people, considering being laid to rest here, when the time comes.

“Others may simply want to peruse the memorials for a bit of local history, look for the grave of a relative, or enjoy the birdsong and moorland views.”

The rededication service will be followed by refreshments and a quiz/treasure hunt.

Read more:

 

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and welcome back, it’s Connor with you this morning with updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links.

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 is all from me today. I will be back tomorrow morning from 6.30am with all of your traffic and travel updates. Have a good day.

Roads

The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are just starting to become quite busy this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking back for today’s traffic hotpots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

Twenty-six covid cases in Harrogate district as rates climb

Twenty-six covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district in the last 24 hours by Public Health England.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital — but the hospital recently admitted its first covid patient for several weeks.

NHS England figures show the last death was reported in April and the total number of covid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic remains at 179.

Read more:

Meanwhile, the Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate continues to climb slowly.

Latest figures show the seven-day average in the district stands at 81 infections per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire rate is 76 and the England average stands at 97.

Speaking last week, Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, told a North Yorkshire Resilience Forum press briefing:

“We find ourselves remaining on step three of the government’s road map out of pandemic restrictions, with step four delayed for a month.

“We can see the sense in this when we consider cases across North Yorkshire almost doubled in the last week to 45 per 100,000. While none of us wanted this delay, we must respond, as before, with confidence and care for each other.

“Be confident in the vaccine. Please, when offered your first or second jab, take it. This is our best defence against Covid-19. Also keep practising the basics – hands, face, space and fresh air – which are vital in keeping us safe.”

Found: Police issue urgent plea to find missing murderer with local links

Update: Police arrested William Kerr last night in Hull. Officers will now return him to prison. North Yorkshire Police thanked everyone who shared the appeal to find him.

Police have urged people in the Harrogate district to report any sightings of a missing murderer who has been recalled to prison.

William Kerr, 59, was convicted of murder in 1998 after strangling Maureen Comfort, 49, in Leeds. He was released from prison on licence in August last year.

However, his licence has since been revoked and he has been recalled to prison for failing to attend appointments with his probation supervising officer, failing to live at an approved address and displaying poor behaviour.

Read more:

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement Kerr has connections across Yorkshire.

It said:

“North Yorkshire Police are urging members of the public to get in touch as a matter of urgency if they see him, or know where he is. To provide information, dial 101 – for an immediate sighting, dial 999.

“Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote reference number 12210137101 when passing information.”

Kerr was arrested in 2017 after absconding from HMP Hollesley Bay, near Woodbridge, Suffolk.

Another 21 covid cases in Harrogate district

Another 21 cases of covid have been reported in the Harrogate district.

According to Public Health England figures, it takes the total cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic to 7,991.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The last death was recorded on April 11.

Read more:

There are currently no covid patients being treated at the hospital, according to latest Public Health England statistics.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at 61 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 56 and the England rate is 83.

Another 19 covid cases reported in Harrogate district

Another 19 cases of covid have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to latest Public Health England figures.

It takes the total cases since last March to 7,970.

No further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital. The last death was recorded on April 11.

There are currently no covid patients being treated at the hospital, according to latest Public Health England statistics.

Read more:

Meanwhile, the total number of vaccinations given in the district has reached 205,231.

According to latest government figures, 111,517 people have had a first dose of a covid vaccine and 93,714 have had a second dose so far.

Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate currently stands at 63 per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 52 and the England rate is 81.

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.

Read more:

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.