The number of people receiving out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district has fallen again.
Latest monthly figures by the Office for National Statistics show 2,080 people were claiming the benefits on February 10, falling by 55 from January’s figure of 2,135.
The figure, however, remains considerably above pre-pandemic levels. In January 2020, 1,410 people claimed the benefits, which includes Universal Credit.
Universal Credit can also be claimed by people who are in work but on low incomes.
Across the UK, 4.3% of all adults are claiming the benefits. In the Harrogate district, it is 2.3%.
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In a boost for jobs in the district, a 600,000 square feet business park approved was approved last week by Harrogate Borough Council.
The business park will be called ‘Harrogate 47’ because it will be built at Flaxby close to junction 47 of the A1 (M). The developer Opus North believes it could support 2,000 jobs.
It is allocated as the main strategic employment site in the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which identifies where development can take place.
Harrogate still a ‘top priority’ for bus improvements despite funding warningHarrogate will remain a top priority for bus service improvements, a council official has said despite warnings the region could be left with little or no funding from the government’s Bus Back Better scheme.
Michael Leah, assistant director for transport and environment at North Yorkshire County Council, told an executive meeting today it was “unlikely” the authority would receive all of the £116million it bid and there was a possibility it could get no funding at all.
This comes after the government wrote to councils in January highlighting how its £3billion budget to “transform” bus services had more than halved to £1.4billion.
Mr Leah told today’s meeting:
“The overall availability of funding has reduced and therefore expectation has dampened across the county.
“If we are to get a number, it will unlikely be £116million.”
Mr Leah explained that any funding received would be prioritised to areas where the county council believes it is needed the most, including Harrogate which has the worst traffic congestion in North Yorkshire.
Ripon and Masham also ‘high on list’ for support
He said the on-demand bus service, YorBus, which allows app users to book and track journeys in Ripon and Masham, would also be high on the list for financial support. He added:
“If we were to not get any funding, there are still parts of our enhanced partnerships scheme which we could see through, such as better bus timetable information and more coordinated work with operators.
“It’s not just about the money.”
The county council unveiled its Bus Service Improvement Plan in October with proposals for more bus lanes, cash support for existing and new services and a simpler ticketing system.
Crucially, the aim is for services to cover the whole of North Yorkshire – something which has been described as an “enormous challenge” for England’s largest county.
It is hoped these targets will be also met through so-called enhanced partnerships where the county council will agree to infrastructure improvements in return for better services from bus companies.
Electric buses
Separately, the county council has also bid for £8million of government cash to make all of Harrogate Bus Company’s fleet electric.
If successful, the company’s parent firm Transdev would contribute £11.5million towards the costs of buying 39 zero-emission buses.
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The different plans are all part of the overall aim to solve Harrogate’s congestion woes by encouraging people out of their cars and onto public transport.
But the scale of the challenge can be seen in figures which show just 6% of short commuting trips within Harrogate before the pandemic were on a bus – and that this was decreasing year-on-year.
And while Harrogate is the most populated area in North Yorkshire and is being seen as a priority for investment, the county council has been urged not to forget other parts of the county, particularly rural communities.
Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, responded to say improvements to rural bus services have formed the “backbone” of the Bus Service Improvement Plan:
Three teens on Harrogate Theatre roof plead guilty to causing £800 damage“There are huge challenges in providing affordable transport to a county as large as our own.
“But without question, one of the priorities we have is to improve bus services in rural areas, whether by traditional or more modern means as has been the case with YorBus.”
Three teenagers have pleaded guilty to causing £800 worth of damage after climbing on to the roof of Harrogate Theatre.
Police arrested the youths on January 25 after being called to reports of young people on the roof at the 122-year-old theatre on Cheltenham Parade.
The three males, who are aged 14, 15 and 17 and can’t be named for legal reasons, were sentenced at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday. They all live in Harrogate.
They all admitted damaging scaffolding to the value of £300 and causing £500 damage to a Ford transit van belonging to nearby Scandinavian cafe Baltzersen’s.
The 15-year-old was referred to North Yorkshire youth offender panel for 12 months and ordered to pay £200 compensation.
The 17-year-old was referred to North Yorkshire youth offender panel for six months and ordered to pay £200 compensation.
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He also breached a 12-month conditional discharge order received in October for driving without insurance or due care and attention. No action was taken on this breach.
The 14-year-old received a six-month conditional discharge order and ordered to pay £200.
Harrogate firefighters and police attended the 4am incident on January 25.
The theatre is undergoing a £1 million refurbishment that is due to be completed this month. Scaffolding remains in place.
Police identify man who performed public sex act in HarrogateNorth Yorkshire Police says it has identified a man who performed a sex act in Starbeck.
The police issued an appeal yesterday to identify the man, who was captured on CCTV.
The incident happened on Saturday, January 29.
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Harrogate mum shares daughter’s brain tumour battle
A Harrogate mum has shared how her daughter overcame a brain tumour after being diagnosed aged two.
Marnie Downie-Keally, now seven, was diagnosed with a type of brain tumour called low-grade pilocytic astrocytoma in March 2017.
She underwent surgery to decompress cysts that were causing a build-up of pressure in her head, and also to do a biopsy.
In late 2018 after an MRI scan, Marnie began a course of chemotherapy that lasted 18 months.
Marnie having fun
March is Brain Tumour Awareness Month, which raises money for research to find a cure for brain tumours.
Sally Downie said:
“There had always been something that wasn’t quite right and we had been back and forth to the GP with various things from swollen gums to strange jerky movements, but it always got put down to a virus.
“Marnie had never been a great sleeper, waking every couple of hours and then towards diagnosis, she was waking saying her head hurt and being sick. Finally a CT scan was done and that was when we found out she had a brain tumour.”
Enjoying life
Marnie is now doing well after finishing her treatment in June 2020. She is back at school and enjoys playing sports including football, gymnastics, paddle boarding and swimming.
Ms Downie said:
“Marnie’s last six-monthly MRI scan in January showed all is stable, and the doctor was very pleased with her progress. If all is well at her next scan in July, Marnie will move to yearly scans.
“She’s really happy that, now that her portacath is out, if she gets a temperature she doesn’t have to go to hospital to be checked. She’s doing really well, and is really enjoying being at school. She’s doing lots of activities, including football, gymnastics, paddle boarding and swimming.”
Marnie enjoys paddle boarding.
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Vital support
Marnie and her family have been supported by Candlelights, a Leeds-based charity that works with child cancer patients and their families across Yorkshire.
Candlelighters supported Marnie and her family right from their stay at the hospital, providing them with practical support and entertainment on the wards, wellbeing therapies, trips out and a holiday, as well as financial support.
Ms Downie added:
“There are far too many things to list that Candlelighters have done for us since Marnie’s diagnosis and unless you are being supported by them I don’t think you can ever fully appreciate what they do.
“The support provided by Candlelighters has been amazing for our wellbeing. There’s always a friendly face offering a cup of tea and a chat as well as endless entertainment and support for the children.”
To donate to Candlelighters visit this page.
Care home managers warn staffing crisis is ‘only getting worse’Harrogate care home managers have warned the staffing crisis is only getting worse and that it will inevitably cause more bed blocking problems for the NHS.
Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, described the current situation as “dire” and said she has “never known it as bad as this”.
She said:
“The sector is desperately short of care staff.
“At Harrogate Neighbours we can’t increase our packages for home care and we are struggling to keep our care home above water, with staff having to work extra time to cover spare shifts.”
Susie Harrison, manager at Highgate Park care home and chair of Harrogate and District Registered Managers Network, also said the staff shortages were the “underlying cause” of delays in discharging hospital patients into care homes.
She said:
“Care homes can’t take any more residents because they don’t have the staff and this means people end up stuck in hospital – that is the reality of the situation.”
Hospital can’t discharge patients
Harrogate District Hospital has confirmed it currently has around 40 patients who no longer require hospital care but can’t be discharged because they do not have a suitable location to continue their recovery.
This latest figure comes after the hospital recently warned it was “very full” and that this was having an impact on waiting times.
As well as the social care staffing shortages, Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said covid is also playing a “big part” in the bed blocking problems.
He said:
“When care homes have had to close due to covid outbreaks, or the service they provide has been affected due to their staff being unable to work after catching the virus or having to self-isolate, we have been unable to discharge patients into their care.
“We know how being in a more familiar location can aid recovery and we are working closely with our partners in social care to ensure patients who no longer require hospital care are able to be discharged as soon as possible.”
There are currently around 1,000 vacant care jobs across North Yorkshire and a recruitment campaign has been launched by North Yorkshire County Council to try address the shortfall.
Make Care Matter campaign
Make Care Matter aims to change perceptions about working in the sector which has endured a major challenge to attract and retain staff long before the current crisis.
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Since the campaign launched in January, 268 job applications have been progressed, with 197 interviews resulting in 91 job placements.
Senior officials at the county council have said this shows some progress has been made, although they added it will take more than a recruitment campaign to solve the staffing problems.
Richard Webb, corporate director for health and adult services at the county council, said government promises to reform how social care is funded and how much staff are paid will be the key.
He said:
Harrogate’s Cloud Nine appoints new marketing manager“We have seen a step-change in the care market since summer 2021, with very tough competition in the labour market, which is having a significant impact on care providers being able to recruit.
“The county council and the NHS have put additional funding into the sector to help sustain services, manage covid-19 and, recently, to support the workforce, including a one-off pay bonus for 16,000 care workers.
“Whilst the council welcomes the government’s proposals for changing how much people pay for care, we also want to see national action to help stabilise care providers and to improve the pay and status of care workers.
“In the meantime, we work closely with our care providers and NHS colleagues to ensure that as many people can go home from hospital as soon as is safe and feasible to do so.”
Harrogate-based hair and beauty brand Cloud Nine has appointed a new brand and marketing manager.
Laura Proctor has taken up the role, which comes as part of an expansion of the workforce at the company.
Cloud Nine recently appointed a new HR business partner, Beth Daley.
Speaking on her new role, Ms Proctor said:
“Cloud Nine is a brand I am extremely passionate about and I’m thrilled to be joining the team – this is an exciting opportunity, and I can’t wait to support the brand on its growth journey.”
Harrogate agencies post record quarter
Paul Snape (centre) with (L to R) Caroline Joynson, Susan Reid, Sarah Hone, Richard Lee and Helen Brady.
Media and profile agencies Appeal and GBM posted a record quarter with £175,000 in sales – an increase of 54%.
The Harrogate-based companies, which are sister organisations, have also appointed two new senior consultants to deliver a raft of new projects for a range of firms, from regional software and technology businesses to professional services organisation.
Paul Snape, founder, said:“In 2020, we launched new services, leveraging our media coverage to generate inbound sales leads online for growing SMEs, and that has helped us expand the US work as more and more firms strive to get a foothold in the North American market.”
Ripon’s newest business is another First for Rebecca
Rebecca Crallan will open the doors to The GreenHouse – Ripon’s newest business – at 10am tomorrow..
Ms Crallan, who earned a Double First in biology at Cambridge University, before obtaining her PhD at York, is leaving the world of academia and research work behind her for a brand-new career in retail.
Rebecca Crallan with her environmentally-friendly Miniml refillables range of cleaning products
Latterly based in London, where she worked for four years at Cancer Research UK, she has returned to her native Ripon, to put her scientific know-how into creating the eco and environmentally-friendly indie business.
The Stray Ferret visited 11, North Street yesterday for a sneak peek of the products on offer, and to hear why Ms Crallan decided to launch her venture in the city where she was born and bred.
She said:
“I came up with the idea while working at home during the covid lockdown.
“We’re all aware of reports on how we are damaging our planet, polluting the earth, oceans and air with plastics and gases and causing climate change.
“But those reports all call for action: If we act now we can change the outcome.”
Blankets made from redundant yarns, reduce the amount of material going as waste to landfill
She added:
“My mission is to make it easier for people to choose the greener option. From household chores to home styling and everyday needs to luxury treats.”
The products on sale have been carefully selected and locally sourced to minimise the impact on the environment.
Items on sale have been chosen with eco and environmental considerations top of mind
In addition to a refillables range of eco-friendly cleaning products, Yorkshire-made blankets created from recycled or redundant yarns are on offer.
There are also home and garden goods, locally-produced artisan-made wrapping papers and cards. .
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In setting up the business, Ms Crallan was able to call on the retail expertise of her partner Patricio Maglio.
His day job is at ASDA head office in Leeds and on some nights he is on ceremonial duty, setting the watch on Ripon Market Square, as one of the city’s four hornblowers.
Opening hours for the GreenHouse are between 10am and 4pm from Wednesday to Saturday. .
The shop also sells takeaway coffee, served in biodegradable cups.
Police issue CCTV pics of 6 people after Harrogate assault
*Update* – North Yorkshire Police has now identified the six individuals in the CCTV pictures and they are assisting officers with their investigation.
Police have issued CCTV images of six people – three men and three women, they would like to speak to following an assault in Harrogate.
The incident took place in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, February 13 at an unnamed bar on Cheltenham Parade.
A North Yorkshire Police press release tonight said:
“The incident involved a large group of people who were involved in an altercation, which resulted in a number of people in the bar being assaulted and receiving injuries.
“Despite enquiries with neighbouring police forces, the identity of the people captured in the CCTV images remains outstanding.
“Therefore, detectives from Harrogate criminal investigation department are asking members of the public to get in touch if they recognise the people in the images, as they believe they hold important information which will help the investigation.”
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Police urged anyone who recognises the people in the images, or who has any information regarding the incident, to contact them by calling 101, selecting option 2 and asking to speak to Detective Constable 604 Naomi Harris.
You can also email naomi.harris@northyorkshire.police.uk.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Quote reference number 12220025651 when passing on information.
Plan submitted to demolish Bilton garages for social housingHarrogate Borough Council has lodged plans to demolish 10 garages in Bilton to build two new houses.
The garages are on Woodfield Close, near the iron bridge in the Harrogate suburb.
As part of the proposal, two one-bedroom homes would be built on the site.
A council report in August said there were 24 garages on the site but only 12 were occupied. Of these, four were used by local residents.
The report proposed demolishing seven garages to allow for the new development but the number has now increased to 10.
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The council owns and rents out garages across the district and has increasingly looked at the pockets of land as a way to build social housing.
In planning documents, the council said the development would help to provide “much needed affordable homes”.
The move comes as the council approved plans to earmark the site for housing back in August 2021.
The authority also plans to build a two-bed property for social rented housing on grassland it maintains on the corner of Poplar Crescent and Poplar Grove
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the Woodfield Close plan at a later date.
Harrogate library to close for two weeks on Saturday for maintenance workHarrogate library will close on Saturday for just over a fortnight to enable large-scale maintenance work to be carried out.
The project, which involves all three floors, includes remedial damp works, redecoration and the replacement of energy-efficient lighting.
The building will close at 4pm on Saturday and is scheduled to reopen at 9am on Monday, April 4. Customers will be able to borrow additional books to cover the closure period.
North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for libraries, announced the news today.
Neil Irving, assistant director for policy, partnerships and communities at the council, said:
“These much-needed improvements will have lasting benefits to Harrogate library; one of our largest and busiest in the county.
“We apologise for the inconvenience it will cause to library visitors but we are encouraging people to come and borrow a selection of books to keep them going over the closure period.”
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- Refurbishment reveals ‘ghost sign’ of former Harrogate library
- Bilton and Woodfield Community Library closed due to flooding
The nearest alternative libraries are Starbeck Community Library, Knaresborough Library and Customer Services Centre and Nidderdale Plus Community Library.
You can also browse, reserve and renew items and access your library account online here or via the library app.
The work was previously scheduled to take place from January 22 to February 7.