Major drop in applications for social care jobs across North Yorkshire

The gravity of the staffing crisis in social care has been underlined as North Yorkshire County Council launches its biggest ever recruitment drive for the sector.

The number of people applying for social care jobs has plummeted, partly due to yesterday’s introduction of mandatory vaccines for care staff.

A full meeting of the council next week will hear at least three of its executive members highlight concerns over the 70 per cent drop in applications for jobs in social care across the 500 providers in the county since July and providers continuing to go out of business, partly due to staff costs.

On any given day there are at least 1,000 jobs available across the county.

A high percentage of the county’s care homes are in the Harrogate district.

In an attempt to fill the vacancies, providers in the county are offering extra financial incentives to staff to take on the roles, from a £1,500 golden handshake for a care setting nursing role in Northallerton to carers being offered £2,000 for referring three friends.

Councillor Michael Harrison, executive member for adult services, said:

“We have people who have joined us from all different types of experiences, some from the entertainment sector; actors, drummers, from the travel sectors; pilots, cabin crew, and everything in-between.

“There is a great career to be had in care and great stability and we support people who join us with career development. From the word go you can make a big difference to somebody’s life in this job; the work that you do really counts towards improving lives and no two days are the same.”

There are 20,000 people in North Yorkshire working in the care sector, from the 13,000 care and support workers in 500 organisations providing services in residential care and people’s homes through to social workers, project managers and administrators.

The alerts come after the authority said it was having to intervene in a number of care homes to keep them staffed and the government undertook to provide workforce recruitment and retention funding to support local authorities and providers to recruit and retain sufficient staff over winter.

In a statement to the meeting, the authority’s leader, Councillor Carl Les, said:

“I am pleased that as the government launches a nationwide initiative we are undertaking more locally the biggest ever recruitment campaign to attract people into a rewarding and progressive career.”

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The council has recently warned the situation would only worsen with about 200 fewer care workers in the county due to rules requiring all care workers to be vaccinated.

Before yesterday’s deadline, numerous foreign-born care staff in North Yorkshire had said they would leave the UK if they had to have the covid jab to work.

Pay concerns

Care workers have also suggested the lack of pay progression, with staff with more than five years’ experience being paid just 6p more an hour than those with less than a year in the role in 2020-21 is a cause of recruitment difficulties.

In a statement to the meeting, Councillor Michael Harrison, the authority’s adult social care executive member said the county’s situation reflects fierce competition within the labour market alongside hospitality, retail, heavy goods transport and construction.

He said:

“Pressures are building within nursing, residential home and domiciliary care capacity as a result of workforce pressures within the external market, and we continue to see provider failures in the system.

“Packages of care are being handed back to the council to either re-source or find alternative solutions to keep people safe. This is putting significant pressure on and impacting our in-house provision as we try to find solutions for people or fill the gaps using staff from our services.

“This is impacting our ability to provide re-ablement and respite services. Complex care packages are being handed back at short notice alongside those requiring two carers or in more rural locations. In addition we are seeing care home providers withdraw from providing nursing care or withdraw completely from the market.”

Warning of “difficult choices” in the upcoming Budget, the council’s finance boss Councillor Gareth Dadd will tell the meeting that securing the necessary workforce remains acutely challenging.

In an attempt to ease staffing pressures, the council is working with providers and has just launched a recruitment campaign focusing on the diversity of career opportunities in care.

Coun Harrison said:

“We are working with providers and partners to look at options and ideas to work more efficiently and promote people’s safety should we not manage to recruit more people to the sector.

“A system plan is in place with short, medium and long term actions to address issues relating to workforce, which includes capacity for registered manager support to care homes, recruitment to reablement, and recruitment to NHS posts to ensure sufficient intermediate capacity is available to meet the growing demand.”

Harrogate cafe closes due to temporary staff shortages

A cafe in Harrogate has been forced to close its doors temporarily due a shortage of staff.

Staff at Caffé Nero, on the corner of Cambridge Street and Station Parade, posted a notice in the door this morning to explain why it would not be opening.

This closure highlights the ongoing recruitment crisis in the hospitality sector, which has forced many restaurants and cafes to reduce services.

The Stray Ferret asked the head office of Caffé Nero when the site would reopen. A spokesperson said it would be open “as soon as possible.”

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Meanwhile the notice in the door points customers to the second Caffé Nero site in town, which is a short walk away on Cambridge Crescent.

A spokesperson for Caffé Nero said:

“The store you’re referring to is only temporarily closed due to staff availability and will reopen as soon as possible.

“The larger store two minutes away at Cambridge Crescent is open as usual and trading normally.”

‘Station Gateway consultation a whitewash’, claim Harrogate petitioners

Harrogate residents described the Station Gateway consultation as a “whitewash” when they delivered a petition today.

Consultation on the revised plans for the £10.9 million scheme, which would see Station Parade reduced to single lane traffic and James Street partly pedestrianised, closes today.

Five members of Granvillle Road Area Residents Association took the petition to Harrogate Borough Council‘s Knapping Mount office at lunchtime today.

They are concerned that re-routing traffic off Cheltenham Parade and Cheltenham Mount through the nearby residential streets where they live will increase traffic and pollution and make it more difficult to park.

Dan Harper, executive officer economy and transport at Harrogate Borough Council, received the petition, which had about 140 signatures. He declined to be photographed by the Stray Ferret.

The residents expressed frustration over the consultation process, claiming it was difficult to get hold of information or people to address their concerns.

Catherine Ward-Brown, who lives on Cheltenham Mount, where traffic will be diverted if Cheltenham Mount is made one-way, said:

“They are trying to force commercial traffic on to residential streets and ignoring valid points made. They are hellbent on sticking to their views. It hasn’t been a consultation — it’s been a whitewash.”

Andrew Jones ‘not willing to engage’

Antonia Lowe questioned why Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, had not meaningfully replied to residents’ questions about the scheme.

“He was willing to engage with the process to relocate the post office but isn’t willing to engage with us.”

Rachael Inchboard said:

“He is passing the buck and refusing to engage. He has a duty to the Harrogate residents who voted him in to engage with this at the earliest opportunity. We would like to see him come to Granville Road.”

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The petitioners are considering paying to monitor air quality in their local streets as well as launching an online fundraising appeal to pay for an environmental impact assessment, which Harrogate Borough Council did not deem necessary.

The Stray Ferret has approached Mr Jones for comment.

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation on the revised designs ends today. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

To take part in the online consultation, click here.

 

Two arrested after late night Harrogate drugs swoop

Two people have been arrested after police pulled over a car last night and found suspected class A drugs.

Officers from Operation Expedite, the county lines drugs team at North Yorkshire Police, stopped the vehicle.

Harrogate traffic police officer Sgt Paul Cording, who along with Harrogate traffic constable David Minto assisted the other officers, tweeted shortly after 5am:

“A search of the occupants revealed a number of clear bags containing believed class A drugs. Driver and passenger arrested and enquiries ongoing.”

This vehicle stopped by myself & @TC174_NYP along with our colleagues from #OpExpedite in #Harrogate A search of the occupants reveals a number of clear bags containing believed Class A drugs. Driver & passenger arrested & enquiries ongoing #NotInOurCounty #RoadsPolicing pic.twitter.com/BWx1zv9Al3

— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) November 12, 2021

 

New Christmas express train from London to Harrogate

A Christmas express train is to operate from London to Harrogate this year to attract people to the town’s new festive market.

Tourism organisation Visit Harrogate has partnered with rail company LNER to set up the service for the new Christmas Fayre on Friday, December 10.

The first class service will depart King’s Cross at 9.33am and arrive in Harrogate just under three hours later. Tickets cost £140 and include a goodie bag of Harrogate treats. It will cost £100 from Stevenage and £80 from Grantham.

Passengers can spend one or two days in Harrogate.

A giant inflatable snow globe is being installed at King’s Cross station today and tomorrow, offering people the chance to have selfies taken inside a winter wonderland scene, while learning more about the special event.

Visit Harrogate is planning the biggest Christmas campaign in its history after covid ruined last year’s festivities.

Gemma Rio, head of destination management at Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“We are delighted to be working with LNER to bring more visitors to Harrogate for a festive break. Overnight visitors spend money in our hotels, restaurants, shops and visitors attractions – which is exactly what our local businesses need after a difficult year.

“The direct service from London is a real asset to our visitor economy, so we’re committed to working closely with LNER in the lead up to Christmas and beyond to ensure potential visitors from the south east know just how easy it is to reach us.”

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Harrogate Borough Council and Visit Harrogate are planning to work with LNER on a regular basis to attract visitors from London throughout the year.

Kate McFerran, director of communications at LNER said:

“We are excited to announce that Harrogate will be the destination for our very first Christmas market event. It’s such a stunning location for a weekend visit, offering something for all the family and it promises to be especially magical this Christmas.”

Harrogate’s Christmas offering

Harrogate Christmas Fayre, which is being jointly staged by the council and Market Place Europe, will take place on Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent from December 3 to 12.

It will be open between 10am and 7pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am and 9pm Thursday to Saturday, and 10am and 4.30pm on Sunday.

About 50 traders will take part in the fayre.

In addition, Little Bird Made is set to hold a festive artisan market in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December, with times to be confirmed.

The artisan market will feature approximately 60 local and regional traders and producers who will sell a variety of festive arts and crafts, clothing, homeware, jewellery, as well as food and drink.

Harrogate residents deliver petition opposing Station Gateway

Harrogate residents will hand in a petition today opposing the Station Gateway on the final day of consultation on the £10.9 million scheme.

Members of Granvillle Road Area Residents Association organised the signatures in response to fears that re-routing the A61 will increase traffic in nearby residential streets, such as Granville Road, Back Granville Road, Mount Parade, Back Cheltenham Mount and Strawberry Dale Avenue.

Rachael Inchboard, a member of the association, said about 200 of the 250 homes affected by the changes had signed the petition, which will be presented to Harrogate Borough Council.

After the consultation ends, councils supporting the initiative, led by North Yorkshire County Council, are expected to produce a final report summarising consultation outcomes and outlining the next steps.

Businesses in the town are considering applying for a judicial review to halt the scheme.

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North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, the executive member for access, reiterated his support for the scheme. He said:

“I do not believe that the gateway scheme for Harrogate should now be dropped because of opposition from certain businesses.

“Whilst their views, and indeed the local town centre economy, are very important to us, there are also the views of many other sectors and persons to consider. The findings of the latest round of consultation will be important to us too, as are the many thousands of views expressed in the Harrogate congestion study public engagement.

“I have nothing further to say about legal action. If an individual wishes to begin such a process, we shall be ready to respond.”

What is the Harrogate Station Gateway?

The Harrogate scheme is one of three projects worth a combined £42m in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby funded by the Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund, which encourages cycling and walking.

They are being delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Craven District Council and Selby District Council.

A consultation on the revised designs ends today. It is anticipated that work in Harrogate will begin by the middle of next year.

 

Harrogate panto director promises comedy and magic

Joyce Branagh, the woman at the helm of this year’s production of Cinderella at Harrogate Theatre, hopes her passion for pantomime will shine through this year’s performance.

Ms Branagh, the sister of Kenneth Branagh, began directing the panto at the end of the October after the sudden death of former director Phil Lowe. She said since then it’s been “lots of late nights” to get the panto to a place she is happy with.

Ms Branagh is no stranger to Harrogate Theatre. She directed a play in the town years ago and sat on the board in recent years. She said she could’t say no when David Bown, the theatre chief executive, asked her to take on the director role.

Ms Branagh is working alongside a large theatre crew to put on the most popular show of the theatre’s calendar.

With well-known faces such as Tim Stedman returning, it sounds like visitors can expect the kind of panto Harrogate residents have come to love.

Ms Branagh said:

“It’s going to be very silly and it’s got some lovely music and singers in it. I really hope people can come and forget about all the nonsense that has been happening over the past few years and have a proper laugh, a sing-song and the kids can really shout too!”

Silliness for everyone

After 18 months away from directing, due to the pandemic, she said she felt a bit “rusty” at first. The rest of the cast also felt a little worn down at first, she said, but the silliness of the panto quickly woke them up.

She said finding a job where you pick whether to hit someone over the head with a squeaky hammer of a frying pan is her kind of 9-5!

She said:

“We’re putting something together that works for someone who is 4 and 94.

“For me, my love for panto comes from the feeling in the auditorium, especially when young kids walk in for the first time and see the set and the props it’s amazing to see their eyes light up.”

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Famous brother

Ms Branagh watched her brother Kenneth Branagh’s acting career take off from a young age, he’s known for his roles in several Shakespeare film adaptations as well as directing Thor and Disney’s adaptation of Cinderella.

She said it was watching him on stage and in films that led her to discover her love of theatre and spurred her into acting and directing.

“We weren’t a theatre family at all. When we watched Ken’s shows my parents would say he was an exception and very lucky. They said it wasn’t a great profession to go into but I loved it.”

Get ready to boo, hiss, shout and sing this November as the pantomime gets underway from November 26.

If you want to get in the mood ahead of the panto, check out our Panto Stories performed by Tim Stedman.

Granby residents demand action on ‘banging and crashing’ from noisy pile driver

Residents near a housebuilding site in Harrogate have complained that a loud pile driver is ruining their day.

Developer Redrow Homes was given the green light to build 95 homes on Granby Farm by Harrogate Borough Council in April. The homes are currently being built in a field near Harrogate High School.

Pile drivers are machines that drive steel into the earth during the early stages of construction to create foundations.

One resident, Gary Walker, said the machine began on Monday and has been “constant” throughout this week. The field is surrounded by houses and he called on the council to take action.

Mr Walker said:

“I’ve never heard anything like it.

“I’ve closed all the windows as I couldn’t concentrate. It’s like living next to Big Ben. It’s constant and you can feel the vibrations shaking.

“This is a serious issue and the lack of consideration is very concerning.”

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Bill Shaw, who also lives nearby, worries that the noise and vibrations could scare dogs and cats and potentially affect people’s health.

He said:

“The noise is ridiculous. It’s a constant banging and crashing.”

The residents questioned whey there did not appear to be any measures in place to reduce the noise, such as sound barriers. They would like to see the pile driver stopped until the noise is addressed.

Tom Roberts, Redrow Homes said:

“Initial piling for our 95 new homes is due to be completed in the next few days, although there will be further piling required in the future which is an essential part of building our homes.  We appreciate that this type of work can be disruptive for neighbours and thank them for their patience. We can assure them that we will always do our best to complete it as quickly as possible.

“The development will be known as Granby Meadows and we are looking forward to bringing the first properties to market in February next year. The development will include 40% affordable housing, high quality green space, a new footpath and cycle greenway connecting to Harrogate town centre and The Stray, plus local education contributions in excess of £500,000.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate Borough Council for a response but we did not receive one by the time of publication.

Climate change march in Harrogate this weekend

A group of Harrogate residents will march through the town on Saturday to demand action on climate change.

The group, which includes members from Extinction Rebellion Harrogate, Harrogate & District Green Party and Harrogate District Cycle Action, will be meeting at 11am at Library Gardens on Victoria Avenue with the march finishing at the war memorial. Anyone is welcome to join them.

James Smith from XR Harrogate attended the COP26 conference in Glasgow along with 12 other people from Harrogate.

They joined over 100,000 people through the streets of the city, which he said was a “fantastic party atmosphere”. They thought they’d like to bring the same spirit to Harrogate.

Mr Smith said:

“There are young and old in Harrogate who are passionate and prepared to do stuff.

“It may be hard, but people have to realise that change is coming.”

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The climate crisis has seeped into the public’s consciousness over the last few years. Mr Smith said he wants the march to help keep pressure on politicians and show that the public demands action.

He said:

“If they want to get elected, they need to do something.

“People feel powerless, but even waving a flag you can make a difference.”

Harrogate resident Ian Hallett will also be attending the march after cycling to COP26 and back. He added:

“This is an opportunity for many of the residents of Harrogate to come along and show their support for measures to limit climate change and to mark the end of COP26.”

Harrogate town centre Sainsbury’s to open in next two months

Sainsbury’s is planning to open its new Harrogate’s town centre store in the next couple of months.

The supermarket chain had hoped for a late summer opening but only managed to get permission from Harrogate Borough Council in late July.

When the new Sainsbury’s Local shop opens it will create 25 new jobs and also bring the former Topshop unit at 33-37 Cambridge Street back into use after four years.

While there’s not been too much movement at the store in recent weeks, the internal fit out is due to start before the end of November.

The developer plans to split the building into three seperate units. Sainsbury’s would occupy the largest on the left side.

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Skipton Building Society is also planning to move in but it is unclear at this stage which business will take on the third unit.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Property Director, said:

“We’ll soon be moving to the next stage in the fitout of our new convenience store for Harrogate and I’m looking forward to seeing it take shape as it really starts to look like a Sainsbury’s Local.

“It won’t be long now until residents, workers and shoppers in the town centre will be able to enjoy great value, high quality products as well as the improved convenience and choice that a new Sainsbury’s store will bring.”

Mr Dunne added that his team is also in the process of finding a charity to donate excess food to.

Sainsbury’s already has four stores in Harrogate: a large store on Wetherby Road and smaller Local stores on Leeds Road, King’s Road and Cold Bath Road.