Stray Views: Why no 20mph limit outside my children’s primary school?

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 am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment following the recent publication of a news story announcing traffic restrictions and pedestrian crossings outside schools in our town. 

While I wholeheartedly support efforts to enhance the safety of school zones, I am shocked and puzzled that Willow Tree Primary School has not been included in these vital plans.

Willow Tree Primary School is one of the largest primary schools in our community, serving a significant number of students and families. It is strategically situated on a main and busy route through our town, making it a crucial focal point for ensuring the safety of our children and all pedestrians. It is baffling to me that, in terms of a risk assessment, Willow Tree Primary School has not been considered as a priority.

As a concerned parent, I witness the alarming and dangerous behaviour of speeding HGV vehicles on most days during the school run. It is evident that the current traffic situation outside our school poses a severe and imminent risk to the safety of our children. It is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs, and we must take proactive measures to prevent such a tragedy.

I am eager to understand the rationale behind the decision to exclude Willow Tree Primary School from these critical traffic safety plans. The safety of our children should always be our top priority.

I have emailed to request that the local authorities reconsider their decision and include Willow Tree Primary School in the upcoming traffic safety measures. I believe that our school’s omission from the plans raises questions about the fairness and equity of the decision-making process.

Pippa Cox, Harrogate

Why have 20mph where it isn’t needed? 

Can we please ensure a modicum of common sense is used as we run the risk of an ever increasing number of roads becoming 20mph zones?
Panel Ash Road has for many years been a 20mph limit, which is entirely appropriate given the nearby schools. But can we please recognise how pointless and stupid this is (and how infuriating some drivers are) when they pootle along at that speed during evenings, weekends, school holidays and the wee small hours.
There are no pedestrians and it serves no tangible benefit. Quite aside from being safe, people get so exasperated, they overtake in an unsafe manner.
There is now an argument in favour of including Otley road in this scheme and as someone who lives on Cold Bath Road, quite aside from the perpetual road works that bring traffic to a grinding halt, I have to navigate three sets of lights before heading out toward Beckwithshaw. That rather makes speeding an impossibility. So on the rare occasion we can actually move at 30mph, it’s nothing short of a luxury.
If we read of routine accidents and deaths because of reckless drivers near a school, I would support the argument completely. But to do so, “just because” is simply no argument at all. Harrogate struggles with congestion as it is. Slowing it further without incredibly good supporting evidence and sound logic is simply foolish.
Mark Fuller, Harrogate 

Diesel trains? 

Why are diesel trains still being used to Harrogate, when Skipton and Ilkley have had electric multiple units since the 1960’s?

The Government needs accelerate the electrification of the Harrogate Line and cascade the excellent redundant Class 379 EMU’s North.
Clive Broadhead, Harrogate

Harrogate’s rough sleepers embarrassing

I have been reading stories regards homeless people sleeping rough in Harrogate.[Rough sleepers evicted from Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens]

I moved to Harrogate over a year ago and am shocked and appalled by the amount of drugs, alcohol and people sleeping rough here. My family came to stay over at the weekend and going into town it was nothing short of embarrassing. There were drunks hanging around near McDonald’s shouting and swearing, what appeared to be drug takers near the bridge not far from the bus station and two men sleeping rough on benches near the cenotaph.

Harrogate has one of the highest council tax bands in the country but it is beyond me as to why?

I will be leaving Harrogate as soon as I can as it is dangerous, noisy and down right embarrassing. Such a pity.

Tracy Baldwin, Harrogate

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.

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Rough sleepers evicted from Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens

A group of rough sleepers in Harrogate‘s Crescent Gardens has been evicted this morning after occupying the pavilion for two weeks.

Representatives from North Yorkshire Council‘s property services division and North Yorkshire Police began the move-on operation just before 9am this morning.

The council also brought a van to gather the rough sleepers’ belongings.

One nearby resident, who asked not to be named, said some people started arguing with the council after they were told to disperse but there was no violence.

He added:

“One or two sleepers appeared frustrated and declined to cooperate, but they eventually started packing and leaving from 9.15am.

“The police were present to ensure the operation was non-violent.”

The operation ended at approximately 9.40am.

Larger items, such as mattresses, were removed by the council.

The Stray Ferret first reported the encampment after nearby residents raised concerns about anti-social behaviour last week.

One of those residents, Eileen Dockray, said after today’s developments:

“I’m now concerned that the police and the council, who both tried to pass this problem back and forth between each other, should now come together and work out who’s responsible for dealing with this sort of problem in the future.

“We, the public, also need to know who we can go to for help when a situation like this arises again, as it surely will.”

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No resolution in sight for rough sleeping den in Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens

The occupation of the pavilion in Harrogate‘s Crescent Gardens by a group of rough sleepers shows no sign of ending.

The rough sleepers, who have refused offers of accommodation, have been living in the pavilion for 12 days.

The Stray Ferret first reported concerns about anti-social behaviour last week.

Nearby residents continue to express frustration while police and council officers say resolving the situation is complex.

North Yorkshire Council told the Stray Ferret last week the people in the pavilion had been “offered accommodation daily”.

In an update yesterday, Andrew Rowe, the council’s assistant director for housing, said:

“We continue to work with our partners to tackle this complicated issue.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police, which had not previously commented, said:

“Local officers and PCSOs have attended the location regularly and will continue to engage with the individuals going forward.

“Homelessness is a complex issue that requires the input of a number of local partners to resolve.

“We are committed to working jointly with partners, local businesses, and residents to find a solution for everyone involved.”

Nearby residents remain frustrated by the apparent stalemate.

Kirk Wilber-Moran, who wrote a letter to us expressing his concern last weekend, said this morning:

“Whilst the amount of people there has reduced the armoury of belongings and/or rubbish has doubled, if not tripled, since the weekend.

“We still have people using the bandstand as a hangout base to congregate and drink and are there into the late evening. Still lots of noise and yesterday a woman aggressively shouting at people walking through the gardens.

“Nothing seems to be happening and no one seems to care as it’s not on their doorstep.”

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Reader’s Letter: Who does have the power to tackle rough sleeping camp near Crescent Gardens?

This email letter was sent to the Stray Ferret following our story yesterday: Crescent Gardens rough sleepers offered accommodation ‘daily’, council says. 

Mr Kirk Wilber-Moran has also circulated his letter to his MP, Andrew Jones, North Yorkshire Council leader, Carl Les , The Harrogate Homeless Project and North Yorkshire Police.  

Dear all,
I am writing to you in connection, as you can imagine, to the rough sleeping compound that has been created and allowed to continue over the last week in the (former) band stand in Crescent Gardens, as I am sure many local residents have.
Now, I do appreciate that homelessness exists, often through no fault of that person, that said what I am witnessing is unacceptable on several different levels.
Over the past few months, I have made several reports to the council and completed a police report in relation to this situation that we find ourselves in.
Over the last few days, I have witnessed drinking, drug taking, fires, public urination and some rather unsightly behaviour and believe me, I am no prude.
If you haven’t yet visited the sight, it really is quite an impressive set up with a double mattress (with bedding), a makes shift/travel wardrobe, chairs, cooking equipment, lighting, there was even curtain hung at one point…. and more liquor than Cold Bath Brewery.
Living so close we are unable to open our living room windows, especially in the evening due to shouting, swearing and often in coherent noise. If you leave the building by car, you have to dodge people half-drunk crossing the road on their way back from the latest ‘booze run’ or risk a middle finger and colourful language aimed your way.
I do understand that when someone is homeless that they have to find somewhere is that warm and dry however, what is being done to support them and find them more suitable accommodation?
Having read Flora Grafton’s article in the Stray Ferret, in which in states that neither the police nor the council have the power to do anything, I would like to know who does? I find astounding that resident’s day to day lives are expected to change, we can no longer feel safe walking through the gardens for the fear of being shouted at or coming face to face with someone who is so far gone on drink and/or drugs they have forgotten how to walk.
As a town we have a large tourist industry and one of the great things about coming to Harrogate is the free walking tour operated by Harry, the fact this has now changed route to avoid the area is just beyond words.
It is very easy for all of us to sit in our warms homes or offices passing blame, passing judgement and saying ‘it’s not my job’ but who’s job, is it? Who is going to take a stand and do something?
This is a very real situation that needs not just addressing but real action taking for both residents and our new neighbours.
I look forward to your thoughts.
Kind regards
Kirk Wilber-Moran

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Concerns over encampment of rough sleepers in Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens

Residents have spoken of their frustration over a lack of action against a group of rough sleepers camping in one of Harrogate’s most popular areas.

A group of homeless people have inhabited the pavilion alongside the toilets in Crescent Gardens over the last week.

A Harrogate woman concerned about antisocial behaviour said she had been told by both North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council that neither had any power to resolve the situation and she kept getting passed between the two.

Eileen Dockray said the group had expanded as fellow rough sleepers and friends joined with their personal belongings.

She said people were coming and going throughout the day and night, adding:

“The council passed me to the police, the police back to the council, and then back the police.

“The police also said they have no power to move people who are just people gathering to have a chat and to drink, no matter how it bothers residents. What are we meant to do?”

The pavilion has become home to the rough sleepers.

Another Harrogate resident, who asked not to be named, said:

“Many local residents are not able to access the area anymore and a few weekly exercise groups have moved to Valley Gardens.

“The walking tour has also diverted its route.”

“I am surprised how the council does not act when a homeless encampment has popped up in the centre of our floral town where many visitors and locals frequently pass through.”

One rough sleeper, called Sally, told the Stray Ferret on Wednesday a council member of staff had visited Crescent Gardens that morning.

Sally said she was advised to wait for a call to hear a range of options going forward but she had heard nothing since.

We asked North Yorkshire Council what measures it was taking but had not received a response by the time of publication.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“Homelessness is something the council look after so it would be for the council to answer your questions regarding the visit and/or the options available to those who may be sleeping rough.”

Cllr Sam Gibbs, a Conservative who represents Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate on North Yorkshire Council, told the Stray Ferret:

“From what you have told me my instinct tells me it is a police matter as far as the anti-social behaviour is concerned as it is probably private land.

“The council offers a range of support for rough sleepers and work closely with other organisations such as the Harrogate Homeless Project.”

Maggie Gibson, who was housing needs manager at the former Harrogate Borough Council, reported homelessness had “significantly increased” in the district amid the pandemic and cost of living crisis in February this year.

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Ripon YMCA’s sleep out puts homelessness in the spotlight

The issue of homelessness and the hard times that go with it will be in focus on Friday night when Ripon YMCA holds its Sleep Easy event at the city’s Workhouse Museum.

Staff from the YMCA, along with volunteers, will be sleeping outside in the grounds of the former workhouse on Allhallowgate to raise awareness of youth homelessness, while raising money to support the charity’s work with young and vulnerable people.

Jayne Shackleton, community and development manager for Ripon YMCA, said:

“In the past year we have seen young people staying in cars, sleeping on a kitchen floor and in a shed, with many more ‘sofa surfing’.

“Homelessness is often hidden in society and small communities such as Ripon, where young people who have no fixed home will often find themselves sleeping at a friend’s house on a sofa or the floor.”

Ms Shackleton, pointed out:

“We provide housing for 22 young people and help enable them to be free from danger, hunger and isolation. We provide individual support, skills and training to help them lead an independent life and reach their potential.”

All fundraising or donations from the Sleep Easy event will go directly to Ripon YMCA to support its work.

Figures for England and Wales provided  by the YMCA, show that 47% of youth homelessness is caused through family breakdown.

A total  of 278,110 people were declared homeless or threatened with homelessness in 2021 and of these 56,080 were aged 16 to 24,

Anybody who would like to support Ripon YMCA,  can find out more here

Donations to the Sleep Easy event can be made via JustGiving here.

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Police and fire crews rescue homeless man from Starbeck bin

Police and fire crews rescued a man from a commercial bin in Starbeck last night.

Firefighters from Harrogate were called to a premises in the High Street just after 6pm, where they used small tools to release the man.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Fire Station said:

“It was believed to be a homeless person who got himself trapped accidentally when the lid came down and locked.”

Police officers at the scene offered to take the man to a homeless shelter.

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Harrogate council paying £25,000 a month on hotels and B&Bs for homeless

Harrogate Borough Council is spending £25,000 a month on temporary hotels and bed and breakfasts for homeless people, a freedom of information request has revealed.

The council, which has a statutory duty to prevent homelessness, is paying individual hotels up to £126 a night because its hostels are full.

The figures highlight how acute and costly the issue of homelessness is in the Harrogate district.

The Stray Ferret submitted a freedom of information request after a well-placed source revealed some of the town’s best-known hotels were being paid to put up homeless people.

The council confirmed at the time it used hotels “as a last resort” but declined to reveal costs.

Following the FoI request it has now released details of the monthly amounts paid to each of the hotel and B&B accounts used to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people in the six months from April to September last year.

The names of the individual establishments have not been released to protect the identity of vulnerable people but the sums for each one range from £30 to £126 a night.

Two hotels each received more than £10,000 from the council in August and one received more than £13,000 in July. Payments are subsidised through housing benefits.

‘No one should ever sleep on the streets’

The Stray Ferret asked the council about the sums and the amount of accommodation it had for homeless people in the district.

A council spokesperson said:

“We believe no one should ever be sleeping on the streets, and should an individual or a family become homeless we have a statutory responsibility to prevent this and several options available.

“This includes working with families, landlords or mortgage providers to help people stay in their homes, provide financial support to cover arrears or identify alternative private rental accommodation.

“Additional to this, when all other options have been exhausted, is our temporary accommodation – including hostels in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough – to ensure residents have somewhere safe to stay and not end up sleeping on the streets.

“If we have no availability in our hostels, or they are not suitable for the individual or family, then we may need to place them in a B&B or a hotel temporarily.

“We use a variety, depending on availability and any specific needs that may be required. For example, to support a family and/or individual with additional needs that may require an accessible room. As such, this will naturally cost more than accommodation for a single adult who requires no additional support.

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The spokesperson added:

“The cost of using B&Bs or hotels will understandably vary throughout the year but on average in the last 12 months, it has cost around £25,000 per month and is subsidised through housing benefits.

“During this time, a dedicated housing options officer works with each household, alongside partner organisations, to ensure the correct support is provided. This includes health and well-being support, budget advice and independent living skills.

“This is a short-term arrangement until either a vacancy within our hostel accommodation becomes available or a more permanent housing solution is found.

“We are committed to providing decent and quality homes for everyone in the Harrogate district. To achieve this, we have a number of plans in place; such as requiring developers to provide a specific amount of affordable housing (40 per cent or 30 per cent depending on location), building our own stock through our housing company Bracewell Homes, as well as encouraging private landlords to return empty properties back into use.

“Tackling homelessness is something that all local authorities face but we are determined to meet these challenges and ensure no one ends up sleeping on the streets.”

Harrogate council putting up homeless people in town centre hotels at undisclosed cost

Harrogate Borough Council is paying some of Harrogate’s larger town centre hotels to provide accommodation to homeless people.

The Stray Ferret approached the council a month ago after a well-placed source revealed the names of some of the town’s best-known hotels that are being paid to put up homeless people. We asked the council how many homeless people it was helping, why it was having to use town centre hotels and how much it was paying the hotels.

The council, which has duties to prevent and relieve homelessness, confirmed it used hotels “as a last resort” but declined to reveal costs.

A council spokesperson said:

“Should someone become homeless we have a number of options available to help them find somewhere safe to stay on a temporary basis. As well as helping them plan for the long term and secure permanent accommodation.

“We have hostels in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough as well as Fern House in Starbeck, our purpose-built temporary accommodation with 19 self-contained bedrooms.

“Should someone be placed in a B&B or hotel, they are only ever done so on a temporary basis and as a last resort when no other suitable accommodation is available.

“Currently, 16 people are being temporarily accommodated in B&Bs and hotels, and 82 in hostels, until we find a more permanent solution.”

The spokesperson added the council worked with partners “to find more secure accommodation” while it provided temporary relief.

Fern House, which cost £2.3 million to build, opened 18 months ago to help provide more accommodation for homeless people.

We once again asked the council to provide details of how much taxpayers’ money it was paying the hotels. But despite subsequent requests, it has not revealed how much it spends on hotels.

The spokesman initially said he “didn’t have the costs to hand” and it “wasn’t a straightforward answer”.

Three weeks ago he said he had asked a colleague in finance to collate the information and they would “pull it together as soon as they can”.

But no further details have been provided.

The Stray Ferret has submitted a Freedom of information request.

 

Concerns over ‘perfect storm’ of homelessness in Harrogate

Concerns have been raised over a “perfect storm” of homelessness in Harrogate due to the cost of living crisis and a lack of accommodation.

Harrogate Borough Council recently revealed a “huge” 60% increase in requests for housing help, which has led to more homeless people staying in bed and breakfasts for longer.

The council also said it has had difficulties in moving hostel tenants into permanent housing as cases have been “more complex than normal”.

Speaking at a meeting on Monday, Trevor Watson, director of economy and culture at the council, said these issues combined with a lack of private rental properties in the district were creating a “perfect storm”.

A total of 370 people accessed housing help in the first quarter 2022 – up from 334 the same time in the previous year.

The increase comes amid big rises in the cost of living with soaring prices putting a squeeze on people’s finances.

Harrogate Fairfax Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Aldred urged the council to not “lose sight” of the worsening situation as he also raised concerns over long delays in the licensing of multiple occupancy houses.

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The council is currently taking an average of 323 days to licence these properties against a target of 60.

Mr Watson blamed the backlog on the covid pandemic which he said has had a “huge impact” on staff being able to process applications.

A report to Monday’s overview and scrutiny meeting said councils across the country are facing similar issues and that finding accommodation for homeless people “isn’t always easy due to complicating factors like mental health or debts”.

It said: 

“Following a huge increase in the number of families approaching the service, the homelessness indicators performance have worsened.

“Our homelessness performance indicators, though off target, unfortunately reflect broader national trends around homelessness.

“Housing teams across the country have been dealing with higher case loads.

“In Harrogate, cases are about 60% higher than previous years.”