Leisure centre visitors in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough have been as likely to wear hard hats as swimming costumes in recent years.

All three sites have undergone lengthy projects to refurbish or replace council-owned facilities.

Those in charge probably wish they too had hard hats to protect themselves from the flak caused by soaring costs and delays. The nine-month delay refurbishing the former Harrogate Hydro meant it reopened two days before the end of the school summer holidays.

But finally there is something to cheer.

The new Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre has already attracted almost 2,000 members. It has an eight-lane pool and diving boards, a well-equipped gym twice the size of its previous incarnation and three plush exercise studios.

The pool at Harrogate.

One of three studios at Harrogate.

Elsewhere, the partially-open Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre will eventually provide Ripon with a gym and pool on the same site; Knaresborough is weeks away from a new leisure centre and the gym at Pateley Bridge has been refurbished.

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, the council-owned leisure company that runs the sites, admits the delays have been frustrating but says the benefits of the £46 million investment will soon be felt across the district. He says:

“We will have an estate that will be the envy of North Yorkshire. The investment that’s gone in is unprecedented and significant.”

Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre is certainly a cut above the average council leisure centre.

Monthly membership, which provides unlimited access to gyms, pools and classes at all Brimhams sites, is £44.95. That isn’t as cheap as Pure Gym or Coach Gyms but they haven’t got pools. Gym-only Brimhams membership is £33.

Mr Tweedie argues they also don’t have the same focus on community health as Brimhams, which he says is “reinventing conventional leisure services to a more impactful, person-centred health and wellbeing service”.

To underline this, the rather soulless ‘leisure and wellness’ moniker has been slapped across the names of all its sites.

Sinkhole saga

But although Harrogate is fully open, work continues elsewhere.

Ripon, which was the first to reopen as the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in March last year, appears locked in some sort of sinkhole groundhog day of never-ending work on a “void” beneath the old part of the site, which remains closed.

The Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre

Remedial work is expected to continue until spring. Mr Tweedie says the centre is “looking to reopen the first floor gym in April next year” with the ground floor studio following in summer.

In the meantime, customers will continue to use the temporary gym in the car park and attend group classes at Hugh Ripley Hall in the city centre.

Knaresborough has been less troublesome than Ripon and Harrogate, although it might not seem like it to residents who currently have nowhere in town to swim since the old pool closed a few weeks ago.

How the Knaresborough site will look.

Delays meant the seamless transition from old pool to new site didn’t quite happen, but from November people will have access to a six-lane pool, a fun pool with a slide, plus — for the first time — a studio, gym, steam room and sauna.

While others get upgrades, the beautiful Starbeck Baths feels like the forgotten ugly sister. Rumours abound the Victorian pool will be closed and Mr Tweedie’s comments don’t provide much succour:

“The council is reviewing all its leisure sites at the moment. That’s a natural process because it’s just been formed as a unitary council. It will ask for evidence on how its sites perform and the opportunities for development.”

Starbeck Baths

The audit will be followed by a strategy. Does he think Starbeck Baths will still exist in 10 years?

“That’s a decision for councillors. But what I can say is there has been no feedback to me about planning to close Starbeck.”

Membership figures

Brimhams, which employs the full-time equivalent of about 160 staff and has a turnover of £8.4 million, was set up by Harrogate Borough Council in August 2021. But it has been run by the new North Yorkshire Council since April.

Mr Tweedie says Brimhams “was set up to be commercially effective but also to deliver better health outcomes for the community”.

The council currently provides a £1.7 million annual subsidy, which is due to reduce to £1.2 million when the new centres are complete.

The early commercial signs at Harrogate are encouraging. Membership was 600 when the Hydro closed. The new site has 1,800 members — above the 1,750 target for the end of the month.

Ripon, which has less gym competition than Harrogate, has 1,200 members and Nidderdale has 700.

When we last interviewed Mr Tweedie staff shortages was a huge issue but he says this has eased.

Mark Tweedie outside the Harrogate site.

Brimhams is the only council-owned trading company in North Yorkshire. A private company called Everyone Active provides services in Ryedale and Scarborough; Richmond Leisure Trust runs facilities in Richmond and a charity called Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles oversees sites in Selby. The former district councils in Craven and Hambleton ran leisure sites.

Brimhams is due to take control of Selby’s services, which includes Selby Leisure Centre and Tadcaster Leisure Centre, in September next year.

That decision appeared to be a vote of confidence in the Brimhams model but uncertainty remains about how leisure services will be managed long-term in the county once North Yorkshire Council has completed its review.

But in the short-term, it’s all about growing membership — and getting Knaresborough and Ripon sorted.

Read more:

• Ripon leisure centre halts price increase due to ongoing work
• Harrogate Hydro delay will see no change in £13.5m project budget, says council

Politicians from both sides in Harrogate and Knaresborough have backed Killinghall Nomads‘ campaign for Rachel Daly to receive a civic honour.

The club — supported by the Stray Ferret — set-up a petition for North Yorkshire Council to recognise the achievements of the Harrogate-born England footballer.

Daly won Euro 22 last year and was this year awarded the Golden Boot for being the Women’s Super League top scorer, as well as playing in last weekend’s World Cup final.

Nomads have suggested renaming the council-owned Hydro leisure centre, which is close to the pitches where Daly and thousands of young people have played, after the England Lioness. The council is keen to promote community fitness at its leisure centres.

This week Rossett School said its sports pitches in Harrogate will be named after the former pupil.

Headteacher Tim Milburn described the decision as a “no brainer” but both he and Mike Sweetman, the former Rossett coach who spotted Daly’s potential, said this didn’t absolve the council of responsibility to confer a civic honour on Daly.

Mr Milburn said:

“The town is clamouring for something to have in her honour. The Hydro probably fits that bill – a place that inspires people to get fit and active.”

Daly and mum Louise, who lives locally. Pic: Rachel Daly Instagram

The Stray Ferret sought the views of local politicians this week.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said Daly was an inspiration whose CV “is much more than being part of our world cup final team”.

He said:

“We should certainly recognise her achievements here in her hometown.

“She was a pupil at Rossett School and she played for Killinghall Nomads.  The Stray Ferret have set up a petition giving the Hydro as an example of the type of place that might bear her name.

“A representative of Killinghall Nomads has asked for other suggestions on Facebook and Ms Daly will need to be consulted too.

“I think it is absolutely right that the town marks her achievements in a big way and whatever local honour is settled upon will have my wholehearted support.”

Tom Gordon, who will stand for the Liberal Democrats against Mr Jones at the next election, said he supported the petition.

“As part of the renovation currently underway the centre is due to be renamed, dropping the Hydro, becoming Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

“We have the opportunity to recognise Rachel’s achievements as a world cup finalist, a Euro 22 winner, and as a top flight professional footballer from this town.“

Council’s lukewarm response

Whether it happens will depend on the Conservative council’s ruling 10-person executive.

The executive, which is 80 per cent male, so far appears lukewarm on giving Daly the same recognition diver Jack Laugher received in Ripon, where the leisure centre was renamed after him.

Jack Laugher displays his Olympic gold medal at the opening of Ripon leisure centre.

Leader Carl Les acknowledged the council “need to find a fitting way” to celebrate the Lionesses achievements and pledged to come up with a  policy on recognising local people at an unspecified date.

He said:

“For clarity, our sense of urgency is linked to our commitment to consider a policy for how we recognise and celebrate the achievements of local people, not to renaming a leisure centre that will reopen in a few days’ time, as I am sure people will understand.”

The only Harrogate councillor on the executive, Michael Harrison, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, declined to give an opinion when asked by the Stray Ferret.

He suggested we try fellow executive member Simon Myers, whose culture, arts and housing portfolio covers such matters.

Cllr Myers, who represents Mid Craven for the Tories, told the Stray Ferret he had only just learned of the situation and “will have to speak to a number of people to get their views before coming to any of my own”.

‘We should encourage girls to stay active’

Killinghall Nomads petition, backed by the Stray Ferret, has surpassed the 500-signature threshold that makes it eligible for debate by the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, an advisory body that can put pressure on the council leadership.

We emailed all 13 local councillors on the committee, which consists of seven Lib Dems, five Conservative and one Lib Dem, to ask if they felt the council should recognise Daly and if they supported the Hydro petition.

All five of the Lib Dems who replied backed the idea.

The Hydro is due to reopen under a new name on September 4.

Cllr Monika Slater, whose Bilton Grange and New Park division includes the Hydro, said:

“The positive influence that the Lionesses have had on women’s sport should not be underestimated.

“We should be doing much more to support and encourage girls and women to stay active and participate in sports so yes I whole heartedly support this.”

Cllr Chris Aldred, who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley, said it was a “great idea”.

Cllr Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough West, said positive role models in sport helped to “get people active early for good health and wellbeing throughout their life”. He added:

“In principle I’m supportive and to be consistent then the new Knaresborough pool would need a suitable sports person. Perhaps Beryl Burton?”

Cllr Pet Marsh, the committee chair who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone, said she supported it but would prefer to see a football ground recognise Daly.

Cllr Peter Lacey, who represents Coppice Valley and Duchy, said:

“I do believe that the renaming of the Hydro at this point would be a fitting tribute to Rachel’s contribution to sport and would therefore be in support of the proposal.”

Read more:

• Rossett sports pitches to be renamed in honour of Rachel Daly
• Petition launched calling for Harrogate to honour Rachel Daly
• First pictures show inside of £13.5m Harrogate leisure centre refurbishment

Two Conservatives replied.

Cllr John Mann, who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he had signed the petition, adding:

“I think she has done a lot for women’s sport and indeed sport in general and Harrogate should, indeed is, proud of her achievements.  I would support the Hydro leisure centre being renamed after her.

Paul Haslam, the only other Conservative to reply, said it was a “peoples’ decision not a councillor one and I would not wish to influence this is anyway”.

The Bilton and Nidd Gorge councillor added:

“Rachel is no doubt an outstanding athlete. I do note that Rachel plays for Aston Villa and left Harrogate in 2012. We do have other female sporting celebrities such as Charlotte McGuinness or from the past Beryl Burton for example.”

Independent Cllr Mike Schofield, who represents Harlow and St George’s, said he supported Rossett Sports Centre celebrating Daly “as it was the school which she attended and has a rich history of producing sports people” but did not say whether he felt the council should do anything.

You can still sign the petition here.

North Yorkshire Council has said it is urgently considering coming up with a policy that recognises local people;

However, it has no said whether it will rename Harrogate Hydro as the Rachel Daly Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The Hydro is due to reopen on September 4 following a £13.5 million refurbishment as Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

But Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club is campaigning for it to be named after their former player and England star.

The council-owned leisure centre in Ripon set a precedent when it was renamed after Olympic diving champion Jack Laugher.

Daly, who has 428,000 Instagram followers, was part of England’s Euro 2022 winning team last year. This year she has won the Golden Boot for being the top goalscorer in the Women’s Super League and played in the Women’s World Cup final. She is also on the shortlist for the PFA Player’s Player of the Year award.

The former Rossett School pupil has retained close links with Killinghall Nomads, whose ground is close to the Hydro, and even sent a message to the club on the eve of the World Cup final.

Read more:

• Petition launched calling for Harrogate to honour Rachel Daly
• World Cup hero Rachel Daly in line for player of year award

The Stray Ferret is supporting the club’s campaign calling for the council to honour Daly. You can sign the petition here.

North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said last week the council “will consider a policy for how we might recognise the achievements of local people”.

We subsequently asked whether the council had any plans to consider naming the Hydro after Daly before it reopens in less than two weeks.

A council spokesman said today:

“We can add to Cllr Les’s statement that we are looking at this matter with some urgency.”

A councillor has called for an urgent review of litter bins in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate after reports of dog poo bags piling up.

North Yorkshire Council has removed three bins close to Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre — formerly the Hydro — and replaced them with two larger bins.

The old bins were situated in areas used by walkers and dog owners but the new ones are alongside main roads.

This makes them easier to empty but less convenient for people using the fields around the leisure centre to use.

Consequently litter and dog waste bags are being left to pile up.

Councillor Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents the area on North Yorkshire Council, said the new bins were designed for dog waste and general waste and are emptied by household waste collection crews rather than requiring a separate collection.

He added:

“These have been successfully rolled out in the other villages I represent after some initial teething problems.

“I am however aware of the specific concerns raised in Jennyfields and have asked for an urgent review of the number and siting of the bins.”

Dog owners are discarding dog waste where the bins used to be on the fields rather than carry it to Ripon Road.

Jennyfields residents have contacted the Stray Ferret with their concerns since the new bins arrived last week.

Elizabeth Horner said:

“I live near the Hydro fields and the amount of rubbish from having no bins in area has got disgusting.

“Sadly I’ve counted 15 bottles on the field today.”

Dog walker Diana Salama added:

“I have spoken to seven other dog walkers who regularly walk their dogs at the Hydro. All were puzzled and confused as there is nowhere to easily dispose of poo.

“One lady commented that to go up to the main road meant a long detour and putting the dog on a lead and she would not do this.

“Two were confused and had ended up taking poo home but had no intention of doing this ongoing. Two had left poo bags where the bin used to be.”

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• Council’s new dog poo policy causes a stink in Knox
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She added:

“No one felt the new concept was effective for dog walkers even though it’s clearly better for the council.”

Ms Salama said there was particular anger at the removal of the bin next to the basketball court.

The field near the basketball court.

The Stray Ferret spoke to several dog walkers in the area this morning who agreed. They said the amount of litter and dog waste in this area, where young people congregate, was worrying.

We asked North Yorkshire Council why the change had been made and whether any consultation had been carried out.

However, a spokesperson said the officer responsible was currently on leave and therefore it could not comment.

New bins being rolled out across Harrogate district

The new bin policy is being rolled out across the Harrogate district. About 250 small bins are being replaced by larger ones.

Dog walkers in nearby Knox expressed concerns in June when the change was implemented there.

Maxie Schiffman-Rowinski has complained to the council about the new dog waste bin in front of her house in Knox.

Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on the council, said the situation would be reviewed at the end of next month.

Cllr Haslam said the new approach freed up time for the street cleansing team to do other jobs, such as sweep streets.

He added it was also more environmentally friendly because the larger bins contained wheelie bins that could be emptied by machines whereas the smaller old bins contained plastic bags that had to be replaced regularly.

A Harrogate company that helps firms reduce their energy bills has agreed a £10 million deal with a global aluminium manufacturer.

Energy Oasis, which is based on Victoria Avenue, will operate at four UK sites belonging to Norwegian giants Hydro.

The 18-month contract will see it install intelligent LED lighting, replace roofs and install solar photovoltaic on Hydro’s sites at Birtley, Cheltenham, Bedwas and Tibshelf.

Mike Kaye, managing director of Energy Oasis, said:

“We are really happy to be working with Hydro on their journey to net zero.

“The combination of technologies means that we are having a dramatic impact on their carbon footprint and energy security.

“They now have a fixed cost for a proportion of the electricity they need as a business by generating green electricity on their sites.”

Harrogate legal firm makes marketing hire

A Harrogate legal firm has appointed a new marketing and communications manager.

Oliver Denton has taken up the role at Truth Legal, which is based on Victoria Avenue, after working in higher education, the charitable sector and textiles.

The move comes as the legal firm continues its expansion after it recently hired Sarah Doyle as a litigation executive.

Following the appointment of Mr Denton, Georgia Parkin, managing director at Truth Legal, said:

“Oliver’s appointment reflects how we are looking to build our presence in our core areas of work, drive further brand awareness of Truth Legal and to promote our mission to provide justice for all, regardless of their financial circumstances.

“He has already shown us he is excelling in the role and making a significant contribution in helping us drive forward with our business ambitions.”

Read more:

• Business Breakfast: Harrogate business groups to host summer social
• Business Breakfast: Knaresborough business meeting to give town projects update

North Yorkshire Council has confirmed Harrogate Hydro will not re-open until after the school summer holidays.

The Hydro is undergoing a £13.5 million refurbishment and will welcome customers back under the new name Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

With schools set to break-up today, many families would have been looking forward to using the swimming pool, which has now been closed for 15 months.

But the Stray Ferret revealed this week that was unlikely to happen.

Nic Harne, corporate director for community development at the council, has now confirmed:

“We had hoped that the Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre would be open in late August but, unfortunately, due to unplanned works being required, it will now be early September.

“Refurbishment projects often uncover historic issues that need to be resolved and this complex construction is no different.

The leisure centre in Jennyfields closed in April last year for what was supposed to be a nine-month refurbishment costing £11.9 million.

But January’s scheduled re-opening did not happen. In May, North Yorkshire Council said the cost of the scheme had risen to £13.5 million and customers would be welcomed back in August.

Now the scheme has been pushed back again but there was better luck for leisure centre users in Knaresborough, with news that the town’s new facility has not been further delayed.

Mr Harne said:

“The new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre remains on-track to open in November.”

Read more:

• Another Harrogate Hydro delay appears to rule out summer holiday swimming
• Harrogate heavyweights out in force at Selby by-election

Harrogate Borough Council has revealed the cost of Harrogate Hydro‘s delayed refurbishment has increased by about £1 million to about £12.8 million.

The Stray Ferret reported this month the reopening of the leisure facility, originally scheduled for next month, had been pushed back until summer next year.

The council said this was due to discovering “some additional areas of work that could only have come to light when the building was closed and a strip-out of the internal fabric had taken place”.

In a press release today, the council gave a breakdown of the additional costs, which will be met by taxpayers. They are:

• Replacement of the defective external soffit boarding – £306,893
• Renewal of the existing moveable floor in the diving pool – £299,918
• Replacement of corroded steel frame elements – £330,258.66

The refurbished Hydro will include a pool, new diving structure, 400 square metre fitness suite, sauna and steam suite and new reception and café, as well as a reconfigured car park, bicycle storage and electric vehicle charging points.

The existing gas boilers have been replaced with air-source heat pumps and 250 solar panels, along with new metering and energy monitoring and control systems, which are expected to halve the carbon footprint of the leisure centre.

How the Hydro used to look.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at the council-controlled Brimhams Active, said:

“At a time when some local authorities across the country are reviewing their investments in leisure facilities, we remain committed to ensuring people across the Harrogate district can keep fit and active for many years to come.

“By carrying out this additional work now, while the facility is closed, we can ensure the building is fit for purpose and can conform to the latest legislation and building regulations.

“And at a time of increasing energy costs, we are helping to offset this by making the leisure centre as energy-efficient as possible. And thanks to a government grant of some £1.8million, it will be able to utilise renewal energy.”

The council added the new leisure and wellness centre In Knaresborough was on target to open at the end next summer.

It will provide a six-lane 25-metre pool, activity pool with flume, sauna and steam room, fitness suite and studio, spin studio, café, electric car charging points and bicycle storage.

Read more:

• Harrogate Hydro reopening delayed until summer
• Harrogate council company to run leisure centres in Selby
• Harrogate leisure chief defends Ripon pool location amid ground stability concern

The reopening of Harrogate Hydro has been delayed until summer next year.

The swimming pool and leisure centre closed in April for an £11.8 million refurbishment.

At the time, the pool hall and changing rooms were due to re-open next month and the ‘dry side’ activity space was expected to welcome visitors in April.

The pool opening date was later pushed back until May. But in a post on its Facebook page this week the venue said it is now due to open in summer.

The facility will get a two-storey extension as well as a new entrance, cafe and reception area and sauna and steam suite.

There will also be new diving board equipment, a new fitness suite and the changing areas will be upgraded.

How the Hydro is looking.

The Hydro, which is run by Harrogate Borough Council-controlled leisure company Brimhams Active, said in its Facebook post that work was “well underway”. It added:

“As is often the case when refurbishing an existing building, we have discovered some additional areas of work that could only have come to light when the building was closed and a strip-out of the internal fabric had taken place.

“This includes some improvements to the fire protection of the steel frame, replacement of corroded steelwork, replacement of soffit boarding, and resolution of air leakage and heat loss between the roof and the external walls. As well as some work to ensure the building conforms to the latest legislation and is as energy-efficient as possible.

“Despite everything being done to minimise delays to the project, we now anticipate opening our doors once again next summer (date TBC). But by carrying out the work now, we will be able to ensure people across the Harrogate district can keep fit and active for many years to come.”

The Stray Ferret has asked the council if the “additional areas of work” will mean the cost of the project has risen. We have not received a response at the time of publication.

Read more:

• Pictures show progress of £28m Harrogate Hydro and Knaresborough Leisure Centre works
• Harrogate’s free Christmas lights extravaganza to be switched on today

One person commented in response on Facebook about the length of time Harrogate swimmers would have to travel to Ripon to use another council pool:

“This is going to be well over a year swimmers in the north of the town have been without a pool, and ‘summer (tbc)’ isn’t inspiring me with a lot of confidence.

“Driving to Ripon (actually quicker than trying to get through traffic to Starbeck or Knaresborough) isn’t a particularly appealing prospect on a foggy/icy winter morning, nor is it very green.”

Another person said the wait would be worth it.

“Ah well a least another seven months travelling through to Ripon. If it’s going to be as good as Ripon, really looking forward to it reopening.”

The council, which will be abolished in April, is also spending £17 million on a new leisure centre in Knaresborough, which will have a six-lane swimming pool, health spa and fitness studios.

It is being built behind the existing Knaresborough Pool which will be demolished.

A leading civil liberties group has said it is ‘deeply alarming’ that Harrogate Borough Council uses CCTV cameras supplied by a company controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, and with links to the Uyghur ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang.

HIKVision CCTV cameras have already been banned in the United States over security concerns.

But a report from Big Brother Watch this year revealed almost three-quarters of local authorities use CCTV manufactured by the company, as do many NHS trusts, police forces and schools.

The council has 212 CCTV cameras in total across the district. They are in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon town centres as well as at leisure centres such as the Hydro and Ripon’s new Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The Stray Ferret sent a freedom of information request to the council asking how many of these cameras were made by HIKVision and was told the number is 86.

HIKVision cameras come at the cheaper end of the market, making them a popular choice for cash-strapped local authorities but critics say they come with other, more sinister, costs.

As well as being used in Uyghur detention camps, software flaws have connected the CCTV cameras back to servers in China leading to fears about spying by the repressive state.

A CCTV camera — one of 212 in the district — overlooking the Royal Hall.

Detention camps

The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in north west China who face persecution and oppression by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published reports that accused China of crimes against humanity. A UK-based independent tribunal last year ruled Beijing was guilty of genocide.

The BBC has captured evidence of HIKVision CCTV cameras being used to monitor the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang region, as well as in so-called ‘detention camps’ where it’s estimated over a million Uyghurs have been locked up.

Last year, MPs on the foreign affairs committee published a report that said cameras made by Hikvision “have been deployed throughout Xinjiang, and provide the primary camera technology used in the internment camps”.

Madeleine Stone, legal and policy officer at civil liberties group Big Brother Watch said:

“It is deeply alarming that Harrogate Borough Council is purchasing and using Hikvision cameras to monitor members of the public.

“Taxpayers’ money should not be funding a company so closely linked to the Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang. Chinese state-owned CCTV companies have no place in the UK and the government should act now to ban them.”

China has denied all allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang. 

Read more:

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Security concerns

As well as the ethical question marks around HIKVision cameras, there are also fears that the cameras could compromise security and be used for spying.

Whilst there is no direct evidence of HIKVision providing data gathered from CCTV cameras to the Chinese state, there was an instance in Italy last year where hundreds of HIKVision cameras suddenly started connecting to a server in China.

The incident in Italy was rare but Big Brother Watch has also reported other “security holes” in one of the company’s main remote viewing software tools that could connect directly to servers in the country.

A CCTV camera on Cambridge Street – one of 212 in the district.

Chris Aldred, Liberal Democrat councillor for Fairfax and chair of the council’s overview and scrutiny commission, said the security implications were potentially “very worrying” for the district. He said:

“It would be very worrying if our cameras in Harrogate district suddenly started transmitting their images anywhere else, not just China.

“I know from my own personal CCTV training within the security Industry that there are, quite rightly, very strict regulations as to who can view CCTV images and for what purpose, even the police have to apply for permission and follow strict guidelines.”

The council publishes an annual report about its use of CCTV but it does not mention who manufactures the cameras.

Cllr Aldred added:

“What is happening in the Uyghur detention camps is truly appalling and it is disappointing that Harrogate Borough Council has ultimately bought our cameras from the same company whose technology is undoubtedly aiding what is happening there”.

Cllr Aldred said he will ask the council if it has concerns about HIKVision, and if it has plans to remove the cameras.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“HIKVision CCTV cameras are used extensively by local authorities across the UK, as they are known for capturing high-quality footage that can prove invaluable when a crime is committed.

“Like all other organisations that use CCTV, we follow a code of practice, comply with the Data Protection Act, and our system is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

“We await further guidance from central government on any future use of HIKVision cameras.”

The Stray Ferret approached HIKVision for comment but we did not receive a response.

The Hydro swimming pool in Harrogate will close for nine months on Friday ahead of a £11.8m refurbishment.

The facility will get a two-storey extension as well as a new entrance, cafe and reception area.

There will also be new diving board equipment, a new fitness suite and the changing areas will be upgraded.

A computer generated image of how the Hydro will look.

The existing gas boilers will be replaced with air source heat pumps and 250 solar panels, as well as new metering and energy monitoring and control systems.

The pool is run by Brimhams Active on behalf of Harrogate Borough Council.

It means until January, the nearest available council-run pools will be in Starbeck, Knaresborough, Patelely Bridge and Ripon. Opening times are available on the Brimhams Active website.

Read more:

• Harrogate Hydro renovations a long-term gain, says diving club
• Hot Seat: Leading the Harrogate district’s leisure revolution

The project will be carried out in phases, with the refurbished pool hall and changing rooms re-opening in January 2023 and the ‘dry side’ activity space by April 2023.

How the new Knaresborough Pool will look.

Work to build the new Knaresborough Pool will start on April 26. The current facility will remain open.

Wallace Sampson, Harrogate Borough Council’s chief executive, said:

“This investment at both the Hydro in Harrogate and a new facility in Knaresborough follows our investment at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon and shows our commitment to providing first-class leisure facilities for Harrogate district residents.”