County council officials today warned that the “burden of risk” for major projects, such as the realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill, will fall on the authority amid soaring inflation.

The cost of the scheme to build a diversion on the A59, near Blubberhouses, has increased to £68.8 million.

Senior North Yorkshire county councillors today approved a further £7.2 million to the project in order to cover the shortfall caused by a rise in inflation.

It takes the council’s contribution to the major highways project to £12.7 million after the Department for Transport capped its contribution at £56.1 million.

Gary Fielding, the council’s director for strategic resources, told councillors today that the reduction in funding from ministers combined with inflation soaring would leave high risk on the council for capital schemes such as Kex Gill.

He said:

“In terms of capital, you are seeing two things happening in general and I think it is right that members are aware of the risks.

“We have got allocations in government funding across the board actually reducing in quantum for the forthcoming period and in parallel with that we have got inflation rates taking off.

“So what you have actually got is a much reduced spending power going forward and a higher profile of risk based upon major schemes where the burden of risk will fall 100% with the council.”

A report before councillors today warned that any “unforeseen events” with the Kex Gill scheme which lead to increased cost would fall upon the authority.

Cllr Gareth Dadd, executive member for finance at the council, added:

“I wouldn’t say I’m pleased to be having to recommend a further £7.2 million to the Kex Gill project, but nonetheless it shows our commitment to major road improvement.”

Read more:

• Kex Gill realignment cost increases to £68m
• Delayed A59 Kex Gill reroute now set to start next year and finish in 2025

The project will see a diversion built west of Blubberhouses on the stretch of road, which has been blighted by a history of landslips. The A59 is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton.

Council officials expect work to start on the scheme next year and continue until 2025.

North Yorkshire County Council previously said it hoped the reroute would start in autumn last year and take 15 months.

Ahead of appointing a contractor for the scheme, a full business case will be submitted to the Department for Transport.

The cost of a county council project to realign the A59 at Kex Gill has increased to £68.8 million.

A North Yorkshire County Council report said the authority faces a £7.2 million shortfall on the cost due to a rise in inflation.

The project will see a diversion built west of Blubberhouses on the stretch of road, which has been blighted by a history of landslips. The A59 is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton.

County council officials originally estimated that the scheme would cost £61.6 million.

Of that figure, £56.1 million worth of funding has been granted by the Department for Transport and the remaining cost will be covered by the authority.

However, in a report due before an executive meeting on Tuesday, the council has now said it faces a further shortfall of £7.2 million in funding for the scheme.

Read more:

• £60m Kex Gill contract to be awarded
• Delayed A59 Kex Gill reroute now set to start next year and finish in 2025

It means the council has had to increase the funding it is allocating to the scheme to £12.7 million.

As a result, the council intends to use £7.2 million from its Brexit reserve account in order to fund the scheme.

It said:

“Should alternative funding resources be secured, whether in part or in full, the reserve provision will be relinquished.”

Council officials expect work to start on the scheme next year and continue until 2025.

North Yorkshire County Council previously said it hoped the reroute would start in autumn last year and take 15 months.

Ahead of appointing a contractor for the scheme, a full business case will be submitted to the Department for Transport.

A construction contract for the £60 million rerouting of a landslide-hit road between Harrogate and Skipton is set to be approved.

North Yorkshire County Council says it has found a preferred bidder to carry out the delayed project, which will see a new carriageway built for the A59 at Kex Gill.

The road is a key east-west link for the county and has been hit by 12 landslides in as many years, leading to diversions for motorists and costs for the council.

In one instance, a landslide in January 2016 shut the road for eight weeks.

The council had hoped works would start last autumn, however, the project has been hit by several delays including objections to compulsory purchase orders that the council made to acquire land for the new route.

Minerals company Sibelco also attempted to call in the project for a public inquiry, but this was rejected by the government.

There is now an aim for construction to begin next January, with completion in early 2025.

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Funding for the project is coming from the Department for Transport, which has agreed to provide £56 million, while the council will make up the rest of the costs.

The council’s executive will be asked to agree to the awarding of the contract to the preferred bidder at a meeting next Tuesday.

But before the contract can be signed off, a final business case for the project will be submitted to the Department for Transport.

A report to Tuesday’s meeting said the road was still causing repair costs for the council which has planned drainage works this month and wants to see a permanent solution in place.

The report said:

“There remains a high risk that there will be further landslips in the future, which could potentially result in long term closures of the route, severely impacting connectivity between Skipton and Harrogate.

“Conversely there is a risk to public safety and economic disruption.

“Whilst short to medium term management measures are continually being undertaken, the county council recognised that in the longer term there was a need to develop proposals for a permanent solution.”

In less than a month’s time, the curtain will come down on the career of one of the most influential — and divisive — politicians in the Harrogate district this century.

Don Mackenzie served 16 years as a Harrogate borough councillor, but will be best remembered for his current role as executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council.

His portfolio includes transport, which means he has led on key decisions, such as the Harrogate Station Gateway, the junction 47 upgrade of the A1(M) near Knaresborough, realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill and numerous schemes to promote cycling and walking.

In an era when some politicians pick and choose which media to talk to, and hide behind press officers, Cllr Mackenzie has always been willing to pick up the phone and front up. He believes in transparency, he says. Colleagues say he’s on top of his brief, and some think he would have made a good county council leader.

But the judgement of the people is more brutal. Barely a day passes without references to ‘Dismal Don’ or calls for his resignation on social media. Complex transport schemes rarely please everyone and rarely progress swiftly and he is remarkably relaxed about the fallout:

“If I let these things upset me, I would have given up years ago. The only thing that occasionally annoys me is social media, especially anonymous posters.

“Tough decisions have to be made and all they do is sit in the comfort of their own home posting anonymous criticism. It’s cowardly.”

‘Right time to go’

On the day we met Cllr Mackenzie, who has lived in Harrogate since 1973 and represents Harrogate Saltergate, he received an email asking how dare he approve 770 houses being built on Otley Road — the decision has not been made yet and will be taken by Harrogate Borough Council, of which he has not been a councillor since 2018.

Such confusion will end when North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council are abolished next year to make way for North Yorkshire Council, which will become the new unitary authority for the county.

New weather stations have been introduced to help drivers in difficult conditions.

That looming seismic change has persuaded Cllr Mackenzie, 72, not to seek re-election on May 5. He is the only one of 10 members of the county council executive not to do so. Wasn’t he tempted to continue?

“No I wasn’t. It’s a five-year commitment. I felt that my time as a county councillor had come to a natural end. Many of my colleagues have great difficulty deciding when and if to retire. Many people say a career in politics always ends in tears so I feel this is the right time to go.”

Read more:

• Harrogate bus plans in tatters after government rejects £116m funding bid
• £7.8 million awarded to help make Harrogate Bus Company’s fleet all-electric
• Transport leader Don Mackenzie to step down next year

Nevertheless he will be sad to depart.

“I’ve enjoyed almost every minute of it.

“Most councillors set out to do something for their local community. Most people like me are in it to make a difference and sometimes it’s difficult to make that difference. There are inevitably disappointments. We’ve been disappointed this week with our Bus Service Improvement Plan.”

The county council’s plan involved bidding £116m to the Department for Transport to improve bus services in North Yorkshire. It received none. A significant chunk would have been spent easing congestion in Harrogate. But in March the government awarded the council and Harrogate Bus Company £7.8m to make the firm’s fleet all-electric.

There have been other successes, such as the Bond End double mini roundabout in Knaresborough, which eased congestion at one of the most polluted spots in the Harrogate district.

“It was a highlight because many people thought it would not work and were worried about safety and taking away the traffic lights.”

Junction 47, trains and Kex Gill

Cllr Mackenzie lauds the A1(M) junction 47 upgrade, due to end end anytime now, as a rare example of infrastructure investment coming before development.

He says train services are far better now, with more frequent direct trains to London, than before he became a councillor despite rail operator Northern’s announcement last month of cuts to Harrogate services. He says:

“Northern have assured me these reductions will be short-term only.”

He admits to being a “little frustrated” the Kex Gill realignment won’t be completed before he leaves office. Delays, he says, are inevitable when “taking a major trans-pennine highway across a sensitive area of countryside”. Peat deposits are among the vexed considerations. But the project has levered £56m from the Department for Transport and should start this year.

Walking and cycling schemes

Active travel schemes have been the most contentious, particularly the Harrogate Station Gateway. It was one of three initiatives worth £42million funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Making the case for the Station Gateway at a business meeting.

Cllr Mackenzie says the Selby and Skipton projects “have been problem free”; Harrogate has been anything but, with strong opposition from businesses and residents to reducing Station Parade to single lane and pedestrianising part of James Street. He remains a staunch advocate:

“It’s bringing £11million of much needed investment into the town centre. It will be a radical improvement to a part of town that needs improving and it will be good for the visitor economy.”

He says he would be “inclined to continue’ with the closure of Beech Grove in Harrogate to through traffic when the 18-month experiment ends in August, with the caveat that he “would be guided by the data”.

As for Otley Road cycle path, he was “a little surprised to hear complaints from the cycling lobby” because “what we have delivered is exactly what the plans showed so they had plenty of time to raise concerns then”.

He says the council will conduct another round of consultation on phase two “so people are absolutely clear” about the plans this time.

Why have these schemes provoked so much anger?

“In Harrogate, when one attempts change — in this case to improve facilities for walking and cycling — you get roughly half the population behind you and half against you.

“Also, many people feel any restrictions on car driving is a bad thing whereas if you want to overcome congestion you have to have a realistic alternative.”

Conservative for 40 years

Don Johannes Josef Mackenzie was born in Germany and is bilingual — his dad stayed there after the war and met a German woman. The family moved before Cllr Mackenzie’s first birthday and he grew up in Ipswich.

He became managing director of MMP International, which supplied industrial repair and maintenance products worldwide. The job brought him to Harrogate 49 years ago.

MMP was acquired by US company ITW in 1998. Mr Mackenzie was a minority shareholder and stayed on for 10 years as business manager. He then became self-employed, “doing small things representing British manufacturers worldwide”.

A Conservative Party member for 40 years, he cut his political teeth as a Harrogate borough councillor in Pannal from 1987 to 1991 before a 15-year hiatus to concentrate on his career and raising his daughter, who would later become the agent for Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough. Who are his political heroes?

“I liked Mrs Thatcher but I don’t have any political heroes. I also liked David Cameron — I thought he was very good.”

He returned to serve three terms in Harrogate from 2006 to 2018, during which he became the cabinet member for planning and transport for three years — a role that included oversight of the creation of the original Local Plan — a document that outlines where planning can take part in the development.

Speaking at an online county council meeting.

The plan allocated 390 new homes a year in the district — a number that was rejected by the government’s Planning Inspectorate as too low and was eventually bumped up to around 700, leading to ongoing concerns about the number of new developments. He says:

“In hindsight 390 was a little low. Now it’s nearer 700. I don’t have a problem with 700 but recently it’s been much higher than that.”

Cllr Mackenzie was appointed executive member for public health at the county council in 2013 until council leader Carl Les moved him to his access portfolio in 2015.

It’s a bruising role but says the only time he gets real abuse is when he’s knocking on doors canvassing. It doesn’t seem to bother him — he likes a good argument. Or as he puts it:

“I can’t say I enjoy it but I wouldn’t shrink from it.

“I belong to that generation when a candidate didn’t rely on social media. I relied on public meetings. But there’s far less of that face-to-face stuff and that has led to a decline in behaviour because people think their behaviour doesn’t matter as much.”

Bird watching

Cllr Mackenzie, who is 72, doesn’t intend to retire. He has applied to become a non-executive director of a British public sector organisation and wants to keep busy.

“I wouldn’t like to think I didn’t start each day without an active programme ahead.”

He’s a keen bird watcher who engages in his hobby on family holidays in Norfolk. He doesn’t cycle but walks a lot. He often catches the bus or strolls into town from his home, near Leeds Road about a mile from the town centre. He says it’s too close to go by car.

He claims not to have any major regrets. What does he think his legacy will be?

“I would like people to think that whatever decision I took, I took with the best of motives and I thought the decision was right. I can’t claim to have got every decision right – but they were all taken with the best of intentions.”

With many of his schemes set to outlast him, his legacy will be felt in the district for years to come.

The delayed £60 million reroute of the A59 at Kex Gill is now unlikely to start until next year, with work continuing until 2025.

North Yorkshire County Council previously said it hoped the reroute would start in autumn last year and take 15 months.

But the council is still negotiating on one remaining objection to compulsory purchase orders it issued for the scheme.

The A59 is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton. A diversion is planned west of Blubberhouses on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has been blighted by a history of landslides and a recent “instability issue” that cost the council £1.4 million to resolve.

Richard Binks, head of major projects and infrastructure at the council, said:

“We remain committed to progressing the essential realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill as quickly as possible.

“Negotiations over the one remaining objection are now in an advanced position and we are confident of a positive resolution in the coming weeks.

“This would enable a contractor to be on site to carry out preparatory work by the end of the year, with main construction beginning early next year. Completion would be scheduled for early 2025.”

Read More: 

• Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
• A59 Kex Gill ‘instability issue’ cost council £1.4 million

If left unresolved, the objections could lead to a public inquiry – which would delay the start of the project further.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive councillor for access at the council, told a council meeting last year.

“The project programme without a public inquiry indicates that construction could start this autumn (2021). On the other hand, if a public inquiry is required, the start of works could be delayed by up to 15 months.”

North Yorkshire’s highways chief has said he is hopeful that a £60 million project to realign Kex Gill will go ahead without a public inquiry.

A diversion is planned west of Blubberhouses on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has been blighted by a history of landslides and a recent “instability issue” that cost the council £1.4 million.

Following the publication of compulsory purchase orders, the council was faced with two objections which, if unresolved, could have led to a public inquiry.

However, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, told the Stray Ferret the authority had now resolved one of the complaints.

He said:

“I’m very confident it will avoid an inquiry.”

Cllr Mackenzie previously told the Stray Ferret that he did not see the objections as a “severe risk” to the project.

Read More: 

• Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
• A59 Kex Gill ‘instability issue’ cost council £1.4 million

He added that once construction started on the project, work could take up to 18 months to complete.

However, a start date for the scheme has yet to be confirmed.

Barrie Mason, assistant director of highways and transportation at North Yorkshire County Council, said the authority intended to progress the scheme “as soon as possible”.

He said:

“We remain committed to progressing the essential realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill as quickly as possible.

“The route is a vital east-west link within North Yorkshire, as well as into West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Humber ports, so we are pressing ahead with this scheme to provide a safe, reliable route for residents, businesses and visitors.

“However, there are statutory processes that must be completed before we can move to the next stage of the project. We are currently progressing through these processes. Subject to their satisfactory completion, we will move forward with the scheme as soon as possible.”

Two objections have been lodged against land orders for a £60 million reroute of the A59 at Kex Gill.

North Yorkshire County Council published plans in August to purchase 90 acres of land to build the new route.

A diversion is planned west of Blubberhouses on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has been blighted by a history of landslides and a recent “instability issue” which cost the council £1.4 million.

The council needs to acquire the land before it can begin construction.

County council officials have confirmed to the Stray Ferret that two objections have been submitted against its side road orders. which are designed to buy private land in order to carry out the project.

However, authority bosses say they believe they can resolve the disputes.

Karl Battersby, corporate director, business and environmental services at the county council, said:

“We are in the procurement process and are working through the statutory processes.

“We have received two objections to the side road orders that we are confident we can resolve.

“All statutory processes need to be concluded before we can secure the funding from the Department for Transport and award the contract.”

Read More: 

• Highways boss confident Kex Gill reroute will avoid inquiry
• Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
• A59 Kex Gill ‘instability issue’ cost council £1.4 million

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, told the Stray Ferret this month that a “substantial objection” could trigger a public inquiry.

However, he added that he did not “see it as a severe risk” and was confident that the council could avoid an inquiry.

In a statement given to a full council meeting in July, Cllr Mackenzie warned that if a public inquiry was required then work could be delayed by up to 15 months.

Council officials said they wanted to come to an agreement with landowners over the price of land, rather than acquire it by a compulsory purchase order.

Construction of the scheme is expected to take 18 months.

North Yorkshire’s highways boss has said he is confident that a major £60 million reroute of the A59 at Kex Gill will avoid a public inquiry.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive councillor for highways at North Yorkshire County Council, said he was not “aware of any risk” that the scheme could be delayed by objections.

The council is currently consulting on compulsory purchase orders to buy 90 acres of land for the project.

If an objection is lodged against any of the orders, it could lead to a public inquiry which would delay the scheme further.

However, Cllr Mackenzie said he felt the risk of the scheme going to an inquiry was low and he was confident it will pass this stage of the project.

He said:

“I’m not aware of any risk. It would be the Secretary of State who would take that decision.

“It would have to be a substantial objection. There is a risk [that it could be called in], but personally I do not see it as a severe risk.”

Read more:

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In a statement given to a full council meeting in July, Cllr Mackenzie warned that if a public inquiry was required then work could be delayed by up to 15 months.

Council officials said they wanted to come to an agreement with landowners over the price of land, rather than acquire it by a compulsory purchase order.

The council needs to acquire the land before it can begin construction on the scheme.

The project will see a diversion built west of Blubberhouses on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has been blighted by a history of landslides.

Construction of the scheme is expected to take 18 months.

North Yorkshire County Council is in discussions with landowners to purchase 90 acres of land earmarked for a major £60 million reroute of the A59 at Kex Gill.

A diversion is planned west of Blubberhouses on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has been blighted by a history of landslides and a recent “instability issue” which cost the council £1.4 million.

The council needs to acquire the land before it can begin construction on the scheme.

Council officials said negotiations were ongoing with landowners to reach an agreement on the price of the land, rather than acquire it by a compulsory purchase order.

The Stray Ferret asked the county council how much money has been set aside for the project.

Barrie Mason, assistant director for highway and transportation at the county council, said:

“The Compulsory Purchase Orders and the Side Roads Order recently published for the A59 Kex Gill are a routine part of the process of delivering the scheme.

“Where the CPO relates to land purchase, this is being carried out alongside negotiations with landowners aimed at reaching an agreed, rather than compulsory, purchase.

“We have estimated the likely cost of land purchase, but as negotiations are ongoing it would be inappropriate to disclose these figures now, as that could prejudice those negotiations. We will, of course, make this information public once negotiations are concluded.”

The council has outlined the 90 acres of land it intends to purchase in internal documents.

Read More: 

• Half-a-million pounds to offset environmental damage of new Kex Gill road
• Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
• A59 Kex Gill ‘instability issue’ cost council £1.4 million

Included in the scheme is land off the A59 at Blubberhouse Moor between North Moor Road and Hall Lane, land at Hall Farm and land to the east at Hall Beck. 

Agricultural land along the A59 up to Church Hill is also outlined in the scheme. Woodland east of Hall Lane and west of the River Washburn would also be acquired.

The existing road also passes through an area designated as Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Most of the land earmarked for purchase is woodland or agricultural land.

The authority said any compulsory purchase would be used as a last resort. But the project could be delayed by a further 15 months if an objection is lodged against a compulsory purchase order.

Such an objection would lead to a public inquiry.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told a full council meeting last month:

“The compulsory purchase and side roads orders have been published with a formal consultation period until the end of August.

“The project programme without a public inquiry indicates that construction could start this autumn. On the other hand, if a public inquiry is required, the start of works could be delayed by up to 15 months.”

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. See below for details on how to contribute.

Why my friends won’t be returning to Harrogate

Station Gateway: economic concerns need addressing

Independent Harrogate, which represents more than 180 businesses. supports the proposed ‘Station Gateway‘ in general but we do have some serious concerns that it might have a negative impact on the local economy.

The scheme fails to address the need for park and ride schemes, a large number of electric car charging points and extensive safe cycling routes away from traffic that link with low-traffic neighbourhoods, therefore reducing congestion and in turn reducing carbon emissions.

And, to prevent congestion and an increase in carbon emissions, Station Parade must retain its two lanes, with enhanced cycling facilities reserved for East Parade.

We support James Street remaining fully open whilst supporting the narrowing at its junction with Station Parade to aid pedestrians crossing the road.

We urge North Yorkshire County Council to meet groups to discuss the finer details of the proposals.

William Woods, Independent Harrogate

Why is Kex Gill work taking so long?

Given that it is now more than two years since the Kex Gill route was finalised and finance was put in place, it is staggering that North Yorkshire County Council is now warning the scheme could be delayed because it hasn’t bothered to secure the land, in precisely the same way no one thought to consult the Duchy of Lancaster regarding the much-delayed Otley Road cycle path. Do they never learn?

David Howarth, Harrogate

Read more:

• £10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway scheme moves to design stage
• Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months

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.