North Yorkshire Council Archives - Page 142 of 163

‘Undemocratic’ to ask Harrogate residents to pay for town council without stating its powers

A consultation about a potential Harrogate town council has been called “undemocratic” because it says residents would have to pay up to £60 a year extra without stating what powers it might have.

North Yorkshire Council is running a second consultation on whether a town council for Harrogate should be created.

Consultation documents say how much residents in band D properties are likely to pay through their council tax to cover services provided by the new town council.

North Yorkshire Council said the town council’s council tax precept would allow for an annual budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.

Knaresborough and Ripon both currently have their own councils that charge a precept to provide services such as allotments, public events and small parks.

However, it is unclear at this stage what services a potential Harrogate town council would deliver.

There would be 19 councillors elected to the town council with elections taking place on May 2, 2024.

‘Unfair and undemocratic’

Speaking at a residents’ meeting last week, Michael Schofield, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harlow and St Georges, criticised the consultation process and said people were not sure what they would be voting for if the town council was created.

He said:

“It’s alright talking about flower beds but we still don’t know what North Yorkshire Council’s executive are going to let a town council have control of.

“It’s unfair and undemocratic not to be told what we going being asked to pay for and voting for. They need to let us know.”

His view is shared by the final mayor of the Harrogate borough, Victoria Oldham, who was the Conservative councillor for Washburn on Harrogate Borough Council until March 31.

Ms Oldham is backing the creation of a town council but said people interested in becoming councillors should be getting around the table with North Yorkshire Council now to discuss what powers it might have.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“There’s no point in saying you’ll have a town council if you don’t say what you’re supposed to be running so those people interested in being on the town council need to be coming together now and putting a plan forward. There needs to be some sort of mediation.

“Saying suddenly you have a town council and not knowing what you’ll be responsible for is going to be awkward.”

In response, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, Conservative Cllr David Chance, said:

“A town council for Harrogate is aimed at ensuring that the views of residents are represented at the most local level and helping to provide the services that are so important to the public.

“We are undertaking a consultation to get people’s opinions on the detailed
recommendations for the town council.

“Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council. When North Yorkshire Council launched on April 1 after the previous eight local authorities in the county merged, a central pledge of this change was to enable town and parish councils to take on greater responsibility if they want and are able to.

“Residents of unparished parts of Scarborough and Harrogate were invited last summer to say whether they wanted to create new town councils. More than two-thirds of residents who responded in the two towns were in favour of the idea.

“We believe that the chance for town councils for both Harrogate and Scarborough will be fundamental in making sure local democracy can be as effective as possible, and I would urge the public to have their say during the latest consultation, which is running until Friday, May 5.“

Residents can take part in the consultation by visiting www.northyorks.gov.uk/CGR. Paper copies are available by calling 01609 536400 or emailing cgr@northyorks.gov.uk.

North Yorkshire Council set for £513,700 redundancy payout to three senior managers

North Yorkshire Council looks set to make three former district council managers redundant at a cost of £513,700.

The council, which replaced Harrogate Borough Council and seven other district and county councils at the start of the month, is restructuring its workforce.

According to a report due before the authority’s executive, senior managers who were transferred to the council under TUPE regulations can be offered “substitute duties” which fit their job descriptions.

Some senior staff left for other jobs before the authority was formed, while others took up roles on the new council.

However, three of the senior managers are due to be made redundant after the roles they were allocated were “time-limited”.

The report said:

“There are three senior managers where the substitute duties allocated are time-limited, and on conclusion they will be in a redundancy position.

“Legal advice has been sought and confirms this position.”

As a result, the council looks set to pay an estimated £513,700 in exit packages to those being made redundant.

None of the officers are former employees of Harrogate Borough Council.

The payments will be split by £107,000, £108,000 and £298,000.

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, said the move to one council has helped to save £3.7 million in senior officers’ pay.

He said:

“A huge amount of work has been undertaken to bring together the previous eight councils into one and ensure that there is value for money for North Yorkshire’s taxpayers.

“The move to one single management team for North Yorkshire Council has saved about £3.7 million in pay for senior officers every year. The fact that there are only three senior managers in this situation is significantly less than other councils in this position.

“To have these managers still involved for a defined period has been of significant benefit to the new council, making full use of their skills and experience for work that would otherwise have needed extra resources in terms of appointments, interim managers or consultants.”

A meeting of the council’s executive is set to discuss the matter on Tuesday, May 2. Senior councillors have been recommended to refer the matter to full council.

In December, Unison wrote to the authority warning it not to offer senior managers more favourable redundancy terms than other staff.

The letter came as Hambleton District Council agreed to pay £767,065 to four senior officers who decided they do not wish to work for the unitary North Yorkshire Council after April 1.

The payments were agreed even though the four directors had been assured they would be offered “suitable roles” at no financial loss to themselves when they transferred to North Yorkshire Council.

Former Harrogate Borough Council chief executive Wallace Sampson negotiated a £101,274 redundancy pay-out before his departure at the end of March.

Daleside Garage in Pateley Bridge reopens in new location

A Pateley Bridge garage has reopened its doors after relocating within the town.

Daleside Garage, which was based on Bridgehouse Gate, has moved to brand new premises at Corn Close Farm on Low Wath Road.

The garage reopened its doors today.

The move comes after developer Chartwell Barns Ltd submitted plans to build a three-storey block of flats on its former premises.

Karley Haley, who owns Daleside Garage with her husband Glenn, said the move will help to retain the MOT testing station, as well as servicing and repairs, in the town.

She added the garage had also invested in new equipment at its new base.

Ms Haley said:

“Huge investment into brand new ramps means a broader range of vehicles can be tested including larger class 7 commercial vehicles, camper vans and heavier electric vehicles allowing the garage to cater for the vehicles of the future.”

She added the garage hoped to install electric vehicle charging points on the new site in future.

The proposals for 15 homes on the former Daleside Garage site on Bridgehouse Gate have yet to be decided.

The plan was submitted in April last year to Harrogate Borough Council, which has since been abolished.

North Yorkshire Council, which replaced the borough council this month, is expected to make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Harrogate district firm allowed to relocate building put up without planning permission

Councillors have approved the relocation of a pallet store at a business near Boroughbridge that was built without planning permission.

North Yorkshire Council‘s first Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee took place yesterday at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.

Councillors considered an application from Abacus, a manufacturer and distributor of bathroom products to companies including Villeroy and Boch and Wickes.

The firm employs 85 people and is based at Jubilee Court on the outskirts of Copgrove alongside 10 other businesses.

In 2019, Abacus won permission from Harrogate Borough Council to build an extension for a steel warehouse to support the growing business. However, the company ended up building a bigger structure than what was approved after it won two large commercial deals.

Due to the construction of the extension, a pallet store was relocated elsewhere on the site without planning permission.

Retrospective permission was sought for the extension and pallet store but was refused by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in December.

Nigel Simms, the former Conservative councillor for Masham and Kirkby Malzeard, described the building as standing out like a “pimple on a pig’s backside” due to a lack of tree cover.

The council eventually retrospectively approved the larger extension last month but its decision did not take into account the pallet store.

Yesterday, Abacus proposed relocating the pallet store next to a warehouse and away from nearby fields. This satisfied councillors who voted unanimously in favour of the plans.

During the meeting, councillors also approved the building of more car parking spaces for Abacus.

The proposal included additional trees being planted that a council officer said in a report would “help screen and soften the most prominent views” of the business park following concerns from residents.

Alex Green, an agent speaking on behalf of Abacus, told councillors:

“The design will provide adequate screening. It’s obviously an improvement on the current arrangements.”

Staff from former district councils now working at Harrogate’s Civic Centre

Staff who previously worked for some of the county’s abolished district councils are now working at Harrogate’s Civic Centre.

The building on St Luke’s Avenue was the headquarters of Harrogate Borough Council until March 31 when it was abolished to make way for the unitary authority North Yorkshire Council.

Councils for Hambleton, Craven, Scarborough, Richmond, Selby, Ryedale, plus North Yorkshire County Council, were also abolished.

One of the big questions about local government reorganisation was what would happen to the Civic Centre which only opened in 2017.

To help pay for the build, the council’s old offices at Crescent Gardens were eventually sold to developer Impala Estates for £4m.

Reorganisation had been mooted for many years and when the council decided to make the move, critics said the project could become a white elephant in the event of Harrogate Borough Council no longer existing.

However, North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative leader Carl Les has reaffirmed his commitment to using the building and said it would not be sold as the authority looks to save money.

When asked how many staff are currently working at the Civic Centre, Cllr Les said:

“The number of staff using the Civic Centre on a day-by-day basis does vary, so it is difficult to provide an exact figure. However, staff who were previously employed by other councils in North Yorkshire before the new authority launched have been regularly working from the Civic Centre.

“We will be looking to rationalise the property estate which the new council has inherited.

“However, we will retain the Civic Centre and look to focus more staff on using it as a base as the property rationalisation rolls out.”

Cllr Les said each former district area will retain one main office, which will be supported by around 30 “customer access points” in places like libraries.

He added:

“The main office enables you to continue to access all the support, advice and services you always have, but now all from one council. More than 80% of our staff live in North Yorkshire and take pride in delivering good services for their communities, families and friends.”

Highest-paid staff at former Harrogate council take up new roles

The most senior officers at Harrogate Borough Council have started new roles at North Yorkshire Council this month.

Trevor Watson, Paula Lorimer, Paul Foster, Rachel Joyce and Jennifer Norton have all taken up positions in the senior management structure of the new unitary authority and will be paid between £79,000 and £111,500.

Former chief executive Wallace Sampson was the only senior member of staff not to automatically transfer over to North Yorkshire Council on April 1 after he agreed a redundancy package worth £101,274.

Mr Watson had a high-profile role at Harrogate Borough Council as director of economy, environment and housing and is now assistant director of planning at NYC. He is paid a salary of £101,500.

Rachel Joyce has gone from director of corporate affairs at the borough council to assistant chief executive – local engagement at North Yorkshire Council and is now paid £111,500 a year.

Paula Lorimer remains the Harrogate Convention Centre director and the person in charge of the town’s conference and exhibitions facility. She is paid £107,995.

Former head of finance Paul Foster has begun his new role as assistant director of resources on a salary of between £99,000 and £101,500.

Harrogate Borough Council offices at Knapping Mount.

The Civic Centre has been rebranded following this month’s changes.

Jennifer Norton, who was head of legal and governance at Harrogate Borough Council, is now assistant director of legal at North Yorkshire Council and is paid between £79,000 and £86,000.

Last week the TaxPayers’ Alliance, a pressure group that campaigns against ‘wasteful spending’ in the public sector published its annual Town Hall Rich List. It included a list of council officers who are paid a salary above £100,000.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:

“Taxpayers facing record council tax rises want to be sure they are getting value for money from their local authority leadership.

“Many authorities continue with extremely generous pay and perks, including bonuses and golden goodbyes, while local people are facing a financial squeeze.”

North Yorkshire Council’s chief executive, Richard Flinton, said:

“The new North Yorkshire Council has the third largest population of any council nationally and covers the largest area in the country.

“Our senior managers oversee about 10,500 staff, excluding schools, and are responsible for managing an annual revenue budget of £1.4 billion.

“When it was being drawn up, the management pay structure analysed senior managers’ salaries against comparable authorities to ensure that they were in-line with expectations for roles at this level.

“It is also important to remember that the council is saving about £3.7 million in senior management pay every year by moving from eight councils to one authority, reducing the number of chief executives and senior officers.

“We want to ensure the council can retain and attract talented individuals to deliver essential services for our 615,000 residents and 33,000 businesses, and we believe our pay structure allows us to do that whilst also providing value for money for taxpayers.”

Plan approved to convert former Cold Bath Road shop into bar and cafe

A plan to convert a former Cold Bath Road shop in Harrogate into a bar has been approved.

The proposal, which has been tabled by 17 Miles Ltd, will see the former store at 17 Cold Bath Road converted.

The building, next door to Lunns Blinds and Curtains, was previously occupied by Scandinavian clothes shop Bias, which has since moved to Montpellier Parade.

Now, North Yorkshire Council has approved a plan to convert it into a bar and cafe.

Documents submitted to the authority propose opening times from 4pm to 11pm Wednesday and Thursday, and 12pm to 11pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

However, further details, including the name, have yet to be revealed.

Cold Bath Road already has a selection of pubs and bars, including the Fat Badger, District Bar and The Last Post.

‘No more new houses’: Harrogate residents and councillors call on council to remove sites from Local Plan

Residents and councillors who are facing the prospect of thousands of homes being built around Harlow Hill have called on North Yorkshire Council to remove sites from its new Local Plan.

Around 50 people attended the Green Hut on Harlow Avenue last night for a meeting of Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association (HAPARA).

Up to 4,000 homes could be built in the Western arc of Harrogate but there have been long-standing concerns that the area’s roads, schools and healthcare facilities will not be able to cope.

Residents were dismayed at the publication of a ‘parameters plan’ document last year that was drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council to identify infrastructure requirements for the area.

Plans for 770 homes and a primary school on land behind RHS Harlow Carr has already been submitted by Anywl Land and Redrow Homes.

On the other side of the road, Homes England has submitted plans to build 480 homes.

The homes would be built in phases meaning residents living in the area could face a decade or more of disruption.

Neither application on Otley Road has been approved yet and residents at the meeting said there was a glimmer of hope that North Yorkshire Council could remove the sites when it develops its new county-wide Local Plan.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan will be replaced by the document before 2028.

Malcolm Margolis said HBC’s plan was “obviously out of date and needs changing.”

He said:

“I read about 50 local authorities have cancelled their Local Plan and started again. I can’t understand why North Yorkshire cant take a similar approach and revisit all this.”

One woman said:

“The government says we don’t need as many houses as before. It seems sensible to me as a layperson why aren’t these plans revisited and some sites taken out?”

Conservative councillor for Oatlands & Pannal, John Mann, said he will be pushing the new authority to reconsider sites that have not already been granted planning permission.

He said:

“I will be insisting we look afresh at some of these sites that are in the plan and have not yet come forward and I will call for these sites to be revisited.”

However, chair of Haverah Park with Beckwithshaw Parish Council, Derek Spence, said residents would have to be realistic as the new Local Plan is five years away from completion and in that time developers would look to secure planning permission.

Cllr Spence said:

“If they see that door closing what are they going to do? Commercially, they’ll start putting in planning applications. It’s pretty obvious. If you were them that’s what you’d have to do to protect your investment.”

Road closures announced for Harrogate’s St George’s Day Parade

Traffic will be prohibited on several roads in Harrogate on Sunday afternoon for the annual St George’s Day parade.

The parade, which was held for the first time in three years last year, sees hundreds of Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Cubs and more join together in uniform to mark the occasion.

North Yorkshire Council, the highways authority, has issued temporary prohibition of traffic orders lasting from 1.30pm to 3pm.

It covers Victoria Avenue and parts of West Park, Beech Grove, Station Parade, Marlborough Road, Queen Parade, North Park Road, Coach Road and Christ Church track.

Victoria Avenue is among the roads affected.

Alternative routes will be signposted.

The closures do not apply to emergency vehicles.

Model boating to continue in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

A 99-year-old tradition of model boating looks set to continue in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens.

Members of Claro Marine Modellers and a representative from North Yorkshire Council held talks at the boating lake today about a new fountain.

The model boating club was concerned the fountain would damage boats and bring an end to their hobby in Harrogate.

But Adrian Selway, the new club secretary who has been sailing model boats for 30 years in Valley Gardens, said the talks had reached a solution.

model boats boating fountain

Mr Selway said the council had agreed the fountain will not operate when club members sail their boats on Sunday mornings all year round and on Wednesday evenings during summer.

He added:

“It was a very amicable meeting and the outcome was favourable. The council was anxious to support the club.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to spend £6,000 installing the fountain prompted concerns of boats running aground on the structure.

There were also fears spray from the fountain could ruin boats.

Harrogate Borough Council was abolished at the end of last month. North Yorkshire Council has inherited its assets, including Valley Gardens.

‘Unfair and undemocratic’

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