Harrogate motorists face eight-mile diversions due to road closure

Motorists face significant diversions for five weeks from Monday due the closure of a busy road near Harrogate.

North Yorkshire County Council will close the B6161 to carry out work on Pot Bridge in Beckwithshaw. The work will strengthen the arch of the bridge and repair the parapet and surrounding walls.

It means motorists will incur eight-mile diversions via Beckwithshaw, Norwood and the A59, adding about 15 minutes to their journeys.

Cllr Stanley Lumley, member for the Pateley Bridge division on the county council and chair of the transport committee, said:

“The scheme will be welcomed by commuters and residents as the road has become increasingly busier with those seeking alternative routes to the centre of Harrogate.

“The repairs to this well-used bridge are part of our extensive programme to maintain and improve the county’s roads.

“We appreciate the closure will be an inconvenience to many however I would ask the public for their cooperation while the work is ongoing.”

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The roadworks are the latest set of delays for motorists who will also have to contend with a temporary traffic lights on Otley Road from Monday.

More lights will appear slightly closer to the town centre when Northern Powergrid begins work to divert underground cables at the junction with Harlow Oval for 11 days.

Free public wi-fi to be rolled out in Ripon

Ripon is set to get free public wi-fi as part of a roll out of the infrastructure across North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council are behind the project, which aims to boost digital connectivity.

The county council is introducing free public wi-fi to 16 market towns.

The borough council put froward £300,000 to include Ripon in the scheme, which will be the first town in the district to receive free public wi-fi. Harrogate and Knaresborough will also be part of the project.

Today’s statement by the county council announcing the news did not say when the rollout would be completed.

Gary Camplejohn, treasurer of Ripon City AFC said the initiative would provide “real benefits” to Ripon. He said:

“Having publicly available free Wi-Fi will hopefully enable locals and visitors to explore Ripon digitally with a view to finding what they need to stay longer and support the local economy.

“From a personal perspective, having free Wi-Fi in the city centre gives me added comfort that my 11-year-old daughter could communicate with relatives via internet communications in the event of her mobile credit running out.”

Cllr Graham Swift, cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the borough council, said:

“It is believed that more than 80 per cent of adults have a smartphone and we all like to have high-speed connectivity wherever we are. That’s why we’re funding this scheme, which is being supported by the county council.

“Providing free wi-fi in public spaces, such as Ripon, supports our economic growth strategy which aims to make the Harrogate district the best place to live, work and visit.”

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, said:

“Our free public wi-fi project is very good news for the local economies of the town centres which are part of this scheme. It provides the opportunity to our residents and visitors to access the internet and to find out what local businesses have to offer.

“Following on from the successful introduction of this free service in Scarborough, Northallerton and Leyburn, Ripon residents and visitors are now able to benefit from this latest investment in North Yorkshire’s digital infrastructure.”

The scheme is partly funded by a £3 million investment from York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership as part of its allocation from the government’s Getting Building Fund.

What will devolution mean for major council projects in Harrogate?

This year and next promises to be a pivotal time in Harrogate’s future with a number of exciting, controversial and long-delayed projects coming to the fore.

These include a potential £47 million redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre, the £10.9 million Station Gateway project and – at long last – the start of the Otley Road cycle path.

But with local government reorganisation spelling the end of Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council by April 2023, there are now questions over how these big plans will progress.

In a move to give reassurances that the projects remain on track, Wallace Sampson, chief executive of the borough council, said the authority has “no plans to sit back” until it is abolished, while Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, added he is not expecting any delays as a result of reorganisation.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked both councils where each of their big projects are currently at and what happens when reorganisation comes around.

Here is what they said.

£10.9 million Harrogate Station Gateway

A county council spokesperson said the anticipated start date for this project is February 2022 and that more public consultations are planned for next month.

The gateway is due for completion by a government funding deadline of March 2023, although the county council has conceded these tight time-scales “remain challenging”.

The project involves a number of road layout changes in the Station Parade area to encourage more climate friendly travel.

If completed on schedule, the project will be done just one month before both councils are abolished.

£47 million redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre

A borough council spokesperson said this project remains a “priority” and that “work continues unabated” by reorganisation.

They added final decisions on whether the project should go ahead and how it would be funded are scheduled for early 2022.

Beyond that, the council has yet to say when construction could start and end, although it did previously say the project would be delivered in two phases.

Plans to rebuild the venue could involve three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 sq m hall and a refurbished auditorium.

Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35

The Local Plan, which outlines planning development in the district until 2035, was adopted by the borough council in March last year and paved the way for thousands of new homes and businesses to be built across the district.

It was six years in the making and a borough council spokesperson said it will remain as the statutory development plan for the district under the new North Yorkshire council “until such time it is superseded by subsequent development plans”.

3,000 homes at Green Hammerton

Plans for this huge housing settlement were a key part of the Local Plan debate.

Many residents have argued the homes should be built on the former Flaxby Park golf course but the borough council is now pushing for the creation of a settlement development plan for the Green Hammerton area.

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A borough council spokesperson said the development plan will be presented to councillors for a formal decision in “due course”.

Otley Road cycle lane

Plans for the cycle lane were first announced in 2017 but have since hit a series of delays including the need for utility works and negotiations over the use of Stray land.

A county council spokesperson said utility works are currently underway and that subject to their completion, the anticipated start date for phase one of the scheme is September 6, with phase two scheduled to begin in February 2022 and full completion by June that year.

Active travel schemes

The county council is currently awaiting a decision on its £1.5 million bid to the third round of the government’s active travel fund.

This bid includes two projects in the Harrogate district: the development of sustainable travel corridors in the west of Ripon, and feasibility work for a footpath and cycleway between Knaresborough and Flaxby Green Park.

A decision is expected in autumn and if successful funds must be spent before March 2023.

In the second round, the county council successfully bid for £266,000 for cycling and walking improvements on the A59 between Harrogate and Knaresborough, as well as similar plans in the Victoria Avenue area of Harrogate.

This funding must be spent during the 2021/22 financial year.

There were also plans for a one-way traffic system and junction filters on Oatlands Drive but these were scrapped in favour of a feasibility study to look into what other improvements could be made. 

This study is currently underway.

A59 realignment at Kex Gill

A county council spokesperson said: 

“The tendering process for the realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill is under way. Work could start as early as autumn, with construction taking up to 18 months.

“However, this is subject to satisfactory completion of the necessary statutory processes.”

Plans for this £60 million project include building a new carriageway around a stretch of the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton which has repeatedly been hit by landslides.

New Ripon swimming pool

This multi-million project is due for completion by the end of 2021 but has been hit by delays following the discovery of an underground void at the Ripon Leisure Centre site.

A borough council spokesperson said: 

“We are currently investigating further. Should any remedial work be required then they will be carried out.

“We remain committed to providing modern, fit-for-purpose leisure facilities for the people of Ripon and are looking forward to opening the new facilities.”

The swimming pool is being built as a replacement for the 116-year-old Ripon Spa Baths which has been put up for sale despite protests from local councillors and residents.

New Knaresborough swimming pool

The borough council is also behind these plans for a new facility to replace the town’s existing swimming pool at Fysche Field and has begun drawing up designs.

A borough council spokesperson said: 

“Alliance Leisure Services, our appointed development partner for the leisure investment project, are currently exploring options and carrying out design feasibility work for the future leisure centre in Knaresborough.

“A formal decision will be presented to council in due course.”

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In a full statement commenting on all projects, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, said: 

“We are working with our partners on numerous major transport projects to benefit communities around the county. Our commitment to completing these remains as strong as ever, as does meeting the delivery deadlines that are a condition of some funding awards.

“We do not anticipate any delays to highways and transport projects as a result of local government reorganisation.

“We are committed to continuing each of these projects as planned with our partners. From April 2023, the new council for North Yorkshire will assume responsibility for ongoing projects.

“In the meantime, the county council will continue to pursue funding opportunities as these arise as appropriate for the benefit of our communities, as residents, businesses and visitors would expect us to do.”

Meanwhile, Mr Sampson added: 

“Harrogate Borough Council will continue to exist until 2023 and we have no plans to sit back until this time. We have a number of exciting and ambitious projects that have either started or are due to start in the coming months.

“We are also committed to supporting our economy post covid and will be looking at all projects, before the new unitary authority comes into operation, to explore what investment projects should or could be delivered.”

Harrogate Town removes ticket sales from website for tomorrow’s match

Harrogate Town have taken down a link to purchase tickets for their Carabao Cup first round game against Rochdale AFC tomorrow night.

The move has led to speculation that the club has again run into problems with North Yorkshire County Council around ground safety.

Fans had been able to purchase tickets for tomorrow’s match through the club website until the option was removed. Rochdale fans are also unable to buy tickets through their website.

Some fans have reported online that they were able to purchase tickets at the club’s shop on Commercial Street today.

The Stray Ferret approached Harrogate Town for comment several times this afternoon but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

We also asked the county council if it has issued the club with a safety certificate for the game but did not receive a response.

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It is the latest twist in the safety saga, which it appeared had been resolved.

North Yorkshire County Council banned fans from attending a friendly against Sunderland on July 24 after identifying 17 “unacceptable risks” for fan safety at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road.

These included problems with the CCTV system, the ground’s control room and stewarding.

With less than three days to go until the club’s first league game of the season on Saturday, which coincidentally was also against Rochdale, the county council issued a safety certificate and fans from both clubs were able to attend.

Supporters had hoped this was the end of the matter but the situation appears confused again now.

Devolution will ‘offer residents everywhere a fairer future’, says county council leader

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has said the forthcoming major shake-up of local government in the county brings the chance to “improve lives and offer residents everywhere a fairer future”.

Writing in an open letter after the government announced it would grant control of all council services to a new unitary authority covering the whole of the county in 2023, Cllr Carl Les said:

“In North Yorkshire we are famous for our straight talking so I want to be clear on what an opportunity we have before us.

“Government has given the green light for a new single council, which will deliver all local services to every household in the county from spring 2023. Not in itself perhaps the most exciting line on earth – but the benefits this approach will bring are real and must not be underestimated.”

Under the reorganisation plans, North Yorkshire’s county and district councils – including Harrogate – are to be scrapped and replaced by the new unitary authority.

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City of York Council will remain separate but all others will be fused together under the new structure covering a population of 618,000.

Cllr Les added:

“Put simply, that’s eight councils, with a wealth of dedicated and skilled staff between them, coming together to form one focused workforce, joining up all those services that will make life easier for everyone.

“Aligning things like planning, broadband, highways and housing to build stronger communities. Joining up job opportunities with education and skills. Support for families with health, leisure and cultural offers.

“The chance to enrich and improve the lives of very many people here and offer residents everywhere a fairer future. It will also save tens of millions that can be ploughed back into strengthening public services and empowering communities to drive and deliver on what matters most to them.”

The single council structure was proposed by North Yorkshire County Council, while the district councils except Hambleton, which rejected all options on the table, submitted a bid for two authorities split on a east/west basis.

Speaking after the government last month announced its backing of the county council proposal, Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said the decision “flew in the face of the government’s own criteria”.

He said: 

“My argument has always been that any unitary for our area needs to be of the right size and structure to deliver efficient and responsive services to residents.

“The county council deliver some services exceptionally – children’s services and adult social care to name two. In other areas they let our borough down.

“My job now as the leader of Harrogate Borough Council is to explore how the new unitary authority, based on the county structure, can improve these shortcomings.”

The aim of reorganisation is to save money and unlock the door to a devolution deal which could see millions of pounds and decision-making powers handed down from government to North Yorkshire under the control of a new mayor.

Cllr Les added this presented an opportunity for the county to fulfil its role as a “rural powerhouse” as he also urged leaders and residents to work together towards this aim.

He said: 

“Whatever your view on the timing of, detail or context for big changes to how services are future proofed here, please come together as one to help deliver the very best for every single person in the county.

“Team North Yorkshire is resilient, caring and focused. Let’s show the nation what we can do.”

County council leader announces executive reshuffle nine months before elections

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has announced a reshuffle of his executive team just nine months before elections are due to be held.

Cllr Carl Les said, while the majority of the positions on the authority’s executive would remain the same, he wanted to give more of his 54-member Conservative group “the chance to serve” ahead of the first North Yorkshire Council elections on May 5.

The changes, which are set to be considered by the executive on August 24, will see former Scarborough Borough Council leader, Cllr Derek Bastiman, brought onto the council’s leadership group of 10 members for the first time as the open to business portfolio holder.

The current open to business executive member, Cllr Andrew Lee, who represents Cawood in Selby district, is scheduled to take over the public health brief, which Northallerton Cllr Caroline Dickinson has held for several years.

Over the past 18 months Cllr Dickinson has faced scrutiny with one of the heaviest workloads of any of the authority’s members, having responsibility for the county’s public health response to the covid pandemic.

Cllr Les said the decision to replace her on the executive did not reflect her contribution or efforts, but the fact that the administration had been given a “bonus year” due to local government reorganisation.

He said: 

“This is no indication of Cllr Dickinson’s performance whatsoever. She has done very well. If you leave everybody in the same positions all the time the people who haven’t got those positions don’t have an opportunity to serve.

“It is a truism that if you don’t make changes other people don’t get a chance to serve. There’s got to be some change built into the system. I wanted to make some changes over a year ago, but covid got in the way and I didn’t think it was appropriate at that time to make some changes. Now we have got  bonus year.”

The reshuffle comes as the authority agreed to set up a working group to develop a proposal for government over the number of elected members and the areas they should represent on the new council.

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While there are calls to double the amount of councillors currently serving on the county council due to the additional responsibilities, it is understood many believe having 144 councillors would be unworkable.

Instead, some cross-party support has been expressed for limiting the new authority to 90 elected members, just 18 more than serve on the county council.

Cllr Les said responsibility for climate change action was being officially added to Pickering Cllr Greg White’s customer engagement portfolio as he was already undertaking the majority of the work in that area.

With 54 Conservative members, opposition councillors said Cllr Les faced a difficult task keeping all of his group happy and while balancing representation on the executive across the county’s six districts. In addition, they highlighted the changes meant just one executive member was a woman.

Opposition councillors also questioned whether the reshuffle was designed to prepare the way for North Yorkshire Council, but Cllr Les dismissed suggestions the changes signified any shift in direction for the council.

The reshuffle comes as the authority agreed to set up a working group to develop a proposal for government over the number of elected members and the areas they should represent on the new council.

While there are calls to double the amount of councillors currently serving on the county council due to the additional responsibilities, it is understood many believe having 144 councillors would be unworkable.

Instead, some cross-party support has been expressed for limiting the new authority to 90 elected members, just 18 more than serve on the county council.

Could the Ginnel closure be permanent? Decision looms at end of month

A decision will be made at the end of the month on whether to keep the Ginnel in Harrogate closed to traffic.

Traffic was barred from the narrow road last year from 5pm until 9am each day as part of social distancing measures and to support the nighttime economy.

More than a fortnight after lockdown restrictions ended, the route remains closed to vehicles for 16 hours a day.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, when it would reopen or whether the closure would be made permanent.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at the council, said:

“The closure of the Ginnel supports a number of local businesses with outdoor seating.

“While we recognise that customers can use indoor space, we feel that the continued support for outdoor space should remain in place over the summer months to help businesses and to enable customers to meet in the open air.

“This closure will be reviewed at the end of August.”

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Rochdale fans frustrated by ‘embarrassing’ ticket situation at Harrogate Town

With fans still in the dark about whether they will be allowed to attend Harrogate Town‘s opening match of the season, supporters of opponents Rochdale have given a damning assessment of the situation.

Town’s League Two campaign is set to kick off on Saturday at the EnviroVent Stadium on Wetherby Road against the Lancashire club.

There’s about 72 hours to go and it’s still unclear whether fans will be allowed inside the ground after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” at the stadium, including issues with the CCTV system, control room, and stewarding.

The council’s refusal to issue a safety certificate meant fans were unable to attend the friendly against Sunderland on July 24. Home fans were permitted to watch the final pre-season friendly against Doncaster Rovers on Sunday but no away fans were let in.

No tickets are on sale yet for this weekend’s Rochdale match. A club spokesperson told the Stray Ferret last night it was working “tirelessly and vigorously” behind the scenes to resolve the situation.

But the uncertainty so close to kick off has frustrated Rochdale fans who are unsure whether to plan to make the trip across the Pennines.

Josh Dolan told the Stray Ferret he hoped to take his 18-month old daughter to her first game.

Mr Dolan said the English Football League should intervene and questioned whether Town’s off-the-field operation is set up for the rigours of the professional game. He said:

“How can the EFL not get involved because if this was any other team, like Barrow, Rochdale or Oldham they’d be on us like a ton of bricks? It makes me think are they even ready for the football league? It’s embarrassing for your club really”.

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Mr Dolan said Harrogate Town should have communicated the situation better to supporters:

“I would like to say let the fans know in advance due to people that have booked hotels and travel. In a nutshell, they need to liaise with the fans instead of keeping them in the dark”.

Another Rochdale fan, Nathaniel McNulty, is also looking forward to visiting Harrogate for the first time.

He said:

[It’s a] new ground for many, if not all of us, and I was going to make a day of it. I’d not bought tickets for the train just yet, but, like many other Dale fans, I think this is where my frustrations lie. I just want to get it booked and organised for the first game of the season.”

He said he understood that safety concerns needed to be addressed and was skeptical about fans being allowed in.

“It almost feels like delaying the inevitable.”

What will devolution mean for Harrogate and North Yorkshire council staff?

The abolition of North Yorkshire’s two-tier councils will have a major impact on taxpayers who rely on key services.

It will also have implications for councillors who in May 2022 will have to stand for election to a new unitary authority serving the entire county.

But above all, it will be the around 10,000 council staff across North Yorkshire who will be the most affected by the changes.

When the new authority launches in April 2023 following the abolition of North Yorkshire County Council and the district and borough councils in Harrogate, Scarborough, Selby, Craven, Ryedale, Hambleton and Richmondshire, most staff will be transferred across but some duplicated roles will inevitably be at risk of redundancy.

It is not yet known how many jobs will be affected – and there are also the questions of whether staff will be relocated and what happens to office buildings including Harrogate’s new civic centre headquarters.

North Yorkshire County Council – which is behind the single council plans and will act as the ‘continuing authority’ when reorganisation happens – has said those at risk of redundancy will be mostly senior staff and that the transferring of workers will be a “simple” process.

However, some union officials are not fully convinced.

Unions: concern or optimism?

David Houlgate, branch secretary at Unison Harrogate, which supported rival plans for two new councils split on a east/west basis, said: 

“Whilst we saw merits in both proposals there was a concern that district and borough council roles were at greater risk with the North Yorkshire County Council proposal. It would be safe to say that concern remains.

“Staff are also concerned about possibly having to relocate though at this time we have no idea what is likely to happen.”

On the other hand, Wendy Nichols, secretary of the North Yorkshire branch of Unison, which supported the single council plans, said reorganisation should be welcomed by all staff who she hopes will “work together to deliver a stronger future for everyone’s benefit.”

She said: 

“Many thousands of staff will now simply transfer to the new council as part of the process of setting it up.

“Our priority is to make sure that staff experience the least possible disruption so they can get on with their jobs and continue to deliver high quality and reliable public services.”

The aim of reorganisation is to unlock the door to a devolution deal with the government which could see millions of pounds and decision-making powers handed down from Whitehall to North Yorkshire.

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The county could also get a mayor similar to those seen in South Yorkshire, the Tees Valley and Greater Manchester.

But a key part of the plans is saving money and a large part of this will come from a reduction in staff.

For example, there are currently eight council chief executives across North Yorkshire earning around £100,000 a year.

The new council will just have one – and the same will most likely be said for other top roles including directors.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council explained: 

“With the exception of a handful of the most senior managers, all staff will simply carry on doing what they are currently doing.

“After April 2023 when the new authority is in place some services may want to review their structures and arrangements especially if there is duplication of work and roles or more efficient new ways of delivering services which have been brought together.

“The expectation is that whilst over time for some services there will be changes to staffing structures and need for reductions in posts this will be able to be managed by removing vacancies.

“For a small number of the most senior managers there will be a need to reduce posts at an early stage when eight senior management teams become a single new management team.”

The coming months and as more details emerge about the new authority will undoubtedly be a nervy time for some staff.

Until it starts to take shape, there will be many unanswered questions about exactly whose jobs are at risk and what the new staffing structure will look like.

But officials have insisted staff will play a key part in the process and that they hope workers won’t quit local government due to the uncertainties ahead.

The county council spokesperson added: 

“There is a wealth of talent across district, borough and county council staff and it is very much hoped that everyone will see this as a huge opportunity to build a new, ambitious and exemplar council for everyone in North Yorkshire.”

Harrogate Town friendly tomorrow to allow only home fans

Harrogate Town‘s friendly against Doncaster Rovers at 2pm tomorrow will be played in front of home fans only.

The club issued a statement on Thursday confirming that supporters can attend with tickets that can be purchased here.

However, the statement added the club had decided not to sell tickets to away supporters from Doncaster.

It also urged fans not to turn up without tickets as they would not be available on the turnstiles.

The club was forced to play last weekend’s friendly against Sunderland in front of an empty stadium after North Yorkshire County Council identified 17 “unacceptable risks” that led fans to be banned just 24 hours before kick-off.

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It is still unclear if the club’s first game of the English Football League season against Rochdale next Saturday will be played in front of fans. Tickets are not currently on sale.

The Stray Ferret was contacted by a season ticket holder this morning frustrated about what they said was a lack of communication from the club about ticketing arrangements for the new season.

Town are due to entertain Rochdale twice within three days: Saturday’s opening league fixture is followed by an EFL Cup fixture on August 10.

Rochdale issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying the club had yet to receive details of ticketing arrangements for the two fixtures. It said:

“As soon as details are received from our hosts we will share with all supporters. Regrettably, until further details are received, we are unable to answer any queries from supporters about either of these two fixtures.”

A Harrogate Town spokesperson said the club did not have an update on the Rochdale game yet.