New North Yorkshire coronavirus cases ‘remain low’

North Yorkshire’s public health bosses have said new coronavirus cases remain low and the county is not “in the same ranking as Leicester”.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, a total of 2,533 positive cases have been confirmed in the county to date.

Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, told senior councillors that around 36 new cases had been reported in the past two weeks, with the county averaging around one to two per day.

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But, he added the case numbers remain low and were not in the same position as Leicester which was put back into lockdown last month due to its high rate of infection.

He said:

“Many people will have been listening to the news on the issue about Leicester, we are not in that ranking. Scarborough which has the highest rates to date is averaging about half the rates of the levels we are seeing in Leicester at the moment.

“We are in a situation where the numbers are low and that gives us a good opportunity to consolidate that situation to work effectively with test and trace to keep those numbers low.”

It comes as hospital bosses at Harrogate District Hospital have not reported any coronavirus deaths for eight days.

The total number of deaths at the hospital remains at 81.

Nationally, a further 22 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospital.

Of that number, two were reported in the North East and Yorkshire.

NHS England said those patients who died were aged between 54 and 93 years old and all had known underlying health conditions.

It means the death toll nationally from coronavirus stands has increased to 29,125.

Has Harrogate’s £17m civic centre met its aims?

Despite spending millions, Harrogate Borough Council still faces problems with its new civic centre. 

The amount of parking on offer has been controversial from the outset and results in staff having to park elsewhere – taking up valuable commercial spaces and clogging residential streets. 

While HBC argued its move to the new civic centre would save £1m a year, this would have been true no matter which site the council chose for its new headquarters. 

The building itself has no mayor’s parlour for civic occasions, a choice which was queried by groups including Harrogate Civic Society, leaving nowhere to host visitors.

The council also made the move knowing that changes could lie ahead for local government, with the future shape of local government in North Yorkshire being debated at the time. Now, with HBC having only been in the civic centre for two years, even the existence of district councils is up for debate as North Yorkshire prepares for devolution.

Why is parking a problem? 

From the outset, the amount of parking was controversial.  

As a result, the council is using spaces at the nearby Harrogate Convention Centre as overflow parking. In its plans for using up to 130 of these spaces, HBC acknowledged that it could result in a reduction in the £150,000 annual income from the public using the HCC car park 

When events are held, staff can park free in the Victoria multi-storey car park, using permits issued by HBC.  

While it is unlikely they would all be used at the same time for the full day, there is no limit on how many spaces in the Victoria Car Park can be taken up by council staff. 

Not only does this mean that staff are being given free parking in a prime spot for shoppers who could be supporting local businesses, but it also limits the potential income for the council from parking spaces. 

Harrogate Borough Council's new civic centre car park has 95 spaces

The new civic centre car park has 95 spaces, with 561 staff based there

A report to HBC’s cabinet in November 2014, before building work began at Knapping Mount, rejected the multi-storey car park as an option. It said: 

“The use of Victoria Car Park as a potential location for employee parking has been considered, however feedback suggests that this may not be well utilised by employees due to the facility being more distant from the Knapping Mount site.” 

However, staff are now given passes for that car park when the convention centre is in use. If they do, as predicted, feel it is too far, the only option left to staff who drive is to park on surrounding streets. 

North Yorkshire County Council, which looks after on-street parking, warned during the planning process that it would have to enforce residents’ parking zones if neighbouring streets became congested. It said it would review the situation annually for five years after the new civic centre was occupied, in December 2017. 

The county council told The Stray Ferret it was working with HBC to monitor the situation, but follow-up surveys to its initial report have not been possible during the pandemic and would not give a representative picture of normal working days. Allan McVeigh, NYCC’s head of network strategy, said:

“Harrogate Borough Council is not only obliged to monitor how staff travel to the civic centre and where they park, it has also committed to promoting sustainable travel and encouraging staff, councillors and visitors to reduce their car use.

“The borough council has provided us with a draft monitoring report that contains the results of a travel survey, an update on agreed travel plans as well as a number of initiatives to promote sustainable travel to the civic centre.”

The full report will be published on HBC’s website once finalised.

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What savings have been made?

An ambitious savings target of £1m per year was set by HBC when it planned its new civic centre, which the ruling Conservative party said would mean the £5m spend would pay for itself in five years. 

Screen shot of Conservative leaflet about the new civic centre costs

Taken from a Conservative leaflet distributed in 2014

In its 2019 annual report, HBC said:  

“Savings of £909k from our move to civic centre have been built into the base budget and approved budget for 2019/20.” 

According to the council, this is made up of: 

The same could have been achieved by a move to any modern building. Knapping Mount did not have to be chosen in order to reduce staff numbers and streamline IT.  

A move to any single site would have delivered the same results – so a site and build which cost millions less would have paid for itself much sooner. 

If the new civic centre is no longer needed

When the public consultation over the Knapping Mount proposal was held in 2015, concerns were raised about future changes to local government.  

At the time, Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce said a potential move to a unitary authority in the coming years could mean Harrogate no longer has a council, being replaced by a single authority for the whole county. 

The chamber argued that the decision over a new office should be delayed until the future of local government was clearer. However, HBC’s response at the time was that, should a move to unitary authority be made, a new civic centre would put Harrogate in an ideal position to become its headquarters.  

Harrogate Borough Council's new civic centre

With discussions about unitary authorities and devolution still going on, the council’s civic centre may not be needed in the next few years

Even with that level of uncertainty, HBC chose to spend millions on a new headquarters. Its five offices could have lasted a few more years until the future of local government had been confirmed. 

If it had deemed the move essential at the time, a more traditional building design would have been pragmatic: the council could have extended or sold the building, or even leased part of it to a commercial tenant, if its needs changed. 

As it is, one local expert told The Stray Ferret that the council’s choice of a round building has restricted its adaptability for re-use or sale in future, meaning it is less valuable than it might have been.  

Five years later, the issue of changes to local government is still being debated. North Yorkshire County Council leader Carl Les told The Stray Ferret last week that discussions are still being held about forming a combined authority for North Yorkshire – and Unison has issued a statement raising concerns about the situation. 

The future of local government in Harrogate is still uncertain – meaning the new civic centre may no longer be required just a few years after it was built.

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Stray exchange land identified for cycle route

Harrogate Borough Council is set to consult on three plots of land to be designated the Stray as part of a land swap to make way for the Otley Road Cycle Route.

The building of the cycle route means that verges classed as Stray land have to be removed. As part of the Stray Act, a suitable plot of land must be offered in exchange.

The council will now consult on the three areas of land before settling on one to exchange.

The three areas identified are:

Senior councillors on the borough council’s cabinet are expected to approve the public consultation on Wednesday.

It comes as North Yorkshire County Council’s looks to press ahead with a multi-million cycle route on the stretch of road between Harlow Moor Road and Beech Grove.

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The scheme has been marred by delays and, with less than a mile of the route being built, the county council has been criticised over a “lack of ambition”.

Now, highways bosses will hope that the consultation will lead to a solution to its latest stumbling block and prevent any further setbacks.

The preferred area of land outlined in Harrogate Borough Council documents earmarked to be exchanged as part of the Otley Road cycle route.

Lengthy negotiations with the Duchy of Lancaster over the use of Stray land on the footpaths and verges between Cold Bath Road and Beech Grove delayed the second phase of the project from going ahead.

The borough council’s preferred option would see a plot of land behind Harrogate District Hospital which adjoins the end of Willaston Road offered in exchange.

While the land has a covenant which states that it is intended for recreational and open space, the council said it would not prevent it from being used as exchange land.

However, the Stray Defence Association (SDA) raised concern over the amenity value of the second and third options outlined by the council.

Judy D’Arcy Thompson from the SDA said:

“Land taken from the Stray to build roads, footpaths etc remains forever Stray land, belonging ultimately to the Crown.

“However, as everything on the surface of the Stray belongs to the people of Harrogate, any land utilised for any purpose must be given back to Harrogate’s people as ‘payback land and be of the same amenity value to them as their original Stray.

“What concerns us about the latest proposals from HBC and NYCC is just that. Of what ‘amenity value’ are the verges along Arthurs Avenue and St James Drive going to be for local people?

“Are people going to picnic there, sit and read a book there, play football, cricket, or any other game there? We think not. Therefore, what actual ‘amenity value’ does the land being offered have?”

Council receives £389,000 grant to transport key workers

North Yorkshire County Council is set to support local bus companies to continue to transport key workers as part of a £389,000 government grant.

The authority claimed the money for 17 companies from the government’s Covid-19 Bus Service Support Grant which was designed to support services which have seen reduced passengers and an increase in costs due to the pandemic.

Around £167 million was made available by the Department for Transport and 92 bus services have been supported.

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The county council has also claimed £23,000 to reimburse bus companies for covid-19 costs such as personal protective equipment, hand sanitiser and dispensers, and the introduction of barriers and screens on vehicles.

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

“Bus operators have provided a much-needed service to key workers and other passengers making essential journeys across the county throughout lockdown and the covid-19 pandemic.

“For many people, journeys by bus are the only way to get to work and to connect one rural location to another.

“Key workers have helped keep the county running during these unprecedented times, and bus services have supported them in turn. I’m delighted that North Yorkshire County Council was able to access this grant to help operators.”

County council ‘can avoid bankruptcy’, says leader

North Yorkshire County Council may have to use funds reserved for major projects in order to balance its books amid the coronavirus pandemic but can avoid bankruptcy, says the authority’s leader.

Speaking to The Stray Ferret, Carl Les said the county council had enough reserves to see it through the pandemic if no funding was forthcoming from government.

However, it could mean major projects – such as improving broadband across North Yorkshire – have to be put on hold.

Cllr Les said the council has around £50 million held over for a “rainy day” and faces a deficit of £42 million due to coronavirus.

Both the county council and Harrogate Borough Council face combined shortfalls of £57 million as a result of responding to the outbreak and loss of income.

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The authority had reserves, both emergency and investment, that could cover its costs from responding to the outbreak. But, Cllr Les said, some of that cash was earmarked for major projects such as improving broadband in the county.

North Yorkshire County Council leader, Carl Les.

North Yorkshire County Council leader, Carl Les

He added the authority would not need to issue a section 114 notice, which is tabled by finance officers in dire financial circumstances, nor would it need an emergency budget. He said:

“The county council has been very prudent in putting money aside for a rainy day.

“But what worries me is using the development costs.”

It comes as the government announced a further £500 million support package for local councils today to help with spending pressures.

The County Council Network had previously called on ministers to provide further financial support for councils who may need to use up reserves to cover coronavirus shortfalls.

Funding allocations have yet to be revealed, but the scheme is expected to reimburse authorities for lost income and allow council tax and business rates deficits to be paid over three years instead of one.

Simon Clarke, local government minister, said today:

“Since the start of this pandemic, local councils have been at the forefront of our national effort to tackle the virus, and they will continue to play a significant role as we look towards our recovery.

“We are more committed than ever to unite and level up this country and this package will ensure councils have access to vital, additional funding so they can continue to serve their communities as they so admirably have done to date.”

Cyclists groups must “remain realistic”, says NYCC

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways Don Mackenzie says cycling groups must “remain realistic” around improvements to cycling routes in Harrogate.

His words come as the council received just half of the £266,000 that was allocated to them by government to spend on temporary cycling and walking measures. These include coning off some on-street parking bays to widen footpaths.

NYCC will be able to bid for a further £1.1m for larger cycling schemes later this summer but they have been criticised by cycling groups in Harrogate for showing a “lack of ambition” with its initial bid. They also said North Yorkshire did not consult them about the bid.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Cllr Mackenzie said the council is taking a long-term approach to cycle lanes.

He said:

“I’m sure we’ll get more cycle schemes in there. People will have to remain realistic. It costs a million pounds to build 1km of off-road cycle path. We’re only bidding £1.1m for the whole of the county.”

He also said that more road space in Harrogate could be allocated to cycling and walking through the positioning of bollards, which has proved controversial for businesses operating on James Street and West Park.

Whilst Cllr Mackenzie suggested that North Yorkshire received less funding for cycling because of its largely rural geography, other councils such as Suffolk, which also has a large rural population, received 100%. However, Cllr Mackenzie said this type of comparison is unfair.

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He said:

“The nearest county to us is Lincolnshire and they got 50%. Suffolk got 100% but I don’t know what their bid was like.

“We’ve made many bids for cycling. We’re building an off-road cycle path on Otley Road, we’ve applied for the Transforming Cities Funding which involves a lot of improvements for cycling. Sometimes you get 100% and sometimes you don’t.

Yesterday, the Stray Ferret reported that 26 cyclists are injured in collisions in Harrogate a year.

Cllr Mackenzie added:

“Harrogate is very, very safe for cyclists but if you saw some of the comments on social media you’d think it was an absolute deathtrap.

26 cyclists a year injured in collisions in Harrogate

On average 26 cyclists a year are injured in collisions in Harrogate, analysis by the Stray Ferret has found.

As bicycle shops report record sales and commuters return to work after lockdown, the numbers give an indication of how safe it is to cycle in the town.

The UK-wide data goes back to 2005 and was published by not-for-profit organisation Cycle Streets. It includes details of every collision involving a cyclist where a police report was filed.

From 2014 to 2018, there were 128 reports of cyclists being injured with the majority involving a car. No cyclists were killed during the time period.

Skipton Road was the worst road in Harrogate for collisions involving cyclists, with 13 injuries over five years.

Cycling map

All the incidents in Harrogate from 2014-2018.

Caroline Linford from green group Sustainably Harrogate called the figures “alarming”.

She told the Stray Ferret that cycling in the town can feel dangerous.

She said:

“It’s easy to see why people are reluctant to cycle on Harrogate roads. Safety is a key concern.”

“Personally since Lockdown my whole family have been using bicycles as a form of exercise and to do doorstop visits with family across Harrogate. It’s become clear to me that there are some good pathways to cycle on and some very dangerous roads.

“When I’m on my bicycle I feel that pedestrians get irritated with cyclists on pavements as we travel faster than walkers and equally, car drivers often become irritated behind cyclists while on shared roads, particularly as we go a little slower as we have children with us.”

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North Yorkshire County Council has responsibility for transport in Harrogate and Ms Linford called on the council to introduce so-called “Low Traffic Neighbourhoods” in Harrogate to protect cyclists from cars.

The concept is currently being trialled in Lambeth, London where cars are discouraged from entering certain roads with bollards.

North Yorkshire County Council said they have recently won a £31m bid for the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which will be partly spent upgrading cycling and walking facilities in Harrogate.

Don Mackenzie, executive member for road safety at North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret that the safety of cyclists is one of the council’s top road safety priorities.

He said:

“Contrary to some recent sensationalist contributions on social media, there have been no fatalities involving cyclists in Harrogate town in the last 14 years. Furthermore, in spite of substantial increases in the numbers of residents choosing to cycle, the overall number of accidents involving cyclists in the county has been reducing steadily.”

County council needs more funding to tackle future coronavirus costs

North Yorkshire County Council needs guaranteed income from government to tackle future costs of coronavirus after spending on tackling the crisis is forecast to reach £76 million, says the authority’s leader.

Speaking to The Stray Ferret, Carl Les said the council had been “prudent” with its reserves but needed more backing from government to see out the pandemic and to tackle future costs to the council.

Part of the cost comes with the county council’s responsibility to provide personal protective equipment which cost the authority around £250,000 per week at the peak of the virus. The council has also provided daily support for care homes and 3,000 vulnerable people in the county during the pandemic.

It comes as the authority and Harrogate Borough Council have forecast deficits of £57 million due to a loss of income during the outbreak.

As previously reported, Richard Flinton, chief executive of the county council, told senior councillors earlier this month that the authority has forecast a gross spend around £76 million on fighting the virus.

North Yorkshire County Council leader, Carl Les.

North Yorkshire County Council leader, Carl Les.

But the council has received £26 million in government grants and expects to recover £7.7 million in clinical commissioning group costs.

It leaves a deficit of around £42 million. Cllr Les said the authority and other county councils need backing from government in order to set balanced budgets next year as further funding gaps open.

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Analysis by the County Councils Network (CNN) revealed that 39 county and unitary authorities across the country could be faced with using up their available reserves for 2021/22 to cover a £2.5 billion funding gap amid the pandemic.

It added that a second wave and another lockdown could increase the funding shortfall county councils face to an estimated £4.5 billion over the next two years.

The report acknowledged that current grants from government have reduced the costs of the crisis but is not sufficient enough to plug the gap and more support was needed.

Cllr Les, who is also financial spokesperson for the CNN, said the county council had reserves, both emergency and investment, which will cover its deficit if no financial support is forthcoming.

He said: “We have been prudent with our reserves and put money aside for a rainy day.

“What worries me is that we may need to go into the investment reserve, which may effect our spending on things like broadband and other projects.”

He added that he had written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak on further financial support for county councils.

Meanwhile, Geoff Webber, leader of the Liberal Democrats group on the authority, said the council had handled the unprecedented situation well.

He said: “It is extremely worrying.

“But I think the county council is handling this fairly well so far. I would find it difficult to criticise what it is doing.” 

It comes as Harrogate Borough Council has unveiled a recovery plan to tackle its shortfall due to coronavirus.

The authority faces a £15 million deficit due to loss of income on such areas as leisure and car parking. Senior councillors will discuss its recovery plan at a cabinet meeting tomorrow.

County council ‘stands by’ under-threat Welcome to Yorkshire

North Yorkshire County Council has said it will stand by under-threat Welcome to Yorkshire after the organisation revealed it requires £1.4 million to survive amid the coronavirus crisis.

A year since the troubled tourism body was marred by scandal, WTY wrote to council bosses across Yorkshire last week requesting financial support to stay afloat – of which around £450,000 is needed from authorities in North Yorkshire.

The tourism organisation was deprived of £1 million in business rates after councils in North and West Yorkshire saw a loss of income due to the pandemic. A further £400,000 shortfall was created when WTY suspended its membership fees.

Both North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire councils agreed in October 2019 to give WTY £1 million of public money to continue operating after it was suggested it would be more “cost effective” than closing the organisation down. Now, the body finds itself asking for more taxpayer money to survive.

A meeting of the tourism body’s board was held in private last week to discuss the financial gap, despite current chairman, Peter Box, promising to hold meetings in public when he was appointed last year.

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It comes after WTY was hit by controversy when former boss, Sir Gary Verity, resigned in March 2019 on health grounds but faced allegations of bullying and inappropriately claiming expenses.

Two inquiries carried out after Sir Gary’s resignation cost the tourism body £482,500, and former boss, Paul Scriven, told the House of Lords it had a “culture of toxicity” and misused public funds.

Investigators looked at expenses worth around £900,000, of which £26,000 were of a personal nature. Sir Gary has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

North Yorkshire County Council says it will stand beside Welcome to Yorkshire as it faces a financial challenge.

Now, WTY has found itself in a financial hole amid the pandemic and has turned to local councils to bail it out.

Two authorities, Ryedale and Hambleton, have already said they will not pay their share to support the organisation.

Both the county council and Harrogate Borough Council confirmed they had received the letter from WTY and would continue to work to determine what financial support could be offered.

Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of the county council and executive member for finance, said:

“We are working with other councils across the region to work through funding support for Welcome to Yorkshire.

“We put great value on the very positive work the company has done, which has enormously enhanced the Yorkshire brand.

“Prior to the pandemic we were welcoming record numbers of tourists to North Yorkshire and the visitor and hospitality economy here employs tens of thousands of people bringing around £1.9 billion to the county’s economy.

“Now is the moment we need to get behind the tourist industry – so we are standing beside Welcome to Yorkshire as one of the key agents to make this happen.”

In a statement following its meeting last week, Mr Box said the body required further discussions with local authorities over financial support.

He said: “There’s more work to do before we can agree a way ahead. We will continue to talk to council leaders about financial support and the options that flow from that.

“The response we’ve had from leaders over the past few weeks has been encouraging and we were able to have a constructive discussion at this afternoon’s Extraordinary Board Meeting. We will have further talks before we plot a way forward.

“I’m grateful for the support we’ve already had from council leaders, and others, across Yorkshire. If we are going to deliver a successful economic and social recovery from the pandemic, tourism will have to play a crucial role in that.

“Without a thriving tourism industry, there won’t be the kind of recovery we all want to see in Yorkshire.”

County council’s new covid plan includes antibody tests and daily calls to care homes

North Yorkshire County Council has published its coronavirus outbreak plan which includes the roll out of antibody tests and daily calls to care homes.

The plan recognises the higher than average elderly population in Harrogate, at 23.1%, by including plans to work with care homes. Plans to ensure quick, localised responses to a suspected outbreak are in place. Each care home will also receive daily calls from a contact worker and allocated its own liason officer.

The plan details how testing will be developed locally – mobile testing units will continue to be distributed and antibody testing will be rolled out.

For complex cases that cannot be followed up over the phone or via the test and trace app a tailored approach will be taken by a core team to provide the necessary support.

Research into specific areas with high rates of transmission has also been taken to ensure support is targeted correctly. Key agencies and organisations will work alongside the county council to ensure those in a vulnerable or high risk category are looked after.

The NHS test and trace system will continue to be used, but strategies will now be focused at a local level.

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The plan also details a number of groups which will be set up to work at local and regional levels to develop outbreak plans as lockdown eases and provide public-facing communication.

Alongside these initiatives, those introduced at the beginning of the outbreak will continue. For example, social distancing and thorough hand washing will continue to be encouraged.