Metal fences to remain in Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens until next year

The metal fencing around the pavilion in Harrogate‘s Crescent Gardens will remain in place until the new year, North Yorkshire Council has confirmed.

The fencing was erected last month as a “temporary measure” to prevent a group of rough sleepers from occupying the building.

The group, which inhabited the pavilion for two weeks in September, returned twice after being dispersed by officials.

A spokesperson for the council told the Stray Ferret this morning:

“The fencing is a temporary measure, but will remain in place until the new year as a result of the Christmas ice rink going into the gardens this month.”

The ice rink, which was put up on Crescent Gardens for the first time last year, is part of a three-year Christmas activity licence introduced by the former Harrogate Borough Council.

In a report at the time, Kirsty Stewart, the council’s grounds and maintenance manager, said the festive licence “will generate a minimum income of £37,500 per year”.

A rose arch has been erected as part of the Crescent Gardens revamp.

This has helped to fund a £21,000 revamp of Crescent Gardens.

Last year, the pavilion was used as a makeshift boot room for ice skaters, however its use this year is uncertain following the recent update.

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Children in North Yorkshire waiting ‘too long’ for autism assessments

North Yorkshire Council says it wants to improve waiting times for autism assessments after being told by parents that delays of more than three months are harming the mental health of children.

The council is set to ask the public for views on its draft autism strategy for 2024-2027 that has an aim of helping autistic children, young people and adults to live full, happy, and healthy lives.

Autism is lifelong neuro-development condition that affects how people perceive the world, communicate and interact with others.

Approximately 1% of the UK population is autistic, meaning around 6,155 autistic people live in North Yorkshire based on the 2021 Census.

The new draft document builds on the previous local strategy and joins up areas including education, employment, housing and the NHS in a bid to improve how adults and children with autism access services.

However, according to the report, 9% of children under 10 in North Yorkshire are forced to wait more than 13 weeks for assessments — above the recommended NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidance.

For children between 10 and 17, the proportion waiting increases to 11%.

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The draft strategy says children and parents have highlighted a “lack of support” during and after the assessment and diagnosis process, which they say has had a negative impact on their mental health.

They also said that mental health can worsen while waiting for an assessment because an autism diagnosis is often needed to access some types of specialist support.

A 2021 study found that that between 1998 and 2018 there was a 787% increase in the incidence of autism diagnosis across the UK.

Experts say the increase is due to a greater public awareness of autism and earlier recognition and diagnosis of the condition.

North Yorkshire Council has been under significant pressure to deliver SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision in recent years.

There are currently eight council-maintained special schools and two special academies in North Yorkshire, including Springwater School in Starbeck and Mowbray School in Ripon.

But since 2016, the number of children and young people in North Yorkshire with identified SEND and an EHCP (education, health and care plan) has increased by over 110%.

There are now over 4,500 children in the county with an EHCP but there is not enough places at council-maintained special schools to accommodate them all.

Almost 600 children are forced to go to schools outside of the county or to independent and non-maintained schools which costs the council millions of pounds every year.

The council has proposed to build a new special school for autistic children at the former Woodfield school site in Harrogate.

Increasing number of adults need drug support in North Yorkshire

The number of adults with substance abuse problems is increasing in North Yorkshire, according to a report.

It comes as North Yorkshire Council is set to extend the contract for its specialist drug and alcohol support service North Yorkshire Horizons for another five years.

North Yorkshire Horizons was launched in October 2014 with a £3.6m annual contract awarded to charity Humankind to deliver the service, which is rated outstanding by regulator the Care Quality Commission.

It has specialist hubs in Harrogate, Skipton, Selby, Scarborough and Northallerton where people can get advice on drugs or alcohol, receive health treatment and take part in therapy sessions.

Since it was set up, the report says North Yorkshire Horizons has “significantly increased” the numbers of people engaging with the service. As of June 2023, there are 2,500 people taking part in treatment.

The number of people seeking support for drugs other than opiates has also increased by 50%.

North Yorkshire Horizons is largely funded through a government grant but the report warns that drug and alcohol services are more expensive to deliver than they were before the covid pandemic, due to cost-of-living rises and inflation.

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It also says there is an “unmet need” and “increasing profile” of people who experience substance use in the county.

An independent review of drugs led by Dame Carol Black in 2021 warned that investment in drug and alcohol services has reduced significantly over the last decade nationally.

In response, central government has increased spending for local authority-led treatment with North Yorkshire Council receiving an additional £1.4m funding. Another £1m is expected in 2024/25.

The contract with Humankind is set to be extended by Cllr Michael Harrison, Conservative executive member for health and adult services, at a meeting tomorrow.

The report says: 

“Evidence shows that drug and alcohol substance use treatment services are cost effective to the public purse, and clinically effective in terms of outcome for the individual.

“Investing in substance use services not only helps to save lives, but also substantially reduces the economic and social costs of harms associated with harmful patterns of substance use.”

Ripon’s hornblower to ‘call the watch’ in London for first time

Ripon’s hornblower is set to “call the watch” in London for the first time in its 1,000 year history.

The special dispensation, agreed by Ripon City Council, will see the hornblower make the call over the River Thames on November 6.

It will come as part of the World Travel Market, which is being held at the Excel London from November 6 to November 8.

As part of this, North Yorkshire Council, together with Visit York, Visit Leeds and Herriot Country Tourism, will be jointly hosting a special event on board City Cruises’ flagship vessel Erasmus.

Gemma Rio, head of tourism at North Yorkshire Council, said: 

“We are on a mission, along with partners across the region, to broadcast the message to the global travel industry, to look, and book, ‘up north’.

“The 1,137 year old nightly ritual of the Ripon hornblower, which legendarily began in 886AD to warn locals that the Vikings – or Northmen – were coming seems a fitting tribute.

“In the cathedral city of just 19,000 inhabitants, a horn has been blown from every corner of the marketplace at 9pm every night, without exception for over a thousand years – and still is.

“The Ripon hornblower, a long-held and uninterrupted tradition epitomises the kind of authentic experience still to be found in towns and cities across the county, which set us apart on the world stage.”

Alison Clark

Alison Clark, who became Ripon’s first female hornblower in 2017, will be among those travelling to London.

She said:

“Along with my three hornblower colleagues, I must have one of the longest-standing, unaltered job descriptions in the world.

“I never imagined when I took the role that I would be on the Thames next to the Tower of London announcing that North Yorkshire is ‘at large’ in London.”

North Yorkshire will be represented at the World Travel Market by North Yorkshire Council, Herriot Country Tourism and Visit York as part of the UK Inbound stand. 

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Green Party selects candidate to stand for North Yorkshire mayor

The Green Party has selected North Yorkshire councillor Kevin Foster as its candidate for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Mr Foster currently represents the Hipswell and Colburn division on North Yorkshire Council.

Before being elected a councillor, he worked in the civil service for 30 years.

The mayor will oversee a significant budget for York and North Yorkshire covering areas such as transport, education and housing.

The role will also take on the powers of police and crime commissioner. An election is expected to be held for the position in May 2024.

Following his selection, Mr Foster said:

“Your mayor cannot wave a magic wand and solve every problem but they can stand up and fight for the issues that matter in this region.  In the reserve forces I learned to work with and on behalf of others and I will use this knowledge and experience to do my best for people in this area.  

“Being mayor will be my one and only job and I will devote myself to it, representing residents and businesses to the best of my ability.”

The Conservatives Party has selected North Yorkshire councillor Keane Duncan as its candidate for the position. Cllr Duncan is also the executive councillor for highways on the authority.

Meanwhile, Pateley Bridge businessman Keith Tordoff has announced he will stand as an independent candidate for mayor.

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Harrogate district garden waste fees set to increase by 7%

North Yorkshire Council looks set to increase garden waste collection charges in the Harrogate district by almost 7% next year.

A report to a meeting of the council’s environment executive members meeting on Monday proposes charging £46.50 for garden waste subscription across the county.

People in the Harrogate district paid £43.50 this year, which means they are in line for a 6.89% price hike.

Charges for the often fortnightly roadside collections of 240-litre bins had been frozen for several years for most district and borough authorities and earlier this year council officers said the average cost in Yorkshire and Humber region for garden waste was around £44.

When challenged over the charges, the authority has emphasised the collections are a non-statutory service, and that it is not considered fair “for people who do not use the service to have to subsidise it”.

The officers’ report states the total number of garden waste licences bought in 2023/24 is forecast to be 126,750, generating an annual income of £4.996m, which is £302,000 above the income forecast for the year.

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The report states the extra income is due to Selby district area achieving “an impressive participation rate” of 43% since introducing charges in July with total subscriptions at 18,500, compared to the target of 6,900.

The council has previously warned of the potential to lose some subscribers as a result of its increase in charges.

Nevertheless, the report to the meeting states there has been no impact on the level of subscriptions as a result of harmonising the garden waste subscription charge in any of the former district and boroughs which already charged for the service.

The report states:

“If people choose not to subscribe to the garden waste collection service, experience from other authorities shows that residents tend to compost at home instead as there is no corresponding rise in residual waste tonnages to match the reduction in garden waste tonnages, therefore there is little impact on the environment.”

Start date for North Yorkshire combined authority delayed

The establishment of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority looks set to be delayed, according to a council report.

The combined authority, which will be overseen by a directly elected mayor, is expected to have powers to make decisions on matters such as economic development and transport.

Its formation will be overseen by Harrogate-born James Farrar as chief operating officer in its transition year.

The authority had been due to be set up this year and begin operation in May.

However, according to a North Yorkshire Council report, the establishment of the authority looks set to be delayed as parliament debates the devolution deal later this month.

The Stray Ferret asked York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, which is helping to form the combined authority, when the start date would be delayed to.

In response, a spokesperson said:

“Assumptions used to form the combined authority budget were set against a timeline of key milestones, including a parliamentary debate period starting in September.

“This milestone is now anticipated to begin later this month and therefore reflects an amendment of the assumed start date. The timeline remains on track for mayoral elections to run in May 2024.”

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An order is expected be laid before parliament later in the autumn, which will include provisions for powers and funding tied to a devolution deal as well as paving the way for the creation of the authority.

The move to set up a combined authority comes as North Yorkshire agreed a historic devolution deal with government.

The proposed devolution deal includes a £7 million investment to drive green economic growth towards the ambition of York and North Yorkshire becoming the country’s first carbon negative region.

There is also proposed investment of up to £2.65 million to deliver affordable low-carbon housing, and £13 million for the building of new homes on brownfield land during 2023/24 and 2024/25.

The elected mayor will make decisions on investments in strategic priorities such as for transport, housing, and adult education.

The mayor will also have responsibilities for community safety and strategic responsibility for the totality of policing, fire and crime for York and North Yorkshire.

They will appoint a deputy mayor to carry out many of the powers and duties of the role currently known as police, fire and crime commissioner.

An election for the mayor will be held in May 2024. 

County-wide zone has damaged taxi businesses, says Ripon councillor

Some taxi drivers have seen their businesses damaged due to the implementation of a single hackney carriage zone for North Yorkshire, according to a councillor.

Cllr Barbara Brodigan, Liberal Democrat councillor for Ripon Ure Bank and Spa, delivered a 238-strong petition to North Yorkshire Council’s ruling Conservative executive this morning that protests against the abolition of the previous seven zones which covered each former district council area.

The changes came into effect on April 1 and means drivers can now operate across the county, rather than being limited to areas such as the former Harrogate district.

But Cllr Brodigan said it had resulted in drivers flooding into urban areas such as Harrogate while rural villages and market towns had been left without taxis.

As part of the petition, residents were surveyed on the impact of the new single zone. Cllr Brodigan claimed one person was overcharged by £20 because a taxi driver got lost and that vulnerable residents are “wary” of drivers they don’t recognise.

Cllr Brodigan said:

“In Harrogate they are having to find extra spaces due to the influx of taxis. Over supply of taxis in hotspots are leaving rural and market towns empty.”

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Despite the single zone already being operational, a report that went before the executive said there had been a mistake in relation to the abolition of the previous seven hackney carriage zones.

Councillors were asked in the report to retrospectively confirm the abolition of the zones again to provide “emphatic clarity to its position”.

However, Ripon-based Richard Fieldman, who represented 70 hackney cab drivers, urged councillors to delay the decision as legal advice he received suggested the decision should be made during a full meeting of the council and not by its executive.

Mr Fieldman said: 

“There’s a straightforward statutory process and North Yorkshire Council failed to follow this process.

“On behalf of those I speak for I ask you not to compound an already bad position by passing an illegal position but instead refer the matter to full council for full consideration.”

In response, Cllr Greg White and the council’s chief legal officer Barry Khan both said they were satisfied that the executive had the right to make the decision.

The executive then voted unanimously to confirm the abolition of the seven zones and to create the single county-wide zone.

Business Breakfast: Masham brewery announces leadership changes

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is a breakfast event on Thursday, October 26 at Banyan in Harrogate from 8am to 10 am. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

Masham brewery T&R Theakston has announced changes to its leadership structure.

Simon Theakston, joint managing director of the family-controlled business, will become company chairman from January 1, 2024.

Mr Theakston will continue to be actively involved in the brewery and supporting the board in his new position.

Meanwhile, Richard Bradbury will assume the role of sole managing director.

Mr Bradbury has been a director of T&R Theakston since 2015 and joint managing director with Mr Theakston since November 2020.

Mr Theakston said:

“This is a natural evolution from how Richard and I currently work together. 

“Having jointly charted the company through the challenges of the covid pandemic and the current cost inflation impacts on the brewing and hospitality sectors, this new structure will ensure Theakston’s continued growth as we look forward to its bi-centenary in 2027 and beyond.”

Council offers businesses net zero project grants

Business grants have been made available to firms across North Yorkshire.

As part of the government’s shared prosperity funding, North Yorkshire Council has made grants and support available for companies looking to take on net zero initiatives.

Support will be offered by York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub and grants will be made available for up to £2,000 or 80% of project costs.

More information on the application process can be found on the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website.

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Call for answers over North Yorkshire fire service rising response times

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats have called for answers over rising response times at North Yorkshire’s fire service.

A meeting of North Yorkshire’s police, fire and crime panel last week was told that people had to wait for an average of 13 minutes and nine seconds for firefighters to respond to incidents.

This compared with 11 minutes and 37 seconds the year before.

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, described the figures as “worrying”.

He called on Zoe Metcalfe, Conservative North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, to explain the rise in the service’s response times.

Mr Gordon said:

“Local residents I speak to are deeply worried. According to the latest figures, people in the areas covered by the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service had to wait an average of 13 minutes and nine seconds for firefighters to respond to incidents. This is an increase from 11 minutes and 37 seconds the previous year. It’s clear that something is amiss, and the people of North Yorkshire deserve to know why their safety is being put at risk.

“One cannot help but wonder if these rising response times are a direct result of budget cuts or resource allocation decisions. It’s essential that Commissioner Metcalfe provides a transparent and comprehensive explanation for these delays.

“If budget constraints or ill-advised resource changes are indeed contributing to slower response times, it is imperative that corrective actions are taken immediately to ensure the safety of our community.”

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The move comes as Ms Metcalfe said North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue was “improving” despite the rising response times.

The Conservative commissioner said the service had been working “at pace to make considerable progress” over the eight recommendations linked to concerns highlighted by government inspectors.

Inspectors rated the fire service as “inadequate” and “requires improvement” last year.

Rural locations

A spokesperson for the commissioner’s office said the increase in response times was a national trend and North Yorkshire’s rural nature “significantly impacts our average response times, due to the travel time required to reach them from their nearest fire station”. They added many station are crewed by on-call firefighters who travel from work or home to attend incidents.

The spokesperson added:

“Last year, due to extremely hot weather, the service attended a large number of fires involving farms and farm vehicles, often located in the more rural areas of the county, meaning longer travel times on slower country roads. These will naturally have impacted on our average response times for last year.”

Ms Metcalfe said the fire service “rigorously analyses and interrogates its response times to all incidents”. She added:

“The service has provided a comprehensive explanation for the change in average response times, and assurances that the increase is not attributable to resource decisions, but to the increase in primary fires taking place in rural locations which require longer travel times.

“The time it takes the service to respond to fires in dwellings is particularly important since these incidents can pose a greater risk to life. The average response time to these types of emergency incidents has continued to be far quicker at 9 minutes 29 seconds, just three seconds slower than other ‘predominantly rural’ services.”

Area manager Damian Henderson, director of service improvement and assurance said:

“I would like to offer reassurance that we always attend incidents as quickly as possible and as part of our response principles we look at primary fires we attend where the average response times are above the average for predominantly rural services.

“This allows us to make proposals for improvement, where we can. We are also increasing our prevention and protection work in our more rural areas. Following the large number of farm related fires we have already undertaken work with the farming community including the production of a farm safety leaflet.”