Author: Liz Leatherbarrow

Harrogate Borough Council have launched the Empty Homes Loan scheme to help property owners carry out essential repairs to their property and bring them back into use.

The scheme is for anyone who owns a property, which has been empty for more than six months, and wants to carry out repairs or improvement works but does not have the money to do so. Priority will also be given to properties that have been empty for two years or longer.

The loan can be used for essential repairs and improvements to an empty home, such as fixing faulty electrical wiring or a leaking roof. Or to bring it up to a standard so that it can be occupied again.

There is no set repayment term and there are no monthly repayments. All is that is required is that it is paid back within five years of the work being completed or when the house is sold.

Find out more by visiting  Empty Homes Loan page.

The Chapterhouse Theatre Company have been booked by Harrogate Borough Council to perform a Midsummer Night’s Dream and Alice in Wonderland in local parks this September.

‘Star-crossed Athenian lovers, playful fairies and hilarious traveling players make for an unforgettable performance of magical theatre.

Enjoy a wonderful evening of Shakespeare’s best-loved romantic comedy, complete with beautiful Elizabethan costumes and a splendid musical score.‘

Tickets are available to book now for a Midsummer Night’s Dream in Valley Gardens, Harrogate on Friday 3 September or at Knaresborough Castle on Saturday 4 September.

You can also enjoy the magical world of Alice in Wonderland and meet a whole host of colourful characters.

‘From the unforgettable White Rabbit and the madcap Mad Hatter, to the terrifying Queen of Hearts, Alice’s journey couldn’t be filled with more mystery and adventure in a show alive with song, dance and original music.‘

Tickets for this afternoon performance at Ripon Spa Gardens on Sunday 5 September are available now.

Earlier this month, government announced that local councils in North Yorkshire will be reorganised. The new reorganisation will form one council across the whole of the county, leaving York as a separate unitary council. North Yorkshire County Council and the district and borough councils of Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby will continue to operate until March 2023. After this, they will cease to exist and the new unitary authority will come into operation. The existing Harrogate Borough Council will now work collectively with North Yorkshire County Council and the six district local authorities to implement the transition plan. Despite this outcome, Harrogate Borough Council says it remains committed to delivering a number of investment projects.

FEAST Activities

Activities are open to all children and young people, but are offered free to children on benefits-related free school meals.

Events include:Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre Summer School  
Inspire Youth in Starbeck and Knaresborough
Awesome Eats! Cookery session with additional activities at Jennyfield Styan Community Centre Harrogate.

Knaresborough feva festival 25th Anniversary
13 – 22 August 2021

feva spans over 10 days featuring musical, visual, artistic and spoken-word events.
 

Grab-a-Jab this weekend
Homecare Pharmacy Vaccination Centre, The Old Lidl Site, York Road, Knaresborough
See dates, times and details here

Next steps for new unitary council in North Yorkshire

Plans for a new unitary council in North Yorkshire were approved last week by Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick, and will be established subject to Parliamentary approval.

Harrogate Borough Council’s statement can be read on their website

Here is also another message to provide further information:

 a message from the Chief Executive and Leader of Harrogate Borough Council. 

 Government guidance: Getting help with daily activities outside your home during coronavirus

If you have a disability or are more vulnerable to coronavirus (COVID-19), this guidance outlines some voluntary extra steps that you and those helping you can take to reduce the risk of getting COVID-19. 

A reminder that in Harrogate district the 6 coronavirus support organisations are still here to help.
 

Periodically the Boundary Commission for England reviews constituency boundaries. This is currently happening for our local area.

There are Boundary Commission proposals in place to change the Parliamentary constituency boundary, which includes Staveley and Copgrove.

The proposed changes to the boundary will consequently impact on residents in the community. It may be argued that the impact of the changes will directly alter the characteristic nature of the constituency that currently exists.

 The proposals form part of a consultation process which allow residents to respond with their own opinions and views on the changes suggested.

The current constituency MP Andrew Jones, has compiled his views on the impact of the proposed boundary changes and their possible impact.  Please read his letter, consider your opinion and respond to the consultation. This is your chance to have a say before decisions are finalised.

The timescales for the consultation period are very tight. Responses can only be submitted up to 2nd August 2021.  

To read the proposals, go to www.bcereviews.org.uk enter your post code and use the green ‘Make a comment’ link in order to respond. 

Please have your say and make a response to these important changes.

Instructions for making comments are repeated in the letter below from Andrew Jones. He also provides a telephone contact for his office, if you would like to discuss the proposals or the process of commenting.  

This is his letter.

BC constituent letter FOR EMAIL

Act quickly- before the 2 August 2021! 

We have received a letter from Liz Bailey, the Community Engagement Officer at Parks and Environmental Services, Harrogate Borough Council asking for assistance.

Could you help? It is as follows:

We need your help! 

There is a real shortage of tree stock to purchase across the UK and so we are starting to grow trees which will be ready to replant in our parks and open spaces in the next 3 to 5 years and beyond.

If you have any oak or sycamore trees in your garden, we’d love it if you could dig up any seedlings you might have (making sure they have a good root system and are placed in in a plant pot or wet newspaper) and then bring them to our Horticultural Nursery, Nursery Lane East, off Harlow Moor Road, HG2 0FH between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday.

Our staff will then plant them into a recycled pot and grow them on. Once they are big enough they will be planted across the Harrogate district to enhance our woodland areas and help the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

We’d be pleased if you could share this with your residents/members of your group and even on your social media pages too!

Thank you in advance.