Author: Liz Leatherbarrow

 ‘DadPad’ app support for new and dads-to-be

The DadPad app is an easy-to-use, freely downloadable resource. As well as details on local support groups and service providers it aims to provide new fathers with guidance on how to develop the mindset, confidence and practical skills needed to meet their babies’ physical and emotional needs. 

The app also provides dads with guidance on how to support and seek help (when needed) for their partners and themselves as they adjust to their new roles, and cope with the physical and emotional strains that this can place on individuals and relationships.

The app is available for dads within areas including North Yorkshire. Once the app is downloaded it will ask for your location and direct you to your localised version of DadPad. To find out more visit the DadPad website. 

Here is a recent article explaining the reasons why the 20’s Plenty Campaigners are so committed to the reduction in road traffic speeds. It contains interesting facts and information to consider.

As part of the accounting procedures for the PC we accordingly publish the accounts record for 2021-22.

Please see below:

Ripon Theatre Festival

Ripon Theatre Festival is set to take place from 23 to 26 June and will host more than 40 performances for all ages, many of them free. The festival opens on Thursday (23 June) with folk fables for grown-ups from popular storyteller, Ursula Holden Gill. Saturday 25 June will see street theatre, music, circus and dance in three dedicated performance zones, plus walkabout acts throughout the city and a puppet-led Ripon trail game. Sunday 26 June events include pop-up dance theatre in two café locations and the culmination of a Jubilee-themed living history project at Ripon Workhouse Museum, before the Festival Finale at Fountains Abbey. Drama highlights include a visit from radical Leeds-based theatre company Red Ladder with their production of The Damned United and open-air theatre specialists Illyria come to Fountains Abbey with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ripon Library welcomes back Hoglets Theatre with a twilight show for little ones and Story Craft Theatre will bring an afternoon of crafty tales around the Heading into Space theme. Lempen Puppet Theatre Company take part in an entire day of shows and workshops and in Ripon Spa Gardens, Badapple Theatre Company present their charming Tales from the Great Wood and Strange Twig Theatre Company bring Winnie and Warwick’s Magical Menagerie, a marvellously silly show complete with animatronic puppets. Full information and tickets are available on the Ripon Theatre Festival website.

Results to view

Councillors successfully elected on 5 May will serve the final year of the county council before transferring to the new unitary authority – which replaces all eight local councils in North Yorkshire – for a further four years. Of the 21 seats in our district, nine were secured by the Conservatives, one to the Green Party, one to an independent candidate and ten to the Lib Dems. Overall, the county council (and therefore the new unitary authority) will be led by the Conservatives after the party secured a majority. A number of parish elections, a by-election for the vacant Wathvale ward and a referendum for the Roecliffe and Westwick Neighbourhood Plan also took place on 5 May. The results can be found on HBC website.

Waste and recycling collections this week

Harrogate Borough Council is operating a business-as-usual waste and recycling collection service this week but would appreciate your help to ensure the wagons can still get down your street. They would also appreciate it if you could help crews by ensuring any recycling has been washed and squashed and presented at the kerbside in your black boxes or blue bag(s).Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation. If you’re unsure you can check your collection day on the In My Area section of our website.

Energy Bill Rebate form now available

Earlier this year, the government announced a package of support known as the Energy Bills Rebate. As part of this support, council taxpayers who live in a band A to D property will receive a one-off payment of £150 to support rising energy costs. Eligible households who have not received the rebate can now apply via our website. There are also a small number of customers, who pay by Direct Debit and did not automatically receive a payment, who can also complete this online form. Following a form being submitted, we will carry out checks before payment can be made promptly after making a successful application. The government has allocated further funding to help vulnerable households who do not qualify for the Energy Bills Rebate, this will include people on low income in bands E through to H. Further details will be available at the end of June. Anyone struggling with living costs can find support and information on the Citizens Advice website or via our financial assistance page. The Energy Saving Trust also has information on how residents can make their homes more energy-efficient, reduce their carbon emissions and lower their energy bills.

Changes to personnel and officers in the new unitary council have been sent to the PC.

For details of the new changes please see below

Litter bin review across the Harrogate district

Harrogate Borough Council have contacted the PC to make you aware of proposed changes in Staveley as part of the review of litter bins and locations across the Harrogate district.

Background

In 2020/21 a full audit of our street bin stock and street bin emptying schedules took place across the district. We found that the current service provision is inconsistent and resource intensive resulting in inadequate litterbin provision and staff and vehicles not being deployed efficiently.

Currently the bins emptied are a combination of 80 litre litter and 40 litre dog waste bins which are emptied with different frequencies based on the requirements at the time the bin was installed. The network of bins servicing the district comprises a combination of street bins, parks bins and play area bins all of which were installed at varying times in response to individual requests, planning development or historic placement meaning there is no consistent approach to assessing need or establishing requirements in a standardised way.

Dog bins were installed in the district to address dog-fouling issues and in order for the waste to be separated for disposal. However, this is no longer necessary as bagged dog waste can be placed in litterbins and disposed with in the same way.

Historically, responsibility for servicing the bins was split across the three distinct service areas of Street Cleansing, Refuse and Parks. This has resulted in a resource intensive delivery of service with 16 different operational teams emptying bins across the district. These teams use a variety of fleet ranging from refuse vehicles, transit vans to smaller vans.

The current process has a number of manual handling risks.  In a high dog walking area, waste sacks can be of a significant weight or where a refuse vehicle is responsible for emptying a bin, the operative has to manually place the sack in the bin lift area.

We use approximately 270,000 black sacks per year and often empty bins because the bin is on a particular round, not just when they are full.

In summary, the lack of a coordinated approach to provision and servicing of bins has resulted in an inconsistent and resource intensive service that is in need of improvement to allow efficiencies to be realised.

Proposal

The provision and servicing of litter bins needs to be refreshed and modernised to meet the needs of the residents and visitors to the district whilst future proofing the efficiency and resilience of our resources.

Throughout 2022/23 HBC will be implementing a new infrastructure using larger 240 litre wheelie bins in bin housing placed in strategic locations across the district. This new infrastructure means that existing litter and dog bins will be removed and replaced with new provision as appropriate.

The new litter bin guidelines outlines the options that will be considered as appropriate to the different locations.

These changes will have the following key benefits:

•      A refreshed and rationalised infrastructure ensuring bins are in the right location and provide sufficient capacity for the area

•      Less teams emptying bins freeing up resource to litter pick and cleanse areas, therefore improving the appearance of the district

•      Protecting our workforce by reducing the manual handling associated with the existing litter and dog bins

•      Removing up to 270,000 black plastic bin bags from our waste stream

•      Reducing the use of fossil fuels associated with vehicles for collections

•      Introduction of recycling of litter in key areas, therefore reducing items in the litter waste stream.

•      Clear guidance to determine new litter bin locations when requested

How does this affect you?

HBC have already spoken to their street cleansing teams who service the area to get their views and feedback on the proposed locations , and have used their knowledge and information to inform the locations being proposed.

However, HBC know that local residents also know and understand their local areas and would like to take the opportunity to ask your views on the proposed locations before making changes. HBC are happy to discuss locations with you and ensure that agreed locations meet the guidance in our litter bin policy and the government’s ‘Right bin right place’ review document of locating bins in public parks, shopping parades, urban centres, lay-bys, villages and popular walking routes.

HBC would like to implement changes during July/August 2022 and therefore please provide any feedback by the 30^th June 2022. 

If you have any other questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to contact the project team at

community@harrogate.gov.uk