We have been asked by the residents of Ferrensby to highlight this planning application as it is unlikely anyone will see the green notices erected by HBC.The site is the large wooded area surrounding the lake as you walk along part of the Knaresborough Round footpath linking Wath Lane (Stuart Bartons farm field track) towards Ferrensby and returning along Arkendale Road. A route very popular with residents and visitors, probably due to it being in open countryside with a vast array of wildlife to spot and currently without any roads or human intervention other than farming.

“Some 5 years ago, Ferrensby Parish Meeting voted to oppose Mr & Mrs CR Jackson’s application to build a large modern house at the site named above near the village. This vote followed a presentation by one of the applicants’ architects to the meeting. Subsequently a small team of villagers volunteered to lead the opposition. This included many meetings with local interests, councillors, countryside organisations and even included taking professional legal planning advice. Happily all the effort paid off and the application was comprehensively rejected by Harrogate Borough Council over a year ago.

The new application that has been lodged doesn’t alter anything at all from the original. The design remains exactly the same but the applicants’ experts go to very great lengths to try to overturn HBC’s reasons for the previous rejection.
Ferrensby Parish Meeting intends to object again to this application. As time is short for our responses, they are needed before 4th July, we ask that you help by objecting again as soon as possible.. Either send a letter to the planning department, email planningconsultation@harrogate.gov.uk or via the HBC planning site.
Thanking you for your support in hopefully objecting to these plans.
regards Kathy Parish Clerk”

Extra financial help is available if you are on a low income, cannot work from home and are required to self-isolate after a positive coronavirus test result, or, because you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
Help is also available if you are on a low income and are having to take time off work to care for a child or young person who has been told to self-isolate from school or nursery.

Applications for Harrogate district are to be made to Harrogate Borough Council – find more details and apply at https://www.harrogate.gov.uk/benefits-assistance

Nationally the scheme was to end on 30 June but is now to be extended to 30 September 2021. 

Test and trace (self-isolation) support payment

Still not vaccinated against Covid-19?

All adults can now book their Covid-19 jab. If you’re aged 18 or over, visit the NHS website to book yours.

Speakers/exhibitors wanted.

Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition is looking for local organisations and businesses to exhibit or speak at the first climate action festival in October.

The event is a great opportunity to share best practice, display your achievements in the green economy or showcase changes you are making to limit climate change.

Visit the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition website to find out more.

The coalition are also looking for young people to take part in their competition around being climate friendly. You can enter a poster, poem, podcast or video and entries must be submitted by 20 September. Visit the coalition website to find out more.

Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

The government is providing help for people experiencing slow broadband speeds in rural areas.

As part of the UK Gigabit Broadband Voucher scheme, grants of up to £1,500 for households and up to £3,500 for businesses, are available for some of the hardest to reach rural areas to support the cost of installing a new gigabit-capable connection.

To qualify, you must be in a rural area, have available broadband speeds of less than 100Mbps and be part of a group project (two or more premises).

You can check whether you are eligible by visiting the gigabit voucher website.

A new fitness project in Harrogate.

Fit4Life is a free 12-week weight management programme run by the Harrogate Borough Council team of health and exercise experts.

The programme offesr support every step of the way with healthy eating advice and physical activity classes. You can also get access to the HBC swimming pools and Brimhams fitness centres.

There’s more information about the eligibility criteria on the HBC  website but you need to be aged 18 or over and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above. If you are from an ethnic minority or you have hypertension, diabetes, cardiac or respiratory problems, your BMI can be 25 or above.

You’ll also need to live, work or be registered with a GP in the Harrogate district to join the programme and commit to all 12-weeks.

Find out more on the Fit4Life website page.

Bedding plants for sale.

You can still find summer plants for sale at the HBC horticultural nursery in Harrogate.

It is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 4pm and Saturday, Sunday and on bank holidays from 10am until 4pm.

Currently there are geraniums, French marigolds, begonias, fuchsias and strawberry hanging baskets, petunias and nicotiana available.

This year there are more plants for pollinators as these will help wild bees and other pollinators which are crucial for maintaining plant diversity.

Also on offer are a small selection of herbs and a variety of plant pots, gifts, compost, bark and manure.

You can shop online using the click and collect service which is available from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday or request a delivery* to your home in the district.

The nursery is situated at Nursery Lane East, off Harlow Moor Road (please use the postcode HG2 0FH on your sat nav).

*delivery is only available for orders over £5.

Local Markets are operating again in Ripon and Knaresborough.

Knaresborough market and Ripon market both closed during the last year. However they are both now open again for shopping.

Knaresborough market takes place every Wednesday between 7.30am and 3pm, while Ripon is every Thursday between the same times. Ripon also hosts a smaller Saturday morning market between 7.30am and 2pm.

Both markets are set within traditional market squares with nearby transport links.

You can find out more on the  website here.

Knaresborough Swimming Pool is soon to reopen.

Knaresborough Swimming Pool is set to open in July just prior to the school summer holidays.

The pool has been closed during the last year due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, as well as an issue with the existing pool filters.

Harrogate Borough Council appointed a specialist contractor based in Spain to repair the filters but, due to the continued travel restrictions, they decided to replace the existing filters rather than face further delays.

Following an extensive amount of work to accommodate the new filters, these have now been installed and the pool is being prepared for opening.

Please refer to the  Knaresborough Swimming Pool Facebook page for further information.

New swimming pool in Ripon takes shape

Harrogate Borough Council report that the multi-million pound investment project at Ripon Leisure Centre is progressing, as work to install the swimming pool takes shape. Once complete, the facility will provide a new six-lane 25 metre pool, modern changing rooms, sauna suite, an extended gym, new activity and spin studios, meeting facilities as well as refurbishment of the existing leisure centre. The new pool offers a 70 per cent increase in water space compared to the ageing Ripon Spa Baths, that will no longer be required. The sale, and redevelopment of the spa baths, will give this local listed building a new lease of life (subject to planning approval), retain key features and remain as a city landmark.Harrogate Borough Council report. Annual Governance and Accountability Record As the end of the financial year came in April the Parish Council prepared end of year accounts again. The accounts have been subject to an audit and there is now an exemption certificate lodged with the Government auditors in London. All Parish finances are discussed, monitored and reported on at Council meetings and are managed by the Finance Sub Committee, as such are open to the public. The Annual Governance and Accountability records 2020-2021 are available for public viewing. New YORBUS Scheme starting. During a roadshow tour in June, the YorBus team visited locations within the operational area and staff were explaining how the service works and were on hand to answer any questions. Run by North Yorkshire County Council, YorBus will be piloted in the Ripon, Bedale and Masham area from 1 July. Users will be able to choose when and where they want to travel via a dedicated app, which will be available to download from 28 June. The app has been created by Via, the leader in TransitTech. Once a desired pick-up and drop-off location has been selected, riders will be directed to a nearby bus stop. The mobile app allows passengers to plan and track their bus journey, even when on-board. County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said: “We are very excited to see the roll-out of this on-demand bus service that will enhance our existing public transport network across North Yorkshire. “The flexibility of the service means that more seats will be taken, resulting in less traffic on the roads. It aims to cut carbon emissions and sits well within our aspirations of achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030.” The service will run from 6.55am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on Saturdays. There will be a flat fare for using the service; £1.20 for adults and 65p for children between the ages of 5-17. Customers can choose to pay with card or cash on the bus. Children under 5 can travel for free and concessionary bus passes can be used on the service, subject to existing Terms and Conditions. YorBus is fully accessible, with low floor access and a ramp access for users of wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility difficulties. See further information on the YorBus service. YorBus, a pilot of an on-demand bus service, will begin operating on July 1. Free Training to use a Defibrillator Would you like to know more about the defibrillator in Staveley? There is another chance to learn with Yorkshire Ambulance Service – and it’s free!  Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) Community Public Access Defibrillator (CPAD) Familiarisation session Wednesday 1 July, 13.00, Wednesday 7 July, 19.00 and Saturday 10 July, 10.00. Anyone living in Yorkshire can register for these free sessions which take place via Microsoft Teams.