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If you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves gardening or something to brighten up your home, The Harrogate horticultural nursery has a lovely selection of seasonal bedding plants for sale. House plants and decorative planted pots, including primroses, polyanthus, begonias, orchids and hyacinth bulbs, have been lovingly grown. Gift vouchers are also now available to buy.  Find out more online or pop down to the nursery off Harlow Moor Road, Harrogate (please use the postcode HG2 0FH in your sat nav). From 1 February the nursery shop is open Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 3.30pm. The shop is also open from 9.30am until 3.30pm on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 February for those last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts.

The district’s charities and good causes need some much needed love too this Valentine’s Day. Why not give to a local community group or charity by supporting them thorough THE LOCAL LOTTO for the Harrogate district? In return you could win prizes of £25,000, £2,000, £250, £25 or three free tickets each week. Tickets* cost £1 and 60p from every ticket sold goes back into good causes across the Harrogate district. There are over 100 good causes to choose from and if you can’t decide you could support THE LOCAL FUND who support numerous community groups and charities through its annual grant scheme. Visit THE LOCAL LOTTO website to find out more and sign-up. *Players must be 16 years or over

Need a little bit of help getting Fit4Life? There is a team of experts at Brimhams Active who can help you feel better through their Fit4Life weight management programme. It’s free, easy to join and everyone is welcome. Over 12 weeks they teach you how to move more, eat well and lose weight. They’ll support you every step of the way with healthy eating advice and fitness classes. There’s also an option to use their pools and gyms while you are on your weight loss journey. You can find out more information about the eligibility criteria on their 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.

Brimhams Active New Year fitness membership offer

For a limited time only you can enjoy our Brimhams Active gyms, swimming pools and fitness classes for just £32 per month*. There’s no joining fee or contracts, you’ll get regularly reviewed fitness programmes and access to an app to track your fitness progress. Choose from a wide variety of classes every day of the week from cyclone spinning and total body pump to Pilates and yoga. Or pop in for a workout at the Hydro in Harrogate, Ripon Leisure Centre and Nidderdale Leisure Centre. There’s also several pools to choose from, including Starbeck Baths and Knaresborough Swimming Pool. Simply visit a Brimhams Active venue and ask the team about their all-inclusive membership offer. You can also find out more about memberships and facilities on the Brimhams Active website. *offer available until 28 February, terms and conditions apply.

Harrogate Council is currently working with Harrogate College to provide a number of apprenticeships in the parks and grounds maintenance team. The apprenticeship programme means you can learn while you earn as you combine study with practical on-the-job training. Apprenticeships are also a great way to gain the qualifications needed to progress a career. Apprentices will work alongside experienced members of staff and benefit from their professional skills as well as gaining a NVQ Level 2 qualification in horticulture. There are 10 apprenticeship positions available on our website, including an arborist, horticultural gardener and horticultural Grower. Visit our website to find out more and apply (closing date 6 February).

Views wanted on plans for improved bus services

North Yorkshire County Council has published proposals to improve bus services in our district (and beyond) and it wants your views.

Its bus improvement plan is the first step towards a new partnership arrangement which will see bus companies and the county council working more closely together in future.

The idea is to make buses more frequent, more reliable, easier to understand and use, better co-ordinated and cheaper to travel on.

The council is now consulting on the plan and wants to know what you think. If you use the bus please take the time to take part. 

Even if you’re not a regular bus passenger your feedback is welcome so the council can understand why that is.

The survey closes on 7 February.

Applications are now open for eligible businesses to apply for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant. The OHLG is to support businesses that offer in-person services, where the main service and activity takes place in business rate-paying premises, such as: pubs, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, guest houses and hotels. As you’d expect, there is specific eligibility criteria and the grant amount also depends on the rateable value of the commercial premises any business occupies. Click here to find out more on our website. Government has also announced additional funding for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), to support other businesses most impacted by the Omicron variant, including those that are not eligible for the OHLG. Again, you can find out more on our website. Applications for grants need to be submitted by noon on 14 February.

The Harrogate Borough Council garden waste subscription service is available right across the Harrogate district. 

It provides a simple, cost-effective, way to dispose of your garden waste without having to take it to a household waste recycling centre.

This year the price of the service is £41 and you will receive 19 fortnightly collections from mid-March until the end of November (just over £2 per collection).

The licence covers one garden waste wheelie bin (or the equivalent number of reusable sacks for properties with restricted access). If you wish to have additional bins (or sacks) you will need to pay for additional licences for each.

The quickest way to apply for a licence is online or you can contact the customer service team on 01423 500600.

Once you have subscribed, your licence pack will be delivered to you within 14 days of payment. 

The first collections will start the weeks commencing 14 March or 21 March.

If you have not used the service before, HBC will deliver a 240-litre wheelie bin (or equivalent number of reusable sacks if there is restricted access to your property).

 On 1 April 2023 Harrogate Borough Council – and the other seven councils across the county – will be abolished and replaced with a single unitary authority to run services across the entire county.

It will be called North Yorkshire Council.

The Structural Changes Order (SCO) is currently before Parliament. Subject to MPs approval the order is expected to be enacted in March.

Following that announcement, elections will take place on 5 May when 90 councillors will be selected to represent the 89 wards across North Yorkshire. The councillors will serve one year on the existing North Yorkshire County Council before switching to the new unitary authority from 1 April 2023.

There should not be any appreciable change in services noticed until next year and until then, Harrogate Borough Council will continue to operate.

There are vacancies in the North Yorkshire Youth Commission.

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner is praising the work of the North Yorkshire Youth Commission as it delivers a report on its work over the past 12 months and begins a campaign to encourage new members to sign up. Zoë Metcalfe has received the group’s latest annual report at a meeting alongside representatives of North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and other key partners. Zoë thanked the 29 Youth Commissioners from across North Yorkshire and York who have worked so hard to support, challenge and inform the work of North Yorkshire Police and the Commissioner over the past 12 months. A recruitment campaign for the 2022 Youth Commissioners is now underway and the age range of those eligible has been extended to between 10 and 25 in an effort to capture the voice of even more young people from across North Yorkshire and York. Anyone interested in giving their view on policing, fire, and crime, developing leadership skills and representing their friends and classmates can apply to join the Commission. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday 25 February. Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe said:“The Youth Commission plays a hugely important role in North Yorkshire and York and, as Commissioner, it will always have my support. I would encourage anyone interested in having their say to find out more and submit an application. “I cannot wait to continue listening to our existing Youth Commissioners, and hearing from our new Commissioners, in the months and years ahead. ”Existing Commissioners are also encouraging others to come forward and make sure their voice is heard, no matter where they are from or what their background is. Sophie said:“I have really enjoyed being a Youth Commission member over the last few years. I am very proud of the work we’ve been doing to help young people’s voices be heard and start a conversation about tough topics that will help to bring about change.” Georgia said:“The Youth Commission has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to hundreds of young people and listen to their stories. The Youth Commission will continue to be successful as the voice of the youth is the future. It’s been a powerful group and we’ve reached thousands of people through our workshops, and we are looking forward to reaching so many more.” Find out more, and how to join the Youth Commission >>

Read the full story on our website: Commissioner praises North Yorkshire Youth Commission as appeal for new members begins