NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL

 

15 July 2026

 

STATEMENT OF EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR HEALTH AND ADULT SERVICES

 

Care and Support Hubs

 

Planning applications were submitted on 29th May for the Scarborough and Harrogate Care and Support Hubs. These are the first of up to five hubs that the council is planning in what amounts to a £60 million pounds investment in the county. We hope to know the outcome of the planning process by the mid-September 2026, and assuming planning permission is granted we will then go out to procurement for construction.

 

The North Yorkshire Health Collaborative

 

An extension to the Section 75 agreement between North Yorkshire Council and Humber North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has been agreed which brings together a shared overview of aligned expenditure on health and care services of approximately £613m annually across the two organisations. This supports North Yorkshire Health Collaborative Joint Committee in providing unified leadership on key health and social care issues in North Yorkshire with senior representation from the Council, ICBs, NHS Trusts, Primary Care and the Voluntary and Community Sector.

 

The Health Collaborative’s work programme, ‘Ambitious for Health’, is integral to North Yorkshire’s response to the national Neighbourhood Health framework, the 10-year health plan and the transformation of community-based health, social care and prevention services.

 

Apprenticeships

 

I am delighted to be able to confirm that 6 Social Work Apprentices are attending Leeds Beckett University this year as part of the social work apprenticeships scheme.  There was a huge amount of interest in the opportunity, and I am looking forward to seeing the progress of our Social Workers of the future.

 

Separately, the North Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards took place in June in Harrogate, celebrating the fantastic achievements of apprentices across our County.  The awards celebrate innovation, skills development, and the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses, and the wider economy.  I am delighted to announce that North Yorkshire Council had a number of winners across the categories, and a special mention to Wendy Whiston, a Team Leader within the Harrogate Supported Living service in HAS who won the Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year Award - a fantastic achievement.

 

Healthy Schools awards

 

The annual Healthy Schools event was held at Harlow Carr Gardens in June, with around 100 pupils from schools across the County attending, along with Cllr Baker and Cllr Wilkinson. The award recognises the fantastic work that is underway in schools to encourage pupils and staff to be healthy. The award promotes good nutrition, encourages physical activity and the importance of good mental health, so children can achieve at school and enjoy life to the full. This year there was a new award category for schools who have developed action plans to help tackle climate change and protect the environment.  Both Bedale C of E Primary School and Burton Leonard C of E Primary School achieved this Award. All Saints Primary School achieved a silver award, and two schools achieved the highest level of award, which is the platinum level award, and this went to Oatlands Infant School and Willow Tree Community Primary School.

 

Advanced Autism Accreditation  

 

Our Care provider services in the Harrogate and Skipton cluster have been awarded Advanced Autism Accreditation by the National Autistic Society, following a recent assessment.  This is the Society’s second highest level of autism specialist recognition, and is awarded to services that provide exceptionally creative, person centred, consistent support that enables autistic people to reach their full potential.

 

 

COUNCILLOR MICHAEL HARRISON