Message from the leader and chief executive
We’ve reached another milestone on the road towards normality as we start the phased reopening of our sport and leisure facilities.
We know that many of you have missed being able to do your workouts or attend classes at our Brimhams gyms.
And, although we offered virtual exercise and fitness activities during lockdown, nothing beats being able to do your gym session for real or getting back into the water.
Staff from across our leisure and sport teams have been working hard to make sure we are ready to welcome you back.
We still have colleagues who would usually be in one of our leisure centres or pools supporting vital frontline services.
Many of them volunteered to be redeployed to other duties when lockdown started in March and our buildings and facilities had to close.
We’d like to thank them for everything they’ve been doing, whether that’s been emptying bins, working in the housing team or supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities.
We admire their dedication and professionalism.
We still need many of these colleagues to support frontline services, so we can’t simply throw open the doors at all of our buildings where they would usually work.
As soon as resources allow, we will continue our phased re-opening of our sport and leisure facilities.
You’ll know from our previous messages that the council has been working hard to encourage people back to our high streets and town centres.
We’ve had lots of positive feedback about the support we’ve been providing retailers and the measures – such as hand sanitising stations and our ‘ambassadors’ – we’ve introduced.
Town centre businesses need our support more than ever right now.
Provided social distance rules are followed, and face coverings are worn when required, the shopping experience is safe.
And, to give a welcome boost for hospitality businesses, we’re allowing them to use the space outside their premises.
Applications for ‘pavement licences’ are now open.
These measures are all about the district’s recovery from Covid-19.
Central to that is our plan to redevelop Harrogate Convention Centre. It is one of the biggest economic drivers in the district. It contributes £35 million to the local economy each year and supports thousands of jobs. See the article below for more information.
In the last edition of Residents’ News, we told you about plans to reorganise local government in York and North Yorkshire.
While it’s true that this council won’t exist from as early as April 2022, you can be assured that the local services you value, appreciate and rely on won’t be affected.
Bins will still need to be emptied, people will still want to keep fit and developers will want to build houses, so we won’t be hanging up our hats anytime soon.
Please stay safe.
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