News from around North Yorkshire
Staying well in hot weather
We are issuing guidance to residents to take extra care as high temperatures increase the risk of heat-related illness.
Older people, young children and those with existing health conditions are particularly vulnerable.
Heatwaves can put serious strain on the heart and lungs and may lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
If you or someone you care for is more at risk in hot weather, it is important to plan ahead and take simple steps to stay safe.
Find out who is most at risk and how to stay well in hot weather.
Help available for gas appliance repairs
Residents are being urged to check their gas appliances this summer as delaying repairs could leave vulnerable households without heating or hot water when colder weather returns.
A support scheme, funded through Gas Safe Charity and delivered by our Choices 4 Energy team, is now available to eligible homeowners.
Grants of up to £500 are available to help with the cost of repairing, servicing or replacing potentially dangerous or inefficient gas appliances such as boilers, fires, hobs or ovens.
The support is aimed at households with a low income - below £36,000 for multiple occupancy or £25,000 for single occupancy - and/or where someone has a disability. Funding is limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, with all work carried out by a registered Gas Safe engineer.
The scheme will run until September 2025, but early applications are encouraged to ensure funding is used while it is still available.
For more information, visit our Choices4Energy page or call 0300 131 2 131 and ask for Choices 4 Energy.
Have your say on the future of short breaks grant for families
Local people are being invited to take part in a survey designed to gather views on a grants scheme that has offered help to North Yorkshire families with disabled children and young people with less complex needs.
For more information, visit our have your say on the future of short breaks grant for families page.
Warning over telecare alarm risks as landlines go digital
People who use personal telecare alarms are being asked to act now as the UK begins switching landline phone services from analogue to digital.
The national upgrade, already under way, could stop some telecare alarms from working unless providers are informed in advance. The old network, known as the Public Switched Telephone Network, is being phased out by January 2027.
While most households won’t notice the change, those relying on telecare alarms for emergency support could be affected if their landline provider doesn’t know they use one.
Anyone who uses a telecare alarm, or supports someone who does, should contact their phone company as soon as possible to ensure their service continues to work.
The message is part of a national campaign to protect vulnerable users and provide clear, consistent advice to families and carers.
The move to digital is designed to improve reliability, but risks disrupting critical services if not properly managed.
BT are encouraging customers to switchover by December 2025.
For more information, visit the Digital Phone Switchover website.
Help us choose a name for our new street cleaning machine
We’ve joined forces with residents, businesses and voluntary organisations for a significant programme of improvement work in Scarborough to make the town an even better place for everyone. Cleaner, greener, lighter and brighter.
The long-term initiative includes more than 30 projects that will deliver real, visible change. From eye-catching murals, new litter bins and street furniture to grants for shop front improvements.
We have also invested in state-of-the-art cleaning equipment to tackle problem areas more effectively and would like people to help us choose a name for the latest addition, which sucks up small items of litter like cigarette ends from areas that are harder to reach.
People can vote for their favourite name from eight different options.
Stephen Stain, cleansing operative, said “It’s just a fantastic piece of kit, which has transformed Scarborough town centre. It really has, it’s amazing.”
The closing date for all responses is Friday 25 July 2025 and we’ll announce the chosen name on our social media platforms in August.
If you’d like to get involved in helping us keep Scarborough tidy, you can join one of the many community clean up events that are taking place over the summer.
For more information, visit our Investing in Scarborough page.
Support for Harrogate Christmas Fayre as 2025 dates revealed
Dates for this year’s Harrogate Christmas Fayre have been announced, with research showing significant public support for the annual event.