Chamber's invitation to essential event for Harrogate businesses on impact of major council shake-up

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With Harrogate Borough Council set to vanish in May 2023, the chamber has invited Harrogate Borough Council Leader, Coun Richard Cooper and Harrogate Borough Council Chief Executive, Wallace Sampson OBE to its first meeting of 2022 next Monday.

Taking place at Rudding Park from 5.30pm to 8pm, the event will see the two expert speakers guide chamber of commerce members through the next 15 months on the way to the creation of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive David Simister said: “In the biggest shake up of local democracy in almost 50 years, a new unitary authority will replace both North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council next year.

“This will have an impact on all those who live and work in the Harrogate District, and in order explain what will happen between now and May 2023, the leader and chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council will talk us through the next 15 months and beyond."

The decision to scrap North Yorkshire's two-tier councils - including Harrogate - was announced by the Government in July 2021.

The entire council system will be replaced with a single unitary authority, setting the scene for the possible introduction of an elected mayor for all of North Yorkshire with substantial powers and a sizable budget from the Government.

Anyone wishing to attend Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce's event on Monday, January 10, 2022 is asked to register an interest on the chamber website at www.harrogatechamber.co.uk/

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