Lib Dems reveal their views on Harrogate Town Council with call for more local control

Harrogate residents are currently being asked by North Yorkshire County Council for their views on the creation of town council as part of the county’s "double devolution" plans for next year’s radical shake-up of local government.

But Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems say the ultimate aim should be to ensure decisions are made by people who understand Harrogate rather than in Northallerton.

They argue a more accountable system of local government needs to be created, and decisions made locally by those who understand the area.

Key to this, they believe, is North Yorkshire County Council’s Area Constituency Committee, which is controlled by the Liberal Democrats.

Its vice-chair, Lib Dem Coun Monika Slater, who represents Bilton Grange and New Park, said “The first and most important thing that the committee will control is planning decisions so they aren’t made my people in Northallerton who have no understanding of the Harrogate area.”

From April 1 next year, North Yorkshire County Council, Scarborough Borough Council and Harrogate Borough Council, along with the county’s five other district councils, will be replaced by a new North Yorkshire Council to deliver all local services across the whole county.

A central pledge in the county council's case to the Government for this change was “double devolution” to bring a parish or town council to large parts of Harrogate which currently lacking one.

Lib Dem Coun Matt Walker, who represents Knaresborough East, supports the principle, saying: “This is a once in a generation opportunity for Town and Parish Councils to take control of services residents want to provided by them ensuring that they are high quality and responsive”.

But Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems also say the there is still a lot more work to do to define the responsibility of the area constituency committee.

Once this has been resolved, they add, it should become clearer what town and parish councils could and should be responsible for.

Their ideal scenario would see a town council combined with an Area Constituency Committee with significant powers to provide the same level of service or better with local ownership.

In that scenario, it is urging Harrogate residents to support the idea of a new Harrogate Town Council to avoid what it fears would be a reduction of local input.

A Lib Dem spokesperson said: “If the residents of Harrogate choose not to have a Town Council then local assets will be looked after by the Charter Trustees who are the existing councillors for those ten areas without a parish.

"This means that decision making for those areas will be concentrated into fewer people.

"It will also mean that Harrogate will not have a mayor and would lose a figurehead for events, visitors and to champion the local economy.”

The unparished areas of Harrogate include Bilton and Nidd Gorge; Bilton Grange and New Park; Coppice Valley and Duchy (part); Fairfax and Starbeck, Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, Oatlands and Pannal (part), The Stray, Hookstone and more.

North Yorkshire County Council’s public consultation on town councils runs until Friday, September 30.

To complete the consultation online, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/CGR.

Printed copies can be requested on 01609 780 780.