Comment: Why devo should matter to all Harrogate tax payers and why it is certain to affect jobs

Harrogate's NHS Nightingale asked to be 'able to mobilise within a week' if required

Local government has never been the sexiest of subjects; just check the turnout for recent local elections - 37.39% in 2018 for Harrogate Borough Council, 35.34% in 2017 for North Yorkshire County Council.

But, for anyone who cares about how their bins are collected or who makes decisions on new housing plans, the debate over devolution for York and North Yorkshire and what type of new unitary councils should be set up does matter.

This latest example of the Government’s desire to bring ‘levelling up’ to the north is full of opportunities at the regional level, all sides agree.

A new, elected North Yorkshire ‘super mayor’ with access to new economic investment from the Government worth up to £2.4billion, is a prize all sides believe is worth having in what has been hailed as the ‘opportunity of a lifetime’.

But the Government says the price for adding a new layer of regional government at the top, is the slimming down of the district and borough council at the bottom. It’s that question which is dividing North Yorkshire County Council from the county’s seven districts - including Harrogate.

At more than 130 pages long each, most tax payers won’t have the inclination to plough through the two sides’ cases for their version of a new unitary authority to replace councils like Harrogate’s, even though there is now just over a week until they submit them to the Government.

But, perhaps, it would serve us better if we were all to read these weighty documents.

While disagreeing on the impact on local democracy and the delivery of services in the future, both reports agree on the massive multi-million pound efficiency savings any version of a slimline system would bring.

So far the subject of the impact on council jobs has scarcely figured in the political debate. But dig into the details and the implications on staffing levels become clearer.

For example, the districts’ report produced by international consultants KPMG includes a section on estimated reorganisation implementation costs.

Under workforce redundancy and pension allowances, it calculates at least £12.5m will be spent. In terms of efficiencies, 55% of the overall total money saved falls into the category marked “workforce and services”.

The North Yorkshire County Council report from international consultants PwC does not outline precise sums in its options for streamling services and creating best value for money for tax payers after devolution but it does contain a section marked “staff redundancy costs from consolidation and efficiency savings across the council”.

One senior county councillor says staff cuts have to be discussed as part of any reorganisation.

Coun Michael Harrison, who is responsible for adult social care, said: “If we are going to be honest about either bid, we need to have a discussion about staffing. For example, at the moment, the county has eight council chief executives.

“This isn’t an exercise in slashing costs. There will be some impact on staff but I think we can find a way that is efficient and compassionate.”

Devo: A battle of two sides

Axing the current two-tier structure of local government is a prerequisite for paving the way for a mayoral-led combined authority for York and North Yorkshire.

The county council favours a single new council for North Yorkshire with another based in York. The “East & West” idea favoured by Harrogate Borough Council would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton joining a new unitary council in the West and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough another one in the East.

Revealed: County council's case for changing how Harrogate - and North Yorkshire - is governed

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