Cutting councillor numbers in half a 'step back for local representation', says Harrogate's Lib Dems

In May's elections 21 councillors for the district will be chosen to serve on the new North Yorkshire Council - far fewer than the 42 currently on Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council which will both be scrapped in April 2023.

The arrangements recently announced as part of draft legislation have been criticised by Harrogate's Liberal Democrats who have raised concerns that residents’ voices will be diluted.

Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition party on Harrogate Borough Council, said: "We see the significant reduction in councillors as a step back in terms of local representation on the new North Yorkshire Council.

"This change is being forced on us and Liberal Democrats were not in support of the proposed warding arrangements, and in fact submitted an alternative proposal to central government which they did not support."

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Overall, the new North Yorkshire Council will have a total of 90 councillor seats - 18 more than the existing county council.

It has been argued that the arrangements will make things simpler for residents who under the current two-tier system can have two different councillors, each with different responsibilities over services from bin collections to highways.

The new North Yorkshire Council will be made of 89 new divisions and councillors will serve for one year as county councillors before transferring to the new authority in April 2023.

After this, the next elections will then take place in 2027.

The new divisions have been set out by government in a draft Structural Changes Order which MPs are expected to approve by March.

Harrogate Borough Council previously chose not to submit its own warding proposals last September when its Conservative leader councillor Richard Cooper said he would be "content" with what has now been proposed.

But councillor Marsh said she believed the areas that councillors will represent will be "too large". She also said although her party had opposed reorganisation, it was now pushing for greater powers to be handed to area committees and parish and town councils.

This includes powers being granted to a potential Harrogate Town Council - an idea which the Conservatives have also supported.

Councillor Marsh said: "The Liberal Democrats have not been in support of this massive change in local government representation, particularly in the middle of a global pandemic.

"As the champions of localism and the moving of decision making closer to residents, we do support the increase in powers for the new area committees and the potential for town and parish councils to be able to deliver services and manage local assets if they so choose."

Here are the new divisions and current wards for the Harrogate district:

New: Bilton Grange and New Park

Current: Harrogate Bilton Grange, Harrogate New Park

Bilton and Nidd Gorge

Harrogate Bilton Woodfield, Harrogate Old Bilton

Boroughbridge and Claro

Boroughbridge, Claro

Coppice Valley and Duchy

Harrogate Coppice Valley, Harrogate Duchy

Fairfax and Starbeck

Harrogate Fairfax, Harrogate Starbeck

Harlow and St. Georges

Harrogate Harlow, Harrogate St. Georges

High Harrogate and Kingsley

Harrogate High, Harrogate Kingsley

Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate

Harrogate Saltergate, Killinghall and Hampsthwaite

Knaresborough East

Knaresborough Eastfield, Knaresborough Scriven Park

Knaresborough West

Knaresborough Aspin and Calcut, Knaresborough Castle

Masham and Fountains

Fountains and Ripley, Masham and Kirkby Malzeard

Oatlands and Pannal

Harrogate Oatlands, Harrogate Pannal

Ouseburn

Ouseburn and the parishes of Cattal, Hunsingore, Kirk Hammerton, Long Marston, Thornville, Wilstrop

Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale

Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Moors and the parishes of Dacre, Darley and Menwith

Ripon Minster and Moorside

Ripon Minster, Ripon Moorside

Ripon Ure Bank and Spa

Ripon Spa, Ripon Ure Bank

Spofforth with Lower

Spofforth with Lower

Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone

Harrogate Hookstone, Harrogate Stray

Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate

Harrogate Central, Harrogate Valley Gardens

Washburn and Birstwith

Washburn and the parishes of Birstwith, Felliscliffe, and Hartwith cum Winsley

Wathvale and Bishop Monkton

Bishop Monkton and Newby Wathvale

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter