Harrogate Borough Council approves bid to divide North Yorkshire in two with east-west split

Councillors met tonight and voted in favour of a proposal to form two new unitary authorities which would see a merge of Harrogate, Hambleton, Craven and Richmondshire in the west, and Scarborough, Ryedale, Selby and York in the east.

The proposal was voted through 29 for to 8 against and followed a last minute attempt by Liberal Democrat councillors to sway the authority in favour of a north/south split.

Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition party, said councillors had been offered a "take it or leave it" deal with only the east/west option on the table and argued Harrogate would benefit more from a merge with York, Selby and Craven.

She said: "Harrogate district's local identity is not the same as Richmondshire, Hambleton or Craven - all with predominantly rural economies.

"For the district to thrive we need to be working with others with whom we do share close links. Ones who are economical similarly, ones that we have shared cultures with and whom we are well connected to.

"And to me, that means the north/south option is the best for the Harrogate district."

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Conservative councillors argued against this, saying it would be unfair on the north to cluster together stronger economies in the south.

The proposed changes are linked to a devolution deal with the government which said simplifying council structures is essential.

Ministers said tens of millions of pounds and decision-making powers plus a metro-mayor would be transferred to the region - but only if the current two-tier council system is scrapped.

The east/west split agreed by Harrogate councillors tonight is backed by all district council leaders across North Yorkshire.

It is opposed, however, by North Yorkshire County Council, which today also voted to submit its rivalling proposal for one unitary authority for the entire region while leaving the City of York intact.

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The final decision on which proposed structure to use will be taken by the government following a consultation in summer 2021.

During the debate at Harrogate Borough Council tonight, council leader Richard Cooper said: "We have been set a deadline of submitting initial proposals by 9 November and therefore we must respond to that.

"I am a wholehearted advocate of the proposal and an opponent of what I believe to be the ultimate calamity for our district - a mega-council run from Northallerton.

"North Yorkshire County Council has voted to submit a case. Let us too play our part in deciding the future of our local democratic institutions by submitting the east/west case."

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter