Harrogate councillors elected into chairman and deputy roles at North Yorkshire County Council

Harrogate councillor Jim Clark - whose ambitions for his year as chairman were curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic - was re-elected last week.

Coun Clark represents the Harrogate Harlow division and was the first Scotsman to take on the role when he began in May last year.

It was also announced on Wednesday that the new deputy chairman is Harrogate mayor Coun Stuart Martin.

Coun Martin represents the Ripon South division and is also continuing an extended term as chairman of Harrogate Borough Council.

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Coun Clark had several events and projects based around the 75th anniversary of VE Day cancelled, but he has now sent messages of hope and optimism ahead of his extended term.

He said: “In February this year I found myself at a Holocaust Day event at which I introduced to each other a survivor of Auschwitz, Arek Hersh, and English Second World War soldier Sheila Pantin, who was involved in helping survivors at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

"This was one of the most momentous occasions of my year as chairman and one of the most extraordinary events of my life.

“I build my optimism and hope for the future on the fact that I introduced these two people who had been through an even more incredible experience than the one we’re facing now."

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Another of Coun Clark’s priorities was to promote the cultural life of the county, particularly performing arts.

This included meeting the staff who run the county’s three professional theatres - the 19th century Victorian Harrogate Theatre, the 20th century Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough and the 18th century Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond.

“Together with the other venues throughout the county, these are great theatres and we need each of them now more than ever,” he said.

“We must never underestimate the transforming power of the performing arts in bringing people together and they are key to us confronting isolation and loneliness in the future.”

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter