Plans to create town council for Harrogate set to move to next stage

A report will go before North Yorkshire County Council’s executive next week that recommends senior Conservative councillors approve going to the public to garner more views on the potential new council, which would be called Harrogate Town Council.

It follows an initial consultation held by North Yorkshire County Council over the summer where 75% of respondents backed setting a new council up — but questions have been raised over its low turnout rate and how much the new council would cost tax payers in Harrogate.

Harrogate Borough Council along with seven other district councils and North Yorkshire County Council will cease to exist from April 1, with all responsibilities moved to the new unitary authority, North Yorkshire Council.

A central pledge in the case for reorganisation, called “double devolution”, was that town and parish councils could be handed more powers if they can make a successful business case.

Knaresborough and Ripon both currently have parish councils and provide services such as allotments, public events and small parks.

But Harrogate does not have one and its town council could be given control over its prized public buildings, parks or tourism strategy — although nothing has been decided.

Ahead of the first round of consultation, North Yorkshire County Council wrote to every household in Harrogate but only 1,250 responded.

The report questioned whether the poor turnout gives North Yorkshire County Council a “sufficient democratic mandate” to proceed.

However, it said the low figure is “not unusual” when compared with similar consultations.

The consultation cost £45,270 which consisted of £44,870 for postage and print and £400 for digital marketing.

Respondents to the first consultation also raised questions over how much the new council would cost.

Parish or town councillors are unpaid but a charge would be added to council tax payers in Harrogate.

The report says: “A common theme of the consultation responses was that respondees said they felt it was difficult to come to a view on whether they supported the proposals without information on how much it would cost council tax payers.”

The report also knocked back cross party calls from Harrogate Borough Council to hold a referendum on the creation of the new council.

Conservative councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, told a meeting in September that the process of creating a town council would be a “sham” unless a ballot was held before residents are asked to pay an extra tax to fund it.

The Harrogate Town Council parish would be divided into divisions, based on those that will be used by North Yorkshire Council after April 1.

There would be 19 councillors elected to the town council with elections taking place on May 2 2024.

The following divisions would be used:

Bilton and Nidd Gorge

Bilton Grange and New Park

Coppice Valley and Duchy

Fairfax and Starbeck

Harlow and St Georges

High Harrogate and Kingsley

Oatlands

Saltergate

Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone

Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate

If councillors approve the report’s recommendation, a second round of consultation will begin from February 20 and run for eight weeks ahead of North Yorkshire County Council making a final decision in the summer.