Harrogate's battle against 'distant' super council amid search for a better devolution

Harrogate Borough Council says it will not be fazed by North Yorkshire County Council’s bid to lead a single new local authority providing services for the county’s entire population of 600,000 people - and remains committed to finding a better alternative for local residents.
While fully supportive of the economic benefits of devolution for York and North Yorkshire could bring, Harrogate Borough Council is convinced services would still be better run by a district-led smaller super authority.While fully supportive of the economic benefits of devolution for York and North Yorkshire could bring, Harrogate Borough Council is convinced services would still be better run by a district-led smaller super authority.
While fully supportive of the economic benefits of devolution for York and North Yorkshire could bring, Harrogate Borough Council is convinced services would still be better run by a district-led smaller super authority.

County council leader Carl Les insisted this week that the County Council’s proposed single unitary authority should not be viewed as “hostile” by district leaders such as Harrogate whose local authorities would be disbanded as a result.

While fully supportive of the economic benefits such a move could bring overall, Harrogate Borough Council is convinced services would still be better run closer to home by a smaller ‘super authority’ more in touch with the districts.

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Harrogate council leader Richard Cooper said: “I do want to see local services run more cheaply by an easy-to-understand single council.

“A single council would free up cash that we can re-invest in services.

“But I don’t think a unitary North Yorkshire is the best option. I want to see our areas parks and open spaces run by a council that is as close as possible to the people who use them.

“I wouldn’t want the support we give to the theatre, the Harrogate International Festival, the Homeless Project, the Local Fund and many other charities to be eaten up by a council distant from our local needs.”

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The county council has not been slow to offer its version of a shake-up in local government to meet the Government’s drive to introduce regional devolution amid the financial fallout of Covid-19 which would also involve the creation of an elected metro mayor with considerable powers over the whole of York and North Yorkshire.

It’s only been a week since Simon Clarke, the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government set a September deadline for submissions on the future of the York and North Yorkshire councils which between them serve 800,000 people.

Harrogate Borough Council is hoping to work with the six other district councils to come up with a single authority big enough to create new efficiences while still small enough to be in touch with local communities at around the 400,000 mark.

Coun Cooper said: “The county council have said they will put a case together for two unitary councils - the existing City of York council and a new single council based on a whole North Yorkshire model.

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“We and the six other districts have said we will put a case together for probably two unitary councils covering the York and North Yorkshire footprint without prescribing geography.

"But we will stick to the ministers guidelines of York being included in the mix and populations of around 400,000.”

County council leader Carl Les said earlier this week that, though he was aware that rival proposals could emerge, no hostility was implied in the county council’s preference.

Coun Les said: “We are aware that there may be competing proposals, but our proposal will be in no way hostile. It is for ministers to choose which is the best.”

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Harrogate Borough Council also says there is no need for acrimony with a fellow Conservative-run council.

Coun Cooper said: “Neither proposal needs to be seen as hostile to the other; we can all make our cases, put it to the public and the minister and they will decide who has the better one. One will not be chosen but it doesn’t mean we need to tear lumps out of one another in the process.”

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