Liberal Democrats issue plea for North Yorkshire Council to ‘get on with it’ when creating Harrogate Town Council

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Liberal Democrat councillors in Harrogate have urged North Yorkshire Council to speed up the process of creating a Harrogate Town Council.

Harrogate was set to get its own town council in May 2024 along with Scarborough but it was delayed for a year after councillors asked to redraw the ward boundaries.

It means there will have to be a third public consultation on the town council which will take place at some point this year.

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But a motion to unlink proposals with Scarborough and set up a quick online poll instead of a lengthy postal consultation, which could take months and cost the authority £50,000, was rejected at a full meeting of the council in Northallerton on Wednesday.

Liberal Democrat councillors have urged the council to speed up the process of creating a Harrogate Town CouncilLiberal Democrat councillors have urged the council to speed up the process of creating a Harrogate Town Council
Liberal Democrat councillors have urged the council to speed up the process of creating a Harrogate Town Council

Councillor Chris Aldred (Liberal DemocratHigh Harrogate and Kingsley), put forward the motion as he said residents and businesses in the town were growing impatient.

He said: “Let’s get on with what residents want and have action, not words.

“There’s a growing urge for a town council in Harrogate and I wonder, why?

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"Maybe it’s because they are dissatisfied with the services provided by you guys.”

Councillor Matt Walker (Liberal Democrat – Knaresborough West), suggested by not having a town council, Harrogate was missing out on money from housing developers intended for community projects like parks and new open spaces.

Councillor Philip Broadbank (Liberal Democrat – Fairfax and Starbeck) said the town council could take on services that the unitary authority can no longer afford to provide.

North Yorkshire Council has said residents would pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year to pay for the new council.

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This led Councillor Michael Harrison (Conservative - Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate) to say he was uncomfortable with increasing the tax burden on residents at a time when household income is being squeezed.

Councillors agreed to increase North Yorkshire Council’s council tax precept by 4.99 per cent earlier in the meeting.

He said: “I’m not convinced there’s a clamour for a town council but I’m sure we’ll have one when it’s the right time.

"I’m happy to wait a little longer to give people time to develop a strategy.

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"It’s unlikely to be more than one year and it will delay increasing a lot of people’s council tax.”

Executive Member for Corporate Services Councillor David Chance (Conservative – Danby and Mulgrave), said an online consultation could exclude people who don’t use the internet and leave the council open to a future legal challenge.

Councillor Chance said: “The consultation material has to be of appropriate quality.

"Good practice says it should be between six weeks and three months.

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"To truncate this to a period of a week would leave the council open to challenge and undermine any decision taken based on that consultation.”

The Liberal Democrat motion was voted down with 39 against and 26 for.

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