Praise for chief executive of Harrogate Council as he prepares to finish next week in new era for local government

Wallace Sampson has worked in local government for more than 35 years and became chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council in 2008, having previously been a director at Bradford Council for eight years where he helped to support regeneration programmes in some of the city’s most deprived communities.

Along with Craven District Council, Hambleton District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Richmondshire District Council, Ryedale District Council, Selby District Council and Scarborough Borough Council, Harrogate Borough Council will cease to exist on April 1, when North Yorkshire Council begins.

Coun Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said: "Having worked with Wallace in my capacity as council leader for nine years I feel I am well-qualified to pay tribute to a remarkable person.

"His professionalism and skill in implementing change to adapt local government to diminishing budgets is shown by the fact that no borough council frontlines services were cut during a time of financial difficulty for the public sector.

“In fact, Wallace demonstrated considerable flair in developing income streams and new ways of working which meant every taxpayer pound stretched further.”

During his 14 years at the council, Wallace Sampson helped deliver a number of strategic projects including the investment of more than £40million in leisure facilities, consolidating several council offices and building an award-winning and energy-efficient civic centre, providing new homes across the district, and introducing commercial and digital programmes to ensure the local authority could be as financially self-sufficient as possible.

He has also been pivotal in the delivery of significant sporting events, including Stage One of the Tour de France in 2014 and the UCI Road World Championships in 2019, ensuring the tourism economy – which now accounts for more than £600million per year – can continue to grow year on year.

In 2019 New Year’s Honours list, Wallace Sampson received an OBE for services to businesses and the community in Yorkshire.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the council and residents of the Harrogate district,” said Mr Sampson.

"There have been many challenges that we have faced including a long period of austerity from 2010 which required the council to transform how it operated and become more self-sufficient. More recently we have faced the challenge of the Covid pandemic, which required a whole council team effort to support businesses and the most vulnerable in our community.

"I have been proud to lead the council’s workforce and I am confident that they are in a great position to help shape the future of the new unitary council."

Coun Cooper added: "Wallace Sampson’s impact has been considerable.

"Experience, knowledge and skill like that should not be lost to public life and I know that whatever challenges Wallace may choose to pursue he will add great value.

"He has served our communities with distinction and should be rightly proud of all that he has achieved and enabled the team he led to achieve."

The impending abolition of the seven district councils in North Yorkshire will concentrate decision-making and spending in the hands of the new unitary authority in Northallerton.