Revealed: Harrogate's first new mayor since local government reorganisation and why civic traditions will survive

Power may have transferred to the new, larger North Yorkshire Council earlier this month following local government reorganisation but a new Harrogate mayor has just been selected to ensure the town's civic traditions are still carried out.

It’s the first Charter Mayor of Harrogate in more than a century.

Under the new system, Harrogate county councillors now choose a ‘Charter Mayor’ for the town from among the ‘Charter Trustees’ who are the councillors elected for the Harrogate wards in May of last year.

Councillors decided to elect Coun Michael Harrison to be the new position

Harrison was elected to the council in 2004 and represents the Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate division.

He lives in Saltergate and is North Yorkshire Council’s executive member responsible for adult social care.

At the announcement, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, was on hand to congratulate the new Mayor saying: "“I have known Michael for many years and worked alongside him on many community issues.

"I know he will ensure that our civic and ceremonial traditions, many of which – like remembrance – are held dear by local people, are carried out with dignity and respect.”

The last Charter Mayor in Harrogate dates back to the early 1880s before the town received its Charter of Incorporation in 1884 and people could elect their first council.

The main duties of Charter Trustees are to ensure the continuation of the civic and ceremonial traditions of the town through the appointment of a Charter Mayor and Deputy Charter Mayor.

"The Charter Trustees Regulations 2009 provide that any historic property of the borough of Harrogate which relates to the Charter Trustee area, such as the mayoral chain, shall transfer to the Charter Trustees.

Coun Harrison said: “It is a great honour for me to be elected as the Charter Mayor for Harrogate for the next year.

"It is important that Harrogate’s civic legacy is preserved and that is what we as charter trustees intend to do.”

North Yorkshire Council now provides services across North Yorkshire including Harrogate, Ripon, Scarborough, Whitby, Northallerton, Thirsk, Selby, Tadcaster, Malton, Pickering and more.