REVEALED: Liberal Democrats take control of new Harrogate Town Council in decisive win

There were loud cheers at today’s count at Harrogate Convention Centre as the results were announced, with the party taking 15 of the 19 single-councillor wards.

The Conservatives won two wards, with Reform winning one and the remaining ward taken by an independent candidate.

Felix Andrew was the Liberal Democrat campaign manager for the election campaign.

He said: “It’s a resounding victory there’s no doubt about it.

“It’s very exciting and gives us the mandate to fight for Harrogate.

"The message that we put across in the campaign is that we want to giving a voice for Harrogate.

“Something that really resonated on the doorsteps was that it was only the Liberal Democrats that could stand up to North Yorkshire Council.

“We now have a platform to do that for the people of Harrogate.”

Mr Andrew said an issue that was mentioned “again and again” by voters was the annual £170,000 levy for the use of the ‘Harrogate’ name by Harrogate Spring Water, which is paid to North Yorkshire Council.

He said: “We want to see that money come back to Harrogate Town Council.

"It’s a drop in the ocean for North Yorkshire but it can make a big difference to the town council budget.”

North Yorkshire Council executive member Michael Harrison was one of the two Conservatives to win a seat on the new authority.

But it needed a recount for the councillor to be declared the winner of the Saltergate ward, which he took from Lib Dem candidate Nathaniel Slater by just two votes.

Commenting on his party’s showing at the Harrogate election, Councillor Harrison said there had been a “national slant” to the voting, adding that he looked forward to being a Conservative holding the Liberal Democrats to account.

He said: “This is a unique situation for Harrogate that requires enthusiasm, intelligence and a willingness to work with other parties for the benefit of people of Harrogate.

“It’s a new council – What are they going to do? Are they going to work with North Yorkshire Council or at they just going to criticise?”

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats had candidates standing in all 19 wards, with Reform having 18, the Green Party 14, Labour eight and two independents.

Although Reform won just one division, they came second in seven wards.

The election took place following the launch of the unitary North Yorkshire Council and the abolition of the county’s town and borough councils in 2023.

This left only Harrogate and Scarborough without a second tier of local government, with town and parish councils already established elsewhere in the county.

The Harrogate Town Council election results:

Bilton Grange Ward

ALLARDYCE David Lindsay – Liberal Democrat – 388

BENTLEY Sharon – The Conservative Party – 134

LAWRENCE John – Reform UK – 275

WORRALL Tamsin – Green Party – 103

Bilton Woodfield Ward

CHAMBERLAIN Ian Stuart – Liberal Democrat – 268

EATON James David Edwin – Green Party – 82

GOODALL David Michael Thornton – Reform UK – 344

REEVE-BURNETT Rebecca – The Conservative Party – 127

Central Ward

EVANS Susan – Green Party – 90

HOBKINSON John – Labour Party – 58

SHRAGO Jonathan – The Conservative Party – 293

STOTT Paula – Liberal Democrat – 358

SWALES Helen Jane – Reform UK – 156

Coppice Valley Ward

ADELEKE Rachel Catherine – Green Party – 66

BARRATT Louis – The Conservative Party – 140

GELBER Christopher Julian – Reform UK – 200

HOLBREY Toby – Labour Party – 82

WILDMORE Austin – Liberal Democrat – 325

Duchy Ward

DE WET Tracey Joan – Reform UK – 182

MURPHY Anthony – The Conservative Party – 366

THOMPSON Josy – Liberal Democrat – 451

Fairfax Ward

FRENDT Bob – Reform UK – 186

RIGBY Bill – Green Party – 62

TRAVENA Jennifer – Liberal Democrat – 417

WINTER Innes – The Conservative Party – 84

Harlow Ward

DIXON Graham – Liberal Democrat – 435

HARRISON Jack – Labour Party – 51

LUPTON Dan – Reform UK – 162

SAEED Suzanne – Green Party – 90

WEST Douglas – The Conservative Party – 363

High Harrogate Ward

ALDRED Chris – Liberal Democrat – 323

DE WET Peter Eugene – Reform UK – 145

MURPHY Kim – The Conservative Party – 170

TAYLER Reg – Green Party – 174

Hookstone Ward

CHARTERS Gilly – Green Party – 248

HUNTER Tim – The Conservative Party – 241

TIMOTHY Andrew David – Liberal Democrat – 333

Kingsley Ward

CAVEN Josie – Liberal Democrat – 377

HARDCASTLE Ian Graham – Reform UK – 254

MARTIN Thomas – The Conservative Party – 109

WATT Chris – Labour Party – 196

New Park Ward

ARMSBY Judy – Green Party – 82

LUMBY Sue – The Conservative Party – 78

PARKER Kevin Peter – Reform UK – 222

SLATER Monika – Liberal Democrat – 297

Oatlands Ward

HARTLEY David – Reform UK – 186

JACKSON Elizabeth – The Conservative Party – 410

MARSHALL Howard Lloyd – Liberal Democrat – 287

WEBB Jo – Green Party – 351

Old Bilton Ward

BENTLEY Neil – The Conservative Party – 121

BROWN Sheila – Reform UK – 237

DUNN Christopher – Local – 47

HASLAM Paul – Independent – 397

KEMPSTON-PARKES Drew – Liberal Democrat – 235

Pannal Ward

MANN John – The Conservative Party – 148

SWALES Jonathan Mark – Reform UK – 67

WARR Mark Julian – Liberal Democrat – 221

Saltergate Ward

CHARTERS Ian – Green Party – 34

GREEN Jacqueline Mary – Reform UK – 133

HARRISON Michael – The Conservative Party – 152

SLATER Nathaniel Paul – Liberal Democrat – 150

St Georges Ward

FORD Christine Elaine – Reform UK – 113

JACKSON Steven – The Conservative Party – 391

POSKITT Viv – Liberal Democrat – 689

RICKARD Andrew – Green Party – 68

ZIGMOND Andrew Morris – Labour Party – 43

Starbeck Ward

BROWN Tony – Reform UK – 222

FOXALL Pat – Labour Party – 58

HOLMES Chrissie – Liberal Democrat – 394

SMITH Sophie Elizabeth – Green Party – 64

WARBURTON Luke – The Conservative Party – 71

Stray Ward

BURKE Helen – Labour Party – 58

LYELL Edward – The Conservative Party – 299

MILNE Patrick Francis – Liberal Democrat – 526

SMITHSON Jack William – Reform UK – 189

STRAUSS Roland – Green Party – 191

Valley Gardens Ward

ENNIS John – The Conservative Party – 339

HARTNESS Paul Gerard – Reform UK – 144

METCALFE Edward – Liberal Democrat – 549

WILLIAMSON Andrew – Labour Party – 69