This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities...
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
    • Politics
    • Transport
    • Lifestyle
    • Community
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Education
    • Harrogate
    • Ripon
    • Knaresborough
    • Boroughbridge
    • Pateley Bridge
    • Masham
  • What's On
  • Offers
  • Latest Jobs

Interested in advertising with us?

Advertise with us

  • News & Features
  • Your Area
  • What's On
  • Offers
  • Latest Jobs
  • Politics
  • Transport
  • Lifestyle
  • Community
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Education
Advertise with us
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Latest News

We want to hear from you

Tell us your opinions and views on what we cover

Contact us
Connect with us
  • About us
  • Advertise your job
  • Correction and complaints
Download on App StoreDownload on Google Play Store
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Statement
  • Comments Participation T&Cs
Trust In Journalism

Copyright © 2020 The Stray Ferret Ltd, All Rights Reserved

Site by Show + Tell

Thank you for your interest in this story

To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week

    Already a subscriber? Log in here.

    06

    Nov 2020

    Last Updated: 05/11/2020
    Politics
    Politics

    Call to create Harrogate Town Council

    by Calvin Robinson

    | 06 Nov, 2020
    Comment

    0

    Harrogate Borough Council is set to be scrapped in the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s — now councillors are calling for a town council to be formed in its place.

    harrogatecouncilresized

    Liberal Democrat councillors have called for the formation of a Harrogate Town Council once Harrogate Borough Council is scrapped.

    The current two-tier council system in North Yorkshire is set to be replaced as part of the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s.

    It means North Yorkshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils — including Harrogate — will no longer exist.

    The county council and the seven districts are submitting rivals plans to government on how a new single-tier structure should look.

    Now, Liberal Democrat councillors have urged both Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, to include a town council for Harrogate as part of their plans.



    Read more:



    • North Yorkshire devolution: what happens now?

    • ‘Momentous’ single council proposal for North Yorkshire submitted





    Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Lib Dems on the borough council, said:

    “It seems almost certain now that the days of two-tier government are numbered and that the borough council will soon be dissolved, with powers and responsibilities transferred to a new unitary authority.
    “I believe that it is essential that services that apply to Harrogate only are devolved to a local level and to do that we will need to form a new town council, along the same lines as Ripon City Council and Knaresborough Town Council.”


    Cllr Geoff Webber, leader of the Lib Dems on the county council, also supports the move.

    What would a town council do?


    Town and parish councils run services such as community centres and play areas, as well as maintaining bus shelters. Councillors are elected to serve on them.

    The councils can also charge a precept as part of council tax bills to fund the services provided.

    Under its plans, the county council has promised further powers for towns and parishes in a move it describes as 'double devolution'.

    The district’s plan for an east/west model has also pledged to hand further powers to parishes, should they want it.

    It would see the councils able to run services and take on additional responsibilities.

    The Stray Ferret has approached both council leaders for a comment on the issue, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

    Devolution — the story so far


    Councils are in the process of submitting plans to ministers on how they would shake-up local government in North Yorkshire.

    County councillors voted to submit the authority’s single council plan on Wednesday.

    Meanwhile, Harrogate Borough Council, Scarborough Borough Council and Craven District Council have all backed submitting an east/west model.

    Ryedale District Council, Richmondshire District Council, Hambleton District Council and Selby District Council voted on the issue last night.

    Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, will decide on the government’s preferred option.

    Whichever proposal he chooses, it will result in both the county council and the district and borough councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, being scrapped and replaced by one or more single-tier authority.