The chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council has said the authority will press ahead with its investment projects despite the government deciding to abolish the authority in two years time.
The decision is a seismic change for the district and raised key questions over the borough council and the future of its projects, in particular the potential £46.8 million renovation of the town’s convention centre.
On Wednesday, Robert Jenrick MP, secretary of state for local government, announced that a single super council will be set up in North Yorkshire by April 2023 – which means the borough, county and other district councils will all be scrapped.
The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Wallace Sampson, chief executive of the borough council, on the implications of the announcement on the authority, but did not receive a response. The council later said he was unavailable.
However, Mr Sampson has now said the council is committed to delivering on a number of its projects.
In response to the decision, he said:
“Understandably, we are disappointed that government has chosen to form one council across the whole of North Yorkshire. We believed the East/West proposal would have been the strongest possible option for levelling-up, and driving future recovery and growth in York and North Yorkshire.
“Despite this outcome, Harrogate Borough Council will continue to exist until 2023 and we have no plans to sit back until this time. We have a number of exciting and ambitious projects that have either started or are due to start in the coming months.
“Our multi-million investment project at Ripon Leisure Centre is taking shape and further investment at the Hydro in Harrogate and a new leisure centre in Knaresborough are progressing well, for example.
“We are also committed to supporting our economy post covid and will be looking at all projects, before the new unitary authority comes into operation, to explore what investment projects should or could be delivered.”
Read more:
- What will one super council for North Yorkshire look like?
- The key questions facing Harrogate after devolution
But, Mr Sampson did not address the future of HBC’s Knapping Mount headquarters, the investment in the convention centre or the destination management organisation.
Previously, the council has said that no final decision will be made on the refurbishment of the convention centre until 2022 and that reorganisation and the investment “are two entirely separate things”.
Mr Sampson told the Stray Ferret in March that the reorganisation would not affect the use of the civic centre.
