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22
May 2022
Have devolution fears that Harrogate will be voiceless come true?
One of the key concerns in the run-up to this year's shake-up of North Yorkshire local government was that the vast new unitary authority could leave the Harrogate district without a strong voice.
This week, when the dust settled on the local elections and Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council named his new 10-person executive team, the concerns appeared to have merit.
Just one councillor from the district — Michael Harrison, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, was included on the executive.
It means many of those making key decisions affecting Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham might not even have been to some of those places.
For the last 48 years, local political decision making has been shared between North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.
But with the latter in its death throes, it seems likely that all local political decisions will soon be made at County Hall, the 1906 Grade II listed building in Northallerton, a market town in Hambleton, firstly by North Yorkshire County Council and then by North Yorkshire Council.
The 10-person executive table at Wednesday's meeting, with Michael Harrison far right.
Just nine of the 47 Conservative councillors on the county council are from the district. So will the Harrogate district not have adequate representation?
'Strong voice will remain'
Despite the changes, Cllr Harrison told the Stray Ferret he is confident the district will continue to have a strong voice.
He said local councillors will shape the executive's decisions, firstly through task groups that will inform the transition to the new North Yorkshire Council next year and then through the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.
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The six area constituency committees are expected to be given stronger powers next year, possibly over key issues such as planning, as part of Cllr Les' 'double devolution' pledge. The Lib Dems will have eight of the 13 councillors on the one for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Cllr Harrison said:
Cllr Harrison added that he expects Harrogate Borough Council's offices at Knapping Mount to continue to play a key operational role when staff transfer to North Yorkshire Council next year because "it's a modern fit-for-purpose flexible office space".
Harrogate Borough Council's offices at Knapping Mount.
The Conservatives were returned to power in North Yorkshire with a greatly reduced majority of four on May 5.
Andrew Williams, an Independent who was elected in Ripon Minster and Moorside, said the more even political composition since the May 5 elections meant the views of opposition parties would be heard more, whereas in the past the previous huge Tory majority meant many issues were just waived through. He said:
Harrogate town council
Cllr Williams, who is also the leader of Ripon City Council, said the best way to ensure Harrogate's voice was heard would be through the creation of a Harrogate town council.
He said Ripon City Council had effectively provided a voice for the city and suggested the same could happen in Harrogate.
He added that such a move would pave the way for more independents.
Five Harrogate Independents failed to come close to winning a division on May 5. But Cllr Williams suggested they got their tactics wrong:
A referendum could take place in Harrogate to see if people want to create a town council.
But Cllr Harrison said people ought to know what the purpose of a Harrogate town council would be and what the added charge to their council tax precept would be before any vote takes place.
County Hall in Northallerton
Whatever one's political persuasion, the political scene has been enlivened by the shake-up to local government.
But whether local voices are heard strongly at County Hall, the 1906 Grade II listed building where the county council is based, remains to be seen.
The Stray Ferret asked the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough to comment for this article but did not receive a response by our deadline.
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