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10
Feb 2022
Local councils across the Harrogate district are to be given the chance to take back control of public buildings and services under what has been described as a “golden opportunity” for communities.
When Harrogate Borough Council was created in 1974 it took over ownership of several key assets, including Ripon Town Hall and Knaresborough House.
But almost half a century later the borough council is now coming to an end as it will be scrapped and replaced with a new unitary authority covering the whole of North Yorkshire from April next year.
These major reorganisation plans have stoked widely-raised concerns over the future of many buildings which are key meeting places for communities and also play a crucial role in delivering local services and supporting the visitor economy.
Ripon Town Hall.
This sparked questions over whether local councils would have to pay, but Cllr Cooper said this “does not necessarily mean cash changing hands”.
He also said the motion first put forward “simply isn’t legal” as the borough council itself can not produce takeover plans for its own buildings to be run by local councils.
Cllr Cooper said:
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