How has your councillor spent their locality budget?

Every elected North Yorkshire Councillor is allocated a locality budget of £10,000 per year.

The money is used to fund and promote the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the communities they represent.

Councillors can choose how to spend the grant, including whether to allocate large chunks of it to bigger projects, or smaller sections to multiple initiatives.

We’ve collated a list of how budgets were spent in the last financial year across the Harrogate district.

Chris Aldred (Liberal Democrat) – High Harrogate and Kingsley

Cllr Aldred spent £1,500 on football posts, a portaloo, training equipment and a line marker at Harrogate Railway Junior Footbal Club.

He used £1,000 of his budget to fund the dance movement psychotherapist and associated costs of trial sessions for the CareFree Space Group Pilot Scheme, which is part of Dancing for Wellbeing. 

£350 was spent on costume hire and refreshments for two October productions put on by Harrogate Dramatic Society. 

He spent £300 on safety clothing for the Help at Home Handymen, which is a Harrogate and District Community Action scheme. 

£1,350 funded community swim sessions for Al Haadiyah Harrogate and £3,000 was used to buy 15 tablets for outdoor project use at Harrogate High School. 

He also funded one months' warehouse rent for Resurrected Bites, which cost £1,000, and £300 to fund ten boxercise coaching classes and community litter picks for North Yorkshire Connected Spaces. 

Phillip Broadbank (Liberal Democrat) – Fairfax and Starbeck

Cllr Broadbank used £1,500 of his budget to fund the provision and service costs of the Inspire Youth Yorkshire mobile facility in Starbeck.

He also spent £3,500 on replacing IT equipment at Harrogate and District Community Action.

Cllr Broadbank then used £2,750 to fund one profile bed for the students at Henshaws College in Starbeck, as well as a further £750 to replace some of the Christmas lights on Starbeck High Street. 

He also spent £1,500 to fund the purchase of football posts, a portaloo, training equipment and a line marker at Harrogate Railway Junior Football Club.

Barbara Brodigan (Liberal Democrat) – Ripon Ure Bank and Spa

Cllr Brodigan used £1,000 of her budget to fund staffing, refreshments and craft materials for the Teen Talk weekly drop-in sessions at Ripon Library.

She also spent £1,500 on repairing and maintaining the all-weather sports pitch surface at Ripon Grammar School.

£500 was used to fund venue hire, refreshments, insurance, registration and the promotion of the Rotary Charity Bike Ride. 

She spent £500 on venue hire, publicity, printing and sound equipment for the Ripon Poetry Festival, as well as £500 on the new Ripon boundary signs.

Cllr Brodigan allocated £1,000 to hiring a venue and equipment for the Summer Funfest and £500 on promoting the St Wilfrid's Day procession. 

£500 was used to fund flowering bulbs and grass cutting equipment hire to cut the grass along Ripon by-pass. 

In addition, cllr Brodigan spent £500 on promoting Ripon Theatre Festival; £500 on awards, certificates, t-shirts and vouchers for the Ripon Power of Ten young people's volunteering scheme; £500 on a swing chair at Mowbray School; £500 on a security camera for Ripon Spa Bowling Club and £500 on insurance, venue hire, St. John's Ambulance and registration with British Cycling for the rotary club's charity bike ride.

Nick Brown (Conservative) – Wathvale and Bishop Monkton

Cllr Nick Brown spent £500 on a new bench on Leeming Lane, in Langthorpe, and another £500 on new recycled seating in Roecliffe.

He used £500 of his budget to buy two planters for the village of Hutton Conyers, as well as a ‘thank you for driving carefully sign’, which has been installed in Sharow.

Cllr Brown spent £500 on clearing vegetation from an island in a North Stainley pond, £500 on new blinds at the Dishforth sports pavilion, and another £500 on plants for the Asenby community park.

He also used another £500 to replace signs in Cundall village, and £1,000 to restore a Grade Two-listed organ at Friends of Christ the Consoler church in Skelton-on-Ure. 

£1,500 was used to fund the installation of a new heating system at the church, while £500 was spent on a Christmas tree in Bishop Monkton. 

Cllr Brown spent £500 on a second defibrilator for Baldersby village. A new parish noticeboard was bought for Kirkby Hill parish council (£500) and a new village noticeboard was put up in Marton-Le-Moor (£500). 

He bought a new solar panel for a speed sign in Melmerby, which cost £500, while the renovation of benches in Rainton also cost £500. 

In addition, £500 was spent on equipment for the Youth Engagement Programme on behalf of Skelton cum Newby parish council.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister (Liberal Democrat) – Masham and Fountains

Cllr Cunliffe-Lister used £427.50 to hire heaters for Masham Town Hall. The same amount used to purchase tables for activities and learning at Kirkby Malzeard Pre-School. 

She spent £350 on electrical connections to install a defibrilator in Masham, £2,000 towards buying and refurbishing a pub in Grewelthorpe and a gave Masham Community Office a £2,000 contribtion towards freehold purchase costs. 

Cllr Cunliffe-Lister also spent £1,500 on funding a circus entertainer, children's disco and modern dance performers for a local festival, as well as £600 on a new spreader for Masham Bowling Club. 

£300 was used to buy Grewelthorpe parish council a new printer, while £1,080 funded the delivery of 12 wellbeing sessions on behalf of Masham Wellbeing Group.

Cllr Cunliffe-Lister also spent £315 on a new awning for Masham Foodshare and £1,000 on a new pitch mower for Masham Cricket Club.

Sam Gibbs (Conservative) – Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate

Cllr Gibbs spent £2,200 on refurbishing the shower facilities at the Springboard Day Centre, which is part of Harrogate Homeless Project.

He also spent £4,000 on the creation and commission of new lighting projections and animations as part of Harrogate International Festivals.

Cllr Gibbs used another £800 to fund IT equipment at Harrogate and District Community Action (HADCA). 

£1,500 was used to buy phonic books for Western Primary School, while a further £1,500 was contributed towards the launch of Help out Harrrogate, which was also a HADCA initiative.

Hannah Gostlow (Liberal Democrat) – Knaresborough East

Cllr Gostlow spent £300 on funding a community living room at Knaresborough Library. 

£500 was spent on girls' protective kit for hardball cricket at Knaresborough Cricket Club, while £500 was used to buy equipment for the community café at the Centre of Gracious Street. 

£2,500 was used to hire an outdoor LED screen, insurance, waste disposable and First Aid for a screening of Glastonbury Festival. 

Cllr Gostlow used £500 to fund a new kiln at Henshaws; £1,300 on room hire and refreshments for adult learning courses at Knaresborough Wellbeing Hub; £1,500 on roof repairs at Yorkshire Yoga's Balance Wellness Centre in Knaresborough and £500 on materials for a 12-month project on behlaf of Sunflower Art Studios CIC. 

She also spent £600 on restoring the giraffe and zebra paintings on the Renaissance Knaresborough Trompe L'oeil trail.

In addition, £200 was spent on signage, publicity, stacking chairs, display stands, wall mounted leaflet dispensers and audio-visual equipment for the new Heritage Information Centre in Knaresborough.

Michael Harrison (Conservative) – Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate

Cllr Harrison used £500 of his budget to assist with the running costs of the family day out event in Hampsthwaite.

He also used £1,000 to side out a footpath to the west of the B6161, from Crag Hill to Picking Croft Lane.

Cllr Harrison also spent £3,000 on repairs and purchasing new equipment for The Glebe playground in Killinghall.

£500 was used to HADCA to continue provision of vehicles used to provide home services. 

Cllr Harrison also spent £400 on buying 26 training tops for Killinghall Nomads Sportability Team, while £1,600 was contributed towards operating the number 24 bus service on Sundays and bank holidays. 

In addition, he allocated £3,300 to installing a new vehicular assisted sign in Hampsthwaite.

Paul Haslam (Independent) – Bilton and Nidd Gorge

Cllr Haslam spent £400 on funding the heating costs for the Warm Welcome Space at Bilton Methodist Church.

He used £2,000 of his budget to fund training, PPE and equipment to carry out warer quality checks in the River Nidd and associated becks in Harrogate.

Cllr Haslam spent a further £1,494 on the delivery of the ‘own my life’ course for charity New Beginnings.

£2,280 was used to pay two months’ rent at a warehouse for Resurrected Bites, and another £1,170 funded the setting up of The Day programme for young people – also for New Beginnings.

The councillor also spent £1,000 on vehicular active road signs on Hookstone Road, £500 on items for the cost-of-living fund for New Beginnings and £556 on horticultural materials for Henshaws. 

Cllr Haslam spent £300 on materials for the King's coronation and £300 on the family funtime events last August.

Nathan Hull (Conservative) – Washburn and Birstwith

Cllr Hull spent £1,243.60 on a defibrillator for Castley village and £1,000 for a new noticeboard in Beckwithshaw.

He also spent £900 on a new defibrillator on behalf of Weeton parish council, as well as using £1,198.20 to fund planters around Birstwith. 

Cllr Hull also used £300 to fund a live band for Birstwith village party as part of the coronation celebrations. 

£1,000 was used to refurbish the bus shelter seating area in Low Laithe, while £600 was sepnt on upgrading toiler facilities at Fewston Parochail Hall. 

In addition, he spent £900 on speciality matting for Birstwith show and £1,000 on improvements to Birstwith playpark.

Peter Lacey (Liberal Democrat) – Coppice Valley and Duchy

Cllr Lacey spent £448 on a garden shed for the Nature School at Coppice Valley Primary School.

He used £730 to fund two fire doors at the Birk Crag Girl Guiding Centre, as well as £700 to fund survey at St Wilfrid’s Church and Community Centre, which was part of securing an improved heating system.

Cllr Lacey also allocated £1,400 to fund warehouse rent and equipment for a new warehouse kitchen at St Wilfrid’s Church for Resurrected Bites. 

£372 was contributed towards a residential school trip for Coppice Valley Primary School students, while £350 went towards costumer hire and refreshments as part of two Harrogate Dramatic Society productions. 

He allocated £1,000 to fund tree works to improve access to facilities in Harrogate, as well as £2,000 on fireproofing the ground floor of the Birk Crag Girl Guiding Centre. 

Cllr Lacey gave HADCA a £1,500 contribution towards launching its Help Out Harrogate project; £1,000 towards a community hub at Coppice Valley Primary School and the school also received £500 towards a school trip to Harrogate Theatre.

John Mann (Conservative) – Oatlands and Pannal

Cllr Mann allocated £4,500 of his budget on new vehicular activated signs on Hookstone Road. 

£483 was used to fund a new printer, leaflets and business cards for the Essential Needs furniture scheme. 

£5,000 was used to replace and provide additional lighting on eight trees in Pannal. 

Pat Marsh (Liberal Democrat) – Stray, Hookstone and Woodlands

Pat Marsh resigned as a councillor in February 2024

Cllr Marsh spent £2,000 on new football posts, a portaloo, training equipment and a line marker at Harrogate Railway Junior Football Club.

£500 was spent on coach hire for Harrogate and District's Over 50s Forum day trips. 

She allocated £5,000 to redevelop an area of the school into a new outdoor area for the pupils at St Aidan’s Church of England High School.

£200 was spent on a replacement hoist at Henshaws, while a further £500 was used to redecorate the ceilings at Harrogate Community House.  

Andrew Murday (Liberal Democrat) – Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale

Cllr Murday spent £1,194 on a defibrilator in Bewerley. 

£1,500 was used to fund the administration Nidd Plus Community Hub's transport service. 

He allocated £1,500 to fund the 24 bus route Sunday service. 

£2,600 was used to fund the groundwork costs of improving the entrance for disabled access and rebuild a wall at Christ Church Community Centre.

He spent £500 on the end of season cricket pitch preparation at Darley Cricket Club, as well as £1,000 on funding the Leaders in Running Fitness and Coaches in Running Fitness courses in Nidderdale. 

£450 was used to fund refreshments, gas and electricity for the Cuth Caff community café, while £1,256 funded handrails at the Pateley Bridge war memorial. 

Andy Paraskos (Conservative) – Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale and Tockwith

Cllr Paraskos used £1,500 of his budget to install new village gates in Tockwith.

He also spent £1,000 on new equipment for a forest school in the grounds of Tockwith Church of England Primary Academy.

Cllr Paraskos used £500 on coronation mugs for the children of Spofforth, £300 on refreshments and decorations for the Sicklinghall Coronation Big Lunch and £300 on food for Kirkby Overblow's over 65s Christmas dinner. 

£1,000 was allocated to buy a vehicular activated sign in Little Ribston, as well as £1,000 to plant an evergreen hedge in Folifoot. 

In addition, he spent £700 on new sound equipment for the Tockwith Players, £300 on a follow spotlight for Spofforth village hall and £2,000 on an out-of-hours prescription box at the Leeds Road Practice. 

£1,000 funded road markings for improved highways in Kirk Deighton. 

Mike Schofield (Independent) – Harlow and St George's 

Cllr Schofield used £1,000 of his budget to buy cricket equipment for the ladies and girls' cricket teams at Harrogate Cricket Club. 

£2,555 was used to fund phonics books for Rossett Acre Primary School. 

He spent £1,700 on funding a new website for the Harorgate Indoor Bowling club. 

£1,000 funded new aluminium front doors at the Green Hut Community Centre, £750 was used to buy uniforms and safety footwear for Essential Needs and £1,000 was spent on counselling provisions for young people at Rossett School, which was put on by Harrogate Soroptimists. 

Monika Slater (Liberal Democrat) – Bilton Grange and New Park

Cllr Slater spent £2,500 on a new two-lane cricket net system at Bilton Cricket Club. 

£5,000 was used to fund the running costs of the New Park Communtiy Grocery, which is a Resurrected Bites initiative. 

She also spent £1,184 on venue hire, staff costs, refreshments and sundries for youth football sessions on behalf of Harrogate Town Community Foundation. 

Matt Walker (Liberal Democrat) – Knaresborough West

Cllr Walker spent £2,500 on hiring a TV screen and refreshments for the King's Coronation Concert event, which was held by Knaresborough and District Chamber. 

£1,000 was used to restore and commission window art for the FEVA Trompe Trail.

He spent £500 on a chip-timing system for Knaresborough Bed Race, on behalf of Knaresborough Lions, while a further £500 was used to fund subsidised entry, prizes and advertising for a Claro Orienteering event. 

Cllr Walker also spent £1,000 on venue hire, staff and ingredients for an Inspire Youth Yorkshire Event, as well as £1,000 to fund a support worker for the initiative's LGBTQ+ youth group. 

£500 was spent on a new kiln at Henshaws; £1,000 was used to fund Knaresborough Connectors' community festival; £300 part-funded use of a minibus to take the Harrogate District Over 50s Forum to a pantomime in Richmond, and £300 was spent on a flag and accessories for Knaresborough Rainbows. 

In addition, he used £300 to print and distribute The Blue Book and another £1,100 on repairs, maintenance and replacements for Santa's Sleigh on behalf of Knaresborough Lions. 

Arnold Warneken (Green) – Ouseburn

Cllr Warneken spent £300 on buying materials to improve a track in Marton cum Grafton. 

£2,000 was spent on two vehicular activated road signs in Long Marston, while an further £300 was contributed towards a new minibus for Welburn Hall Home School Association.

£300 was used to fund pantomime tickets for elderly members of Tockwith Community Hub. 

He allocated £2,000 to Great Ouseburn Primary School to build extra classrooms and changing facilities, as well as £2,000 to Little Ouseburn parish council to supply and install a vehicular activated road sign.

Ripon Community Link received £300 to buy new kitchen equipment for its café, while Tockwith Players were awarded £300 for new sound equipment. 

He also gave Cowthorpe Community Forum £2,200 to buy and install a compost toilet for Goosemoore Reserve.

Andrew Williams (Conservative) – Ripon Minster and Moorside

Cllr Williams gave Ripon Bid £500 to buy and install new Ripon boundary signs. 

He spent £500 on the production of an historic atlas of Ripon, which was overseen by Ripon Together. 

£1,500 was used to fund the free community activites as part of Ripon Theatre Festival last year. 

He also allocated £1,000 to Ripon Together to buy materials and equipments for children's summer events. 

Cllr Williams spent £750 on replacement tents for 6th Ripon Scout Group's camping trips. 

He also allocated £1,000 to Ripon City Council, which was used to fund the fireworks on New Year's Eve. 

In addition, Ripon Together was given £2,000 to provide free activities for local children during the school holidays; £500 was allocated to Inspire Youth Yorkshire to hire an outreach youth worker; £750 was used to buy the flooring and furnishings for the ground floor of the Birk Crag Girlguidng Centre, and £1,500 was used to fund free community activites at this year's Ripon Theatre Festival. 

Robert Windass (Conservative) – Boroughbridge and Claro

Cllr Windass used £2,500 to supply and erect a heritage board in Goldsborough village.

He also spent £3,400 on vehicular activated signs on Roecliffe Lane.

£2,000 was used to provide and install a dust extractor and soundproofing for a wood-working sander at Claro Enterprises. 

Cllr Windass allocated £1,000 to Boroughbridge Library and Resource Centre, which funded cultural activities during winter evenings. 

He contributed £300 towards a new minibus for the Welburn Hall Home School Association. 

Another £300 was given to St James Church Council to provide and fill a salt/grit bin, as well as £500 to Boroughbridge High School, which funded entry and travel to competitions and trade fairs as part of the Young Enterprise Programme.