In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2025, we take a look at the new Harrogate Town Council and the race to take control of it which unfolded this year.

After years of procedural delay and three consultations, Harrogate Town Council came into force this year.

The abolition of Harrogate Borough Council saw the Harrogate area go two years without a second tier of local government.

It raised questions about local democracy and decisions being made more than 30 miles away in Northallerton at the new North Yorkshire Council on the town’s behalf.

The prospect of a new town council also had a political angle, as the Liberal Democrats sought to take control of the authority — which they did in May by winning 15 of the 19 wards available.

The election proved to be a poor night for the Conservatives, who only managed two seats on the new council.

One of those who failed to win was Duchy ward candidate Anthony Murphy, who the Stray Ferret revealed this year had a history of making homophobic posts on social media. He later released a statement which said he no longer held those views.

Mr Murphy lost the seat to the Liberal Democrat Josy Thompson by 451 to 366 votes.

Afterwards, the Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservatives said they did not feel that their candidate’s historic homophobic posts were a factor in losing the election in the Duchy ward. However, the Liberal Democrats offered a different view.

‘Harrogate can be improved’

The town council’s first meeting held two weeks after the election was largely procedural and saw Cllr Chris Aldred appointed the first mayor of Harrogate.

But, its progress has not always been smooth.

Prior to its formation, there were three rounds of public consultation, which Liberal Democrat Cllr Aldred branded a “waste of time”.

There were also clashes over the council charging £12.73 to the average Band D council tax bill for households, which Cllr Michael Harrison, Conservative town councillor, had pressed for a lower charge.

That figure is also likely to increase once the newly elected councillors agree to take on schemes that need funding or propose taking on more powers from North Yorkshire Council.

Which brings us to the question which the town council now needs to answer — what is it’s purpose?

For Cllr Aldred, the answer is simple. The town council’s role is to improve Harrogate.

The Liberal Democrat mayor said as much at its first meeting, where he claimed the town was “a great place to live, but it is not perfect and it can be improved”.

But, how the council intends to improve Harrogate remains to be seen.

It has taken on ambitious plans to create a Harrogate heating network, commissioned plans for youth clubs and thrown its weight behind opposition to Harrogate Spring Water’s plans for a bottling plant extension.

But, not everyone agrees on the town council’s direction — as was demonstrated in the political spat between Tory Councillor Michael Harrison and several Liberal Democrats over the town’s money from Harrogate Spring Water.

Whether the town council can improve Harrogate is one question — if it can do it smoothly is another.