A new website has fuelled speculation that a wave of independent candidates is being lined up in Harrogate ahead of local elections on May 5.
The website, called Time for a Change, has been shared widely on social media and outlines various planning decisions, publicly-funded projects and traffic schemes in the district made by both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.
It includes references to contentious decisions such as housing developments in the Kingsley area and the ongoing Harrogate Station Gateway project.
However, nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the site. There is also the possibility that the new movement could backfire by splitting the opposition vote.
Harrogate Residents Association has been vocal in its criticism of many council schemes and has called for independent candidates to put themselves forward on polling day.
Read more:
- Ed Balls discusses politics and stammering during Harrogate school visit
- New North Yorkshire Council chief executive planned for autumn
But Anna McIntee, co-founder of the association, denied the group was behind the Time for a Change site.
The Time for a Change website.
However, she added the association supported its aims and wanted to see “fresh” candidates on the ballot paper.
Ms McIntee said:
“We are hoping there are some independent candidates to vote for because we want to see change.
“People are fed up. There is nothing fresh. People need to ask: ‘do we want more of the same?’”
Nominations open
Nominations have opened for candidates hoping to become one of the 90 councillors on the new North Yorkshire Council.
Candidates will have until April 5 to put their names forward. Confirmation of those standing for election will be published on April 6.
A total of 13 councillors will be elected in Harrogate and Knaresborough to the new authority, with an average of 6,194 people to each representative.
Meanwhile, those wishing to vote in the upcoming election have until April 14 to register to vote. You can register here.
