Amid a £17 million shortfall and lack of central government funding, council officials in North Yorkshire are now set to make £28 million in savings to balance the books.

The move comes after Cllr Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council, warned of a “deteriorating” financial outlook which would see “tough choices” being made.

The authority looks set to increase council tax by 4.99% and dip into its reserves to cover its deficit for 2026/27.

But it will still be forced to make savings to mitigate using more of its reserves in the coming years.

So, where will the council be looking to make savings?

Staff reviews

Numerous council departments are expected to undertake staffing reviews to identify money which can be saved.

According to the budget papers, the council’s highways and transportation, environment management, regulatory services and environmental services are all expected to review their staffing arrangements over the next three financial years.

The review of the highways department alone is estimated to save £365,000 this year.

Meanwhile, the remaining departments could save the council £293,000 by 2029, according to the papers.

Hanging baskets and Christmas lights

Some of the proposed savings will affect towns and villages across North Yorkshire — including Harrogate.

One planned cut is the provision of hanging baskets in some towns in the county, which is estimated to save £13,000 over the next three years.

Meanwhile, the council also plans to remove free provision for Christmas trees in the Harrogate area.

The move is expected to affect areas such as Harrogate, Starbeck, Knaresborough, Ripon, Boroughbridge, Masham, and Pateley Bridge and save the authority £27,000.

Increase in fees

The council anticipates that an increase in some of the fees it charges could help with making money.

For example, the authority’s planning department estimates that a rise in planning application fees, which was agreed nationally, could raise £1 million in the forthcoming financial year.

The council also forecasts to raise £100,000 by increasing the garden waste charge £1 above inflation.

Meanwhile, the highways department is expected to increase fees for temporary traffic regulation orders and street works licence fees which are estimated to raise £200,000 over the next two years.