Councillors have approved final recommendations for the long-awaited creation of a Harrogate Town Council.

At a full council meeting in Northallerton last week, they agreed on how many members will sit on the town council and when it will be formed.

The new parish of Harrogate will come into effect on April 1, 2025, with the first elections taking place a month later.

There will be 19 councillors on the town council who will each represent wards previously used by the defunct Harrogate Borough Council such as Saltergate, Coppice Valley and Valley Gardens.

Just 300 people responded to the third round of public consultation about the town council with 71% backing single councillor wards.

Cllr Michael Harrison, a Conservative for  Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate, said the low response rate shows that the public is comfortable leaving it up to elected officials to decide what happens next.

The town council was set to be created this year until it was delayed as councillors asked to re-draw the ward boundaries.

Cllr Peter Lacey, a Liberal Democrat for Coppice Valley & Duchy, said the delay had been a disappointment for the people of Harrogate.

He added: 

With the wards set to mirror those previously used by the now-abolished Harrogate Borough Council, Cllr Paul Haslam, an independent representing Bilton & Nidd Gorge, said it could look like HBC is being reinstated, which may be confusing for residents.

There is now less than a year until elections take place but still there are no concrete indications as to what services the town council might provide.

It’s been suggested that residents will pay an additional £40-£60 on top of their annual council tax bill to pay for the running of the council.