In six months’ time, Harrogate will have a new layer of local government.

Harrogate Town Council is expected to be formally be set up in May 2025 following years of procedural delay.

It is also set to levy a charge of £12.73 on council tax bills.

This past week, a budget was agreed for the authority — paving the way for the council to be established.

Now that we know much it will cost, what happens now and what will it mean for people in the town?

Elections

Ahead of setting up the new authority, councillors will need to be elected to it.

Elections will be held on May 1, 2025, which will see 19 members elected to 10 wards on the council.

Each of these wards will represent an area of the town, such Harlow and St Georges, Saltergate and Fairfax and Starbeck.

The cost of the first election is expected to be paid for by North Yorkshire Council. However, subsequent elections will fall on the town council’s budget.

Precept

Next year, a precept will be levied on council tax bills to pay for the town council.

On Wednesday, councillors in Northallerton rubber stamped the measure — meaning the charge will go ahead as planned.

It will see a £12.73 charge levied on council tax bills in addition to the sums already paid to fund North Yorkshire Council and police and fire services.

A total of 28,427 households in the new Harrogate parish will have to share the cost.

The move will see the town council command a first budget of £362,000, which is made up of staffing costs, running costs and set up fees.

A contingency figure of £100,000 will also be included.

This week, councillors on Harrogate Charter Trustees discussed where the authority will be based.

Some suggested that meeting rooms in the Civic Centre could be used — though council officers said North Yorkshire Council is still looking at options for a permanent home.

What happens now?

For now, the town council is still a work in progress.

Council officials in Northallerton are still working on recruiting its key staff, organising elections and exploring office space.

Once it is in place, it will become another battleground for local politics as politicians look to gain control of the authority.

But, for now, voters can look forward to going to the polls in May to elect councillors to the first ever Harrogate Town Council.