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05
Oct 2024
What chance of a Christmas lights switch-on event returning to Harrogate?
Christmas is just over two months away but any mounting seasonal cheer was muted in Harrogate yesterday when it emerged the town once again won't have a big lights switch-on event. You can read our article here.
Such events in Ripon, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge generate huge crowds and festive cheer each year. So why not Harrogate?
The issue boils down to cost and politics.
Harrogate Business Improvement District, which is funded by town centre businesses, said yesterday traders didn't feel the cost of organising a switch-on event justifies the return.
But should it be down to businesses to fork out in the first place?
Christmas lights switch-ons in nearby places are paid for by residents through their parish precepts as part of their annual council tax bills.
The precept funds the likes of Ripon City Council and Knaresborough Town Council, which organise the events. Ripon BID, like Harrogate BID, does not put the cost on businesses.
Knaresborough was packed for last year's Christmas lights switch-on.
But Harrogate doesn’t have a parish council, which means nobody is willing to stump up the cash. This is a legacy of the town having a borough council until last year.
That will change, however, in May next year when the first elections for a newly created Harrogate Town Council will take place.
Harrogate BID suggested yesterday that the new town council might consider paying for a lights switch-on.
Councillor Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate, has been one of the most enthusiastic town council supporters.
We asked if he agreed this is the kind of thing the town council could organise. He replied:
One of the great strengths of town councils is there are very few limitations on what a town council can legally chose to do, providing there is a transparent and legitimate decision-making process. So yes, I would like to think that this is an example of something the incoming Harrogate Town Council would consider taking on for Christmas 2025.
When I worked as town centre manager in Skipton from 2004 to 2007, it was something Skipton Town Council chose to do and the events were supported by residents, businesses and visitors.
Harrogate and Scarborough are the only areas within North Yorkshire without a parish council.
Elections in both towns were scheduled to take place this year but the date was put back a year to allow further time to consult on the number of wards.
North Yorkshire Council will fund the start-up costs but the town councils will then be funded by taxpayers through the parish precept.
So the means is there — but will taxpayers want the extra cost on their precepts? It seems the route to the return of a lights switch-on now exists, but whether it will happen remains uncertain.
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