‘I think government has got this wrong’: Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Ripon politicians react to devolution

Councillors in Knaresborough, Ripon and Nidderdale have shared their reaction to the government decision that North Yorkshire’s two-tier councils will be scrapped and replaced with a single unitary authority.

In a move which will mark the end of North Yorkshire County Council and seven district and borough councils including Harrogate, Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick last week announced his decision to opt for a new single council structure over a rival bid for two authorities split on an east/west basis.

It will mean all council services will come under the control of the new authority from April 2023 – and there could also be the opportunity for town and parish councils to take on new powers.

Harrogate is also likely to get a new town council.

The government decision comes after North Yorkshire County Council last year submitted plans for the single council bid, while the district and borough councils, except Hambleton which rejected all options on the table, were behind the east/west split.


Read more:


The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked councillors in Knaresborough, Ripon and Nidderdale for their thoughts on the decision, as well as how they hope their areas will fit into the new local government picture.

Here is what they said.

Christine Willoughby, mayor of Knaresborough.

Christine Willoughby, mayor of Knaresborough.

Cllr Christine Willoughby, the mayor of Knaresborough

“I hope that the new North Yorkshire council will be responsive to people’s needs and will realise that decades of budget cuts have left services in a poor state.

“I fear that we may get a distant uncaring council which will continue neglecting our town.

“I really hope the new council will listen to Knaresborough Town Council and take notice of its views.

“In the past, Knaresborough Town Council has often been frustrated by North Yorkshire County Council’s unwillingness to discuss and negotiate over certain key issues i.e. the insistence of gritting of roads in Knaresborough being restricted to bus routes and leaving Kirkgate ungritted with our railway station at the bottom of the hill.

“I’m sure the town council will be willing to discuss the possibility of taking over certain responsibilities from the new council, if the financial package is acceptable.

“Areas that the town council might be interested in looking to take over might include burial services including the cemetery, the use of and responsibility for the market place including car parking, and the weekly market and I’m sure there may be many others including possibly some buildings.”

Cllr Andrew Williams, leader of Ripon City Council.

Cllr Andrew Williams, leader of Ripon City Council.

Cllr Andrew Williams, leader of Ripon City Council

“I have no angst against North Yorkshire County Council but I do think the government minister has got this decision wrong.

“My fear is that we will have a very large authority with not as many elected members and as a result of that fewer voices standing up for local people.

“I also worry we are not going to see an improvement in services and I am sure there will be counterarguments to this but you only have to look at the state of the roads in Ripon to see the county council already does some things badly and other things really well, such as education.

“We have an aspiration to do more as a city council as we believe doing things locally and involving local people is the best way forward.

“We would certainly like to see Ripon Town Hall back in the control of people in the city, as well as Hugh Ripley Hall. We would also very much like to run the Thursday markets.

“We have already raised some of these issues with Harrogate Borough Council and some have had a more favourable response than others. We hope they will work with us to get the best possible outcome for our residents.

“I don’t think tears will be shed locally following the demise of the borough council.

“Ripon residents do not feel they have had a fair crack of the whip when it comes to provision of services but we hope that can be put aside over the next 20 months for us to finish working with the council on a positive note.”

Mike Holt, mayor of Pateley Bridge.

Cllr Mike Holt, the mayor of Pateley Bridge

“The first thing I have to say is that Pateley Bridge Town Council is an independent council and as such does not have to follow a party line on policy, so the town councillors have their own opinions on devolution and I believe that is how it should remain.

“My personal thoughts are that the single unitary authority is the correct route to take simply because it cuts out the seven current district tiers of management and supervision which must  save money but will also end the double taxation situation that many parishes face.

“To give an example, some of our council tax is paid to Harrogate Borough Council which amongst other things pays for the upkeep and maintenance of the flower beds in Harrogate and the Stray, but we as a council are also charged by HBC for the maintenance of the flower beds and borders in and around Pateley Bridge.

“I believe this is a double tax and HBC acknowledged this several years ago and paid us a ‘maintenance grant’ to cover the difference.

“Over the last few years this grant has been reduced and is now not available, so reverting to a double taxation. The single authority should remove that type of anomaly.

“I really cannot see much change for Pateley Bridge or Nidderdale in general, as we do not have any boundary issues with the changes.

“To take on extra roles, for example cleaning gullies or planting and maintaining flower beds, costs more than just the labour and materials involved.

“The whole administration costs and insurances as well as extra staff have also to be budgeted for but in the future, with the money saved with the single authority, there may be more funds available to make that work effectively at our local level.”

Devolution prompts Ripon to take charge of city assets

Harrogate Borough Council’s impending demise following last week’s devolution decision has prompted Ripon councillors to secure the future of two city assets.

A ‘for sale’ sign remains in place outside Spa Baths, but city councillors at their July full meeting agreed to progress an application to nominate the Edwardian building for listing as an Asset of Community Value.

At the same time, they agreed to renew calls for Harrogate Borough Council to transfer the freehold of Hugh Ripley Hall — a building named in honour of Ripon’s last wakeman and first mayor.

Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“We have been told by Harrogate Borough Council that the freehold on the hall is not available and they have no plans to sell the building.

Photo of Hugh Ripley Hall

Ripon City Council wants to have full control of Hugh Ripley Hall.

“With our lease still having 30 years to run and changes coming about through devolution on the horizon, it would seem sensible for the city council to take over the freehold.

“Under the terms of the lease, we have responsibility for maintaining the building, but have to apply for permission from the landlord (Harrogate Borough Council) for any work we need to carry out on it.

“That’s just a complete waste of everybody’s time.”

Ripon’s Spa Baths reopened in May, after being closed for more than a year by the covid lockdown.

Weeks before the reopening, Harrogate Borough Council put the 116-year-old listed building up for sale, despite protests that it could lose its community use if bought by a private developer.

Groups including, Ripon Civic Society and Ripon Together have supported the city council’s call for the sale to be suspended, to allow more time for proposals to be brought forward.

With the call to put the sales process on hold rejected by Harrogate Borough Council, Ripon councillors are pursuing the asset of community value route.

If successful, it would secure the baths — a key element of the city’s spa quarter — for community purposes.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council previously said:

“We have no plans to withdraw the sale of Ripon Spa Baths.

“The building will soon become surplus to our requirements and we do not have the resources to maintain it.

“Selling the baths for redevelopment, subject to planning permission and listed building consents, would allow this local asset to be given a new lease of life, retain its key features and remain as a city landmark.

“Ripon City Council, or another interested party, is welcome to submit a bid.”


Read more:


The spokesperson added that the building will no longer be needed when construction of Ripon’s new pool and refurbishment of the leisure centre is completed by November.

Robert Jenrick: Two councils for North Yorkshire would have been risky

Two councils to serve North Yorkshire would have been too risky and was not “credible” geographically, according to the government.

In a letter to council chief executives across the county and York, Paul Roswell, head of governance and reform at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, explained why the secretary of state chose a single council.

The move to an east/west model, which was tabled by the seven district council leaders including Harrogate, would have seen the county split into two unitary councils.

The letter said that Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick found that the proposal posed “significant risks of disruption for some major services” during the transition period.

He also found that it would cause “longer-term risks around the lack of alignment with other key public sector partners”.


Read more:


Among the risks were the break-up of North Yorkshire’s children’s services, which are rated outstanding by Ofsted, and “longer-term sustainability” of adult social care.

However, Mr Jenrick recognised that there was good local support for the model, including town and parish councils and business organisations.

He also noted that the authorities would bring £32.5 million per year in financial benefits to the area.

But, the letter said:

“The secretary of state was also aware that the department’s analysts confirmed that in their view the risks of this option would be greater than for the single unitary, although this proposal would produce savings, improve value for money and improve the financial sustainability of local government in the area.”

It added:

“The secretary of state also considered that the two-unitary proposal could not be judged to meet the credible geography criterion. 

“He noted that the populations of the councils in the proposal are within the range of population size set out in the invitation, however the areas would not appear to be based on local identity for either area.”

By comparison, Mr Jenrick found that the single authority could be “easily understood” by residents and retained local identity.

“He [Mr Jenrick] noted that the population of the council is just over the range of population size set out in the invitation, but has an established local identity as referred to in the criterion.”

“Not a good day for democracy” 

In response to the decision last week, Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said he was disappointed with the announcement.

Cllr Cooper, who backed an east/west model, said the government’s decision “flies in the face” of its own criteria.

Meanwhile, Cllr Steve Siddons, Labour leader of Scarborough Borough Council, the move to a single council was “not a good day for democracy”.

He added that the council, which will cover 618,000 residents and cost up to £38 million to set up, was a “dog’s breakfast”.

The plans are now subject to Parliamentary approval later in the year.

Mr Jenrick said the government aimed to have the new unitary council up and running by April 2023.

Devolution: A seismic week for Harrogate and North Yorkshire

This week has been seismic for local government and politics in Harrogate as the council learned its fate over the government’s devolution agenda.

Robert Jenrick, secretary of state for local government, confirmed that the borough council will be abolished and replaced with one authority for the entire of North Yorkshire.

It’s the first time since 1974 that such a shake-up of the system of local authorities and governance in North Yorkshire has been made.

The decision has left politicians and council officials either elated or disappointed – all though wondering what is to come.

It has also raised more questions than answers. For instance, what happens to the borough council’s potential £46.8 million investment in Harrogate Convention Centre?

Another is the future for staff at the borough council and where the decision leaves them and their jobs.


Read more:


Much of those who were on the frontline of the devolution debate made their feelings clear this week. 

Here’s what they thought of the landmark decision.

“A dog’s breakfast”

As the saying goes, history is written by the winners.

But that did not stop those in the east/west camp making their feelings known.

Perhaps the most vocal was Cllr Steve Siddons, Labour leader of Scarborough Borough Council, who described the single unitary authority as a “dog’s breakfast”.

He went onto say:

“I am extremely disappointed with this announcement.

“The government appears to have ignored their own criteria and advice and have approved a single countywide unitary that is bigger than any other in the country and far bigger than their recommended maximum size.

“It also leaves York as a unitary much smaller than the government’s minimum size recommendation.

“My prediction is that York will inevitably be swallowed up by this mega county. A dog’s breakfast springs to mind.”

Cllr Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council.

Cllr Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council.

Conservative Craven District Council leader, Cllr Richard Foster, was equally as disappointed.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he raised concerns over the future of staff and how councils will now respond to the covid pandemic.

He said:

“The single council model was always the front runner but my biggest annoyance is that this has been a desktop exercise by the government who have not been to North Yorkshire to see the area on the ground.

“To decide the local government future for over 500,000 people in that way is disappointing to say the least.

“We have also always said this is the wrong time to be doing this. We have now got to deal with reorganisation whilst also somehow finding time to deal with our response to the pandemic.

“This will take up a huge amount of officer time when we should be moving forward and getting Craven’s recovery going.”

On the winning side of things, Cllr Carl Les, Conservative leader of the county council, appeared magnanimous and called for councils to work together.

Perhaps the most relieved was Cllr Keith Aspden, Liberal Democrat leader of City of York Council, whose authority would have been swallowed up by the east/west model.

He described the decision as a “huge vote of confidence for York”.

Protecting jobs

Aside from the changes in services, political make-up and council capital projects, the landmark decision strikes at the heart of peoples’ jobs.

Thousands of council staff face uncertainty over where their futures will be in two years time.

Among those to react to the announcement were union officials.


Read more:


Wendy Nichols, secretary of the Unison North Yorkshire branch, said the key focus now should be on protecting jobs and minimising disruption to public services.

She added:

“Council workers have been on the frontline in the response to covid – delivering essential public services in the toughest of conditions. Reorganisation was the last thing that they needed.

“But the key now is to see that jobs are protected and vital services maintained.

“We have clear tests that we will judge the reorganisation by. We hope that it meets them.”

Unanswered questions

While it is clear that North Yorkshire will have a new council by April 2023 and the current two-tier local authority system will no longer exist, questions are left over current projects.

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of the borough council, said in a statement on Friday that the authority was committed to its projects, such as the overhaul of leisure services.

Major assets, such as Harrogate Convention Centre, will fall under the new authority’s control. One of Harrogate Borough Council’s last acts could be to spend £46.8 million on refurbishing the convention centre.

Visit Harrogate and the future of district’s new office building at Knapping Mount still need to be addressed.

Mr Sampson declined an interview with the Stray Ferret in which he would been asked far more questions – in the coming months the call for answers to those questions will only get louder.

Harrogate council CEO: Authority is committed to projects despite devolution

The chief executive of Harrogate Borough Council has said the authority will press ahead with its investment projects despite the government deciding to abolish the authority in two years time.

The decision is a seismic change for the district and raised key questions over the borough council and the future of its projects, in particular the potential £46.8 million renovation of the town’s convention centre.

On Wednesday, Robert Jenrick MP, secretary of state for local government, announced that a single super council will be set up in North Yorkshire by April 2023 – which means the borough, county and other district councils will all be scrapped.

The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Wallace Sampson, chief executive of the borough council, on the implications of the announcement on the authority, but did not receive a response. The council later said he was unavailable.

However, Mr Sampson has now said the council is committed to delivering on a number of its projects.

In response to the decision, he said:

“Understandably, we are disappointed that government has chosen to form one council across the whole of North Yorkshire. We believed the East/West proposal would have been the strongest possible option for levelling-up, and driving future recovery and growth in York and North Yorkshire.

“Despite this outcome, Harrogate Borough Council will continue to exist until 2023 and we have no plans to sit back until this time. We have a number of exciting and ambitious projects that have either started or are due to start in the coming months.

“Our multi-million investment project at Ripon Leisure Centre is taking shape and further investment at the Hydro in Harrogate and a new leisure centre in Knaresborough are progressing well, for example.

“We are also committed to supporting our economy post covid and will be looking at all projects, before the new unitary authority comes into operation, to explore what investment projects should or could be delivered.”


Read more:


But, Mr Sampson did not address the future of HBC’s Knapping Mount headquarters, the investment in the convention centre or the destination management organisation.

Previously, the council has said that no final decision will be made on the refurbishment of the convention centre until 2022 and that reorganisation and the investment “are two entirely separate things”.

Mr Sampson told the Stray Ferret in March that the reorganisation would not affect the use of the civic centre.

The key questions facing Harrogate after devolution

The announcement that Harrogate Borough Council will be scrapped and replaced by a super council for North Yorkshire raises many key questions.

Major assets, such as Harrogate Convention Centre, will fall under new control. One of Harrogate Borough Council’s last acts could be to spend £46.8 million on refurbishing the convention centre.

More than a thousand council employees face the uncertainty of being transferred or made redundant when the new super council comes into existence.

The Stray Ferret requested an interview with Wallace Sampson to ask how the council is preparing for such seismic changes, and what could be done to prevent council taxpayers funding a zombie council beset by staff departures and looming extinction. However, we did not receive a response.

Here are some of the key issues that need to be addressed.

Will the £46.8 million refurbishment of Harrogate Convention Centre proceed?

Last year, the borough council announced a major investment into the HCC – among the highest in recent memory.

A spend of £46.8 million was outlined by the council last year to renovate the building.

Councillors backed a feasibility study into the plans ahead of a final decision on the investment.

But the authority told the Stray Ferret earlier this month a vote on the investment would not be made until 2022 when detailed designs and costs can be presented to councillors.

The move raises the question over how the the announcement of the reorganisation would affect the planned refurbishment of the HCC.

The borough council told the Stray Ferret earlier this month that reorganisation of local government and investment “are two entirely separate things”.

Visit Harrogate

The reorganisation could also have implications for the council’s new Destination Management Organisation.

The new body created by the council will bring together Visit Harrogate, Harrogate Convention Centre’s marketing team, and the district’s tourist information centres.

It has just spent £165,000 on a new website for Visit Harrogate which covers the district.

It is unclear how this will fit into the new unitary authority and its tourism plans.


Read more:


Who will run the swimming pools and leisure centres?

On August 1, the borough council will hand over the running of leisure facilities to an arms-length local authority controlled company.

Brimhams Active will run the Harrogate Hydro, Ripon Leisure Centre and Knaresborough, Starbeck and Nidderdale pools.

The company will already be in charge of the facilities before the unitary exists which raises questions over how it will operate under the new structure.

What will happen to Harrogate Borough Council’s offices?

The future of the newly built council offices on Knapping Mount in Harrogate is also in doubt.

Given that the borough council will no longer exist, it raises questions over how the building, which the Stray Ferret revealed last year had a total cost of £17 million, will be used.

The authority disputed the figure, saying the building cost £11.5 million but it did not include in its figures the value of the land on which it was built.

Wallace Sampson, chief executive of the borough council, told the Stray Ferret in March that the reorganisation would not affect the use of the civic centre.

He said:

“My own view is I don’t think local government reorganisation will affect the use of the civic centre. There will still be a requirement for office space within Harrogate to support whatever happens through local government reorganisation.

“Harrogate has modern purpose-built offices with flexible use built with very high energy-efficient standards. It puts us in a really good position with local government reorganisation to ensure there are offices devoted to service delivery within Harrogate.”

Beyond this there are wider questions as to how the district council will operate in the transitional year, how it will retain staff and management during this period, whilst continuing to provide services.

These are critical issues that the public will want answers to in the coming months.

North Yorkshire single council ‘will make things simpler’, says county council leader

A single super council for the entire of North Yorkshire will “make things simpler”, says the leader of the county council.

The government announced yesterday that North Yorkshire’s two-tier council system will be scrapped and replaced by one unitary authority in what will be the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s.

It means Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the remaining districts will no longer exist. However, the City of York Council will remain in place.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, and Cllr Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, have both said they were disappointed with the announcement.

The plan put forward by the district authorities they represent would have seen the county split in half, with one council in the east and another in the west.

Cllr Carl Les, Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council, whose single super council mode prevailed, said last night:

“We have worked incredibly hard to get to this point because we believe it’s the right thing for North Yorkshire, its people and businesses. Today’s decision allows us to strengthen the services we know matter most to people and ensure they are fit for the future.

“A single council will also make things simpler for everyone – just one number to call, one website, one customer service team and one accountable body delivering all local government services here.

“Support for businesses, high streets and market towns can be aligned more closely with investment in infrastructure like highways and broadband. Planning, housing and health services will be able to provide more joined up support for families and communities.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Keith Aspden, Liberal Democrat leader of City of York Council, welcomed the new that the authority will not be affected by the shake-up.


Read more:


Councillors in York voted in October 2020 to reject the notion of a merger and to support City of York’s continuation as a council in its own right.

Cllr Aspden said:

“The government’s decision is a huge vote of confidence for York, its council and recognition of the progress we have achieved with our local partners, businesses and communities.

“From the very beginning of this process, residents and organisations from across the city strongly made the case for York, stressing the need for continuity to support our recovery.”

The move was also welcomed by Unison North Yorkshire, which represents 5,500 council workers across the county.

Wendy Nichols, secretary of the North Yorkshire branch, said district authority employees would be able to transfer to the new authority on current terms and conditions under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE).

She said:

“I hope this announcement is welcomed by all members as really positive and that the spirit of professionalism continues as teams across councils work together to deliver a stronger future for everyone’s benefit.”

Harrogate council leader: ‘county council let the borough down’

Harrogate Borough Council’s leader has said he is disappointed at the government’s decision to create a single super council for North Yorkshire and claimed the county council had “let the borough down”.

Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick MP revealed that the chosen option was for the new single council structure proposed by North Yorkshire County Council over a rival bid for two authorities split on a east/west basis.

Under the plans York City Council will also remain as a unitary council.

Mr Jenrick rejected the district councils’ model, which would have seen the county split into east and west with two unitary councils.

The move means Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the remaining district authorities will no longer exist.


Read more:


Cllr Richard Cooper, Conservative leader of the borough council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the government’s decision “flies in the face” of its own criteria.

He said:

“Naturally, I am disappointed at this decision and I will be interested in due course to read the government’s reasoning.

“I have always been in favour of unitary government. It is less confusing for residents who will only have one council to go to for all services and it avoids the expense of duplication.

“My argument has always been that any unitary for our area needs to be of the right size and structure to deliver efficient and responsive services to residents.

“The county council deliver some services exceptionally – children’s services and adult social care to name two. In other areas they let our borough down.

“My job now as the leader of Harrogate Borough Council is to explore how the new unitary authority, based on the county structure, can improve these shortcomings.”

Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council and initially supported the east/west model, also said:

“It was not our choice to go down this line and we did not support either of the two proposals but, if pushed, our preferred option would have been a north/south split.

“Of the options that were actually on the table, the single council does make the most sense.

“We will fight to get parishes the power and control they want and we have already started the process of assuring that Harrogate town becomes parished.

“We don’t want the local voice lost in a large anonymous organisation.”

Cllr Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council.

Cllr Steve Siddons, leader of Scarborough Borough Council.

Meanwhile, Scarborough Borough Council’s leader has described the announcement as “not a good day for democracy”.

Cllr Steve Siddons, Labour leader of the authority, said he felt the decision from the Government to create the 600,000 plus population unitary authority in North Yorkshire was a “dog’s breakfast”.

He said:

“I am extremely disappointed with this announcement.

“The government appears to have ignored their own criteria and advice and have approved a single countywide unitary that is bigger than any other in the country and far bigger than their recommended maximum size.

“It also leaves York as a unitary much smaller than the government’s minimum size recommendation.

“My prediction is that York will inevitably be swallowed up by this mega county. A dog’s breakfast springs to mind.

“My concern now is that the residents of our borough and the staff of our council get a fair deal moving forward and the promises made by the county council in their proposal, prove better and more effective than some of their services in the past.

“Having a council that is two hours drive from where we live is not my idea of a recipe for good local governance.

“The east/west model, which I supported and has been rejected, met all the criteria set by the government so I can only assume something else was at play when the decision was made.

“I fear this is not a good day for democracy but I hope I am proved wrong.”

Meanwhile, Unison North Yorkshire said it would now work to protect jobs, level up pay and conditions and minimise disruption for its members in the transition to the new council.

It said:

“We will be working with all our councils across North Yorkshire to make sure the transition to one council is as smooth as possible.”

The plans are now subject to Parliamentary approval later in the year.

 

Government chooses single super authority to replace Harrogate council

A single super council looks set to replace Harrogate Borough Council in the biggest shake-up in local government in North Yorkshire since the 1970s.

Government ministers have opted for one unitary council for North Yorkshire, which will see the remaining districts and county council scrapped.

The decision will come as bitter disappointment for those who backed an east//west model for the county, which was proposed by the district councils. Local MP Andrew Jones and Unison Harrogate branch were among those who supported the model.

It follows two models being submitted to government for consideration.


Read more:


Both North Yorkshire County Council and the districts submitted opposing plans. The district authorities’ plan would have seen the county split in half with one council in the east and another in the west.

However, the government announced today that its preferred option is a sole council for the entire county with City of York remaining in place.

Ministers said the move followed consultation with residents, businesses and local authorities.

Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Local Government, said he had asked local councils to now work “collaboratively and constructively” to establish the new unitary council.

Mr Jenrick said:

“Residents, businesses and service providers in North Yorkshire have had their say on what will work best for their area and now councils can start planning for the next step.

“I have always been clear that any restructuring of local government must be locally-led and will not involve top-down solutions from government.

“These plans will help strengthen local leaderships and ensure residents of North Yorkshire are receiving the consistent high-quality services they deserve.”

In order to establish the council, a draft structural order will be laid before parliament at the turn of the year.

The government said this will include transitional arrangements, including for elections in May 2022 to the new authority.

Currently, North Yorkshire County Council is responsible for services including social care, education and highways, while district and borough councils look after the likes of planning, licensing and bin collections.

Under the unitary authority, those services will be transferred over to the new council.

What will one super council for North Yorkshire look like?

Taxpayers in Harrogate look set to fund services from a single council in North Yorkshire.

The government has opted to pick North Yorkshire County Council’s model to replace the two-tier system.

It means that the the new unitary authority will take over services from all of the county’s seven district councils, such as bin collections, council tax and planning.

The City of York Council remains in place. The government has set an aim of getting the new authority up and running by May 2023.

Finances

As part of its devolution bid, North Yorkshire County Council officials commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to help spearhead its submission.

The consultants report showed the new authority will cover 618,000 people and could cost up to £38 million to set up.

However, the authority also predicts that the reorganisation under a single council could benefit the county by between £51 million and £68 million.

For taxpayers, it will mean a change in their annual council tax bill.


Read more:


Rather than paying a precept to both the county council and a district authority, the bill will show one council which rates will be paid to.

Elections and councillors

The government already postponed elections for the county council for this year in light of the ongoing reorganisation discussions.

In their submission, county council officials said the current number of 301 councillors was “time consuming”, “resource intensive” and made decision making difficult.

The council’s report has also planned for elections as early as May 2022. An order will go before parliament in the new year with transitional arrangements, including elections for next year.

As a result, it has proposed to work with the Boundary Commission to review new ward boundaries to elect to the council.

NYCC said current boundaries suggest there would be 144 councillors.

The county council has also proposed six area committees, each with around 15 councillors, in line with the constituencies of North Yorkshire’s MPs.

A town council for Harrogate

One of the main aspects of the county council’s plan which has been pushed by both senior councillors and officers alike is the concept of “double devolution”.

The move would offer parish and town councils the chance to take on extra responsibilities, such as running of community centres.

Currently, Scarborough and Harrogate are the only areas without a town or parish council in the county.

County council officials said they would support those areas to set up authorities, if it was what local people wanted.

Assets

As the principle authority for the county, the council will also take on ownership of key assets.

Among these will be the Harrogate Convention Centre, which is currently owned and run by Harrogate Borough Council.

Leisure facilities, which are currently due to be handed over to Brimham’s Active in Harrogate, would also come under the remit of the authority.

However, Cllr Carl Les, leader of the county council, has suggested that some powers to run local assets could be handed back to local areas, if they request it.