County council leader announces executive reshuffle nine months before elections

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has announced a reshuffle of his executive team just nine months before elections are due to be held.

Cllr Carl Les said, while the majority of the positions on the authority’s executive would remain the same, he wanted to give more of his 54-member Conservative group “the chance to serve” ahead of the first North Yorkshire Council elections on May 5.

The changes, which are set to be considered by the executive on August 24, will see former Scarborough Borough Council leader, Cllr Derek Bastiman, brought onto the council’s leadership group of 10 members for the first time as the open to business portfolio holder.

The current open to business executive member, Cllr Andrew Lee, who represents Cawood in Selby district, is scheduled to take over the public health brief, which Northallerton Cllr Caroline Dickinson has held for several years.

Over the past 18 months Cllr Dickinson has faced scrutiny with one of the heaviest workloads of any of the authority’s members, having responsibility for the county’s public health response to the covid pandemic.

Cllr Les said the decision to replace her on the executive did not reflect her contribution or efforts, but the fact that the administration had been given a “bonus year” due to local government reorganisation.

He said: 

“This is no indication of Cllr Dickinson’s performance whatsoever. She has done very well. If you leave everybody in the same positions all the time the people who haven’t got those positions don’t have an opportunity to serve.

“It is a truism that if you don’t make changes other people don’t get a chance to serve. There’s got to be some change built into the system. I wanted to make some changes over a year ago, but covid got in the way and I didn’t think it was appropriate at that time to make some changes. Now we have got  bonus year.”

The reshuffle comes as the authority agreed to set up a working group to develop a proposal for government over the number of elected members and the areas they should represent on the new council.

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While there are calls to double the amount of councillors currently serving on the county council due to the additional responsibilities, it is understood many believe having 144 councillors would be unworkable.

Instead, some cross-party support has been expressed for limiting the new authority to 90 elected members, just 18 more than serve on the county council.

Cllr Les said responsibility for climate change action was being officially added to Pickering Cllr Greg White’s customer engagement portfolio as he was already undertaking the majority of the work in that area.

With 54 Conservative members, opposition councillors said Cllr Les faced a difficult task keeping all of his group happy and while balancing representation on the executive across the county’s six districts. In addition, they highlighted the changes meant just one executive member was a woman.

Opposition councillors also questioned whether the reshuffle was designed to prepare the way for North Yorkshire Council, but Cllr Les dismissed suggestions the changes signified any shift in direction for the council.

The reshuffle comes as the authority agreed to set up a working group to develop a proposal for government over the number of elected members and the areas they should represent on the new council.

While there are calls to double the amount of councillors currently serving on the county council due to the additional responsibilities, it is understood many believe having 144 councillors would be unworkable.

Instead, some cross-party support has been expressed for limiting the new authority to 90 elected members, just 18 more than serve on the county council.

Stray Views: Starbeck is worse than Bradford and Birmingham

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.

Harrogate is in trouble and needs to wake up

I can only say what I see. I am originally from Birmingham and still have my business there. We lived in Cottingley, near Bradford for 11 years before moving to Starbeck in 2018 to be near our daughter and grandkids.

Since living here, I don’t see any difference between Harrogate, Bradford or Birmingham. In fact, Starbeck is a lot worse. It’s certainly the worst place we have lived in for over 40 years and most of that time was around Birmingham, including Erdington, Longbridge and Bournville — where my business is.

The drug problem here is horrific (like everywhere), and almost everywhere I can smell pot smoking. Harrogate is overcrowded, and the roads into the town are ridiculously busy, as bad as the big cities, mainly due to the poor planning of the town over the decades.

I lived in Redditch in 1989-1990 and Harrogate compares to that time, but probably worse. Prospect Road area is now renowned for drugs, antisocial behaviour, supermarket trolleys everywhere daily, and broken glass and litter strewn everywhere, and if it is cleared up it’s back the same within days.

Harrogate town centre is just like any other which is struggling, and no one is doing anything about it other than seemingly making things worse with wrong decision after wrong decision. Don’t get me wrong, it is still nice, but the spiral is seemingly downwards and it needs radical common sense thinking to turn the town around.

Is Harrogate in decline? It seems it’s been in decline for a long time, and the town needs to wake up because as an outsider if this is my experience of it then the town is already in trouble.

Martin Morris, Starbeck

Harrogate is clean, tidy and beautiful

I read some of the comments about “is Harrogate in decline”? I recently moved to Harrogate after spending over 20 years living and working in Northampton. To me Harrogate is a lovely place to live.

It is clean, tidy, mostly well organised and has beautiful buildings and parklands. The hospitality industry is excellent. I am so happy I moved here and the locals are genuinely so friendly.

A note of caution: I went back recently to Northampton for a few days. They are one of the towns / cities trialling e-scooter hire schemes. They should be avoided at all costs until proper well informed regulations are in place and enforced. Scooter riders are a law unto themselves, riding on pavements with no helmets and multiple riders. They are then just abandoned on pavements until they’re next hired, causing blockages and generally look a mess and tacky.

I hope Harrogate resists such schemes until proper regulations are in place and enforced. You have a lovely town and i am very happy to be part of it now.

Peter Hannon, Harrogate

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Devolution will lead to more waste and incompetence

Any councillors expressing regret over the government’s decision to choose to have a super-council for North Yorkshire should focus instead on their own faults for backing the present arrangements, which have never worked very well anyway.

Now we have a proposed local authority, which will be even more unaccountable to the public and which will only consult on its own terms.

Experience shows that there are no savings with large unitary bodies, only more waste and incompetence in handling larger revenues. You only have to listen to the regular facts uncovered by the TaxPayers’ Alliance and similar to see what we are in for now.

Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, has overruled many public concerns and is going the wrong way here too. It’s up to councillors and MPs to make him realise there are no advantages to Joe Public — only poor control of costs

John Holder, Harrogate

 

What will devolution mean for Harrogate and North Yorkshire council staff?

The abolition of North Yorkshire’s two-tier councils will have a major impact on taxpayers who rely on key services.

It will also have implications for councillors who in May 2022 will have to stand for election to a new unitary authority serving the entire county.

But above all, it will be the around 10,000 council staff across North Yorkshire who will be the most affected by the changes.

When the new authority launches in April 2023 following the abolition of North Yorkshire County Council and the district and borough councils in Harrogate, Scarborough, Selby, Craven, Ryedale, Hambleton and Richmondshire, most staff will be transferred across but some duplicated roles will inevitably be at risk of redundancy.

It is not yet known how many jobs will be affected – and there are also the questions of whether staff will be relocated and what happens to office buildings including Harrogate’s new civic centre headquarters.

North Yorkshire County Council – which is behind the single council plans and will act as the ‘continuing authority’ when reorganisation happens – has said those at risk of redundancy will be mostly senior staff and that the transferring of workers will be a “simple” process.

However, some union officials are not fully convinced.

Unions: concern or optimism?

David Houlgate, branch secretary at Unison Harrogate, which supported rival plans for two new councils split on a east/west basis, said: 

“Whilst we saw merits in both proposals there was a concern that district and borough council roles were at greater risk with the North Yorkshire County Council proposal. It would be safe to say that concern remains.

“Staff are also concerned about possibly having to relocate though at this time we have no idea what is likely to happen.”

On the other hand, Wendy Nichols, secretary of the North Yorkshire branch of Unison, which supported the single council plans, said reorganisation should be welcomed by all staff who she hopes will “work together to deliver a stronger future for everyone’s benefit.”

She said: 

“Many thousands of staff will now simply transfer to the new council as part of the process of setting it up.

“Our priority is to make sure that staff experience the least possible disruption so they can get on with their jobs and continue to deliver high quality and reliable public services.”

The aim of reorganisation is to unlock the door to a devolution deal with the government which could see millions of pounds and decision-making powers handed down from Whitehall to North Yorkshire.

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The county could also get a mayor similar to those seen in South Yorkshire, the Tees Valley and Greater Manchester.

But a key part of the plans is saving money and a large part of this will come from a reduction in staff.

For example, there are currently eight council chief executives across North Yorkshire earning around £100,000 a year.

The new council will just have one – and the same will most likely be said for other top roles including directors.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council explained: 

“With the exception of a handful of the most senior managers, all staff will simply carry on doing what they are currently doing.

“After April 2023 when the new authority is in place some services may want to review their structures and arrangements especially if there is duplication of work and roles or more efficient new ways of delivering services which have been brought together.

“The expectation is that whilst over time for some services there will be changes to staffing structures and need for reductions in posts this will be able to be managed by removing vacancies.

“For a small number of the most senior managers there will be a need to reduce posts at an early stage when eight senior management teams become a single new management team.”

The coming months and as more details emerge about the new authority will undoubtedly be a nervy time for some staff.

Until it starts to take shape, there will be many unanswered questions about exactly whose jobs are at risk and what the new staffing structure will look like.

But officials have insisted staff will play a key part in the process and that they hope workers won’t quit local government due to the uncertainties ahead.

The county council spokesperson added: 

“There is a wealth of talent across district, borough and county council staff and it is very much hoped that everyone will see this as a huge opportunity to build a new, ambitious and exemplar council for everyone in North Yorkshire.”

‘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.

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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.”

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.”