Harrogate town council Archives - Page 13 of 15

Harrogate town council creation could be delayed by another consultation

Residents are set to be asked for a third time about their views on a potential Harrogate town council — but another consultation could mean its formation is put back from April 2024.

Officers had recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate, which are based on current North Yorkshire Council divisions, be represented by two councillors per ward in the town council with the exception of Saltergate, which would have one councillor.

But councillors at a meeting last week raised concerns that this arrangement would be “unwieldy” and they would instead prefer to create one-member wards based around the 19 old Harrogate Borough Council ward boundaries.

If the council decides to proceed with the original plans it is hoped the new council could be formed by next spring with elections taking place in May 2024.

This could now change with a report that will go before a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council next Wednesday in Northallerton recommending that councillors ask residents for their views on the new proposals that were suggested last week.

The report says as the public were not asked for their opinion on the revised warding pattern, there is a legal risk in proceeding without another consultation exercise.

Councillors who backed the changes included Conservative member for Easingwold Nigel Knapton who said last week it was important for residents that the new council is set up correctly, even though another consultation risked putting back the process by another year.

But Liberal Democrat member for Bilton Grange and New Park, Monika Slater, said another consultation would confuse residents who had already been asked for their views twice before.

There has also been concerns about engagement in the previous consultations with just 4.7% of eligible households responding to the latest round that ran for nine weeks from March to May this year.

Of these, 65% said they backed the creation of the new council.

How much would the new council cost?

Despite it not being confirmed what services the council would run, Harrogate households would be asked to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year if a Harrogate Town Council was created.

North Yorkshire Council has said the town council’s council tax precept would allow for an annual budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.

The budget would be spent on accommodation, employment costs, office and IT equipment, insurance, professional fees, the mayor and delivering services.

It anticipates there would be a surplus in the first year of the town council, which would go to reserves for use in future years and “enable the parish to begin on a secure financial footing”.

The precept would be lower than Ripon City Council, which charges £70.77 for band D properties, but higher than Knaresborough Town Council, which charges £25.27.

Tories in Harrogate call for slimmed-down town council

Two Conservative councillors have called for the proposed number of people elected to a future Harrogate Town Council should be reduced from 19 to 10.

Cllr Sam Gibbs put forward the idea on behalf of himself and Cllr Michael Harrison at a meeting of the council’s standards and governance committee in Northallerton yesterday.

The two would also like to see councillors elected to a single council without wards, which they believe would allow the new council to work more effectively and not replicate the work of North Yorkshire Council councillors on issues like potholes and streetlights.

North Yorkshire Council is developing proposals to create town councils for Harrogate and Scarborough, which are the only two unparished areas in the county.

Officers have recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate, which are based on current North Yorkshire Council divisions, be represented by two councillors per ward with the exception of Saltergate, which would have one councillor.

But Cllr Gibbs, who represents the Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate division, said he was skeptical of the new council’s potential size, which he said would be “unwieldy”.

He said:

“A smaller number of councillors would be more desirable. It’s important if we create a parish council we get this right.”

The areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town council.

Cllr Gibbs also said residents do not have attachments with the current council boundaries that would also be used for the town council.

He gave the example of his own division, which was created out of a combination of the old High Harrogate and Low Harrogate wards and includes over 6,000 households.

He said electing councillors to one council area would allow for a more “strategic” approach to local democracy.

However, Monika Slater, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Bilton Grange and New Park, said she was not in favour of their proposals.

She said:

“The idea of having a single election for a handful of councillors representing the town as a whole is one I’m thoroughly against. The feedback I’m getting from residents is they are feeling a disconnect between themselves and North Yorkshire.

“They find it mysterious. They don’t really understand who is making decisions. Setting up a town council is about giving them that connection again.”

Cllrs Gibbs and Harrison also suggested an option whereby one councillor is elected per ward rather than the two that have been proposed by North Yorkshire Council and this was supported by independent councillor for Filey, Sam Cross.

However, there were warnings from Cllr Slater that if the council decided to change how the town councils are formulated there would have to be a third public consultation which could confuse residents and risk delaying the process.

Councillors voted on Cllr Cross’ recommendation to create one-member wards in Harrogate and Scarborough based around the previous district council ward boundaries.

With the votes tied 3-3, the chair of the committee, Conservative councillor Clive Pearson voted in favour so it was carried.

It was only a recommendation, however, and a final decision to create a town council has not been made yet.

A full meeting of North Yorkshire Council will debate the proposals at a meeting on July 19.

In numbers: Harrogate town council consultation response

Almost two-thirds of Harrogate residents who took part in the latest consultation have backed a Harrogate Town Council being set up next year.

Every household in what would become the Harrogate parish had the chance to take part in the consultation, which ran for nine weeks from March 2.

However there were only 1,698 responses to the consultation, which makes up 4.7% of eligble households.

We took a deeper look at the numbers to gauge how the public in Harrogate feels about more councillors and a new layer of local democracy being created.

‘We want a more local council’

There were 1,104 respondents (65.0%) who agreed with the recommendation to create a town council called Harrogate Town Council.

With repeated criticism of the new Northallerton-based North Yorkshire Council being too remote, there were 196 additional comments from people saying local representation and decision-making is needed in Harrogate.

Meanwhile, 36 respondents said a town council would be better equipped to look after Harrogate’s heritage and interests and would also be able to improve local services.

‘Waste of money’

Just a few months after the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council many questioned the need to set up a new council for the town.

There were 483 respondents (28%) who said they did not want one setting up.

It has not been confirmed what powers the new council would have but Harrogate households would be asked to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year to pay for it.

This led to 215 respondents saying they were against the proposal because it would be a “waste of money”.

One person said they wanted to see the return of Harrogate Borough Council instead.

Size of new council

North Yorkshire Council has recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate be represented by two councillors per ward, with the exception of Saltergate which would have one councillor, taking the total number of councillors to 19.

This is just under half the number of councillors of Harrogate Borough Council, which had 40 but covered the whole Harrogate district including Ripon and Knaresborough.

The areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town council.

When asked about the size of the new council, 956 respondents (56%) said they were happy with the size whereas 501 (30%) were not and 241 (14%) were not sure.

Of those who disagreed with the size, 52 people commented that one councillor per ward would be a better arrangement for the new council.

Demographics of consultation

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the highest numbers of responses come from people aged 50 to 64 and 65 to 74.

There were just 37 responses from people in their 20s and 98 from people in their 30s, raising questions about how engaged younger people are in the process to create a town council.

North Yorkshire Council has proposed that the elections to the new council be held on May 2 next year for a reduced terms of three years, with ordinary elections taking place in 2027 and every four years thereafter.

A final decision to create a town council has not been made yet and a full meeting of North Yorkshire Council will debate the proposals later this year.

Harrogate town council set to be formed as 66% back the idea

Plans to create a Harrogate town council look set to go ahead after a second consultation revealed the majority of respondents support the idea.

Letters were posted to 35,583 homes in Harrogate inviting them to have their say on the subject.

The results, published today, reveal 65.5% said they were in favour of the move — which would lead to the creation of a new council tax charge.

However, just 1,698 responded, which represents just 4.7% of households.

North Yorkshire Council launched the second consultation as part of a community governance review in March.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council.

The areas in Harrogate which are set to pay extra council tax to fund the town council.

The first consultation in Harrogate, which began in August last year and received only a 3.5% response rate, revealed 75% supported a town council — so support has waned.

In a report due before councillors on Wednesday, a recommendation will be made to refer the responses to full council later this year.

Cllr David Chance, executive councillor for corporate services at the council, said:

“The public consultations which have been carried out in the areas under review have shown that there is support among residents who responded to the consultation for town councils to be created for both Harrogate and Scarborough.

“Full consultations have been conducted to gauge the public’s opinions on the proposals, and the recommendation is now for a full council meeting to discuss the plans for the two new councils.

“If the decision is taken to introduce the town councils for both Harrogate and Scarborough, this will provide more democratically-elected voices for both areas to ensure that the views of local people are heard effectively to help us deliver key services.”

Establishing a town council, with yet to be determined powers, is expected to create an additional annual council tax charge of between £40 and £60 for the homes affected.

The town councils would be formed for administrative purposes from April 2024, and the first elections would be on May 2, 2024, when councillors would be elected for a reduced term of three years. Elections would then take place every four years from 2027.

The parish would be divided into divisions, based largely on the divisions that now apply since North Yorkshire Council was established in the spring.

A total of 19 members would be elected to the town council.

Civic society backs creation of Harrogate town council

Harrogate Civic Society has backed plans to create a Harrogate Town Council.

A second consultation on whether to set-up a town council runs until May 5.

North Yorkshire County Council said in March the move would require 35,000 households to pay an additional council tax charge of between £40 and £60.

However, in its submission to the consultation the civic society said the establishment of a town council would mean key decisions could be made by local councillors “who live in the town”.

It added it would want to see the authority take on more powers over time.

The areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town council.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council.

The civic society submission said:

“The society aims to celebrate our past, enhance our present and shape our future. We believe that this can best be done with a Harrogate town council, so key decisions will be made by local councillors who live in the town.

“We note the possible remit of the new council set out in the consultation document, but would like to see it have more of a role over time.

“This would enable opportunities to raise income, protect and enhance the key assets of the town, have a greater say in planning and development (through a neighbourhood plan), and promote a vision for the town which makes it a premier spa and floral town.”

The group added it wished to work with the town council in future to “keep the town the jewel in the crown of North Yorkshire”.

Last week local Liberal Democrats came out in favour of the creation of a town council.

Eight Liberal Democrats, including former Harrogate borough councillors and current North Yorkshire councillors, signed a letter in support.

They said the move would enable locally-elected councillors to take control of assets such as off-street car parks, the Stray, Royal Hall, Sun Pavilion and Valley Gardens.

A total of 75% favoured setting up a Harrogate town council in last year’s first consultation but only 1,250 homes — 3.5% of those affected — responded. The low response rate triggered concerns about the validity of the response.

A second consultation into the creation of a town council will close next Friday (May 5). You can have your say here.

‘Undemocratic’ to ask Harrogate residents to pay for town council without stating its powers

A consultation about a potential Harrogate town council has been called “undemocratic” because it says residents would have to pay up to £60 a year extra without stating what powers it might have.

North Yorkshire Council is running a second consultation on whether a town council for Harrogate should be created.

Consultation documents say how much residents in band D properties are likely to pay through their council tax to cover services provided by the new town council.

North Yorkshire Council said the town council’s council tax precept would allow for an annual budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.

Knaresborough and Ripon both currently have their own councils that charge a precept to provide services such as allotments, public events and small parks.

However, it is unclear at this stage what services a potential Harrogate town council would deliver.

There would be 19 councillors elected to the town council with elections taking place on May 2, 2024.

‘Unfair and undemocratic’

Speaking at a residents’ meeting last week, Michael Schofield, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harlow and St Georges, criticised the consultation process and said people were not sure what they would be voting for if the town council was created.

He said:

“It’s alright talking about flower beds but we still don’t know what North Yorkshire Council’s executive are going to let a town council have control of.

“It’s unfair and undemocratic not to be told what we going being asked to pay for and voting for. They need to let us know.”

His view is shared by the final mayor of the Harrogate borough, Victoria Oldham, who was the Conservative councillor for Washburn on Harrogate Borough Council until March 31.

Ms Oldham is backing the creation of a town council but said people interested in becoming councillors should be getting around the table with North Yorkshire Council now to discuss what powers it might have.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:

“There’s no point in saying you’ll have a town council if you don’t say what you’re supposed to be running so those people interested in being on the town council need to be coming together now and putting a plan forward. There needs to be some sort of mediation.

“Saying suddenly you have a town council and not knowing what you’ll be responsible for is going to be awkward.”

In response, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for corporate services, Conservative Cllr David Chance, said:

“A town council for Harrogate is aimed at ensuring that the views of residents are represented at the most local level and helping to provide the services that are so important to the public.

“We are undertaking a consultation to get people’s opinions on the detailed
recommendations for the town council.

“Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council. When North Yorkshire Council launched on April 1 after the previous eight local authorities in the county merged, a central pledge of this change was to enable town and parish councils to take on greater responsibility if they want and are able to.

“Residents of unparished parts of Scarborough and Harrogate were invited last summer to say whether they wanted to create new town councils. More than two-thirds of residents who responded in the two towns were in favour of the idea.

“We believe that the chance for town councils for both Harrogate and Scarborough will be fundamental in making sure local democracy can be as effective as possible, and I would urge the public to have their say during the latest consultation, which is running until Friday, May 5.“

Residents can take part in the consultation by visiting www.northyorks.gov.uk/CGR. Paper copies are available by calling 01609 536400 or emailing cgr@northyorks.gov.uk.

Liberal Democrats back creation of Harrogate town council

Liberal Democrats have come out in favour of the creation of a Harrogate town council.

A second consultation on whether to set-up a town council runs until May 5.

North Yorkshire County Council said in March the move would require 35,000 households to pay an additional council tax charge of between £40 and £60.

But local Liberal Democrats said today a town council would enable locally-elected councillors to take control of assets such as off-street car parks, the Stray, Royal Hall, Sun Pavilion and Valley Gardens.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council.

Eight Liberal Democrats, including former Harrogate borough councillors and current North Yorkshire councillors, signed in support of a town council.

Cllr Pat Marsh, chair of North Yorkshire Council‘s area constituency committee for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said her party supported devolving power. She added:

“Without a new town council, Harrogate would be at a real disadvantage when bidding for services to remain local.

“Harrogate residents need to have a voice when it comes to the future of local assets, just as those in Knaresborough, Ripon, Pateley Bridge, Boroughbridge and many other villages in North Yorkshire have.”

Pat Marsh

Cllr Marsh said “unique decisions relating to Harrogate should be being made in Harrogate by people who have received the endorsement of Harrogate residents” rather than councillors in places such as Catterick, Ryedale and Scarborough.

She added:

“Assets that could be considered for control by the town council include off-street car parks, the Stray, Royal Hall, Sun Pavilion, Valley Gardens and the other green and floral spaces within the town.

“Without local protection, these assets are always in danger of being cut by North Yorkshire councillors not from Harrogate.

“A Harrogate town council would also provide a formal representative voice for local residents on planning applications and other consultations.

“Harrogate is a very special place and decisions about our town need to be made by local people who know, love and understand this town.”

The statement urges residents and businesses to respond to the second consultation before the May 5 deadline.

The Lib Dem councillors who signed today’s statement are:

Pat Marsh — Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone.

Philip Broadbank — Fairfax and Starbeck.

Chris Aldred — High Harrogate and Kingsley

Peter Lacey — Coppice Valley and Duchy

Mike Schofield — Harlow and St Georges

Monika Slater — Bilton Grange and New Park

Honorary alderman Trevor Chapman

Honorary alderman Matthew Webber

Councillor Michael Harrison appointed first charter mayor of Harrogate

Councillor Michael Harrison was appointed the first charter mayor of Harrogate at the Civic Centre this morning.

Cllr Harrison is a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate on North Yorkshire Council.

The non-political role will involve promoting the historic and ceremonial traditions of the Harrogate area during events and occasions such as Remembrance Sunday.

It will differ from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayoral role, which covered the whole of the former borough and undertook a wider range of engagements.

Cllr Harrison described the position as “mayor-lite“. He said:

“We’re doing that deliberately but there needs to be the element of civic duty that will continue. I can assure you I will be doing that.”

The mayor was elected by the Harrogate charter trustees, which are 10 councillors who represent divisions covering the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

Harrogate’s 10 charter trustees

It was a more low-key occasion than previous Harrogate Borough Council mayor-making ceremonies, which were traditionally held each year at Harrogate’s Royal Hall.

Cllr Harrison was nominated for the role by Liberal Democrat councillor for High Harrogate and Kingsley, Chris Aldred, who was also appointed charter deputy mayor during the meeting.

Cllr Aldred said:

“Some observers may expect us to nominate one of our own but it’s also equally important to prove that charter trustees are actually non-political in order to continue the civic traditions and heritage of Harrogate. I’m sure Michael will do that and be a great ambassador for the town.”

charter mayor Michael Harrison and Chris Aldred

Cllrs Michael Harrison and Chris Aldred

Cllr Harrison’s first engagement as charter mayor will be at the unveiling of new sculptures at the New Zealand garden in Valley Gardens this month.

He will also attend ANZAC memorial day at Stonefall Cemetery.

Ceremonial robes and chains most recently used by the last Harrogate borough mayor, Victoria Oldham, will be used by the charter mayor.

But he won’t be entitled to perks enjoyed by previous council mayors such as having a chauffeur-driven car to get to events.

The new council has allocated an annual budget of £12,100 for Harrogate charter trustee business.

However if a Harrogate Town Council is created, it will assume responsibility for the mayoral position from North Yorkshire Council should it want it.

The charter trustees will meet again in October. Cllr Harrison said at the next meeting the charter trustees will make a suggestion to North Yorkshire Council on what the council tax precept for the town council might be.

Consultation documents for the town council state Harrogate households would be asked to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year if a Harrogate Town Council were created.

The budget would be spent on accommodation, employment costs, office and IT equipment, insurance, professional fees, the mayor and delivering services.

What those services might be are still to be decided but it would likely involve taking control of assets once held by the abolished Harrogate Borough Council.

Councillors to elect ceremonial mayor for Harrogate this month

Councillors will elect a mayor for the town of Harrogate at a meeting this month.

Called a ‘charter mayor’, the non-political role will involve promoting the historic and ceremonial traditions of the Harrogate area during events and occasions such as Remembrance Sunday.

The mayor will be chosen by the Harrogate ‘charter trustees’, which are 10 councillors who represent divisions covering the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

This differs from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayor who covered the whole of the former borough and undertook a much wider range of engagements.

Like the Harrogate Borough Council mayor, the charter mayor will also serve a term of 12 months.

If a Harrogate Town Council is created, it will assume responsibility for the mayoral position from North Yorkshire Council.

The new council has allocated an annual budget of £12,100 for Harrogate charter trustee business.

The mayor and deputy mayor will be elected at a meeting of the Harrogate charter trustees on April 17 at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.

Ceremonial robes and chains most recently used by the last HBC mayor, Victoria Oldham, will be used by the new mayor.

On the final day of the council’s existence last week, Ms Oldham tweeted:

“Thank you everyone who has made my 10 months as the last mayor of the borough of Harrogate so special.

“I have enjoyed meeting so many caring, marvellous people. Also, special thanks to my deputy mayor Cllr Robert Windass for his help, and being my consort.”

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant chief executive for legal and democratic services, Barry Khan, said:

“The charter trustees are non-political. Nominations for mayor and deputy mayor will be made at the first annual meeting on Monday, April 17, where they will be voted on.

“The mayor will wear the chains of office when acting as mayor. The robes are usually reserved for ceremonial occasions at which the mayor feels they are appropriate.“

Harrogate residents face prospect of new £60 council tax charge

Creating a Harrogate town council could require 35,000 households to pay an additional council tax charge of between £40 and £60, it was revealed today.

Under proposals put forward, elections would take place on May 2 next year to elect 19 councillors in 10 wards.

People living in the wards would face an additional charge on their annual council tax bills to pay for the new local authority.

North Yorkshire County Council today opened a second round of consultation on the proposals, which discussed how much council taxpayers would pay. It said:

“It is not possible to state an exact figure at this stage, but it is anticipated the amount could be in the region of £40 to £60 per year for a Band D property. This amount could give a total precept budget in the range of £1m to £1.6m.”

Knaresborough Town Council and Ripon Town Council currently levy charges on households of £25.27 and £70.77 respectively for a Band D property.

The county council said the precept “will need to be sufficient to cover the set-up costs, administration and running costs and costs of service delivery for future years”. It adds:

“It is anticipated that there would be a surplus in year one, which would go to reserves for use in future years and enable the parish to begin on a secure financial footing.”

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of the county not to have a parish or town council.

The abolition of Harrogate Borough Council at the end of the month has led to calls to set up a town council to ensure local views are heard. But others say the cost will not be worth the limited power available the town council – which would have no more authority than a parish council.

The blue areas face an additional charge.

The consultation says the names of the 10 wards of the new council be the same as the names of the existing county divisions, with the exception of the unparished part of the Oatlands and Pannal division, which will be known as Oatlands ward; and the unparished part of the Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate division, which will be known as Saltergate ward. The ward names to be:

Bilton and Nidd Gorge
Bilton Grange and New Park
Coppice Valley and Duchy
Fairfax and Starbeck
Harlow and St Georges

High Harrogate and Kingsley
Oatlands
Saltergate
Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone
Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate

Councillor Greg White, the county council’s executive member for stronger communities, said:

“Town and parish councils give residents the ability to help to determine how the places in which they live look and feel. The benefits can be seen across our communities every day, so I urge people in Scarborough and Harrogate to seize the opportunity this consultation offers to have a say in shaping local empowerment where they live.”

‘Strong support for proposals’

Cllr David Chance, the county council’s executive member for corporate services, said:

“Having received strong support in the initial consultation for the creation of new parishes and councils to serve them, we are keen to hear views from as many residents as possible on the detailed proposals we are now putting forward.

“If you took part in the first consultation, please share your views again on these detailed proposals. This is a separate consultation, so please make sure your views on the proposals are taken into account by completing the survey.”

You can take part in the consultation, which runs until Friday, May 5, here.

Or you can request a paper copy of the survey by calling 01609 536400 between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, or emailing cgr@northyorks.gov.uk.

Read more:

How much would the new council cost?

Read more:

‘We want a more local council’

‘Waste of money’

Read more:

Size of new council

Demographics of consultation

Read more:

Read more:

‘Unfair and undemocratic’

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

Read more:

‘Strong support for proposals’