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.”

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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.

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

 

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.”

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.

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 areas in Harrogate which would fall under the new town 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.”

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‘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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just 3.5% responded to Harrogate town council consultation

Just 3.5% of homes sent information packs as part of a consultation on creating a Harrogate town council bothered to respond.

Letters were posted to each of the 35,431 households on the electoral register in the unparished area of Harrogate inviting them to have their say on the subjects. Only 1,250 did so.

A total of 75% favoured setting up a town council but the low response rate triggered concerns about the validity of the response.

Establishing a town council, wit yet to be determined powers, would create an additional annual council tax charge for the 35,431 homes affected.

A report to North Yorkshire County Council‘s Conservative-controlled executive on January 11 recommends it proceeds with moves to create a 19-person town council in April 2024. But it says:

“There was some concern raised about the apparent low response rate and whether this gave a sufficient democratic mandate to create new town councils.

“It is further noted that whilst the rates are low, it is not unusual with the background of similar reviews and the Association of Electoral Administrators consultant has advised that it is sufficient to proceed with the response rate at this level based on previous reviews.

“The decision being requested is whether to proceed with a further set of consultations on a preferred proposal and the response rate and details of that consultation can be considered before a final decision is made.”

No referendum

The county council is also likely to ignore a plea by Harrogate Borough Council to hold a referendum.

On September 21, the borough council unanimously passed a resolution:

“This council calls upon North Yorkshire County Council to hold a binding referendum of Harrogate town residents who could become constituents of a new Harrogate Town Council to determine whether such a council should be formed.”

The resolution also said information should be made available prior to the referendum as to which services a new town council could provide, together with an indicative level of investment required to give “democratic legitimacy” to the process.

But the report to the county council quotes leader Carl Les saying:

“it should be noted that it is not legally possible to hold a binding referendum to create a town council as the legislation does not provide for this and the council cannot fetter its discretion in this way.”

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Cllr Les adds the consultation, which will now proceed to a second stage, should merely “take into account” the views of the borough council. The report added:

“It is not clear that a referendum would elicit a different response. There is no requirement under the law for a referendum to form part of a community governance review to provide democratic legitimacy to the outcome.

“The additional cost of a referendum may not be justified if the outcome is likely to be the same as writing to all households.”

Revealed: the Harrogate areas set for new council tax charge

Large parts of Harrogate, including Bilton, Starbeck and Jennyfields as well as central areas, look set to be hit by a new council tax charge.

North Yorkshire County Council said last week it would press ahead with plans to create a Harrogate town council after the results of an initial consultation revealed 75% in favour of the idea.

Areas covered by the new council, which will have 19 councillors, will face an additional charge on their council tax bills to pay for its services.

The sum is not yet known but Ripon City Council and Knaresborough Town Council currently charge £70.77 and £24.27 respectively for a band D property.

The areas facing new charges are:

A report on the consultation gave short shrift to calls by three respondents for Starbeck to get its own parish council. It said:

“No justification or detail was provided.

“It is considered that due to the small size of the area considered to be Starbeck, less than 6,000 electors, any parish council would not be in a position to provide services or amenities on the scale that could be provided by a much larger neighbouring Harrogate town council, potentially leading the the residents of Starbeck missing out on the opportunities to be provided by a larger town council.”

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How is council tax calculated?

Council tax bills in the Harrogate district are calculated by adding the sums charged for services by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, plus any parish precepts.

Harrogate residents do not currently pay a parish precept because it does not have a town council.

This year’s Harrogate district Band D bill, minus any parish precept charges, rose by £72 to £2,079.59. This is how it was broken down.

The abolition of Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council on April 1 means the charge for their services will no longer exist.

However, the new North Yorkshire Council, which will replace them, has indicated it will charge Harrogate district households £23.47 less than the amount currently paid to the two councils.

The new Harrogate town council charge could mean devolution, hailed as a cost-saving exercise, could actually result in higher council tax bills.

However, a Harrogate town council is unlikely to be formed until May 2024 so any precept it charges will not feature in the calculations for council tax bills in 2022/23, which will be finalised in the new year.

Harrogate town residents have been spared a parish precept because they do not have their own town council, unlike other towns in the Harrogate district and the city of Ripon.

So the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council and likely creation of a Harrogate town council will affect them more than residents in places such as Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham, which already pay a parish precept.

In a report to the Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire County Council’s executive, Barry Khan, assistant chief executive (legal and democratic services) has recommended opening a second, eight-week consultation on creating a Harrogate town council on February 20.

The executive will meet on January 10 to decide whether to accept the recommendation.

 

 

County leaders coy on referendum calls for Harrogate town council

North Yorkshire’s leaders are keeping their cards close to their chests in the face of calls for a referendum on the creation of a new Harrogate town council.

With local government reorganisation fast approaching, a consultation is currently underway on whether Harrogate should keep control of some key services and buildings by becoming a parished area.

But borough councillors were last night unanimous in their calls that the consultation does not go far enough and that a public vote is needed.

Cllr Richard Cooper, the Conservative leader of Harrogate Borough Council, told a meeting that the process of creating a town council would be a “sham” unless a ballot was held before residents are asked to pay an extra tax to fund it.

He put forward a motion which was supported by all political parties and called on North Yorkshire County Council to give “democratic legitimacy” to the town council plans by holding a vote.

However, when later asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the county council refused to say whether a referendum would go ahead.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of the county council, said in a statement: 

“We will consider Harrogate Borough Council’s motion when and if it arrives, but we are in a period of consultation already about whether residents in that area want to continue with a governance review or not.”

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Currently, Harrogate and Scarborough are the only major towns in North Yorkshire not to be parished and there have been growing calls for new town councils to be created.

Those calls were first ignited when the government announced that North Yorkshire’s existing county and district councils would be scrapped from April 1 next year when a new unitary authority will take control of the whole county.

A central pledge in the major shake-up was what leaders described as a “double devolution” of powers, with plans for all town and parish councils to be given the chance to take on greater responsibilities.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

This could include a Harrogate town council running services such as parks, tourism and events.

However, it remains unclear on exactly what responsibilities would be filtered down and how much residents would have to pay to fund them.

In Knaresborough and Ripon, residents currently pay their respective town and city councils £25.27 and £70.77 per year.

At last night’s meeting, Cllr Cooper said it was crucial that Harrogate residents knew how much they would pay and for which services before a town council is created.

He said: 

“Asking the public if they want a new town council without informing them what it might do and how much extra council tax they would have to pay is not a meaningful conversation.

“And if as everyone tells me that the people of Harrogate are clamouring for a town council, then what do we have to fear?”

Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, also said: 

“I have absolutely no problem with a referendum – that is good liberal democracy.

“We can ask North Yorkshire to hold one, but I am slightly worried that they will reject it and continue with the process they have started.”

The areas which would be served by a Harrogate town council include:

To have your say on the current consultation, go to the county council website here.

Harrogate town council: What is it and what would it cost taxpayers?

The clock is ticking on the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council, which could leave Harrogate itself without any lower tier authority.

The borough council will no longer exist come April 1, 2023, as part of the biggest shake-up in local government since 1974.

This has led to calls for North Yorkshire County Council to create a Harrogate Town Council. But what is a town council, what powers will it have and how will it be funded?

What is a town council?

Town and parish councils run services such as community centres and play areas, as well as maintaining bus shelters. Councillors are elected to serve on them but they are not paid.

The councils can also charge a precept as part of council tax bills to fund the services provided, meaning there is a cost to the people they serve.

In the Harrogate district, there are town councils in areas such as Ripon, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Kirby Hill.

Because Harrogate does not currently have a lower tier council, it raises questions over what its boundaries would be.

What powers would a Harrogate Town Council have?

North Yorkshire County Council officials have promised further powers for towns and parishes in a move described as ‘double devolution’.

It would see the councils able to run services and take on additional responsibilities.

Council bosses have looked at areas such as Cornwall as an example of this.

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In 2009, Cornwall scrapped its six districts and county council and set up a single unitary authority — just as North Yorkshire is doing now.

In an effort to reach out to local areas, it started a process of double devolution to its 197 parish and town councils. This saw town and parish councils take on more assets and, in theory, given more control.

Truro City Council took over the city’s library, youth centre, sports hall and open spaces, such as Lemon Quay.

Other town councils opted for more modest bids and took control of art galleries and CCTV services.

If a town council is created in Harrogate, it would raise questions over what assets it could feasibly take control of, and what assets would remain with North Yorkshire Council.

How would it be funded?

Parish and town councils are largely funded through a local precept, which goes on top of general council tax.

Those who live in Knaresborough, Ripon and other parishes already pay a parish precept on their bills in addition to the precepts for North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Ripon City Council has frozen its precept for the average band D at £71.89 for the last two years, while Knaresborough Town Council set its share at £25.27.

Ripon Town Hall

Ripon Town Hall, where the city council sits.

People in Harrogate do not currently pay a parish precept. But they would if a town council is created in order to fund services it runs.

The more powers it took on as part of the double devolution agenda, the more its bills could increase.

Many of the town and parishes in Cornwall have taken control of car parks in order to raise money.

Should a Harrogate town council want to replicate the model in Cornwall, it could mean similar actions being taken.

When will a town council be created?

Some newly elected county councillors have pushed for action but no formal moves have begun yet.

Cllr Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents Hookstone division, last week called for a town council to be created at “as soon as possible”.

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

In order to create a new parish, county council officials would have to begin a process known as a community governance review, which would be consulted on with the public.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of the authority, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service recently that it would be up to residents to decide if plans should go-ahead.

He said:

“I’m a great advocate of parish and town councils, and I do believe Harrogate and Scarborough would be well served if they had them.

“That said, it is for the people to decide whether they want them or not.

“I’m very keen that we start the process as soon as possible and we will go to the public in Harrogate and Scarborough at the earliest opportunity.”

With North Yorkshire Council not coming into existence until April 1, it is doubtful whether moves to create a Harrogate Town Council will seriously begin until then so it could be some years before one is up and running — if residents decide to create one.

Call to create Harrogate Town Council

Liberal Democrat councillors have called for the formation of a Harrogate Town Council once Harrogate Borough Council is scrapped.

The current two-tier council system in North Yorkshire is set to be replaced as part of the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s.

It means North Yorkshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils — including Harrogate — will no longer exist.

The county council and the seven districts are submitting rivals plans to government on how a new single-tier structure should look.

Now, Liberal Democrat councillors have urged both Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, and Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, to include a town council for Harrogate as part of their plans.

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Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the Lib Dems on the borough council, said:

“It seems almost certain now that the days of two-tier government are numbered and that the borough council will soon be dissolved, with powers and responsibilities transferred to a new unitary authority.

“I believe that it is essential that services that apply to Harrogate only are devolved to a local level and to do that we will need to form a new town council, along the same lines as Ripon City Council and Knaresborough Town Council.”

Cllr Geoff Webber, leader of the Lib Dems on the county council, also supports the move.

What would a town council do?

Town and parish councils run services such as community centres and play areas, as well as maintaining bus shelters. Councillors are elected to serve on them.

The councils can also charge a precept as part of council tax bills to fund the services provided.

Under its plans, the county council has promised further powers for towns and parishes in a move it describes as ‘double devolution’.

The district’s plan for an east/west model has also pledged to hand further powers to parishes, should they want it.

It would see the councils able to run services and take on additional responsibilities.

The Stray Ferret has approached both council leaders for a comment on the issue, but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Devolution — the story so far

Councils are in the process of submitting plans to ministers on how they would shake-up local government in North Yorkshire.

County councillors voted to submit the authority’s single council plan on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Borough Council, Scarborough Borough Council and Craven District Council have all backed submitting an east/west model.

Ryedale District Council, Richmondshire District Council, Hambleton District Council and Selby District Council voted on the issue last night.

Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, will decide on the government’s preferred option.

Whichever proposal he chooses, it will result in both the county council and the district and borough councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, being scrapped and replaced by one or more single-tier authority.