May elections confirmed for new North Yorkshire Council

Voters in towns and villages throughout North Yorkshire will go to the polls in May

Voters will elect 90 councillors to serve on a new unitary authority for North Yorkshire in May, it has been confirmed.

The government announced in July the area's county and district councils would be scrapped in April 2023.

It has placed a draft Structural Changes Order before Parliament paving the way for elections.

The new North Yorkshire Council will have 18 more councillors than the existing county council.

Those elected, in 89 new divisions, will serve for one year as county councillors and in April 2023 will transfer to the new authority until elections in 2027.

The City of York Council remains a separate unitary authority.

The county council's leader Carl Les said this offered continuity and would enable decisions on the future of council services and council tax to be taken before the new council comes into force.

He said it was an "exciting moment" and the new single council would give the county a "stronger voice" both regionally and nationally.

"It allows us to bring together the very best of all eight councils to build the best possible new one," he added.

The new council will deliver all services, currently divided between,the county and district councils, to residents from April 2023

Chief executive of the county council, Richard Flinton, said it was an "historic moment" for the area.

He acknowledged it was a major change, but said preparation work for the new council had begun.

"All eight councils are already working effectively together to build a single organisation, and a single team, committed to delivering the very best for residents, businesses and communities here," he said.

The reorganisation is designed to streamline structures and save money, with the aim of eventually getting a devolution deal.

MPs are expected to approve the Structural Order by March.

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