Future of £13.1m Harrogate Council headquarters confirmed

Harrogate Borough Council opened its new headquarters in December 2017

The future of a £13.1m council headquarters has been confirmed after doubts were cast over its use.

Harrogate Council moved to the new Civic Centre in 2017, but with the authority set to make way for the new North Yorkshire Council questions were raised over its continued need.

However, it has been confirmed it will be put to use as the new authority wants to keep an office in the town.

The new council will replace the eight existing authorities from 1 April.

All Harrogate Borough Council staff will transfer to the new council, except for chief executive Wallace Sampson who is set to receive a redundancy package worth £101,274, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

North Yorkshire County Council chief executive Richard Flinton, who will become the boss of the new council, said: "We want a main office in every district area.

"We will be keeping the new office building in Harrogate and basing staff there. All the planners, development and housing people, all the main people that businesses and the public need to engage with, will be based in Harrogate".