Harrogate new town council plan delayed by a year

Harrogate, which lost its district council when North Yorkshire Council was created, currently does not have town or parish councils

The creation of a town council for Harrogate is likely to take place in 2025 - a year later than first planned.

The public will be asked for their views for a third time about its creation, after differing opinions on the number of councillors per ward.

At a North Yorkshire Council meeting on Wednesday, a consultation on forming single councillor wards based on old borough ward boundaries was agreed.

The council will publish details of the consultation at a later date.

Harrogate, which lost its district council when North Yorkshire Council was created, currently does not have town or parish councils, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It was initially hoped the town council would be formed for administrative purposes from April 2024, with the first elections on 2 May.

'Let's pause and think'

Officers had recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate be represented by two councillors each, with the exception of a single-councillor Saltergate ward.

However, Conservative councillors raised concerns about two councillors representing one ward and instead backed a proposal to use single councillor wards based around the 19 former Harrogate Borough Council boundaries.

Michael Harrison, Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate, said he "didn't understand what the rush is".

"It's got to be absolutely right - let's pause and think about this a bit longer, although I am mindful of continual consultation and cost," he said.

Pat Marsh, Liberal Democrat councillor for Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone, told the meeting in Northallerton: "We asked, they've spoken, we now need to get on and deliver on what they responded to.

"We need to get on with making sure we get a Harrogate council in place ASAP, otherwise we're letting people down."