Coun Hoult, who was nominated at a full meeting of Harrogate Borough Council on Wednesday, has served on the borough council for 15 years and said it was a great honour to be selected.

This year, it should have been the turn of Ripon's independent councillors to make the nomination but they waived their entitlement – because they either did not want the role or could not give the time necessary.

"It is unfortunate but it couldn't be helped," said Ripon councillor Andrew Williams, who added, "Given Bill Hoult's length of service to the council, I think he will do an excellent job."

The decision by Ripon's independents not to take on the role of mayor means they lose all the points that had been accumulated under the council's system for sharing out the mayoralty between political groups.