Liberal Democrats issue plea for North Yorkshire Council to ‘get on with it’ when creating Harrogate Town Council

Harrogate was set to get its own town council in May 2024 along with Scarborough but it was delayed for a year after councillors asked to redraw the ward boundaries.

It means there will have to be a third public consultation on the town council which will take place at some point this year.

But a motion to unlink proposals with Scarborough and set up a quick online poll instead of a lengthy postal consultation, which could take months and cost the authority £50,000, was rejected at a full meeting of the council in Northallerton on Wednesday.

Councillor Chris Aldred (Liberal Democrat – High Harrogate and Kingsley), put forward the motion as he said residents and businesses in the town were growing impatient.

He said: “Let’s get on with what residents want and have action, not words.

“There’s a growing urge for a town council in Harrogate and I wonder, why?

"Maybe it’s because they are dissatisfied with the services provided by you guys.”

Councillor Matt Walker (Liberal Democrat – Knaresborough West), suggested by not having a town council, Harrogate was missing out on money from housing developers intended for community projects like parks and new open spaces.

Councillor Philip Broadbank (Liberal Democrat – Fairfax and Starbeck) said the town council could take on services that the unitary authority can no longer afford to provide.

North Yorkshire Council has said residents would pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year to pay for the new council.

This led Councillor Michael Harrison (Conservative - Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate) to say he was uncomfortable with increasing the tax burden on residents at a time when household income is being squeezed.

Councillors agreed to increase North Yorkshire Council’s council tax precept by 4.99 per cent earlier in the meeting.

He said: “I’m not convinced there’s a clamour for a town council but I’m sure we’ll have one when it’s the right time.

"I’m happy to wait a little longer to give people time to develop a strategy.

"It’s unlikely to be more than one year and it will delay increasing a lot of people’s council tax.”

Executive Member for Corporate Services Councillor David Chance (Conservative – Danby and Mulgrave), said an online consultation could exclude people who don’t use the internet and leave the council open to a future legal challenge.

Councillor Chance said: “The consultation material has to be of appropriate quality.

"Good practice says it should be between six weeks and three months.

"To truncate this to a period of a week would leave the council open to challenge and undermine any decision taken based on that consultation.”

The Liberal Democrat motion was voted down with 39 against and 26 for.