One of the key concerns in the run-up to this year’s shake-up of North Yorkshire local government was that the vast new unitary authority could leave the Harrogate district without a strong voice.

This week, when the dust settled on the local elections and Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council named his new 10-person executive team, the concerns appeared to have merit.

Just one councillor from the district — Michael Harrison, who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate, was included on the executive.

It means many of those making key decisions affecting Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham might not even have been to some of those places.

For the last 48 years, local political decision making has been shared between North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council.

But with the latter in its death throes, it seems likely that all local political decisions will soon be made at County Hall, the 1906 Grade II listed building in Northallerton, a market town in Hambleton, firstly by North Yorkshire County Council and then by North Yorkshire Council.

The 10-person executive table at Wednesday’s meeting, with Michael Harrison far right.

Just nine of the 47 Conservative councillors on the county council are from the district. So will the Harrogate district not have adequate representation?

‘Strong voice will remain’

Despite the changes, Cllr Harrison told the Stray Ferret he is confident the district will continue to have a strong voice.

He said local councillors will shape the executive’s decisions, firstly through task groups that will inform the transition to the new North Yorkshire Council next year and then through the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

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The six area constituency committees are expected to be given stronger powers next year, possibly over key issues such as planning, as part of Cllr Les’ ‘double devolution’ pledge.  The Lib Dems will have eight of the 13 councillors on the one for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Cllr Harrison said:

“There will be real power devolved to the area constituency committees and the fact that the Conservatives don’t control the one for Harrogate and Knaresborough won’t stop that.”

Cllr Harrison added that he expects Harrogate Borough Council’s offices at Knapping Mount to continue to play a key operational role when staff transfer to North Yorkshire Council next year because “it’s a modern fit-for-purpose flexible office space”.

Harrogate Borough Council’s offices at Knapping Mount.

The Conservatives were returned to power in North Yorkshire with a greatly reduced majority of four on May 5.

Andrew Williams, an Independent who was elected in Ripon Minster and Moorside, said the more even political composition since the May 5 elections meant the views of opposition parties would be heard more, whereas in the past the previous huge Tory majority meant many issues were just waived through. He said:

“If you go about things in a constructive and positive manner it’s possible to get things done.”

Harrogate town council 

Cllr Williams, who is also the leader of Ripon City Council, said the best way to ensure Harrogate’s voice was heard would be through the creation of a Harrogate town council.

He said Ripon City Council had effectively provided a voice for the city and suggested the same could happen in Harrogate.

He added that such a move would pave the way for more independents.

“People will be looking for voices on a town council that stand up for Harrogate and will appreciate a less partisan approach.”

Five Harrogate Independents failed to come close to winning a division on May 5. But Cllr Williams suggested they got their tactics wrong:

“They started campaigning too late. You can’t just rock up at election time and win.

“To win an election as an Independent you have got to be known by a lot of people and campaign early.”

A referendum could take place in Harrogate to see if people want to create a town council.

But Cllr Harrison said people ought to know what the purpose of a Harrogate town council would be and what the added charge to their council tax precept would be before any vote takes place.

County Hall in Northallerton

Whatever one’s political persuasion, the political scene has been enlivened by the shake-up to local government.

But whether local voices are heard strongly at County Hall, the 1906 Grade II listed building where the county council is based, remains to be seen.

The Stray Ferret asked the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough to comment for this article but did not receive a response by our deadline.

Candidates could be able to put themselves forward as soon as next week for May’s elections to the new North Yorkshire Council.

The election will be one of the most crucial in the county’s history because it will spell out the end of North Yorkshire County Council and the seven district and borough councils in Harrogate, Selby, Scarborough, Craven, Hambleton, Ryedale and Richmondshire.

They will be replaced by the new unitary authority from April 2023.

Nominations are likely to open on Friday next week for candidates hoping to become one of the 90 councillors who will lead a new era of local government.

That date is subject to new legislation, which is currently passing through Parliament and once approved will fire the starting gun for voting to take place on 5 May.

Speaking at a public briefing last night, Ben Nattrass, elections manager at Harrogate Borough Council, said parliamentary approval of the legislation was expected next week as he also set out some of the next steps.

He said:

“We are waiting for the Structural Changes Order to pass through Parliament and we expect that to be done next week, which would allow us to open nominations on March 18.

“Each candidate who wishes to stand in the elections must submit a set of nomination forms and these must be submitted no later than 4pm on 5 April.”

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Once approved, the Structural Changes Order will be followed by an official notice of election, which is likely to be published on March 17.

Voting on May 5

Candidate nominations will then open the following day before closing on April 5.

After voting takes place on May 5, polling cards will then be counted and the results announced the following day.

The newly elected councillors will represent 89 new divisions on North Yorkshire County Council for one year before serving a four-year term on the new council.

They will play a key role in shaping how public services will work in the future, with all areas from bin collections to road maintenance being transferred across to the new council in what will be a mammoth task.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, previously said:

“The councillors elected on 5 May will make decisions on services that affect individuals, families and communities, so we want to make sure that anyone who wants to consider stepping forward as a candidate has all the information they need.

“These elections are important for everyone in the county, so if you are eligible to vote, please make sure that you are registered, then you can be sure that your vote will count.”

The deadline for people to register to vote is April 14.

To find out more on how to become a candidate, tap or click here.

The current Mayor of Ripon recommends that people have a hanky at the ready, when they read John Richmond’s keenly-awaited memoirs.

Councillor Eamon Parkin, First Citizen of the ancient city, received an advance copy of the former mayor’s book, Beyond the Farm Gate on Wednesday.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I just couldn’t put it down, it is beautifully written and made me both laugh and cry and I’m sure it will similarly affect anyone fortunate enough to obtain a copy.”

Cllr Parkin, added:

“Poignant passages, telling of sad events in John’s life, are balanced with comical episodes, told with a Tyke’s sense of humour. As I read the book, I was wiping tears of sorrow and laughter from my eyes.”

Adding to the poignancy of the work, by 86-year-old first-time author John, is the fact that it is dedicated to his late and beloved wife, Barbara, to whom he was married for 55 years. She died of breast cancer in July 2013.

Supporting Breast Cancer UK

All proceeds from the sale of the limited edition book will go to Breast Cancer UK and it is hoped that £6,000 will be raised for the charity.

John, who was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community in the 2021 New Year’s Honours, has been working on the book for four years and said:

“I received considerable help from Sheila Whitfield, an expert in memoir writing, who gave me advice after I met her through the University of the Third Age.“

The 280-page book, which includes highlights from John’s work in business and local politics, starts by taking the reader on a transatlantic journey from rural North Yorkshire to the streets of San Francisco.

In the mid 1970s, he was invited to represent the world’s first and foremost city of Ripon, at the USA’s bi-centennial celebrations, attended by the mayors of the younger Ripons in America.

In stark contrast to the glitz of California, John turns the clock back to the 1930s, to give an insight into the hard labours of life at Carr House farm on the edge of Dallowgill, where he was born in 1935.

He pointed out:

“There was no running water, no electricity or gas, no bathroom or inside toilet and we washed the muck from our scalps and skin while sitting in a big cast iron bath in the side scullery.”

A heart-breaking tragedy on the farm

A  heart-breaking event from John’s childhood has lived with him for 80 years and still brings tears to his eyes.

“We had a wonderful black mare that we called Old Bess. She was a war horse, who served her country in France during the the first world war and came to us with a bullet hole in her  front left foot.

“A special shoe was made, so that she was able to pull wagons without feeling pain, but tragically, one day, when she was drinking water from a ditch on the farm, she slipped and fell in.

“It was a pitiful sight for my parents, seeing her struggling to get up and she eventually had to be pulled out with harnesses attached to two horses, but she had suffered terrible injuries.

“My mother comforted her in her final hours and Old Bess was humanely put to sleep the following morning.”

A life-long animal lover

That ingrained memory has shaped John’s life as an animal lover and to this day he, and fellow volunteers, are involved in the daily feeding of stray cockerels that have been abandoned on the moors near Kirkby Malzeard.

Animal lover John and a team of like-minded volunteers feed the stray birds

Making history as a hornblower

On a much happier, though at the time flat note, John’s memoirs recount the story of a hastily-made offer that he soon regretted.

It was winter 1975 and Ripon’s sole hornblower told the city council that he wanted to take a Christmas break. But who would take over during his absence to ensure that the nightly ceremony of setting of the watch was maintained?

John made history when he became the only Mayor of Ripon to act as a hornblower while in mayoral office

John said:

“With all other councillors sitting on their hands as I chaired the meeting, in a fit of pique, I said, if none of you will do it, I’ll have to do it.”

He made an offer that he wasn’t sure he could properly fulfil, particularly after he attempted his first blow in the privacy of the mayor’s parlour.

However, after secret practice sessions in the bowels of the town hall under instruction from the city’s then Sergeant at Mace and former hornblower, Cyril Hawley, John perfected the pout and summoned up the necessary puff to get a blast out of the horn.

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Book availability

Beyond the Farm Gate, which costs £15, is available at various outlets, including The Little Ripon Bookshop, on Westgate, the Mason’s Arms, Bishop Monkton and from Kirkby Malzeard historian Tony Sinfield.

On Thursday lunchtime John will be at Ripon Golf Club signing copies of the book for club members and members of the public.

His memoirs can also obtained by calling 01765 607096.