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22
May 2024
Council letting voluntary groups in Harrogate down, claims councillor
A Liberal Democrat councillor has accused North Yorkshire Council of letting Harrogate down by not yet selecting a ‘community anchor organisation’ that could galvanise the town’s voluntary sector.
Last year, North Yorkshire Council announced it would partner with a network of organisations to share their experiences, contacts and resources.
Grants of £15,000 a year for up to three years are available.
Although the council has picked 24 anchor organisations across North Yorkshire, so far there is none in Harrogate.
Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley, told a full meeting of the council on Wednesday last week that the “long and drawn out” process to find a suitable organisation has been “very disappointing” for the town’s charitable sector.
Cllr Aldred said:
£118,000 on consultations
This month the council launched a third public consultation on the creation of a Harrogate Town Council, with elections set to be held in May 2025 if it’s created.
A council spokesperson confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the combined cost of the three consultations is £118,000.
Cllr Aldred suggested the council was not serving the interests of Harrogate residents by delaying the creation of a town council and not yet selecting a community anchor organisation.
But Cllr David Chance, the Conservative executive member for corporate services, accused Cllr Aldred of wanting “instant fixes and not a good realistic outcome”.
He said the council is working with Harrogate & District Community Action to identify an anchor organisation that would be a good fit for the community.
Cllr Chance said:
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