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25
Apr 2023
Staff from former district councils now working at Harrogate’s Civic Centre
Staff who previously worked for some of the county’s abolished district councils are now working at Harrogate’s Civic Centre.
The building on St Luke’s Avenue was the headquarters of Harrogate Borough Council until March 31 when it was abolished to make way for the unitary authority North Yorkshire Council.
Councils for Hambleton, Craven, Scarborough, Richmond, Selby, Ryedale, plus North Yorkshire County Council, were also abolished.
One of the big questions about local government reorganisation was what would happen to the Civic Centre which only opened in 2017.
To help pay for the build, the council’s old offices at Crescent Gardens were eventually sold to developer Impala Estates for £4m.
Reorganisation had been mooted for many years and when the council decided to make the move, critics said the project could become a white elephant in the event of Harrogate Borough Council no longer existing.
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However, North Yorkshire Council’s Conservative leader Carl Les has reaffirmed his commitment to using the building and said it would not be sold as the authority looks to save money.
When asked how many staff are currently working at the Civic Centre, Cllr Les said:
Cllr Les said each former district area will retain one main office, which will be supported by around 30 “customer access points” in places like libraries.
He added:
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