Scarborough Town Council set to progress with upcoming vote and survey
Members of North Yorkshire Council will vote on the issue next week
The creation of a parish council for Scarborough is set to move forward when members of North Yorkshire Council vote on the issue next week.
A parish council could be created in Scarborough as soon as this summer, with plans for the change to fully take effect from April 2024.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive will meet on Tuesday, January 10 to vote on the draft proposals which could impact the nature of local democracy in both Scarborough and Harrogate.
It is proposed that the new Scarborough Town Council be made up of the current Castle, Falsgrave and Stepney, Northstead, Weaponness and Ramshill, and Woodlands wards.
Each division would be represented by two or three councillors, meaning a total of either 10 or 15 elected councillors.
If the plans are approved, the draft recommendations will be published and NYCC will “invite representations on the detailed proposals contained therein”.
According to a report prepared for the executive committee’s meeting, the “majority of people responding to the consultation were supportive of creating new town councils”.
However, there was “some concern raised about the apparent low response rate” of 2.45 per cent or 585 responses, out of almost 22,000 households that were contacted and “whether this gave a sufficient democratic mandate to create new town councils”.
The first stage consultation conducted this summer indicated that the opinions of residents in the area have changed since the previous consultation on the same issue more than a decade ago.
In 2010, 77.5 per cent – 472 respondents – voted against the creation of a parish council.
In the most recent survey 69.9 per cent – 376 respondents – voted in favour of creating a parish council.
On April 1, 2023, a new unitary authority – North Yorkshire Council – will be created to deliver all local services.
The new council will replace North Yorkshire County Council, Scarborough Borough Council, and the county’s six other district councils.
Currently, the only parts of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council are Scarborough and Harrogate, and NYCC has said it means the areas “have limited ability” to take on subsequent additional responsibilities.
Potential council tax increase
If there are no major changes to the plans, the parish council will be known as Scarborough Town Council and will have an electorate of around 28,000 people with the parish set to retain a mayor.
Though no assets will be automatically transferred upon the creation of a town council, there is an exception for the civic collection, including the civic regalia.
The parish council would also have the opportunity to take on responsibility for “any assets formerly belonging to Scarborough Council” such as the town hall, if it demonstrated that it had the ability to do so.
However, if no parish council is created then the charter trustees – the councillors on North Yorkshire Council representing the electoral divisions in the unparished areas – will continue to carry out ceremonial duties and would only be dissolved should a parish council be established.
It has been recommended that the parish comes into effect from April 2024 for “administrative purposes” and that the first election for the town council take place in May 2024 for a reduced term of three years, with ordinary elections taking place in 2027 and every four years thereafter.
Though town councillors are unpaid, there would likely be an added charge to council taxpayers.
The report states that “a Band D tax of £10 would generate a parish precept of £122,900”.