Borough of Harrogate | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Coat of arms  Council logo | |
 Shown withinNorth Yorkshire | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Region | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Ceremonial county | North Yorkshire |
| Admin. HQ | Harrogate |
| Government | |
| • Type | Harrogate Borough Council |
| • Leadership: | Leader & Cabinet |
| • Executive: | |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,308 km2 (505 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 164,105 |
| • Density | 125.5/km2 (324.9/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (British Summer Time) |
| ONS code | 36UD (ONS) E07000165 (GSS) |
| Ethnicity | 96.9% White 1.0% Mixed 0.8% S.Asian 0.8% Chinese or other 0.6% Black[1] |
| Website | Harrogate.gov.uk |
TheBorough of Harrogate was alocal government district withborough status inNorth Yorkshire,England, from 1974 to 2023. Its council was based in the town ofHarrogate, but it also included surrounding settlements, including the cathedral city ofRipon, and almost all of theNidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At the2011 Census, the borough had a population of 157,869.[2]
The borough was abolished on 31 March 2023, and its functions were transferred to the new unitaryNorth Yorkshire Council on 1 April 2023.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under theLocal Government Act 1972, as a merger of theMasham andWathrural districts, and part ofThirsk, from theNorth Riding of Yorkshire, along with the boroughs of Harrogate and the city ofRipon, theKnaresborough urban district,Nidderdale Rural District,Ripon and Pateley Bridge Rural District, part ofWetherby Rural District and part ofWharfedale Rural District, all in theWest Riding of Yorkshire. The district was abolished by Government reforms on 31 March 2023 after 49 years of existence.
The district was part of theLeeds City Region, and bordered seven other areas; theCraven,Richmondshire,Hambleton,Selby andYork districts in North Yorkshire and the boroughs ofBradford andLeeds inWest Yorkshire. It fell primarily within theHG,LS andYO postcode areas, while a small part of it was within theBD area.
It was the county's fourth largest district, as well the seventh largest non-metropolitan district in England. It was previously the county's second largest district until 1 April 1996, when the parishes ofNether Poppleton,Upper Poppleton,Hessay andRufforth were transferred from the Borough of Harrogate to become part of the newly formedYorkunitary authority area. According to the 2001 census, these parishes had a population of 5,169.
In July 2021 theMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that in April 2023, the non-metropolitan county would be reorganised into aunitary authority. Harrogate Borough Council was abolished on 31 March 2023 and its functions were transferred on 1 April 2023 to a new single authority for the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire.[3][4]
Elections to the borough council were held in three out of every four years, with one third of the 54 seats on the council being elected at each election. After being underno overall control from the2006 election, theConservative party gained a majority at the2010 election.
Following the2016 United Kingdom local elections and subsequent by-elections,[5] the political composition of Harrogate was as follows:
| Year | Conservative | Liberal Democrat | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 37 | 10 | 7 |
This was the last composition of the former 54 seat council, prior to boundary changes.
The composition of the new 40 seat council after boundary changes was as follows:
| Year | Conservative | Liberal Democrat | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 31 | 7 | 2 |
The district was divided between three parliamentary constituencies: the whole ofHarrogate and Knaresborough, the eastern part ofSkipton and Ripon and the north western part ofSelby and Ainsty.
By population:
1.Harrogate
2.Ripon (city)
3.Knaresborough
4.Boroughbridge
5.Pateley Bridge
6.Masham
The following people and military units received theFreedom of the Borough of Harrogate.
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Media related toBorough of Harrogate at Wikimedia Commons
53°59′25″N1°32′28″W / 53.99028°N 1.54111°W /53.99028; -1.54111