What do town councils do and why do we need them?

Voters in Harrogate and Scarborough will head to the polls on 1 May to elect a new council for each town.

The county's two biggest towns are currently the only parts of North Yorkshire without a parish or town council.

Ahead of the election we've answered some of the key questions from voters.

When North Yorkshire Council was formed in April 2023, the seven smaller district councils, including Scarborough Borough Council and Harrogate Borough Council, were lost.

At the time, the then Conservative-led government wanted the county to have a mayor to push devolution forward, but did not want three layers of local politics.

However, following its creation, the new council pledged that town and parish councils would take on more responsibility to give communities a greater say.

Across North Yorkshire there are 662 parish and town councils already in existence, but parts of Harrogate and Scarborough are "unparished" and therefore without a first level of local government.

In order to address the issue, these two new authorities are being set up to serve the unparished parts of each town.

Harrogate Town Council will have 19 wards, with one councillor elected to each ward, while Scarborough Town Council will have five wards with three councillors for each ward.

Those elected will represent and serve the residents of the two towns.

Town councils take responsibility for providing and maintaining local amenities such as open spaces, allotments, public clocks, village halls, footpaths and litter bins.

They also provide community buildings and a wide range of facilities, from cemeteries and allotments to grants and community groups.

Responding to planning applications and accessing grant funding for projects can also fall under their remit.

Town councils can influence local laws and policies that address community needs, such as zoning regulations, public safety measures, and environmental policies.

They also raise a precept - a form of council tax - to help fund its operation and oversee the allocation of funds for various services, ensuring taxpayers' money is spent effectively.

The precept for Harrogate Town Council for 2025/26 has been set at £362,000.

For Scarborough Town Council, it is £384,000.

For a Band D household in Harrogate, this amounts to an annual charge of £12.73.

In Scarborough, a Band D household would pay a charge of £28.88.

Voters will be able to cast their ballots between 07:00 and 22:00 BST on Thursday 1 May.

Nearly 130 candidates from a wide range of parties will be up for election.

Votes will be counted the following day and elected councillors will serve a two-year term.

Elections will be held again in 2027 for a four-year term, in order to align with elections for North Yorkshire Council and all other parish councils.

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