The Borough of Harrogate was a

local government district Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Local'' (comics), a limited series comic book by Bria ...

with

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

status in

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, from 1974 to 2023. Its council was based in the town of

Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and civil parish in the North Yorkshire District, district and North Yorkshire, county of North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist de ...

, but it also included surrounding settlements, including the cathedral city of

Ripon Ripon () is a cathedral city and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. The city is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. Within the boundaries of the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, the ...

, and almost all of the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At the 2011 Census, the borough had a population of 157,869. The borough was abolished on 31 March 2023, and its functions were transferred to the new unitary

North Yorkshire Council North Yorkshire Council, known between 1974 and 2023 as North Yorkshire County Council, is the local authority for the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire, England. Since 2023 the council has been a unitary authority, being a county coun ...

on 1 April 2023.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

, as a merger of the Masham and

Wath WATH (970 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio, Sports format. Licensed to Athens, Ohio, United States, the station is currently owned by Total Media Group and features programming from CBS News Radio, Fox Sports R ...

rural district A rural district was a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. I ...

s, and part of Thirsk, from the

North Riding of Yorkshire The North Riding of Yorkshire was a subdivision of Yorkshire, England, alongside York, the East Riding and West Riding. The riding's highest point was at Mickle Fell at . From the Restoration it was used as a lieutenancy area, having b ...

, along with the boroughs of Harrogate and the city of

, the

Knaresborough Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish on the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. It is east of Harrogate and was in the Borough of Harrogate until April 2023. History The Knaresborough Hoard, the largest hoard of ...

urban district, Nidderdale Rural District, Ripon and Pateley Bridge Rural District, part of Wetherby Rural District and part of Wharfedale Rural District, all in the

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire was one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the riding was an administrative county named County of York, West Riding. The Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, lieu ...

. The district was abolished by Government reforms on 31 March 2023 after 49 years of existence. The district was part of the Leeds City Region, and bordered seven other areas; the Craven,

Richmondshire {{Infobox settlement , name = Richmondshire District , type = Non-metropolitan district , image_skyline = , imagesize = , image_caption = , image_blank_emblem= Richmondshire arms.png , blank_em ...

, Hambleton,

Selby Selby is a market town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, south of York on the River Ouse. At the 2021 Census, it had a population of 17,193. The town was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire; from 1974 until 2023, ...

and

York York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

districts in North Yorkshire and the boroughs of

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

and

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...

. It fell primarily within the HG, LS and YO postcode areas, while a small part of it was within the BD 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 of Nether Poppleton, Upper Poppleton, Hessay and

Rufforth Rufforth is a village in the civil parish of Rufforth with Knapton, in the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. It lies about west of York. The village is mentioned in the ''Dom ...

were transferred from the Borough of Harrogate to become part of the newly formed

unitary authority A unitary authority is a type of local government, local authority in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Unitary authorities are responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are ...

area. According to the 2001 census, these parishes had a population of 5,169.

Abolition

In July 2021 the

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for housing, communities, and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 ...

announced that in April 2023, the non-metropolitan county would be reorganised into a

. 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.

Politics

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 under

no overall control In the context of local authorities in the United Kingdom no overall control (NOC; ) is a situation in which no single political group achieves a majority of seats, comparable to a hung parliament. Of the 248 councils who had members up for elec ...

from the 2006 election, the Conservative party gained a majority at the 2010 election. Following the 2016 United Kingdom local elections and subsequent by-elections, the political composition of Harrogate was as follows: Harrogate District Council 2017

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:

Parliamentary constituencies

The district was divided between three parliamentary constituencies: the whole of

Harrogate and Knaresborough Harrogate and Knaresborough () is a United Kingdom constituencies, parliamentary constituency in North Yorkshire which has been represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, ...

, the eastern part of Skipton and Ripon and the north western part of Selby and Ainsty.

Towns

By population:
1.

(city)
3.

4. Boroughbridge
5. Pateley Bridge
6. Masham

Historical sites

* Aldborough Roman Museum *

Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercians, Cistercian monasteries in England. It is located approximately south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, near the village of Aldfield. Founded in 1132, the abbey operat ...

* Ripon Cathedral * Knaresborough Castle * Ripley Castle * Spofforth Castle * Marston Moor * Devil's Arrows

Freedom of the Borough

The following people and military units received the Freedom of the Borough of Harrogate.

Individuals

* David Simpson (1860–1931), the first honorary freeman of the Borough of Harrogate, in 1923. *

Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax (16 April 1881 – 23 December 1959), known as the Lord Irwin from 1925 until 1934 and the Viscount Halifax from 1934 until 1944, was a British Conservative politician of the 1930s. He h ...

: 1926. * Jonathan Wild: 18 July 2012. * Jean MacQuarrie: October 2021.

Military units

* The Army Foundation College.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrogate, Borough of Former non-metropolitan districts of North Yorkshire Former boroughs in England Leeds City Region 2023 disestablishments in England