North Yorkshire's Future : The Case for Two Councils

As the Government launches a consultation on the future of North Yorkshire, Local Democracy Reporter Stuart Minting looks at the case for splitting North Yorkshire in to two unitary councils.

Six of North Yorkshire's local authorities want to see North Yorkshire County Council replaced with two separate unitary authorities which would also absorb the City of York.

Backers of the proposal to split England’s largest county into two and adsorb the existing unitary authority in York claim it would improve services and make local authorities more accountable to residents.

The ‘East And West Is Best’ blueprint put forward by Scarborough, Harrogate, Ryedale, Richmondshire, Craven and Selby district and borough councils would see Craven, Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton join together to form a unitary council in the West, with a population of 363,000, and Selby, City of York, Ryedale and Scarborough join together to form a unitary council in the East, with a population of 465,000.

Hambleton District Council is the only local authority not to have submitted a proposal to the Government, with its leader stating its residents would be better off with the status quo, particularly as their council taxes would have to be increased.

Those behind the proposal say it makes sense to communities as

“it reflects existing geographies and respects the identity and character of our unique places”, while protecting local relationships, responsiveness and democratic representation.

Nevertheless, the eastern proposal would still see an authority serving both Whitley, near Selby, and Whitby, which are about 70 miles apart, and another serving the similarly distanced communities of Skipton and Dalton on Tees.

The East-West model also points towards the geographical peculiarity in York being surrounded by North Yorkshire and yet having a separate local government bodies.

A spokesman for the districts’ model said:

“We will unlock the social and economic potential of York, enabling key challenges in housing and vital services to be addressed, and allowing the city’s strengths to be maximised, for the benefit of the whole area.

“Our proposition is based on extensive consultation. It has been developed through listening to our residents, businesses, community groups, charities and partners, and it has their needs at its heart. We know it already commands a great deal of grass-roots support.”

However, those behind the proposal have faced criticism after it emerged its claim that 92 per cent of Richmondshire residents and 74 per cent of people in Ryedale supported its plans for new-look councils were based on just 29 and 31 responses respectively to an online survey. Critics have also pointed towards City of York Council stating it does not wish to be included in the plans.

Another key part of the district councils’ argument is that two similar sized unitary authorities would offer greater efficiencies long-term.

They say the model has potential for an estimated £56m annual long-term efficiencies which could be reinvested back into the frontline services.

The spokesman added:

“The East and West model makes sense to our businesses. It reflects the economic footprints of the area, providing great potential for strong, inclusive and clean growth, and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic through localised regeneration development. It enhances our ability to support businesses by strengthening infrastructure improvements across two larger, more strategic footprints.”

While the Government has insisted on local government reorganisation in North Yorkshire and York as part of a devolution deal, those supporting the East and West model have highlighted that proposal is the only one that would produce two equal partners to sit within a mayoral combined authority.