The Charter Trustees for Harrogate

Inaugural and Annual General Meeting

17 April 2023

Charter Trustees – Standing Orders and Handbook

Report of the Clerk to the Charter Trustees

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1       To present the Charter Trustees’ draft Standing Orders and Handbook for approval

2.0       SUMMARY

2.1       The Charter Trustees are asked to consider and approve the Standing Orders at Appendix 1 and the Handbook at Appendix 2

3.0       BACKGROUND

3.1       The Charter Trustees for Harrogate were established in 2023 following local government reorganisation in North Yorkshire.  On creation of the new North Yorkshire Council on 1 April 2023 the Council of the Borough of Harrogate was dissolved.  In order to ensure the continuation of the mayoral tradition The North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order 2022 made provision for Charter Trustees to be established for the wards listed in the order, which covered the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

3.2       The Charter Trustee Regulations 2009 set out the provisions under which the Charter Trustees may operate.  The main duties of Charter Trustees are to ensure the continuation of the civic and ceremonial traditions of the town through the appointment of a Charter Mayor and Deputy Charter Mayor.  The Charter Trustees Regulations 2009 provide that any historic property of the Borough of Harrogate which relates to the Charter Trustee area shall transfer to the Charter Trustees.  An inventory of all such historic property has been produced which the Charter Trustees shall be responsible for maintaining.

3.3       Charter Trustees have no powers to deliver local services or take on responsibilities in a way that a parish council could.

4.0       PROPOSALS

4.1       The Standing Orders establish the rules which govern the procedure to be followed at meetings of the Charter Trustees and mirror as appropriate the Council Procedure Rules in the North Yorkshire Council’s Constitution.

4.2       The Handbook covers such matters as the roles and responsibilities of the Charter Mayor and their Deputy, together with the civic protocol and the wider functions of the Charter Trustees.

5.0       CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES

5.1       Both documents have been developed in consultation with the Charter Trustees and the Clerk to the Charter Trustees.

6.0       ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

6.1       N/A

7.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7.1       There are no financial implications.

8.0       LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

8.1       The Standing Orders are to be read in conjunction with the relevant sections of the Local Government Act 1972, with particular reference to the remit of Charter Trustees.

8.2       The Charter Trustee Regulations 2009 set out the provisions under which the Charter Trustees may operate. 

9.0       EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

9.1       There are no equalities implications.

10.0     CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

10.1     There are no climate change implications.

11.0     REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

11.1     To ensure that the Standing Orders and Handbook of the Charter Trustees are in place to help guide their operation.

12.0	RECOMMENDATIONS
	i) That the Standing Orders at Appendix 1 to the report be approved. ii) That the Handbook at Appendix 2 to the report be approved.

            APPENDICES:

Appendix 1 – Standing Orders

            Appendix 2 – Handbook

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

None

Barry Khan

Clerk to the Charter Trustees

County Hall

Northallerton

5 April 2023

Report Author – Elizabeth Jackson, Democratic Services Manager