1.0	INTRODUCTION

1.1	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.

	The charter trustees are those Councillors which represent North Yorkshire Council divisions set out below and as shown on the map: Bilton and Nidd Gorge Bilton Grange and New Park Coppice Valley and Duchy (PART) Fairfax and Starbeck Harlow and St Georges High Harrogate and Kingsley Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate (PART) Oatlands and Pannal (PART) The Stray and Hookstone Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate

	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 Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

	The Charter Trustees Regulations 2009 provides 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.

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

	There are two distinct aspects to the office of Mayor; one is to be the Chairman of the Charter Trustees and the other is a ceremonial role within the town.

2.0	MISSION STATEMENT

2.1	Following local government reorganisation in North Yorkshire and the dissolution of Harrogate Borough Council, the Charter Trustees for Harrogate were established in April 2023 to ensure the continuation of the civic and ceremonial traditions of the town through the appointment of a Charter Mayor and Deputy Charter Mayor and to be responsible for maintaining the civic regalia pertaining to the town.

2.2	In performing these duties, the Charter Trustees are mindful of their caretaker role to preserve the civic traditions and regalia of the town pending the outcome of a Community Governance Review which may see the establishment of a local council in Harrogate and dissolution of the Charter Trustees.

3.0	FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHARTER TRUSTEES

3.1	The functions and principal responsibilities of the Charter Trustees of Harrogate are to:-
	Elect a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor and maintain and uphold civic protocol and ceremony within Harrogate. Convene and hold at least two meetings a year (annual and budget setting) and produce reports and minutes of such meetings. Ensure the upkeep, repair and cleanliness, and security of all property including the civic regalia, plate and other valuables owned by the Charter Trustees. Maintain a detailed and current inventory of all the Charter Trustees' property ensuring that such items are correctly insured. Prepare annual revenue estimates, maintain accounts including VAT, and prepare the final accounts at the end of each financial year. Promote and protect the views and interests of the Charter Trustees in the context of press and public relations with regard to local, national and international organisations and/ or their representatives and other third parties or individuals as appropriate. Enhance the interests of the town of Harrogate by acting upon views and information received from individual citizens and public or private sector interests of the town and bring to the attention of the Charter Trustees relevant matters for consideration as appropriate. Possible role of CTs to provide ‘in kind’ support to work of Harrogate International Partnerships Make appropriate arrangements for other civic functions and occasions. Maintain close links with the Chair of the North Yorkshire Council to ensure that the respective civic roles of both the Mayor and Chair are undertaken in accordance with the appropriate protocols to ensure that no unnecessary overlapping or gaps occur in response to invitations to attend events in Harrogate. Maintain close links with any Freemen, Lord Lieutenant, High Sheriff and the Member of Parliament. Ensure close links with the Association of Charter Trustee Towns and Charter Town Councils. Assess and obtain insurance cover for the Charter Trustees (to include Public Liability, Employers Liability, Fidelity Guarantee, All Risks (including Terrorism). Conduct all necessary and appropriate correspondence with outside bodies and organisations consequent upon decisions taken by the Charter Trustees. Employ such officers as are necessary or purchase the necessary officer time from the North Yorkshire Council to support the Mayor and the Charter Trustees. Form effective liaison between the Charter Trustees and North Yorkshire Council.

4.0	ROLE OF THE MAYOR

4.1	Nomination, Appointment and Term of Office The Charter Trustees will elect one of their number to be Mayor and another to be Deputy Mayor every year. The elections will take place at the Annual Meeting. Volunteers for Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be sought and informally agreed in advance of the Annual Meeting using the process set out at 2.2 below. This informal selection should take place in good time to enable the people selected to make adequate preparations. The Term of Office shall run from one Annual Meeting until the next (1) The Mayor and Deputy Mayor shall be elected annually by the charter trustees from amongst their number – CT Regs 2009 7(1) (2) The election of the Mayor shall be the first business transacted at the Annual Meeting of the Council - CT Regs 2009 7(3) (3) A person ceases to be a Mayor or Deputy Mayor upon ceasing to be a charter trustee or if not re-elected to office – CT Regs 2009 7(4) (4) On a casual vacancy occurring in the office of Mayor or Deputy Mayor, the charter trustees shall as soon as practicable, meet for the purposes of electing one of their number to such office - CT Regs 2009 7(5) The Charter Mayor must be available for those Annual Meetings which sees their election to and retirement from office. On election at the Annual Meeting the new Mayor will be invested with the chain of office and will sign the declaration of acceptance of office. The newly appointed Mayor will then chair the meeting as the charter trustees appoint a Deputy Mayor.

4.2	Procedure for selecting the Charter Mayor and Deputy Charter Mayor The purpose of the procedure is to ensure that agreement can be reached in advance of the Annual Meeting to ensure that the Annual Meeting can proceed in an orderly manner and to enable the Members selected to make preparations in advance of the appointment. 1. The Clerk to the Charter Trustees to write to charter trustees in November requesting Members advise if they would like to be considered for the roles of Charter Mayor and Deputy Charter Mayor. 2. Following the deadline, if there is more than one candidate the Clerk informs each candidate of the other names submitted and any candidate who wishes to withdraw may do so at that stage. 3. If there is more than one candidate remaining, a ballot will be held. The ballot can be repeated as often as necessary until there is a clear majority for one candidate. 4. The results will be reported to the next ordinary meeting of the charter trustees, or by email if there is no meeting. The formal appointments will take place at the Annual Meeting. 5. In an election year the selection procedure may need to be run again if the Member selected is not successful at the polls. If this happens the Clerk will write to the charter trustees immediately after the election to commence a second selection procedure.

4.3	Roles and Responsibilities The Mayor and, in the absence of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor will have the following roles and functions: A ceremonial role:- · Maintain the tradition of the office of Mayor · Promote Harrogate as a place to live and visit · Promote the image and importance of Harrogate at a local, regional, national and international level, complementing the work of North Yorkshire Council · Attend civic and ceremonial functions and local community based activities as the Mayor deems appropriate · Represent the charter trustees at ceremonial events · Receive and welcome members of the royal family, dignitaries and visitors, observing civic protocol · Attend functions as a representative of the charter trustees. · Promote, raise the profile and gain publicity for projects and events that are of a good charitable or voluntary nature that benefit the citizens of the town, particularly smaller organisations. · Encourage citizenship and participation in the life of the town. A role as chair of the Charter Trustees:- The Mayor will be elected by the charter trustees annually and will have the following responsibilities: · to preside over meetings of the charter trustees so that its business can be carried out efficiently following the procedures set out; · to be the conscience of the charter trustees; · to authorise extraordinary meetings of the charter trustees · to exercise a casting vote in the event of an equal vote on any issue In carrying out these roles the Mayor and Deputy Mayor should consider the public nature of the office. Their behaviour and manner will need to be appropriate at all times and not bring the Council into disrepute. The principal role of the Deputy Mayor is to deputise for the Mayor when he/she is unable to chair a charter trustee meeting or attend a designated mayoral engagement. The position of Mayor is non-political.

4.4	Engagements and Civic Responsibilities Invitations for engagements will be managed by the Leadership Support office, all invitations should be sent to chartertrustees.harrogate@northyorks.gov.uk Officers will liaise with the Charter Mayor on how s/he wishes to respond Whilst the Charter Mayor will fulfil a similar role to that of the former Borough Mayor, it is not expected that they will attend as wide a range of functions. In order to reduce the costs of the charter trustee mayoralty it has been agreed that the main focus of the Mayor will be to attend events of a civic and ceremonial nature, as detailed below: · Receiving royal visitors · Receiving other dignitaries visiting the town · Where civic representation is required · Attendance at Freedom Parades in Harrogate town · Occasions where the Mayor of Harrogate is required to take a military salute or lay a wreath · Remembrance Sunday · Events where the chairman of the unitary council considers the invitation should be directed to the Mayor of Harrogate The Charter Mayor will arrange their own transport to those events listed above, though a mileage allowance/public transport costs may be claimed. Where the Mayor does agree to accept an invitation that does not fall under one of the categories above, then they would arrange their own transport and there would be no public expense such as the claiming of a mileage allowance. Where invitations are received to visit charitable or voluntary organisations within the town the organisation will be contacted to ask if they would be willing to extend the invitation to the relevant division councillor or the Chair of the ACC. There will be no formal Mayoress or Consort role. An inviting organisation may invite the Mayor to bring a guest, but there will be no civic regalia for a guest to wear.

4.5	Addressing the Charter Mayor
	Formal introduction – His/Her Worshipful the Charter Mayor of Harrogate Reference – Charter Mayor of Harrogate Addressing in person – Mr Mayor or Madam Mayor

5.0	HISTORY OF THE CIVIC INSIGNIA
	One of the most important dates in Harrogate's history is the year 1884. It was in that year that the town received its Charter of Incorporation which was granted by Queen Victoria. The granting of this Charter meant that the people of the town could elect a Borough Council and also a Mayor. Harrogate Borough Council was subject to a few reorganisations over the years, until it was dissolved in 2023 on the creation of North Yorkshire Council. The granting of Charter Trustee status from 2023 enables the mayoral and civic functions of the Charter of Incorporation to continue. A Mayor will continue to be elected each year at the Annual Meeting of the Charter Trustees. As Mayor of Harrogate Borough Council the Mayor would represent the Council and the people. The Mayor had many social duties, and was invited to attend lunches, dinners, banquets, dances and many other events arranged by local organisations. In Harrogate the Mayor had many engagements connected with the Conferences, Trade Fairs and Exhibitions when he/she had the opportunity to welcome the many delegates and visitors from all parts of the world. On ceremonial occasions such as Council Meetings and visits by the Council to Church Services the Mayor would wear the Mayor's robe, hat and Chain of Office. On the wooden panels at the back of the Council Chamber all the names of the former Mayors of Harrogate were carved. These wooden panels were moved to the Civic Centre and can now be found in the Stray Room.

	The Mace
	Perhaps the most important insignia of the Office of Mayor is the Mace. It is the symbol of the authority granted to the Mayor by the Sovereign. Harrogate's mace is the original one presented by the Ladies of the Town in 1884 to commemorate the Charter of Incorporation. When it is carried or placed before the Mayor (either in procession or in Council meetings) it means that the Mayor is carrying out his/her duties as the Queen's representative and is so authorised to do so. It is carried by the Macebearer in front of the Mayor on all ceremonial occasions. The mace was originally a weapon of war and is the oldest and most universal weapon man has produced. With the introduction of armour among fighting men, the wooden club or bludgeon was bound with iron. Eventually it was entirely made of iron and steel and by the 11t h and 12th centuries it had developed into a most formidable weapon. The mace was about 2 feet long (60 ems) and at the hitting end was a ball fitted with spikes, capable of penetrating or cracking helmets and armour. At the other end was a handgrip with a knob at the end to prevent it from slipping out of the users' hand. It was adopted as the special weapon of the Sergeant-at Arms appointed first by Philip II of France (1180-1223) to guard him on his return to France from the Crusades. Later Richard the Lion Heart instituted a similar bodyguard. It eventually became the custom for the King's Sergeant-at-Arms to have the Royal Arms engraved on the knob at the handle end. Throughout the years, the Sergeant-at-Arms and later similar officers attending Sheriffs, Bailiffs and Mayors also carried Maces. Gradually they became less of a bodyguard and more of a personal messenger to convey Royal Orders to Local Authorities. So the Mace with the Royal Arms inscribed on became the visible passport of Royal Authority. Gradually, the hitting end of the Mace lost its importance and the handle increased in size. The knob was decorated with the Coat of Arms in silver or enamel and then a coronet was added. Later maces were: either covered with or made out of precious metal and it was no longer a weapon of war, but a symbol of authority. The spikes disappeared from the hitting end; the coronet expanded into a crown and by the time of the Tudor period (1603) the Ceremonial mace had been created. Nowadays the hitting end has become the handle and the handle has grown to become the head. So today, the ceremonial mace is in fact carried upside down. The Mace always preceded the Mayor when entering or leaving the Council Chamber and was always be placed in front of the Mayor when Council was in session. The Mace is always reversed in the presence of the Sovereign. This is because it is a symbol of the Mayor's position as a representative of the Sovereign and such a symbol becomes redundant in the actual presence of the Monarch. During the proclamation of King Charles III in Harrogate on 11 September the mace was inverted as a similar signal of recognition that the crown had passed from the late sovereign to her successor. Harrogate's mace conforms exactly to the pattern for all town and Municipal Maces and is made of alloy with gilding to give it the appearance of gold. On it are displayed two enamel reproductions - of both the Coat Of Arms of the old Harrogate Borough, together with that of the new Borough which was created in 1974 after Local Government re-organisation.

	Coat of Arms
	The first Coat of Arms being the original one is divided into four quarters : - Two illustrate the many springs that run through the District and the other two contain the golden bugle horn which is taken from the arms of the Slingsby family. William Slingsby discovered the Tewit Well here in Harrogate in 1571. At the top are two serpents entwined around a tree. A serpent around a staff was the symbol of Aesculapius, the Greek God of Medicine or Healing which alludes to the healing powers of the Harrogate Spa Water. It has the motto 'Arx Celebris Fontibus' which means 'A city famous for its springs'.

	The second Coat of Arms was granted by the College of Arms, London on the re organisation of Local Government in 1974 and was in use until March 2023. This Coat of Arms represents the various parts of the Harrogate District. The four quarters contain the White Rose of Yorkshire, the Horn of Ripon, the Mineral Springs of Harrogate and the ancient castle of Knaresborough. The wavy lines depict the many rivers that run through the District and the Royal Lion indicates Old Knaresborough Forest. At the top we have the ears of wheat and the Ribston Pippin Apple tree which indicate the large rural areas within the district. Below this we have the closed visor of the helmet which indicates the rank of a Borough Council. Harrogate District's motto is 'To be of Service'.

	Chains of Office – The Mayor’s Chain
	The Mayor's chain, which is made of pure gold, was presented to the Town in 1884 by the first Mayor of Harrogate - Councillor Nicholas Carter. The Chain is made up of links containing the symbolic letter 's' which first appeared on the gold collar of King Henry IV who was the first Duke of Lancaster. The roundels or medallions are enamelled and show the roses of York and Lancaster and the letter 'H' with the two entwined serpents around a staff which was the symbol of Aesculapius, the Greek God of Medicine or Healing and which is taken from the first Coat of Arms. In the centre of the collar is a cinquefoil bearing the mystic pentacle with the letters SALUS on its points. This is a symbol implying health, recovery, help and remedy which again alludes to Harrogate's establishment as a Spa Town. The badges at the bottom of the chain are enamel "reproductions of the two Coats of Arms before and after 1974. The more prominent points are decorated with emeralds, diamonds and pearls.

	The Mayoress’s Chain
	The Mayor has a consort, female consorts are known as the Mayoress, who accompanies the Mayor on many Mayoral events. The Chain worn by the Mayoress was presented to the town in 1902 by the Mayor of that year Alderman David Simpson. · This chain is also made of gold with links in the form of a letter 'H' representing Harrogate. In the centre link is an enamelled miniature of Queen Alexandra, who was the Queen when the Chain was presented. The Badge again shows the current Coat of Arms reproduced in enamel. Where a consort is male they can chose to wear a different badge from the civic collection.

	Robes
	For several centuries the robes and uniforms have been a means by which holders of certain positions can be identified. The Mayor's and Councillors' robes are the outward sign of the Civic Office to which they have been elected by the local governing body under the authority granted by the Crown. In common with academic robes and those of the judiciary, the style of the civic robes dates from the late 15th early 16th centuries when they were the fashion of the day. As fashions changed, these styles became symbols of civic office. The hats have their origins in the 18^th century.