The Charter Trustees for Harrogate

Inaugural and Annual Meeting

17 April 2023

Charter Trustees – Annual Budget 2023-24

Report of the Clerk to the Charter Trustees

1.0       PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1       To present the Charter Trustees’ draft Annual Budget 2023-24 for approval

2.0       SUMMARY

2.1       The Charter Trustees are asked to consider and approve their Annual Budget 2023-24 at Appendix 1.

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.  However, an annual budget is required to support the work of the Charter Mayor and the other Charter Trustees as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

4.0       PROPOSALS

4.1       In preparation for their first year of operation, the Charter Trustees are required to draw up a draft budget to enable them to execute their functions and responsibilities and to fulfil as far as possible their Mission Statement.  The appended budget summary covers the different anticipated areas of expenditure, the main area being officer support including to arrange their meetings and manage the civic diary, and to maintain the civic collection and related responsibilities.

4.2       Since the Charter Trustees could not raise a precept for their first year of operation, the proposed draft budget totalling £12,100 has been taken into account by the host authority, North Yorkshire Council, in their Council Tax billing for 2023-24, by adding a special expense to be levied on all households in the Charter Trustee area.  The special expense equates to £0.44 on a Band D property.

5.0       CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN AND RESPONSES

5.1       The draft budget has been developed in consultation with the Charter Trustees, the Clerk to the Charter Trustees, and finance officers.

6.0       ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

6.1       N/A

7.0       FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

7.1       As set out above.

8.0       LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

8.1       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 an annual budget is in place to support the operation of the Charter Trustees for Harrogate.

12.0	RECOMMENDATION
12.1	That the draft Annual Budget 2023-24 at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 – Annual Budget 2023-24

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

None

Barry Khan

Clerk to the Charter Trustees

County Hall

Northallerton

5 April 2023

Report Author – Elizabeth Jackson, Democratic Services Manager