North Yorkshire Council
HARROGATE AND KNARESBOROUGH AREA COMMITTEE
2025–26 WORK PROGRAMME
Contents
1. Progress on Issues Raised and Actions from Previous Meetings. Summary of action points raised at previous committee meetings, mid-cycle briefings, and through other submissions from members.
2. Items for Forthcoming Committee Meetings. A summary of the proposed agenda items for the next two meetings of the Area Committee.
3. Future Items of Work. List of proposed areas of future work, along with when and how it is proposed to consider them.
4. Working Group Activity. A summary of the meetings held by Working Groups during the current Civic Year.
5. Record of Informal and Virtual Area Committee Sessions. A list of the informal sessions and briefings which members have attended during the current Civic Year.
6. Forward Plan (Harrogate and Knaresborough). An edited summary of forthcoming Decisions being taken by Council, the Executive, or Officers under delegated powers, which affect the Harrogate and Knaresborough areas.
Document Author
Edward Maxwell, Senior Democratic Services Officer
Edward.maxwell@northyorks.gov.uk
1. Progress on Issues Raised and Actions from Previous Meetings
|
Subject and Minute No. |
Raised |
Notes |
Status |
|
Section 19 Investigation Report on the 6 May 2024 Flood Event in Knaresborough |
Resolved at 25 September 2025 meeting (Minute 20) |
· Feedback passed to Corporate Director of Environment for Decision. · Written report · TEE&E Overview and Scrutiny reviewing topic registration. |
Written update from officers scheduled for Thursday 26 March meeting. |
|
Traffic Management and Roadworks |
Raised at Thursday 28 October 2025 Mid Cycle Briefing |
To consider the processes in place for managing and administering traffic management in Harrogate and Knaresborough and seek feedback from AC. |
Work review submitted 18 November 2025; awaiting response from directorate. |
|
Winter Weather Response |
Raised at Thursday 28 October 2025 Mid Cycle Briefing |
To address concerns about gritting performance in the area, and specific plans relating to the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area which was badly affected in January 2025. |
Work review submitted 18 November 2025; awaiting response from directorate. |
|
Active Travel Commissioner |
Raised at Thursday 27 November meeting (Minute 28) |
To provide feedback to the Active Travel Commissioner (ATC). |
Attendance agreed at MCA O&S Committee. Project ongoing to gather member and community feedback to prepare a written report to the ATC’s office. |
|
Request to Fast Track Appointment of Active Travel Team |
Resolved at 27 November 2025 meeting (Minute 28) |
· Letter written to Councillor Malcolm Taylor (Executive Member for Highways and Transportation) and Karl Battersby (Corporate Director Environment), requesting that the delivery of the Active Travel programme in Harrogate and Knaresborough be fast tracked.
· Requested that a report be taken to the Transport, Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee. |
Written response received 18 December 2025 and circulated to committee. |
|
Active Travel Team |
Raised at Thursday 27 November meeting (Minute 28) |
To receive an update from the Active Travel Team once it is formed, on its plans and priorities for the area. |
Report agreed once team established. |
|
Street Scene in Harrogate and Knaresborough |
Requested by Chair and Vice Chair |
To explore how effectively are Street Scene services planning and delivering work in Harrogate and Knaresborough ahead of the forthcoming tourist season, and what improvements or prioritisation are needed to ensure the area is clean, welcoming and well maintained. |
Provisionally scheduled for June 2026 meeting. |
2. Items for Forthcoming Committee Meetings
(*Denotes an annual update)
Thursday 26 March 2026, 10:00, Harrogate Civic Centre.
Mid Cycle Briefing: Thursday 26 February 2026
|
Item |
Contact Officer |
Notes |
|
Harrogate and Knaresborough Youth Councils* (TBC) |
North Yorkshire Voice |
Update on activities, with the opportunity to put down a motion for debate by members. |
|
Active Travel Update |
Jasmin Gibson |
Update on the delivery of active travel schemes in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. |
|
Annual School Update Report* |
Jon Holden |
Annual update on educational landscape, achievement and financial challenges. |
|
S19 Flood Report Response (Written Report) |
Meirion Jones (Lead Local Flood Authority Team Leader) |
Written update on progress. |
|
Harrogate and Knaresborough Youth Councils* (Written Report) |
North Yorkshire Voice |
Update on activities, with the opportunity to put down a motion for debate by members. Written update only, with the agreement of the Youth Councils, due to difficulty of attending during school hours. Update from Knaresborough Youth Council also being sought. |
|
Harrogate Town Investment Plan Update (Written Report) |
Marcin Szczech (Principal Regeneration Officer) |
Interim written update, following postponement of this item to the June 2026 meeting. |
|
Waste Performance Update* (Written Report) |
Harry Briggs (Head of Waste Operations and Street Scene) |
Written report to include written narrative, summary of current position, and key datapoints. (Regular update until mid-2026, to support performance monitoring by the AC). |
2026 – 27 Work Programme (Draft)
Thursday 4 June 2026, 10:00, Harrogate Civic Centre.
Mid Cycle Briefing: Thursday 30 April 2026
|
Item |
Contact Officer |
Notes |
|
Election of a Chair and Vice Chair |
Edward Maxwell (Senior Democratic Services Officer) |
To elect a Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2026-27 Civic Year. |
|
Update from Tom Gordon MP |
Tom Gordon MP |
Update from the MP on activities and projects that affect the area. |
|
Harrogate Town Investment Plan |
Marcin Szczech (Principal Regeneration Officer) |
Update on development and implementation of the Harrogate Town Investment Plan. Postponed from March 2026. |
|
Community Safety and CCTV Update |
Paul Romans (Community Safety CCTV Manager) |
Update on community safety in the area. Joint update with representatives from North Yorkshire Police. |
|
Area Committee Annual Report |
Edward Maxwell (Senior Democratic Services Officer) |
To hear the annual report summarising the work of the Area Committee in the 2025-26 Civic Year. |
|
Resilience and Emergencies Briefing* (TBC) |
Matt Robinson |
To receive an update on measures taken to prepare for, and respond to, emergencies in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. |
|
Parking Services Update (TBC) |
Steve Brown (Head of Parking Services) |
To hear an update on parking services and enforcement issues within the area. |
|
Waste Performance Update* (Written Report - TBC) |
Harry Briggs (Head of Waste Operations and Street Scene) |
Written report to include written narrative, summary of current position, and key datapoints. |
Thursday 24 September 2026, 10:00, Harrogate Civic Centre.
Mid Cycle Briefing: Thursday 30 July 2026
|
Mayor’s Update |
Mayor David Skaith |
Annual update on the work of the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire. |
|
Localities Service Update* (TBC) |
Adele Wilson-Hope (Communities Area Manager (East)) |
Annual update on the work of the localities service. |
Thursday 26 November 2026, 10:00, Harrogate Civic Centre.
Mid Cycle Briefing: Thursday 22 October 2026
3. Future Items of Work
(*Denotes an annual update)
|
Item |
Contact Officer |
Notes |
Proposed Activity |
Proposed Date |
|
Maintenance of Tree Lighting in the Stray Area |
Neil Jackson (Electrical Engineering Manager) |
For members to be kept informed of the ongoing review of lightning failures for memorial and seasonal lighting on Otley Road. |
Written updates to members. |
Throughout 2026 as review progresses. |
|
Active Travel and Cycle Schemes |
Melisa Burnham (Highways Area Manager) |
To review the provision of active travel schemes in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. |
Area Committee agenda item or member briefing |
Planned for March 2026 meeting. |
|
Resilience and Emergencies Briefing* |
Matt Robinson |
To receive an update on measures taken to prepare for, and respond to, emergencies in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. |
Area Committee agenda item (last update March 2025) |
June 2026* |
|
Update from Tom Gordon MP |
Tom Gordon MP |
Update from the MP on activities and projects that affect the area. |
Area Committee
agenda |
June 2026* |
|
Localities Service Update* |
Adele Wilson-Hope (Communities Area Manager (East) |
Annual update on the work of the localities service. |
Area Committee agenda
item |
September 2026* |
|
Update from Mayor David Skaith, YNYCA |
Mayor David Skaith |
Update from the Mayor on activities and projects that affect the area. |
Area Committee
agenda |
September 2026* |
|
Parks and Open Spaces Update |
Jon Clubb (Head of Parks and Grounds) |
Update on activities and plans in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. |
Area Committee agenda item |
Late 2026 |
|
Development of the Harrogate Care and Support Hub |
At Mid Cycle Briefing on 23 January 2025. |
Member briefings currently being arranged throughout the course of the project – dates to follow. (report to Executive, 7 January 2025) |
Member briefings |
Late 2026 |
|
Harrogate and Knaresborough Youth Councils* |
Daniel Thomas (Youth Voice Creative Engagement Officer) |
Update on activities, with the opportunity to put down a motion for debate by members. |
Area Committee agenda
item or written update, depending on Member availability. |
March 2027* |
|
Annual School Update Report* |
Jon Holden |
Educational landscape, achievement and financial challenges, |
Area Committee agenda
item |
March 2027* |
|
Public Transport Functions |
TBC |
Discussion on co-operation between NYC and YNYCA on delivering local transport functions in Harrogate and Knaresborough. |
Ongoing monitoring |
Local Transport Plan due for consideration by CA in 2026. |
|
Planning Enforcement |
Chris Keddle (Senior Planning Enforcement Officer) |
Monitor and comment on Planning Enforcement matters of significance to the Harrogate and Knaresborough area. |
Ongoing monitoring |
|
|
Update on Beyond Carbon |
|
A briefing on how this impacts the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency area. |
Member briefing |
Planned for April 2026 – dates TBC. |
4. Working Group Activity
|
Harrogate Station Gateway Working Group |
|
|
Membership
a) Cllr Chris Aldred (Working Group Chair) b) Cllr Hannah Gostlow c) Cllr Sam Gibbs d) Cllr Paul Haslam e) Cllr Robert Windass
|
Working Group Meetings (future meetings in italics)
Meetings to be arranged approximately quarterly, depending on progress of the scheme.
· 17 September 2025 – update meeting. |
|
Housing Liaison Working Group |
|
|
Membership
a) Cllr Matt Walker (Working Group Chair) b) Cllr Sam Gibbs c) Cllr Chris Aldred d) Cllr Peter Lacey e) Vacant
|
Working Group Meetings (future meetings in italics)
· 6 May 2025 – scene setting and update meeting. · 25 November 2025 – update meeting.
|
|
Climate Change Working Group |
|
|
Membership
a) Cllr Paul Haslam (Working Group Chair) b) Cllr Hannah Gostlow c) Cllr Andrew Timothy d) Cllr Phillip Broadbank e) Vacant
|
Working Group Meetings (future meetings in italics)
· 15 July 2025 – Yorkshire Storm Alliance update. · 3 November 2025 – Yorkshire Water Investment in Harrogate and Knaresborough · 28 January 2026 – Grow Yorkshire Briefing · 25 February 2026 – Yorkshire Water Briefing
|
5. Record of Informal and Virtual Area Committee Sessions (future sessions in italics)
a) 23 April 2025 – Economic Development Briefing
b) 7 May 2025 – Mid Cycle Briefing (for 5 June 2025 meeting)
c) 5 June 2025 – Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation Feedback Session
d) 28 August 2025 – Mid Cycle Briefing (for 25 September 2025 meeting)
e) 8 September 2025 – Harrogate and Knaresborough Cycle Network Development – joint session with Harrogate Town Council and Knaresborough Town Council.
f) 22 October 2025 – Active Travel Updates
g) 23 October 2025 – Mid Cycle Briefing (for 27 November meeting)
h) 3 November 2025 – Yorkshire Water Investment in Harrogate and Knaresborough
i) 25 November 2025 – Housing Liaison Working Group (update session).
j) 16 January 2026 – Budget Session
k) 28 January 2026 – Grow Yorkshire Briefing
l) 25 February – Yorkshire Water Briefing
6. Forward Plan (Harrogate and Knaresborough)
The forward plan is published weekly and is a list of the Council’s key decisions that will be made over the next one to four months. These decisions will be made by either the Executive or by officers who have been delegated authority by the Executive. Below is a short summary of decisions which affect the Harrogate and Knaresborough areas. The list is not exhaustive; to see the complete Forward Plan please see the Council’s Forward Plan page.
|
Item |
Notice of proposed decision first published |
Decision due |
Lead member (s) |
Lead director |
|
2 Jan 2026 |
15 May 2026 By Corporate Director of Resources |
· Executive Member for Health & Adult Services · Executive Member for Managing our Environment · Deputy Leader & Executive Member for Finance & Resources |
Corporate Director of Resources |
|
|
Knaresborough Neighbourhood Development Plan: Report of Independent Examination |
16 Feb 2026 |
8 Apr 2026 Executive Member for Open to Business |
Executive Member for Open to Business |
Corporate Director of Community Development |