Some two years since Scarborough Borough Council was abolished the creation of Scarborough Town Council (STC) is imminent, the launch due to be highlighted in an online event as residents are also being urged to ensure they are registered to vote for elections that will be held in the spring.
Scarborough, along with Harrogate, are the only parts of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council.
Elections will be held on 1 May to vote for members of the new town council to ensure that local communities have a say on how services are delivered as effectively as possible. Prospective candidates for the town council elections are being asked to attend an online meeting next month (March) that will outline the role of the newly elected members.
When North Yorkshire Council was launched in April 2023, one of the central pledges was to ensure that town and parish councils would be allowed to take on greater responsibilities to allow local communities to have a greater say.
Town councils can be responsible for providing and maintaining local amenities such as open spaces, allotments, public clocks, village halls, footpaths and litter bins.
They also provide community buildings and a wide range of facilities from cemeteries and allotments to grants to community groups, while responding to planning applications and accessing grant funding for projects.
Town councils can influence local laws and policies that address community needs, such as zoning regulations, public safety measures, and environmental policies and also raise a precept which is a form of council tax and oversee the allocation of funds for various services, ensuring taxpayers’ money is spent effectively.
Elections will be held to elect councillors to the new town councils on 1 May for a term of two years. Elections will be held again in 2027 for a four-year term to align with elections for us and all other parish councils.
The new parish boundaries will be in effect from 1 April. The cost of establishing the town councils will initially be borne by us, and then charged back to the new authorities.
The online event for anyone wishing to find out more about the town council elections will be held at 5pm on Wednesday, March 5. Anyone interested in attending the meeting should email returningofficer@northyorks.gov.uk to register.