Harrogate Town Council has confirmed an increase in its council tax precept as part of its 2026/27 budget - the first to be fully set by the town council since it was established.
The council, which formally came into being in April 2025 with its first elections held in May, operated on a minimal interim budget for 2025/26 that was set by North Yorkshire Council.
That initial budget was intended to give the new authority time to establish governance arrangements and agree its priorities.
Over the past nine months, councillors have completed a strategic planning process, adopting a Vision and Values statement alongside an Action Plan setting out objectives for the next 18 months and beyond.
The newly approved 2026/27 budget is designed to provide funding to begin delivering those plans.
The agreed precept for 2026/27 is £740,639. This equates to an annual charge of £26 for a Band D household.
While this represents an increase of just over 100% compared with last year’s interim precept, the council says the charge remains well below the national average town council Band D precept of £92.22 for 2025/26 and is the lowest among precepting town councils in North Yorkshire.
Mayor of Harrogate, Chris Aldred, said:
“This is a landmark moment for Harrogate Town Council. Our first year was about laying solid foundations; this budget enables us to begin delivering visible benefits for residents while remaining financially responsible and focused on the town’s long-term future.”
According to the council, the budget will support spending on community events, allotment improvements, grants to voluntary and community organisations, youth provision, civic responsibilities, partnership working and progress towards securing permanent council offices.
Councillor Paula Stott, Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee, said:
“Our very first operational budget is both thoughtful and prudent and will deliver positive outcomes for Harrogate citizens.
"It's important to understand that although the precept is just over a 100% increase on last year's very low, interim budget, its cost to Band D ratepayers is significantly below the national average.
"Also, after our increase, Harrogate will still have the lowest precept rate per household of any Town Council in North Yorkshire.”
As part of the budget-setting process, councillors also agreed to use a planned transfer from general reserves.
This will draw on a forecast underspend from 2025/26 to help fund priorities in 2026/27, reducing the amount required to be raised from council tax.
The Mayor added:
“Even with our first full budget now in place, Harrogate residents continue to pay less than households in comparable towns. This budget provides excellent value for money, with investment focused on local priorities and services that matter to our community.”
The new budget and precept will take effect from 1 April 2026.
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