Jo Webb Green Party candidate in the Oatlands Ward for the Harrogate Town Council elections on 1 May 2025.
Some questions to Jo.
What’s your connection to Harrogate ?
I’ve lived in the Oatlands ward of Harrogate since 2010. We chose Harrogate because it’s such a great town and it’s so easy to get out into the countryside.
The role of the Harrogate Town Council isn’t fully defined, what would would you like to see a town council do ?
When I asked local people about their priorities they said: Parks and Open Spaces, Homelessness, Anti-Social Behaviour, Markets, Toilets and concerns about roads including speeding and potholes. In responding to those I would work to have the Town Council:
- Take on the management of parks and open spaces to preserve and build on what we have already and give greater access to open spaces particularly for older people and people with a disability for example through the provision of more benches/sitting areas.
- Research and implement best practice on reducing street homelessness. I have already visited the Harrogate Homeless Project to learn more about their work.
- Work more closely with Police and PCSOs to increase civil enforcement powers and also look at how we can increase the positive activities available to young people – for example through youth clubs.
- Explore and pilot options for weekly markets – linked where possible to local farms and food producers
- Work with cafes and public buildings to improve access to public toilets
- Advocate for Harrogate with North Yorkshire Highways to reduce potholes and provide better alternatives to travelling by car where possible.
What do you see as the main challenges for the town council ?
Ensuring any development is sustainable and in line with what the community want – this can be best influenced by a strong local plan based on consultation with the local community as North Yorkshire as the planning authority will have to take it into account in planning decisions. Many people have already volunteered their time through the Harrogate Town Planning Forum and it’s great the new Town Council will have that to build on.
Bringing together the people, businesses and public services of the Town to improve the quality of life for everyone.
What do you see as the main gains for the people of Harrogate ?
Having a local, accountable body to deliver services that meet our needs and aspirations,
Giving the community a voice and representation – particularly with North Yorkshire County Council which can feel very remote to us here, and
Improve the quality of life and increase overall community well-being.
What else do you believe people should know about your or what you believe ?
Through my main career I worked extensively in and with local councils including working for the national Improvement And Development Agency and Local Government Association so I have a good knowledge of sound decision making which I would want to bring to the new Harrogate Town Council.
I have spent a lot of my free-time over the last 8 years volunteering as a Trustee and Chair of a major regional nature charity. My term as a Trustee has come to an end and I would like now to dedicate that time to making Harrogate an even better place to live and work. As you can see in my other answers helping nature to recovery is not my only priority but it is something that the Town Council, through its work with others, could make a helpful contribution to.
Should a town councillor be voted for based on party or personality ?
A blend of both perhaps? You can make judgements about individual candidates – are they working hard to communicate with their ward, are they listening and even actively seeking the views of voters and building those into their proposals for the Town Council, what is their track record more generally? Parties have track records too, and make statements by which you can judge them – and I believe the Green Party’s track record is strong and getting stronger, and it has proved it can win even at the level of getting MPs elected in very diverse wards, plus we have won at our County Council level – and it is even more true at a local level.
