Harrogate Borough Council are delighted to sponsor this award, for a second year, demonstrating its support for the local business community and the Ackrill Business Awards.

As a council, supporting the local economy is a key priority because we recognise that a robust and varied economy benefits local people and creates employment opportunities in the District. Sponsoring this award allows us to demonstrate our commitment to this priority and formally recognize the important role that businesses have to play within our district.

Looking beyond the local economy, the Council also has a far wider remit within the district as demonstrated by our strategic vision, “To make the Harrogate District a better place to live, work and visit”. Our sponsorship of the Mayor’s Special Award acknowledges and rewards those businesses that have given something back to the local community, and played a part in helping us achieve our vision.

The Mayor’s Special Award will be presented to the business that has done most for the local community over the previous 12 months. This could include businesses that have: -

• Made positive steps to improve the environment, for example by: demonstrating a good record on recycling, saving energy, reducing waste or by adopting and managing public open space,

• Put something back into the local community, such as providing funding, making staff/ facilities/resources available to voluntary or community groups or by supporting and encouraging volunteers amongst their own workforce,

• Taken action to positively engage with young people, (e.g. through partnerships/joint working with schools.

These are just a few examples, not an exhaustive list of the type of initiatives that we are hoping people will tell us about in their applications for this special award.

The current Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor Cliff Trotter, has pledged his full support to this award and is keen to give due recognition to those businesses who have gone that extra mile, to benefit the local community.