POCKETS of the Harrogate district, long regarded as an affluent area, are suffering deprivation.

Harrogate Borough Council, which covers a district with a population of 153,000 spread over Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge and Masham, has highlighted the issue in its first strategic plan.

One of the council's challenges says because of some deprivation there is a tendency for socially excluded groups to be marginalised.

Naming the issue as one of its urgent challenges, the council says it must develop services for the benefit of everyone in the district.

The report shows almost 76 per cent of householders are owner-occupiers and car ownership is also higher than the national average.

Yet 17 of the district's wards (53 per cent) are among those with the poorest access to services.

The document states: "The lack of public transport is a barrier, preventing people from participating in social and cultural activities."

None of the wards are among the most deprived 30 per cent nationally, although the number of residents claiming disability allowance is twice the national average, at two per cent.

Performance in education exceeds the national average, a situation which has existed for many years.

Council leader Mike Gardner says the strategic plan will help the council direct its resources towards delivering its priorities over the next three years.