Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper has been accused of using a misleading statistic to support a £47 million redevelopment of the town’s convention centre.

Cllr Cooper has claimed 88% of conference delegates to the centre return to the area for leisure. However, the Stray Ferret has not been able to find the statistic he refers to -— only one that says, when asked, delegates said they were likely to return.

The statistics matter because the soon-to-be-abolished council wants to fast-track the start of what would be one of the biggest public spending commitments in its 48-year history.

It says Harrogate Convention Centre needs the investment to continue attracting visitors — and to boost the economic impact on the entire Harrogate district.

What is Cllr Cooper claiming? 

Cllr Cooper, the Conservative council leader and chair of the convention centre board, told a council meeting this month:

“The purpose and vision of the convention centre is to deliver high quality conferences, exhibitions and events that bring maximum economic impact and prosperity to the district.

“It is important to emphasise that this is for the district and this is not a noose around the district’s neck.

“And I can demonstrate that by saying almost nine out of 10 people — 88% — an astonishing statistic — who come to Harrogate Convention Centre for business return to the district for leisure. This is streets ahead of other venues.”

Read more:

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• Council refuses to say if jobs at risk at Harrogate Convention Centre

Kirk Hammerton resident Alex Smith has submitted a freedom of information request asking where this information was from. Neither he nor the Stray Ferret has been able to find it.

Mr Smith told the Stray Ferret he was not a member of any political party but was interested in transparency and standards.

The Visit Britain Statistics

His FoI suggests Cllr Cooper may have been referring to 2018 research by Visit Britain on how much delegates to business events spend.

This research said 88% of delegates to Harrogate Convention Centre, from a sample of 98, said they were ‘likely or very likely’ to return to the area. Of those, 62% said they were ‘very likely’ to return.

But it does not say how many actually do and neither Mr Smith nor the Stray Ferret is aware of any research that does so.

Mr Smith’s FoI request says:

“Residents are used to Cllr Cooper’s robust approach to political point-scoring.

“But, as chairman of the Harrogate Convention Centre, he is obliged to give out accurate information; and as a councillor, he is bound by a code of conduct not to mislead the Mayor and council.

“He is not free to invent ‘astonishing’ statistics to suit his argument.”

The FoI then asks for Cllr Cooper’s source, adding:

“If there is no other source than the one I’ve quoted I’d be grateful if you could inform me when and how Cllr Cooper will correct his wilful misinformation.”

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Cooper last week where the statistic he quoted was from but has not received a response.

Previous claim

In July 2020, Cllr Cooper told a council meeting that 75% of Harrogate Convention Centre delegates returned. He said:

“75% of 150,000 is 112,500 visitors that come to our district because of the convention centre who we would never see here otherwise.”

Again, it is not clear where this information is from — or why the figure appears to have grown to 88%.

Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished next year as part of a shake-up of local government that will see a new North Yorkshire Council formed.

Cllr Cooper has said he does not intend to seek re-election in May’s local elections for the new council.

A Harrogate councillor has questioned why secondary schools in the county receive less funding per pupil than most other places.

North Yorkshire secondary schools are placed 138 out of 150 local authorities in terms of funding per pupil.

On average, a school in North Yorkshire has received £5,570 per pupil for 2021-22 compared to the national average of £5,935.

A report to councillors at today’s meeting of North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee said that for a 1,500-pupil secondary school, this equated to a difference in funding of £0.5m.

Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Bilton and Nidd Gorge division on the county council, described the situation as unacceptable and wanted to know why the figure for North Yorkshire was “way below” that of other local authority areas.

He told the meeting:

“I just wondered what we as councillors can do to help because this clearly is not an acceptable position.”

Andrew Jones to be asked to help

Philip Broadbank, a Liberal Democrat who represents Harrogate Starbeck, suggested Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, could lobby national government on behalf of local schools.

Mr Jones is due to attend the council’s next Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in March.

Mr Broadbank said:

“Our MPs are there to lobby. This is something we can ask Andrew about at our next meeting.”

Read more:

• Harrogate district schools see ‘large rise’ in obesity since covid
• Harrogate headteachers ‘nervous’ as schools return during covid surge

Sally Dunn, head of finance for early years and high need at the council, said school funding was based on the Department for Education’s national funding formula.

She added the formula was based on factors such as deprivation and prior attainment and the DfE was in the process of transitioning the criteria.

Ms Dunn added it was “an issue we continue to lobby on and we continue to speak to the DfE on a very regular basis”, adding that there was most concern for small rural secondary schools, which faced “significant financial pressures”.

Primary schools fare better

North Yorkshire primary schools fare better: they are placed 35 out of 150 local authorities in terms of funding.

Primary schools in the county receive on average £4,715 per pupil compared to the national average of £4,611.

An investigation by the Stray Ferret has revealed that Harrogate’s Royal Baths have massively under-performed as a commercial investment since they were bought by North Yorkshire County Council in 2018.

The council bought the Grade II listed building for £9 million in 2018 as part of a wider strategy to become more entrepreneurial to plug its declining budget from central government.

But the Baths have only generated about a third of the income expected, raising questions about the wisdom of the decision to buy it, as well as whether the council has the necessary business acumen to invest taxpayers’ money in such schemes.

The council was accused of making a “trophy investment” last month when one councillor said he was “absolutely’ speechless” by the £9 million sum paid for the Baths.

It has now emerged that rental income is way down on what was predicted in a confidential report to councillors before they agreed to buy it.

Prepared to pay £10m

The report, which has now been made public, reveals the council was prepared to pay up to £10 million for the Baths, which included four commercial units.

At the time, they were J D Wetherspoon, The Potting Shed bar, the Viper Rooms nightclub and Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant. The Potting Shed subsequently closed.

The report forecast the Baths would generate annual income of £500,940.

But gross income received in the three years since then was just £613,000 — way down on the £1.5 million expected. The council has also incurred maintenance and other costs of £222,000 on the Baths to the end of March 2021, further reducing the income figure to £391,000.

Read more:

• Council accused of ‘trophy investment’ for £9m purchase of Harrogate’s Royal Baths
• Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant reveals plans to re-open
• Council warns of ‘ financial pressures’ despite government funding

Philip Broadbank

Councillor Philip Broadbank, a Liberal Democrat who represents Harrogate Starbeck on the county council, said

“The price for the Royal Baths investment seems to be high and the rate of return has been very disappointing and needs to improve.

“The Royal Baths complex is in a central position in Harrogate town centre but margins need to improve quickly for council taxpayers to see some financial benefits. It is vital that all the units are let and fully operational and officers need to ensure that happens soon to help the local economy.

“The periods of closure have been significant and challenging and the poor rates of return need to be substantially improved if taxpayers are to have confidence that the investment policies are to work satisfactorily financially.”

‘It will end in tears’

The council has not been helped by lockdowns, which have affected all three surviving businesses. The Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant remains closed but plans to re-open this year.

Stuart Parsons

Nevertheless, Councillor Stuart Parsons, who represents Richmond and is the Independents group leader at the county council, said the financial performance of the Baths was worrying and predicted the council’s attempts to generate income in new ways would “end in tears”. He said:

“There’s always that belief in local government that they have expertise and can deliver anything but they are experts at delivering services rather than property projects.”

He said the council had been “absolutely strapped for cash by central government for 11 years” and was being encouraged by ministers to find new sources of income to “shore up shortfalls”. But he added:

“We have seen a number of councils fail because they have taken on projects like renewable energy and are unable to deliver them.

“They will try their hardest in North Yorkshire but they don’t have the necessary expertise to drive things forward. This will be one of the black marks against the Conservative government. It will end in tears.

“Councils should not be trading. They should be providing services, not building houses or power plants. If they had kept the £9m it could have been used to help people in desperate need in social care.”

Cllr Parsons added it was concerning that major spending decisions involving taxpayers’ money were being made on the basis of such inaccurate forecasts.

“If they are basing their finances on estimates that are unsound then something seriously needs to change.”

North Yorkshire County Council offices in Northallerton.

Councillor Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of the Conservatives on the county council, has been one of the key supporters of the Baths investment.

The Stray Ferret sent him some questions but he did not reply.

‘Better than treasury returns’

A council spokesman said it received legal advice and a surveyor’s report and undertook comparative market analysis to support the business case and necessary due diligence before buying the lease on the Baths from M&G Property Portfolio.

He added the investment “continues to stand up against the alternative investment opportunities where cash returns amounted to an average return of 0.19% p.a. at Quarter 2 21/22”.

Gross income received to the end of 20/21 was £613,000 and standard treasury returns would have generated £152,000, the spokesman added, and therefore the investment “has realised £461,000 of additional benefit to the council and its taxpayer when compared to our standard treasury returns”.

He added covid and lockdowns had had a significant impact since the Baths were bought in 2018.

“Our tenants, in the hospitality sector, have been significantly impacted by the pandemic with extended periods of enforced closure during 2020 and 2021. We are working with them to reach reasonable terms on recovery of arrears where possible.

“National regulations in force until late March 2022 prevent us from evicting tenants that have fallen into arrears as a result of covid.

“All retail and hospitality suffered significant periods of closure and financial challenge throughout the pandemic. The Harrogate Royal Baths is a local asset and we remain confident that Harrogate and the Royal Baths itself will recover from the pandemic and continue to contribute to the Harrogate and North Yorkshire local economy.

Besides the four commercial units, the purchase of the Baths also included two further units held on long-leases by Harrogate Borough Council at a peppercorn rent occupied by the tourist information centre and the Turkish Baths, as well as two car parks similarly let on long leases at nominal rents.

The council set up the Brierley Group of firms, ranging from house builders to lawyers, in 2017 to bring together council-owned companies and find new ways of making money. However, last year it reported a loss of £639,000.

Further losses are forecast for the current financial year.

The council warned last month it faces “enormous financial pressures” and needed to find £19 million in savings.

Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon Julian Smith has resigned from three roles advising businesses that earned him £144,000 a year.

The latest MP’s register of interests, published today, shows Mr Smith ended contracts with Hygen Energy, Simply Blue Management and MJM Marine on November 16.

Mr Smith was dragged into the debate around Tory ‘sleaze’ following the resignation of Owen Paterson MP. Mr Smith is paid an £81,932 salary for being an MP.

He received criticism from Brian McDaid, former parliamentary candidate from the Skipton and Ripon Labour Party, who accused Mr Smith of not focusing his time on his constituents.

Mr Smith resigned from his three roles the day before Prime Minister Boris Johnson proposed to ban MPs from acting as paid political consultants or lobbyists.

All the roles were approved by the Advisory Committee of Business Appointments.

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Smith to comment but we did not receive a response.

Read more:

• WATCH Ripon residents give their views on MP Julian Smith’s £144,000 consultancy work
• Ripon MP Julian Smith could lose £144,000 under PM’s plan to end consultancy work

Mr Smith’s second jobs

Mr Smith was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from July 2019 to February 2020.

In August 2020 he began advising Hygen Energy, previously known as Ryse Hydrogen. Its chief executive Jo Bamford also owns Wrightbus, a Northern Ireland bus manufacturer. The contract was for £60,000 for 20 hours of work.

He was also paid to work for 30 to 40 hours over 12 months for MJM Marine, a cruise ship refurbishment company based in County Down. This contract was also for £60,000.

In January 2021 he began another role, advising Cork-based sustainable energy and aquaculture company Simply Blue Management. He was paid £24,000 for up to two hours work per month.

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In November, MPs and their second jobs came under close scrutiny as Conservative MP Owen Paterson resigned after coming under fire for breaching parliamentary standards.

Meanwhile, all Harrogate district MPs voted for a controversial new Health and Social Care bill, which saw some Conservative backbenchers rebel against the government.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but, as usual, we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

• Mr Jones did not post any news on his website in November.
• He spoke eight times in the House of Commons this past month.
• Among his contributions was to welcome to the government’s integrated rail plan on November 18. This came despite previous comments by Mr Jones in February 2019 when he described the potential scrapping of the eastern leg of HS2 as a “betrayal of the north”.
• He later posted a statement on his Conservative-run website describing the plan as “very positive”.
• On November 22, Mr Jones voted with the government on the Health and Social Care Bill. Some Tory backbenchers raised concern that the government’s proposal will see the poor pay more towards their care.
• Mr Jones’ Twitter account is for ‘retweets only’.

Read more:

• MPs watch: Sweary outbursts, animal testing and Bilsdale

• Ripon residents give their views on MP Julian Smith’s £144,000 consultancy work

• MPs watch: Sewage dumps, commissioner resignations and David Amess

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• Mr Smith did not update his website during November.
• He tweeted eight times last month. Among his social media posts were tweets congratulating Zoe Metcalfe on being elected North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
• During November, Mr Smith’s extra jobs came under scrutiny in the wake of the Owen Paterson affair. Mr Smith earns £144,000 a year from three advisory roles in addition to his £81,932 MP’s salary.
• Mr Smith voted with the government on its Health and Social Care bill on November 22.
• He did not make any spoken contributions in the House of Commons during November.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

• Mr Adams tweeted four times in November.
• He posted once on his website on November 18 about Prime Minister Boris Johnson visiting his constituency during the launch of the government’s integrated rail plan.
• On November 4, Mr Adams voted for the Leadsom amendment during the Owen Paterson affair. The amendment proposed not suspending Mr Paterson, despite breaching parliamentary standards.
• Mr Adams voted with the government on the Health and Social Care bill on November 22.
• He appeared in the House of Commons four times during November to make both spoken contributions and to answer questions as a government minister.

The countdown has begun for the election to replace former North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott.

Voting will take place on November 25 to replace Mr Allott who quit last month following a two-week storm of sustained criticism over the comments he made on the murder of Sarah Everard.

Mr Allott had only been in the job for five months having been elected in May and faced multiple calls to resign after saying Ms Everard should not have “submitted” to arrest by the police officer who murdered her and that women needed to be more “streetwise”.

There are five candidates competing for the £74,000-per-year post with women’s safety already featuring as a key part of their campaigns:

Conservative

Harrogate councillor Zoe Metcalfe is the Conservative candidate and said her focus is on “improving safety for women and girls across North Yorkshire, supporting victims of crime and tackling serious and organised crime”.

Ms Metcalfe is a project manager for a property company in addition to being a member of Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

Labour

Emma Scott-Spivey, who is a student paramedic and the daughter of two police officers, will contest the role for Labour.

Read More:

• Police commissioner: Who is standing to succeed Philip Allott in North Yorkshire?
• Acting police commissioner confirmed after Philip Allott resignation

She said she wanted to stand in the election after hearing Mr Allott’s comments and that she would prioritise tackling violence against women and girls, as well as county lines drugs gangs.

She said: 

“The police are facing unprecedented challenges – not just from savage cuts to funding but also due to a breakdown in trust. That trust must be rebuilt and the damage done by Philip Allott must be repaired.”

Liberal Democrat

The Liberal Democrat candidate is City of York councillor James Barker who served in the military for 24 years and also stood for the commissioner role in May when he finished in fourth place.

He said: 

“There is work to do to rebuild the trust lost with victim’s groups, women’s groups and the public at large.

“If elected, my priority on day one would be starting the long process of making sure everyone can have faith that the PFCC listens to and supports victims of crime.”

Independent

Keith Tordoff, who served for 20 years in West Yorkshire Police and ran the world’s oldest sweet shop in Pateley Bridge, has also decided to stand again as an independent after finishing in third place in the last election.

He said the county had been “badly let down” by the previous commissioner and that he will “prioritise responses for crimes against women, hate crime and fight for justice for all victims of crime”.

Mr Tordoff said: 

“With my policing, business and community led background, I will work tirelessly if elected to keep the people living, working or visiting North Yorkshire safe.”

Women’s Equality Party

The final candidate is Dr Hannah Barham-Brown who will stand for the Women’s Equality Party and works as a GP in Leeds.

She said she took part in protests against Mr Allott and that she would launch an independent inquiry into misogyny at North Yorkshire Police if elected.

Dr Barham-Brown said:

 “Women and girls in North Yorkshire deserve to live their lives free from the fear and the threat of violence, and that is why I am contesting this election.

“I will not allow politicians to sit idly by while women lose their lives and freedom in the face of violence.”

The announcement of the election results will take place from Selby Civic Centre on 26 November – the day after voters go to the polls.

Read more:

• Liberal Democrats confirm police commissioner candidate
• Former Pateley Bridge businessman to stand again for police commissioner
• Labour announces North Yorkshire police commissioner candidate
• Conservatives select Harrogate councillor as police commissioner candidate

How will the election work? 

Polling cards were sent out earlier this month with the deadlines to register and to vote by post having already passed, while the deadline for proxy voting is 5pm on Wednesday.

Voters are being urged to check their poll cards to see where their local polling station is as some may have changed due to the need for covid safety measures.

Anyone who has tested positive or has symptoms should not visit a polling station.

If you can not vote in-person because of covid, or because of your employment or a disability, there is an option to apply for an emergency proxy vote by 5pm on the day of the election.

Janet Waggott, election returning officer and chief executive of Selby District Council, said: 

“Covid remains an important consideration and we’re putting arrangements in place to help you stay safe at the polling station; such as hand sanitiser and face masks.

“Residents should be reassured that voting in these elections will take place in a covid-safe environment.”

Elections for commissioners use a supplementary voting system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference.

If no candidate receives a majority then all but the two leading candidates are eliminated and a second count takes place.

In the second count, the second preference votes of those supporting eliminated candidates are distributed among the two leading candidates.

In May, Philip Allott took 84,737 of the first and second-preference votes ahead of Labour candidate Alison Hume who finished in second place with a total of 53,442 votes.

The final results in terms of total votes were:

• Philip Allott (Conservative) – 84,737 votes
• Alison Hume (Labour) – 53,442 votes
• Keith Tordoff (Independent) – 22,338
• James Barker (Liberal Democrats) – 19,773 votes

The leader of Harrogate Borough Council has announced he will stand down after more than 20 years of service as a councillor.

Cllr Richard Cooper, who was first elected as a Conservative councillor in 1999, said he will not seek election to the North Yorkshire unitary council but will continue in his role until the new authority is created in 2023.

Multiple senior political figures in the Harrogate district told the Stray Ferret earlier this month that the Conservative council leader would not be standing when voters head to the polls in May 2022.

Cllr Cooper has now confirmed the news. He said: 

“I have been a councillor now for 22 years and leader of the council for eight. That’s a long time and it is time for me to do other things and for others to have the opportunity to serve our communities at a senior level.

“Although I am not standing for the new council in May 2022, Harrogate Borough Council continues until April 2023.

“So although I am not standing for that new council it isn’t quite goodbye yet.”

Read more:

• Speculation Harrogate council leader will not seek re-election in 2022
• Number of Harrogate district councillors could be cut by two-thirds

Cllr Cooper was first elected when he took the Liberal Democrat seat of West Central in 1999 and has since held several cabinet positions, as well as being deputy leader and serving on North Yorkshire County Council.

Council leader since 2014

He was elected as leader of Harrogate Borough Council in 2014 and will be the longest-serving holder of the position if he is re-elected next May.

Among his achievements, Cllr Cooper said he will remember increasing funding for homelessness, defeating the Nidd Gorge relief road proposal, raising the profile of sustainable transport and leading on the construction of the new Harrogate Civic Centre.

Cllr Cooper added: 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the voters who have elected me to represent them over the past 22 years, my fellow councillors for having trusted me with leadership roles throughout that time and the amazing people in our community groups who I have been privileged to meet and support.

“We are fortunate to have many young and talented councillors in our district alongside those with many years of service. It is a great combination which will serve our district well on the new council.

“I wish them all, of every political persuasion, luck and success as they continue to champion sustainable transport, carbon reduction, support for the homeless and funding for our local voluntary groups among the many other brilliant things Harrogate Borough Council does.”

A Liberal Democrat councillor has accused Harrogate Borough Council’s Conservative ruling party of “letting the public down” by failing to find substitutes for meetings.

Cllr Chris Aldred claimed Tory members had failed to find substitutes on 32 occasions since April – something he said “really upsets me”.

He told a full council meeting on Wednesday: 

“The main purpose of being elected is to represent the public and if we have a place on a committee then we should do our damned hardest to fill it.

“You are letting the side down and you are letting the public down.”

Cllr Aldred also said Lib Dem members had not failed to find a substitute on a single occasion during the same period from April.

Read more:

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• Call to ban animal testing in Harrogate district rejected
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However, council leader Richard Cooper hit back saying there were “various” reasons why members could not attend and that he could not “apologise for there being so many Conservatives on the council”.

The council is made up of 30 Tory councillors, eight Lib Dems and two Ripon Independents.

Cllr Cooper said:

“This is just primarily the product of winning so many elections.

“There is a reason why we win so many elections and have so many committee places to fill, and a reason why you win so few elections and have so few places to fill.”

Cllr Cooper also said illness was a factor that needed to be considered when it came to members missing meetings.

He said: 

“I didn’t really want to go into this, but some individuals on this council aren’t well.”

He also told Cllr Aldred: 

“You say you are speaking for the public. I don’t know quite what mandate you think you have to speak for all the public of the Harrogate district.

“The mandate comes when we have elections. And the last time that mandate was put to the test, this administration secured the highest percentage of seats on this council that have ever been secured.”

The next elections will take place in March 2022 when a new North Yorkshire council is created to replace the county council and seven district councils including Harrogate.

It is likely that the number of councillors in the Harrogate district will be cut by around two-third with possibly just 20 seats up for grabs.

In total, there could be around 89 councillors covering the whole of North Yorkshire.

The leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council has expressed anger at the loss of the Harrogate Christmas Market and the annual funfair on the Stray.

In a statement sent to the Stray Ferret, Cllr Pat Marsh asked why the council couldn’t have been more supportive of the events and pro-active in making them happen.

She also said there was a danger of the Harrogate district acquiring a “reputation of not welcoming and not being supportive of special events”.

She said:

“The Lib Dems on Harrogate Borough Council are very angry at the way that annual events are being cancelled.

“First it was the local Christmas market. That meant local artisans won’t be able to sell their products to residents.

“Now we have the annual funfair being cancelled. That is something thousands of young people have enjoyed over many, many years.

“Why has this been allowed to happen? Why couldn’t the council be more supportive?”

Cllr Marsh also said the decision to prevent the events from going ahead was not one made by all councillors. She was not allowed to attend talks between council officers and the former Christmas market organisers. She said:

“We need to ensure that all councillors are kept informed and have a chance to have an input, we are all elected by the residents to act on their behalf.”

We sent Cllr Marsh’s statement to Harrogate Borough Council for a response but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.

Read more:

• Historic Harrogate funfair cancelled after ‘council price hike’
• Original Harrogate Christmas Market will not return next year

What happened to the annual Harrogate funfair?

The family that stages the funfair told the Stray Ferret the event would not go ahead because Harrogate Borough Council hiked the charge for using Stray land.

Ruby Wilson, who has taken over organising the fair on behalf of her dad John Jameson, said the council had doubled the price from £5,000 to £10,000.

With additional costs on top, including VAT and a £2,000 deposit in case the Stray is damaged, Ms Wilson said the event was no longer viable. The council disputes the claims.

What happened to Harrogate Christmas Market?

Harrogate Borough Council refused a licence for the Harrogate Christmas Market due to concerns about coronavirus, overcrowding and terrorism.

After three weeks of wrangling with the council, co-organiser Brian Dunsby admitted defeat in his battle to hold the event on Montpellier Hill.

It later emerged the council had been engaged in talks with Manchester-based organisers Market Place Europe in March and has now ramped up those discussions about staging an alternative Christmas market in December.

Informal discussions could take place between the local Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green parties about working together.

The move follows Conservative Matt Scott’s victory in last week’s Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election.

Arnold Warneken, who represented Harrogate and District Green Party, told the Stray Ferret he had approached the Liberal Democrats and Labour about setting up a meeting.

Mr Warneken said co-operation “made sense” and he hoped some form of progressive alliance would emerge.

Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, said collaboration with other parties was “a discussion that needs to be had” and she was open-minded on the subject.

Cllr Marsh described the loss of the seat on North Yorkshire County Council formally held by the Liberal Democrat Geoff Webber as “a huge shock and disappointment”.

Asked why she felt voters had turned against the Liberal Democrats, she said:

“I have no idea. With all the sleaze and cronyism taking place and I am at a total loss to understand why anyone still votes for the Conservatives.”

Asked if she would consider her position as leader following the by-election defeat, she said she had been re-elected two weeks ago and intended to carry on.

Read more:

• Bilton Liberal Democrat candidate ‘very sorry’ after by-election defeat
• Conservatives win Bilton and Nidd Gorge by-election

Margaret Smith, chair of Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party, said it was not averse to discussions but its ability to enter into any formal arrangement with other parties would be determined by the national Labour Party. She said:

“It’s about building a progressive alternative and when we agree on issues we would like to work with anyone, irrespective of party membership or support.

“It is a matter of building coalitions, issue by issue, where we agree.”

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Scott, who won 43 per cent of the vote in Bilton and Nidd Gorge, why he felt voters had switched to the Conservatives and what was top of his agenda but he declined to answer.