The Liberal Democrats have withdrawn their support for the Station Gateway proposal in central Harrogate.

The move was announced by Cllr Chris Aldred at North Yorkshire Council’s executive today, after several of the party members voted in favour of the scheme in May.

He said their support had been on condition that North Yorkshire Council engaged in a meaningful way with residents, businesses and the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee over the plans.

Cllr Aldred, who represents High Harrogate and Kingsley division, said:

“It is with disappointment that I am speaking here today. Disappointment at the failure of this executive to engage with business and residents in a meaningful way.

“Disappointment at the failure of this executive to respect the recommendations of Harrogate’s democratically elected Councillors on Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Committee.

“And disappointment that those most closely affected are left feeling ignored, with their genuine concerns sidelined.”

The issue had already split the party, with area constituency committee chairman Cllr Pat Marsh voting against the plans, while several other Lib Dems supported them.

Cllr Marsh then went to a meeting of the executive to ask its members to drop the proposal, despite her committee having voted to ask the executive to proceed.

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Cllr Aldred said the executive had failed to meet a deadline of June 30 to set up a working group of the area constituency committee and to arrange face-to-face meetings with concerned residents and businesses.

Calling for more engagement with the local councillors over the Station Gateway plans, he added:

“Liberal Democrat members will continue to monitor every aspect of this scheme, on behalf of our residents and hold the executive to account for every pound of public money spent on it.

“But we simply can not support a scheme that is being driven by an administration determined to ignore residents, businesses and councillors alike – an administration who constantly fall short of what is expected.

“This administration seems more focused on clinging to power and has prioritised its own political backroom conversations aimed at maintaining a majority in the chamber, above getting a grip on this controversial issue.

“We have given you enough opportunities to demonstrate you are sincere and competent. Sadly, you have clearly demonstrated that you are neither.”

The declaration prompted a row between the party’s councillors from across the Harrogate area and the ruling Conservatives on the executive.

In response, Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive councillor for highways, described the move as “playing politics” with the gateway scheme.

He accused Cllr Aldred of “rowing back” on his support to achieve “harmony within the Liberal Democrats” – which Cllr Aldred denied.

Cllr Duncan said:

“We are drawing up an engagement plan, that will determine who we are going to speak to in terms of businesses and residents throughout the construction period.

“A decision has been taken at this executive to support the gateway scheme. We are delivering on the support that you gave and that the majority of your colleagues gave.

“We will engage and we will ensure that we deliver this plan. We are very clear that the Conservative group on this council and this executive supports the gateway. The Liberal Democrats have now been clear that you do not.

“We will see in the long term how that plays out. I believe we have a fantastic scheme and I believe that this investment should be made in Harrogate for the long term and long lasting benefit of residents.”

Ripon independent councillor Andrew Williams has defended his decision to align himself with the Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council.

Last week, North Yorkshire’s Conservatives revealed that three independent councillors will form a Conservatives and Independents group to avoid the risk of the party losing overall control of the authority.

This is because the balance of power was finely poised with the Tories having 45 councillors — the same number as the opposition parties and independents when combined.

One of the councillors to join the alliance is Ripon Minster & Moorside councillor Andrew Williams, who was elected as a Ripon Independent in May 2022 with 1,453 votes.

But his decision was criticised by the Liberal Democrat councillor for Ripon Ure Bank & Spa, Barbara Brodigan, who told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Cllr Williams had put party politics before the residents of Ripon and will now be a “Tory puppet” on the authority.

During last year’s election the Conservative candidate in Cllr Williams’ division registered only 334 votes and Cllr Brodigan said the the move was a “betrayal of the residents” who voted for him as an independent.

However, Cllr Williams defended his decision in an interview with the LDRS this morning and said the move was necessary to maintain stability on the council.

He argued his independence will be maintained and that residents voted for him to put the interests of Ripon first.

Cllr Williams said:

“There needs to be stability and governance on the council. With a £30 million budget shortfall to resolve and local government reorganisation in its infancy, the last thing that’s needed is complete chaos in the council chamber.

“That would suit the the Lib Dems fine, but it doesn’t do anything for local residents. I haven’t agreed to do anything else. The only commitment I’ve made is to join a group for the stable governance of North Yorkshire.

“Residents knew by voting independent I wouldn’t run the council, I would work to secure the best deal for Ripon.

“I will take each issue as it comes to council, my views of the world haven’t altered. I remain independent and not a member of any political party. I believe there’s an opportunity to influence the decision-making process in Ripon’s favour and I’ll press Ripon’s case as a consequence.“

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Cllr Williams is also the leader of Ripon City Council which has put in a bid to run the city’s market square and town hall under North Yorkshire Council’s “double-devolution” pilot scheme. A decision on which bids are successful is expected next year.

Cllr Brodigan accused Cllr Williams of “taking the Tory shilling” but he denied that any formal deal had been agreed that would see Ripon City Council’s bid being chosen in return for supporting the Conservatives in Northallerton.

He added:

“It’s in Ripon’s best interests to have a councillor that can influence in Ripon’s favour. We have any number of issues that need addressing. I believe this is the best way of doing that rather than in isolation.“

Cllr Williams, who was a Liberal Democrat councillor on Harrogate Borough Council during the 1990s, described Cllr Brodigan’s criticism as “hypocrisy“.

He said:

“The hypocrisy of the Lib Dems to complain about somebody seeking to work with others to deliver for the local community is astounding as they are a party that believes in PR [proportional representation] and the inevitable necessity for a coalition of different political views for the benefit of local residents.

“I won’t take lectures off any Lib Dem. They sacrificed every principle they had in 2010 to enter the coalition. I have not sacrificed one single commitment to residents by joining the group.“

The ruling Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council are attempting to woo independent councillors in a bid to maintain control.

The Stray Ferret understands meetings have taken place with a view to securing the support of three independents.

The Conservatives currently hold 45 of 90 council seats following this month’s defection of Cllr Mike Jordan — precisely half.

They still retain control by virtue of having the chair’s casting vote. But with the power balance on a knife-edge, and the next North Yorkshire elections not scheduled until 2028, the Tories are worried about losing control if further defections or by-election losses occur.

They held 47 of the 90 seats after last year’s election in May but the death of Margaret Atkinson, whose Masham and Fountains division was won by the Liberal Democrats in a by-election, eroded their majority and Cllr Jordan’s defection wiped it away.

Multiple sources from different parties have told the Stray Ferret discussions have taken place between the Conservatives and independents who are believed to be open to their advances.

It is not clear what form any alliance would take but the Liberal Democrats are believed to be concerned about any deals that may be struck as part of whatever arrangement is agreed.

Nine councillors currently belong to an Independent group on North Yorkshire Council. Another six are unaffiliated.

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The Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency is set to shrink following a national review of parliamentary boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for England today published its final recommendations for new constituency boundaries.

Locally, it means Boroughbridge, Minskip, Marton-cum-Grafton, the Dunsforths, Ripley and Nidd will be removed from the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency currently held by the Conservative Andrew Jones.

Goldsborough, Flaxby, Allerton Park, Hopperton and Burton Leonard will be added to the seat.

The overall size of the constituency electorate will reduce from 78,372 to 75,800.

The current boundaries for the Harrogate and Knaresborough and Selby and Ainsty constituencies.

The government now has four months to bring forward an Order to give effect to the final recommendations, which will then be implemented at the next general election.

There will therefore be no changes before next month’s Selby and Ainsty by-election on July 20.

Andrew Jones

Mr Jones, who has represented Harrogate and Knaresborough since 2010, said he was “very sad” to lose “beautiful parts of the constituency” he has represented for 13 years.

He said:

“I will support whoever is elected to represent those areas as part of the new Wetherby and Easingwold constituency so that there is a seamless transfer of issues and constituent casework from my office to their office.”

Mr Jones added he welcomed the addition of the new villages to Harrogate and Knaresborough. He said:

“Being so close to my current constituency I have a strong relationship with those areas and look forward to that continuing.

“The  Boundary Commission review takes place over several years and takes exhaustive evidence from individuals, local community groups and politicians. The purpose of the review is to ensure that constituencies are similar sizes and make sense in terms of community links.”

Boost for Lib Dems?

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats are not unhappy at the loss of affluent Boroughbridge, which they think will enhance their prospects of preventing Mr Jones winning a fifth consecutive election.

Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“The new Harrogate & Knaresborough constituency boundaries will make it an even closer battle between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives at the next general election.”

Tim Bowden, secretary to the Boundary Commission, said:

“The recommendations we have published today mark the end of a thorough and consultative process to build the new map of parliamentary constituencies.

“We have taken into account over 60,000 public comments, travelled the country, and heard many passionate views about how best to reflect local community ties in our recommendations.”

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The changes, which include retaining a total of 650 constituencies across the UK, see each seat contain no less than 69,724 voters and no more than 77,062.

England has been allocated 543 constituencies — 10 more than it currently has.

The commission began its review in January 2021. It issued initial proposals in June 2021 and revised proposals in November last year.

The two local Conservative MPs voted in support of a report last night that found Boris Johnson deliberately misled MPs over lockdown parties.

The Commons backed the report by 354 votes to seven — however 225 MPs either abstained or did not turn up to vote, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Andrew Jones, who represents Harrogate and Knaresborough, and Julian Smith, who represents Skipton and Ripon, were among the 118 Tories who supported the report by parliament’s Privileges Committee.

Mr Smith tweeted afterwards “upholding the rules of parliament is key to our democracy”.

Tonight I voted to support the cross party privileges committee report. Boris Johnson did a number of positive things as Prime Minister, but upholding the rules of parliament is key to our democracy https://t.co/YFJIsOs1zU

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) June 19, 2023

Mr Jones indicated his intentions last week when he said:

The cross-party committee’s report found Mr Johnson committed repeated offences when he said covid rules had been followed at No 10 at all times.

The Selby and Ainsty constituency, which covers part of the Harrogate district, does not currently have an MP following Nigel Adams’ resignation.

A by-election will take place on July 20.

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The Conservative Party has selected its new candidate for the forthcoming Selby and Ainsty by-election following the shock withdrawal last week of its previous nominee. 

Claire Holmes, a barrister and East Riding of Yorkshire councillor, will contest the seat in place of Michael Naughton, who quit the race due to an “unforeseen family medical emergency”. 

Speaking to the BBC, Ms Holmes said:

“I know right now people want an MP who’ll only focus on improving our local communities across Selby and Ainsty – not on political point-scoring in Westminster. 

“That means I will work with Rishi Sunak and the government on our five clear priorities: halving inflation, growing the economy, reducing debt, cutting hospital waiting lists and stopping the boats.” 

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of MP Nigel Adams, who was first elected in 2010 and has since held several ministerial posts under prime ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson. He was nominated by Mr Johnson for a peerage, but did not make the final list. 

Mr Adams had already said he would not contest the seat at the next election, but stepped down immediately after former Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation in the wake of the cross-party Privileges Committee report into the Partygate scandal that he had misled Parliament. 

The by-election in Selby and Ainsty will be held on Thursday, July 20, the same day as the by-election in Mr Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency. 

The other candidates declared so far are: for the Green Party, Arnold Warneken, the councillor for Ouseburn on North Yorkshire Council; for the Labour Party, Keir Mather, a senior public affairs adviser for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI); and for the Yorkshire Party, Mike Jordan, whose defection from the Conservatives earlier this month lost the party its majority on North Yorkshire Council. 

The Liberal Democrats are due to announce their candidate this week, but are not expected to campaign heavily in the constituency ahead of the ballot, in order not to split the anti-Tory vote. In 2019 they only won 8.6% of the vote in the constituency, compared with Labour’s 24.6%. 

The Conservatives, however, won 60.3% of the vote, giving them a 20,137 majority, which means that Labour will need a huge swing of 18% to win, according to Sir John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde. 

Photo ID required to vote

In a statement, North Yorkshire Council said that anyone interested in becoming a candidate in the Selby and Ainsty by-election must submit a completed set of nomination forms before the deadline at 4pm this Friday (June 23).

Residents of the Selby and Ainsty constituency have until midnight on Tuesday, July 4, to register to vote and until 5pm on Wednesday, July 5, to apply for a postal vote. If someone is unable to vote in person or by post, they have until 5pm on Wednesday, July 12, to apply for a proxy vote.

Voters attending the polling station for the by-election will need to bring photographic identification, such as a UK photocard driving licence, a passport, or concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or blue badge.

Anyone without an accepted form of ID should apply for a free voter authority certificate by 5pm on Wednesday, July 12.

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Devolution in North Yorkshire has made local government an “incoherent mess” and “destroyed” democracy, a Liberal Democrat peer has claimed.

Harrogate Borough Council was one of seven district authorities, along with North Yorkshire County Council, abolished on March 31 to pave the way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

The single-tier system has vastly reduced the number of councillors in North Yorkshire from almost 400 to 90.

A combined authority for York and North Yorkshire is due to be created next year, led by an elected mayor, as part of the UK government’s devolution agenda.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire said in a speech in the House of Lords on Thursday the structure of local government across England was now “an incoherent mess” and accused the government of “imposing mayors on places that did not want them”.

He added:

“I find what has happened recently in North Yorkshire the most appalling, and when I heard someone assure me that no councillor in North Yorkshire would need more than two hours to drive from the ward they represent to council meetings, it showed me just how far we have gone.

“Decent places such as Harrogate, Scarborough, Richmond and Craven, which had working district authorities and which represented real places, have been dismantled and they are now trying to set up very large town councils for them.

“We have the prospect of a mayor, somehow, for North Yorkshire and, incidentally, one for East Yorkshire. That is the effective destruction of local government and I really do not understand the rationale for it.”

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He contrasted the situation with Fenland District Council, where councillors represented far fewer people, and therefore had more time to deal with their issues.

Lord Saltaire said:

“After the next election, a reform of the way in which the governance of England is conducted at all levels is a vital part of what any new government must be. If we want to regain trust in politics and re-engage some of our citizens more, that is part of how we do it.

“Let us all recognise that we face a situation of deep popular disengagement and disillusionment with the democratic politics we have in this country.”

Old system ‘confusing and expensive’

Carl Les

Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, described the old two-tier system as “confusing, inefficient and expensive”. He added:

“Over half of the country is governed by unitary local government now. Where Lord Saltaire lives has been unitary for years.

“Yes, we no longer have 390 local councillors. Some might say that’s a good thing.”

Cllr Les said the council’s plans for “double devolution”, whereby powers would be handed down to local level, would ensure it was “not only the largest geographic council in the country but also the most local as well”.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has said he will vote to accept the recommendations of the parliamentary investigation into Boris Johnson.

The seven MPs on the House of Commons Privileges Committee today found the former Prime Minster deliberately misled parliament over lockdown parties.

The cross-party committee said the former PM had committed repeated offences and it would have recommended a 90-day suspension from the House of Commons had Mr Johnson not resigned as an MP last week.

MPs are expected to vote on Monday on whether to approve the committee’s recommendations.

Mr Jones said:

Speaking in a Commons debate on April 21 last year on the referral of Mr Johnson to the committee, Mr Jones said:

“When there are questions about the conduct of any Member in this place, it is right for the Committee of Privileges to take a look at that case. It is right for it to investigate, it is right for it to make a judgment and it is right for that to happen whoever the Member is.”

He added he wanted to “see more focus on standards across parliament”.

Local Lib Dem says Tories in ‘full-blown civil war’

Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said today voting against the committee’s recommendations  would be “an insult to bereaved families who grieved alone while Boris Johnson partied.”

Mr Gordon added:

“This report is completely unprecedented. Never before has a former British Prime Minister been found to have lied to parliament and treated the public with such contempt.

“The Conservative Party is now in a full-blown civil war, while people struggle to afford to pay their mortgage or get a GP appointment.”

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Selby and Ainsty Conservative MP Nigel Adams, a close ally of Mr Johnson, also resigned last week, triggering a by-election.

The Conservatives and Greens have named their candidates to fight the seat, which includes numerous villages close to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, including Spofforth, Follifoot, Kirkby Overblow, Goldsborough, Little Ouseburn, Nun Monkton, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

Labour is expected to name its candidate tonight.

A bid to share the leadership of a North Yorkshire Council committee in Harrogate and Knaresborough has failed.

Conservatives sitting on the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee had proposed a shared chairmanship between their councillor, Paul Haslam, and Liberal Democrat Pat Marsh.

Cllr Sam Gibbs, Conservative representative of Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate, said:

“We’ve clearly got two very good, qualified candidates for this role. I know my LD colleagues are really fond of job shares. I was wondering if they’d be interested in job sharing this role over the next 12 months?

“We’ve heard them in previous meetings suggest such things and think it’s a really good idea, so let’s see if they’re keen  to follow through on this occasion.”

The proposal caused some confusion, with the council’s democratic services manager Daniel Harry saying no other committee had had two chairmen before on an NYC committee or at North Yorkshire County Council before it.

However, he said there was no legal reason it could not happen, as long as the terms were clear, such as chairing alternate meetings.

Cllr Arnold Warneken, who is not a committee member but attends the meetings as Green party councillor for Ouseburn, said:

“I know I’m not allowed to propose anything or vote, but I’m going to ask a question: do the candidates both agree that they would do that?”

Cllr Pat Marsh, who represents the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division and was leader of the Liberal Democrats in opposition at Harrogate Borough Council, responded:

“No, I’m not happy to share that. Sorry.”

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Committee members were then asked to vote on whether the post should be shared. The five Conservatives all voted in favour, but were defeated by the seven Liberal Democrats who opposed the plan.

Instead, Pat Marsh was elected as chairman with seven votes in favour and five abstentions.

A bid for Cllr Haslam to be elected as vice chairman was also defeated by six votes to five with one abstention. Cllr Monika Slater, the Lib Dem representative of Bilton Grange and New Park, was chosen instead by seven votes in favour to none against and five abstentions.

Cllr Marsh is also chair of the planning committee for the area, where Cllr Haslam is vice chairman. Three other Liberal Democrats and two further Conservatives also sit on that committee.

The Conservatives have lost their majority on North Yorkshire Council following the defection of a councillor.

Mike Jordan resigned today from the Conservatives to become an independent.

He added he would support Pateley Bridge man Keith Tordoff, the Yorkshire Party candidate, in next year’s mayoral election for York and North Yorkshire and he also “might join the Yorkshire Party”.

It means the Tories now have 45 of the 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council — precisely half. However, if a vote is tied, the Tory chair David Ireton would get the casting vote.

Cllr Jordan said:

“I have listened to my constituents and I recognise their frustration with the Conservative Party and how their policies nationally and locally are affecting their health and wealth whilst destroying their communities.”

Yorkshire-born Cllr Jordan, who represents Camblesforth and Carlton, said his disillusionment with the Conservatives was more national than local, with the exception of the 20’s Plenty for Us campaign, which wants 20mph speed limits to be the norm on residential streets and in town and village centres.

He said he supported the initiative whereas “most of the Conservatives on north Yorkshire Council think it’s a waste of time”.

Cllr Jordan said the North Yorkshire Conservatives had not backed his bid to become the county’s first mayor next year and he would therefore support Mr Tordoff:

“I strongly believe Keith Tordoff, if elected mayor would make York and North Yorkshire an economic powerhouse, improve transport, whilst also through sustainability initiatives enrich the quality of the lives of people in the county.”

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