A report to be submitted to Tory Chiefs at North Yorkshire County Council on the 6 May 2008 highlights failures in the County’s management of the estate of 53 lettings.

The report by Bruton Knowles was commissioned to review the Council’s policy on the sale of tenant farms implemented 10 years ago in 1998.

The failures may be summarised under two headings: Repairs & Maintenance and Diversification

Repairs & Maintenance

“There seems to have been some shortfall in attention to both repairs and maintenance and improvements driven by budgetary constraints.” Later the consultants highlight the fact that tenants have had to serve formal notices to get repairs done, normally a device of “last resort”.In some instances buildings previously suitable for conversion to residential use are so dilapidated that they are no longer thought capable of getting planning permission.

“The Council wishes to encourage the rural economy which is increasingly predicated on diversification or pluri-activity on farms but it may be concerned that an unduly successful diversification may add to compensation costs at termination. Elsewhere some landlords have adopted a more creative approach…”

Sale policy

The report concludes (section 5.3.11) that the policy of progressive disposal of the estate would be difficult to reverse as:- “The fragmentation of the Estate through the sales programme has exacerbated the difficulties of management and the limitations on productive amalgamations so that rationalising the policy to a long term, sustainable state is no longer a realistic opportunity.”

Cllr Hoult adds:

“Much is made on the income that the current sale policy has produced (£30m), but we must remember that the £18m value of the estate ten years ago was never tested and was likely to be much more on the open market. Also if sold outright for say £20m, that money invested at 5% in 1998 would have earned a further £11m in interest by now. To that we need to add all the management costs of the estate which have not been clearly identified.”

Liberal Democrats on North Yorkshire County Council have attacked the ruling Conservatives for placing a new housing development outside the catchment area for the obvious local school.

1200 new homes are to be built in Eastfield near Scarborough. This project has made the regeneration of the whole area a real possibility and the whole community has been involved in deciding just how that regeneration will take shape.

But the Council’s Children & Young People’s Directorate has decided to place the new development outside the catchment area for George Pindar Community Sports College (GPCSC). The ruling Tories seem to think that it would be better if local young people travel into Scarborough itself to attend both Graham & Raincliff schools.

A public consultation seeking opinions on Children & Young Persons Services in Eastfield and the new development published by the directorate left out the issue surrounding secondary school catchment areas. It focused only on primary provision.

Eastfield’s Liberal Democrat County Councillor Brian Simpson called this decision in for further scrutiny. However, at a special meeting yesterday the Tory-dominated Young People Overview & Scrutiny Committee voted to press ahead and ignore the question of secondary schooling. This is despite the Headteacher of George Pindar coming to the meeting to voice his concerns.

Cllr Simpson condemned the decision, saying:

“I fully support the consultation on Primary school provision, however I believe that by denying public consultation on secondary school provision the County Council is preventing the community from making its voice heard. By bringing the development into the catchment area of GPCSC, the County Council could have put community cohesion in Eastfield at the heart of the new development.”

“Instead the Tories seem to think it is better to have a divided community, with many young people travelling seven miles to schools in Scarborough.”

Liberal Democrats on North Yorkshire County Council have announced their intention to “call-in” the Council’s decision to freeze the level of the school clothing allowance at £60 a year. This means that the decision will be sent back to a committee to be looked at again.

The Executive Members of the Conservative-run Council decided last week not to increase the support to less well-off families in line with inflation, but to extend the scope of the allowance to include children whose parents are in receipt of the highest rate of Working Tax Credit.

Liberal Democrats feel that this will increase financial pressure on poorer families.

County Councillor Caroline Seymour, from Stokesley, said

“In reality this is a reduction in support for disadvantaged families. Around 700 families in North Yorkshire will be affected. It is quite wrong to do this at a time when heating and food bills are increasing faster than normal.”

”It is typical Tory penny-pinching which will hit less well-off families.”

“Whilst we welcome the extension of the scheme to families receiving the maximum level of Working Tax Credit, we feel that the rate should be increased in line with inflation. We have a duty to call-in this decision and ask the Council to reconsider its policy.”

“The Tories have just used inflation as a justification for raising the charges for home to school transport. Yet they seem to think it doesn’t apply to those people who will be hardest hit by a similar rise in the cost of living.”

Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council are asking the ruling Conservatives to look at what Essex County Council are doing to try to save Post Offices.

28 post offices serving North Yorkshire residents are under threat as part of the Labour Government’s closure programme.

A similar number are threatened in Essex. But there the County Council has stepped in and announced a £1.5 million plan to support post offices earmarked for closure. Negotiations are still taking place into how exactly the help will be given.

County Cllr Bill Hoult, Leader of the Lib Dems at County Hall, comments:

“The ruling Tories have made a lot of noise over proposed post office closures. It’s now time they took a proactive approach and looked at ways in which they could support the ones that remain.”

Councillor Hoult represents Knaresborough, where the Aspin Lane Post Office is one of those threatened with closure. He added:

“I feel that the Essex approach deserves consideration, though we may need to wait until the current consultation process is finished. The Tory Council certainly has money to spare, having taken £2 million more from Council Tax payers than it needs. So let’s see some of it used to support vital public services.”

North Yorkshire County Council has conceded that a planning permission given to Tarmac to excavate gravel at a site near Nosterfield North Yorkshire is fatally flawed following the threat of legal action by protest groups. The approval will be withdrawn and the whole application put before the planning committee again.

The controversial decision is near the  prehistoric Thornborough Henges often referred to as “The Stonehenge of the North”. One claim is that the three henges form part of a prehistoric religous site.

The legal challenge refers to 8 issues, three of which the County Council have conceded.

An application to excavate a much larger area was originally refused but the current application was approved by the Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee in January 2007 despite strong opposition and a 10,000 name petition.

The application will be reconsidered at a meeting of the Planning Committee on the 22 April 2008 at Masham Town Hall. The meeting will be held in public session.

Liberal Democrats at County Hall today branded the ruling Tories “callous and irresponsible”. This follows the Tories’ decision to impose a Council Tax increase of 4.75%, twice the rate of inflation. This means an increase of around £45 per year for a band D household.

The Conservatives voted against a Liberal Democrat amendment to the budget calling for a lower increase of 3.75%.

This year the County Council received a generous grant settlement from Government that was £3 million pounds more than expected. It also has £60 million in total reserves (compared with £26 million predicted two years ago) and is expecting to finish the financial year having underspent more than £7 million, an amount equivalent to a 3% tax rise.

The Government has warned local authorities that it expects Council Tax rises to be “substantially” below 5% or they will be capped. Capping means that the Government will set the Council Tax rate and the County Council will have to stump up the costs of sending out revised tax bills to council tax payers. This could cost up to £500,000.

The Liberal Democrats instead proposed a 3.75% tax increase, with a small element of reserves used to ensure no cuts to services.

County Councillor Bill Hoult, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, comments:

“The wage earner in an ordinary family is looking at a 2% pay rise, heating and lighting costs rising by 15-20% and petrol costs at over £1 a litre. They will not understand why, having underspent by £7 million on this year’s budget, the Tories are imposing such a huge tax increase of double the inflation rate.”

“The Council is also taking an incredible risk in challenging Government guidance. It is ludicrous to suggest that 0.25% is substantially below 5%. With the Council’s good settlement and massive reserves it is asking to be capped.”

“The Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign for the unfair Council Tax to be abolished and replaced by a fair alternative based on ability to pay.”

Conservative and Labour councillors at County Hall today joined forces to defeat a Liberal Democrat motion which would have allowed North Yorkshire’s school pupils to directly elect their “Young Peoples’ Champion”.

The Liberal Democrat councillors think that it should be the young people who vote for the councillor they want to represent them and not left to the Executive of the Council.

But the Conservatives, and all but one of the Labour members present, voted down the Liberal Democrat motion at the Council meeting today.

“I am very disappointed that the Conservatives and Labour have thrown away this excellent opportunity to involve our young people in the democratic process.”

“Again we see stale, unimaginative leadership at County Hall from dyed-in-the-wool Tories who are not open to new ideas.”

Stokesley Lib Dem County Councillor Caroline Seymour seconded the motion, adding:

“This would have been a way to encourage young people to learn about and take part in the democratic process and would have cost very little to do. It is a great shame that this opportunity has been missed.”

The County Council Champions will now continue to be appointed by the Conservative-run Executive of the Council.

At the meeting of the County Council on 20 February, local Lib Dem Knaresborough councillors Richard Hall and Bill Hoult got unanimous support to demand the keeping open of Aspin Lane Post Office in the town.

Speaking at the meeting, Lib Dem County Councillor Richard Hall said:

“If Aspin Lane Post Office closes, it would leave one post office in the town centre. Knaresborough is a large, growing town of 15,000+ residents.”

Councillor Hall went on:

“Aspin Lane Post Office was never in the original closure proposals by the Post Office. Instead, arbitrarily, it has been brought forward for closure because the one in Cold Bath Road in Harrogate is to remain open.” 

“North Yorkshire County Council, in its demand to keep Aspin Lane Post Office open, has given valuable support for the growing campaign by Knaresborough

Councillor Bill Hoult, who also represents Knaresborough for the Lib Dems, said:

“This unanimous support from the County Council will be reported to the town meeting on 3 March at 7pm in Gracious Street Methodist Church, Knaresborough.”

“I am confident that it will help the Knaresborough community campaign to stop this closure.”

Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council today demanded to know why the ruling Conservatives have cut routine gulley clearing from twice a year to only once.

This is in spite of the heavy rainfall which caused horrendous flooding in Craven last month.

The Tory portfolio holder, Cllr John Fort, said that the whole area was being looked at, but did not promise a restoration of previous service levels.

Airedale County Councillor Mark Wheeler, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, comments:

“Cutting this service is an abdication of responsibility. The Tory Council is failing local residents.”

“With climate change likely to increase the amount of flood risk in future, surely the County Council should be increasing the amount of gulley clearing, not decreasing it.”

“I can only hope that when this matter is looked at again, common sense will prevail and the Council will properly fund this vital service.”

Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council today demanded action on progressing the modernisation of day services for people with learning disabilities in Craven.

Since 2004 promises have been made that clients currently housed at Snaygill would be re-housed into suitable new accommodation.

This project was due to be in place by summer 2006 but is no further on.

Craven District Council had agreed with North Yorkshire that an extra building would be added on the land at Stepping Stones (Aireville Park) but Craven are still waiting for North Yorkshire to agree the final terms and conditions for the lease.

In the meantime, carers’ representatives were advised in January that there would be no accommodation going ahead on this site as it was far too expensive.

At today’s meeting of the Council, Skipton County Councillor Polly English today demanded to know just who is making these decisions, and commented:

“As the local ward member I have been kept completely in the dark.”

“We are failing the most vulnerable in our society.”

“Snaygill is due to close on 30 June 2008 and no decision has been made as to where we can safely house the service users.”