The ruling Conservatives at County Hall today kicked out a Lib Dem plan to help local businesses through the economic crisis.

Lib Dem Council Group Leader Bill Hoult proposed, and Margaret-Ann de Courcey-Bayley seconded, a motion which would have brought forward council spending on highway maintenance, upgrading schools and other useful schemes.

The motion also committed the Council to paying local contractors within 10 working days for work done.

But the Tories put in an amendment which removed any commitment to either bring forward expenditure or to reduce invoice payment times to less than the current 30 working days.

Councillor Margaret-Ann de Courcey-Bayley (Lib Dem, Starbeck) said:

“Our sensible plan to bring forward spending would have helped local businesses through these troubled times, as well as providing much-needed improvements to our roads and schools.”

Councillor Bill Hoult (Lib Dem, Knaresborough) said:

“The Tories like to think they are the party of business, but their actions today prove the opposite. Just like their leader at national level, the Tories locally have nothing to offer small businesses other than hoping that the crisis will just go away.”

Liberal Democrats at County Hall today pointed out areas for improvement in North Yorkshire County Council’s winter gritting policy.

The last two weeks has been the first major test of the council’s policy since the recent extensive review.

Councillor Mark Wheeler (Lib Dem, Airedale), praised the hard work of the highways staff, but pointed out that there were still some difficulties. He said:

“Villages such as Lothersdale were cut off from the main road network for three days, despite being on a Priority 2 route. Footpaths in many villages were left untreated, making many journeys on foot dangerous and leaving people housebound. In Bradley the footpaths were gritted a week after the snowfall, when all of the snow and ice had melted. Residents who wished to help their community by utilising roadside grit-bins were dismayed to find many of them empty.”

In response to these concerns the Tory portfolio holder acknowledged that there had been “teething problems” with the new policies, and said there would be a further review.

County Councillor Stuart Parsons (Lib Dem, Richmond) demanded more grit-bins in towns and villages, saying:

“If gritting vehicles cannot get round all the areas hit by snow and ice in time, it is all the more important that local residents are empowered to take action for themselves, and grit their own roads and footpaths. We need more salt-bins as a matter of urgency, and they need to be regularly re-filled.”

Liberal Democrats at County Hall are demanding compensation for parents who have lost money because of misinformation from the County Council.

Parents in the Richmondshire area are angry that council officials advised them to spend up to £500 on passes to send their children to school which were not the most appropriate or the best value.

Cllr Parsons says:

“Mistakes happen from time to time, but when they do the Council should hold its hands up and compensate those taxpayers who have been adversely affected.”

Cllr Parsons also drew attention to how reductions in bus services are causing financial hardship for college and sixth form students. Cuts in services are causing enormous strain on those that remain, with some buses too full to pick up students on their way to college.

“If students are late for college, by no fault of their own, they do not qualify for the Educational Maintenance Allowance, which helps with transport costs” says Stuart.

Liberal Democrats at County Hall are calling on the County Council to bring forward expenditure planned for future years to this year to help struggling businesses and maintain employment.

The proposal is contained in a motion proposed by Cllr Bill Hoult (Knaresborough) and seconded by Cllr Margaret-Ann de Courcey-Bayley (Harrogate Starbeck) to be put to the Full County Council at its meeting on 17 December 2008.

Cllr Bill Hoult, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, explains: “The County Council is sitting on substantial reserves of £60-£70 million and in June this year admitted that it had under spent last year’s budget by £8 million, so the money is there. All we are asking for is that some of the expenditure that has already been identified as being needed and scheduled for future years (say up to £10 million) be brought forward.”

A former Conservative councillor who joined the Liberal Democrats has now re-joined the Conservatives.

Councillor Bernard Bateman, who represents Ripon North, resigned from the Lib Dem Group on 11 December 2008.

Councillor Bill Hoult, Leader of the Lib Dem group at County Hall, said:

“It is regrettable that Cllr Bateman has chosen to do this. His decision is related to a clash of personalities in his constituency party, not to difficulties with the county council group.”

Despite strong arguments in favour of carrying out a full consultation on admission procedures, Tory members on the Young People Scrutiny Committee voted down a Liberal Democrat proposal on 9 December 2008.

The proposal was  to recommend to the County Council Excutive that a consultation be carried out on the current unfair system and to find a suitable alternative. Over 50 concerned residents and parents attended the meeting in the Cairn Hotel, Harrogate and many, both rural and urban, spoke about their concerns.

Who Does it Affect?
The current admission procedure only affects the three Community Schools in Harrogate (Harrogate Grammar, Rossett and Harrogate High) and gives an absolute priority to rural children to a place at the school of their choice before children in the urban areas are even considered.

What did the Adjudicator Say?
The Adjudicator ruled that the current arrangement that gives priority to rural applicants before considering applications from children in the urban areas is basically unfair. She recommended that North Yorkshire County Council devise and assess the fairness of alternative ways of allocating places and consults fully on these options before determining the arrangements for 2010.

Why are the Liberal Democrats Unhappy?
Our view is that rather than attempting to find a consensus the County Council is invoking the heavy handed and expensive Judicial Review procedure to overturn the Adjudicator’s recommendation on a legal technicality. Protestors have already said that if the Council is successful they will lodge a further objection to what to them is clearly an unfair system. Commonsense says that consultation should be carried out to seek a mutually agreed system that is as fair to all as possible.

The Executive Decision CEX 02/08 was as follows:

That institution of Judicial Review proceedings in relation to the Adjudicators decision of 29 September 2008 be authorised
Carole Dunn
Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services)

Reason for Call-In by the Liberal Democrats:

A Judicial Review even if successful would perpetuate what is perceived by many as an unfair system. Efforts should be concentrated on establishing a consensus amongst interested parties.

What Happens Now?

The Judicial Review will be invoked and if the Adjudicator’s decision is revoked a further adjudication will take place. Of concern was that the County Council refused to promise comprehensive consultation in the future and indicated that they would be selective in the options put forward (if any).

Liberal Democrat Councillors on North Yorkshire County Council are outraged that the ruling Conservatives have refused to permit scrutiny of the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy.

At today’s meeting of the Council’s Environment & Heritage Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Liberal Democrat members called for full scrutiny of the failure of the examination in public of the Minerals & Waste Core Strategy.

This follows the decision of the Tory Executive to withdraw the strategy document following the Government Inspector pointing out its major faults.

But the Tories and Labour together voted against full scrutiny. In voting to refuse scrutiny the Tories, with Labour support, have voted to cover-up Tory incompetence and the waste of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

Lib Dem Councillor Richard Hall (Knaresborough), comments:

“I am appalled that this Tory-controlled administration does not have the guts to agree to a scrutiny of what went wrong, why it went wrong, where we go from here and the potential waste of taxpayers’ money.”

“I will be continuing to do all I can to expose this outrage, question the leadership and encourage others to do the same, in the interest of the taxpayers of North Yorkshire.”

County Councillor Bill Hoult, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council, is calling for a full enquiry in to the failure of the Minerals and Waste Core Strategy following a report to be submitted to the County Council Tory Executive on 4 November 2008.

The report proposes the withdrawal of the Minerals and Waste Core Strategies following the suspension of the planning inquiry by the Government appointed Inspector, Mr King, in September 2008.

The Inspector suspended the enquiry at the request of the Local Authority until 11 November 2008 to allow them to address the Inspectors concerns regarding whether the proposals adequately met criteria he had set down. County officers’ conclusions are that it would not be possible to do that and that more fundamental changes are necessary.

In a note to the Council following the suspension of the hearing on the 17 September, the Inspector said:

“Following consultation on Options 1 and 2, no clear preference was expressed. Partly as a result, the Council chose to combine elements of both into a third option, which then was incorporated into the Submission version of the WCS. Although there was evidence to show that options 1 &2 had been subject to assessment by reference to common objective criteria, the chosen option had not. Consequently there appears to be no evidence to demonstrate on what basis the chosen option was considered to be most appropriate”

Mr King went on to say that the “WCS may not be sound”

The withdrawal of the current strategy, which has taken three years and many thousands of taxpayer’s money to arrive at this stage, is a major blow to the County Council.

The report explains that the County Council cannot unilaterally withdraw its Minerals and Waste Core Strategies and a formal request will need to be submitted to the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber to withdraw the strategies.

The controversial waste site allocations development plan which identifies “suitable sites” across the County Council Area will also fall as it is subsidiary to the Core Strategy and no sites will be able to be accepted without a further round of investigation, validation and consultation. If the recommendations are accepted by the Executive on the 4 November it will be put before the Full County Council at the next meeting on the 17 December 2008.

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

“It pleases no one to hear that the news that three years work at considerable cost to the council taxpayer on the Waste Core Strategy has come to nothing. The taxpaying public has a right to know how this has come about and what the lessons for the future are. I will be calling for a full disclosure of the process and the costs of this abortive exercise.”

Liberal Democrat Councillors on North Yorkshire County Council are concerned about the large number of retrospective planning applications.

At a recent meeting of the Council’s Planning and Regulatory Functions Committee, four of the nine applications were from the County Council itself for retrospective permission for things that had already been done.

At last week’s full Council meeting Lib Dem Group Leader at County Hall, Cllr Bill Hoult (Knaresborough), raised his concerns and comments:

“It is bad enough to have to make decisions on the Council’s own applications but there is a feeling that the council departments do take the attitude that getting planning approval for their applications is tiresome and a formality.”

“This is a dangerous approach. As a planning committee we must be seen to be treating all applicants fairly, whether private or public.”

“What message does it send out to an already sceptical public if this cavalier attitude continues?”

Liberal Democrat Councillors in Harrogate are disappointed that the Tory-run County Council seems to be supporting proposals for 900 new houses in the south-west of the town, and 700 in the north-west.

Liberal Democrat Councillors Les Parkes (Harrogate Harlow) and Gordon Charlton (Harrogate Saltergate) think this will cause severe congestion on already busy roads.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Conservative cabinet member for planning and transport recently approved the proposals. At today’s meeting Lib Dem Councillor Les Parkes raised the issue with the Conservative portfolio holder for planning at North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Parkes had received a letter from the County Council stating that it agrees with the Borough Council, that congestion issues can be mitigated through “demand management and local highway improvement works.”

Cllrs Parkes and Charlton said:

“It is nonsense to say that congestion issues can be mitigated. All the roads in this area are narrow and there is no space available for widening these roads or improving the junctions. All the supermarkets and doctors surgeries are the other side of town. All of this increases traffic through our area.”

Cllr Parkes added:

“In the area we have four of the top performing schools in North Yorkshire, so twice a day the roads can be gridlocked. Due to congestion on the Leeds to Harrogate road, drivers from the south use the roads in here as rat runs. Next to one of the proposed major developments is Cardale Business Park and recent approval has been granted for a further development with 400 employees.”

“In the same location are Harlow Carr Gardens and Betty’s which are so popular that they are now real economic drivers in the area. Close by is the Police Training College which is being expanded.”

“There is no way that “demand management” will alleviate the traffic problems.”

Liberal Democrat Councillors in Harrogate are delighted that the second household waste recycling centre (HWRC) for Harrogate has come a step nearer.

At today’s meeting of North Yorkshire County Council members were informed by the Conservative portfolio holder that an agreement has been reached in principle on a site.

Precise details of the site will be released when contracts are exchanged.

Liberal Democrats on the Tory-controlled council have been campaigning for several years for a new site. It is vital to relieve traffic problems on Wetherby Road because of the Stonefall site.

Lib Dem Councillor John Marshall (Harrogate Central) said:

“I am very pleased that the Council finally seems to be making progress on this. But it clearly would not be happening without hard work and pressure from the Liberal Democrats.”

Lib Dem colleague Councillor Steve Macaré (also representing Harrogate Central) added:

“This is vital for our area. Stonefall is the largest Household Waste Recycling Centre in Yorkshire, causing huge traffic problems on the A661 Wetherby Road in Harrogate. Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for a new HWRC for our area, to take the pressure off Stonefall, for some years.”

Eastfield & Osgodby’s Liberal Democrat Councillor Brian Simpson is launching his new website today.

The website address is www.cllrbsimpson.co.uk and will feature news and information about Eastfield and the village of Osgodby.

It will also feature news about Brian’s work at the councils he serves on, as well as useful links to local community organisations.

Cllr Simpson, who represents Eastfield & Osgodby at North Yorkshire County Council, is also a member of Scarborough Borough Council and a school governor. He lives in Eastfield with his two children.

Brian said:

“It’s all about keeping in touch with the people I represent. Electronic communication is an increasingly important way of letting people know what I am doing on their behalf.” 

“I hope that local residents will find the site useful in a variety of ways.”

In view of the charges brought against County Councillor Morris Lightfoot (Harrogate Bilton & Nidd Gorge Division) at the Harrogate Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 18 September under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981, he has been suspended from the North Yorkshire County Council Liberal Democrat Group with immediate effect.

The suspension is purely a technical and routine procedure implying no judgement on either the guilt or innocence of Councillor Lightfoot.

Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council claim that their worst fears about the Tory County Council’s highway depot rationalisation programme are now being realised.

In November last year it was revealed that the project, originally estimated at £10.5 million had risen to £16M, an increase of more than 50%. This prompted County Cllr Bill Hoult, Leader of the Lib Dems at County Hall, to allege that the estimates must have been prepared on “the back of a fag packet”.

The Liberal Democrats “called in” the decision to look again at the finances, what went wrong and how confident the Council was that costs could be contained. However, the Executive of the Council dismissed concerns and agreed to bale out the scheme by borrowing £3.8m and gambled on increasing land values of the depots to be sold providing the rest.

The current credit crunch has scuppered that confident expectation and revised estimates of land values reveal a drop rather than an increase in land values from £12.4M to £10.4M with a “health warning” that the volatility of current market conditions may make things worse. Even though some savings have been made on the Richmond depot by leasing and refurbishment rather than buying a new site with new building, the financial shortfall has deepened.

A report was presented to the Tory County Council Executive on the 19 August 2008 recommending that further sales of Depots be put on hold in the hope that land values improve. To bridge the funding gap progress on the depot rationalisation will be underwritten from Council finances.

“This is a result of the lack of effective and robust project management rather than the present management of projects which seems to stumble from crisis to crisis, a process that can get by in a booming economy but not in a downturn.”

“It also comes hard on the heels of the reports of the neglect of the repairs and maintenance of North Yorkshire’s tenanted County Farms and the £6M “black hole” on deficiencies in the physical state of our schools that I raised at the last Council meeting.”

“Once again the Council taxpayer is picking up the cost for bad project management by the Council.”

Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council claim that a recent report has exposed a serious lack of maintenance and compliance with legislation in school properties that amounts to an unforeseen black hole of £6 million in the council’s finances.

The report tells us that District Councils, which are responsible for environmental health issues, are becoming increasingly concerned about conditions in some of our schools. Indeed, the following quote from the schedule in the report says:

“NYCC has already been warned by one District Council it is minded to issue enforcement unless repairs are carried out”

Other comments:

“Toilets are inadequate –unchanged since the school opened in 1963. Parents have raised concerns about with the school nurse regarding poor toilet provision.”

“School is losing money on catering as students are citing long queues and cramped conditions as reasons for bringing sandwiches.”

“Year 5/6 is disrupted every day when deliveries arrive for kitchen and children have to rearrange furniture for assembly and lunches.”

The report identifies that the neglect has been due to concentration on curricular activities rather than the suitability of the buildings and environment.

Money to pay for these urgent repairs has had to be diverted from a reserve that was only set up in April this year to pay for potentially huge extra costs the authority might face for waste management after 2011.

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

“Following on from of the Council’s neglect of maintenance and repair of tenanted County Farms, and the problems surrounding the highway depot rationalisation project, this is alarming, particularly as it relates to schools.”

“I just hope that there are no more surprises like this to come out of the woodwork.”

Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council are calling on the county’s coastal MPs to support a campaign to promote British seaside holidays.

The hotel chain Travelodge has launched a “Save Our Seaside” campaign. They hope to open 55 new hotels in seaside locations and say this will create 1000 jobs.

Two Lib Dem MPs representing seaside towns, John Pugh (Southport) and Norman Lamb (North Norfolk) have submitted an Early Day Motion (EDM 2122) to the House of Commons congratulating the company on its scheme.

Whitby Lib Dem Councillor Rob Broadley is urging the county’s two coastal MPs to sign the EDM.

Councillor Broadley commented:

“Revitalising our seaside towns is not something any one organisation can do. It will require a partnership of business, central and local government and individuals as consumers. Travelodge clearly realise this.”

“The Yorkshire coast is rightly famed for its beauty, so we need to promote the towns of Whitby, Scarborough and Filey as places where people can come to enjoy it.”

“I hope that our North Yorkshire coastal MPs Robert Goodwill and John Greenway will appreciate what Travelodge are trying to do and sign the EDM.”

Figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats show that North Yorkshire County Council has made severe cutbacks in maintaining the county’s public footpaths.

The Conservative-run council spent only £280k on maintaining the network last year, compared with £505k in 2005/6. The Council now employs 22 full-time equivalent staff on public rights-of-way, compared with 28 in 2005/6.

Even more worryingly, performance indicators show that only 65% of footpaths are now considered easy to use by walkers, compared with 75% last year.

The Ramblers’ Association has also expressed concern at the reduction in resources for footpath work.

Lib Dem Councillor Keith Barnes (Harrogate Oatlands) commented:

“In recent years the County Council has significantly improved the footpath network, responding positively to information from walkers. But the Council appears to be letting things slip now. There is still a lot to do. Many rights-of-way require maintenance as well as work on the large number of path diversions and creation orders awaiting resolution.”

Cllr Barnes raised the issue at this week’s meeting of the Council, at which the Conservative portfolio holder conceded that the fall in performance was disappointing.

Cllr Barnes added:

“Walking is a big part of our county’s leisure and tourism industry, bringing a great deal of money into the local economy. It is false economics to let the footpath network deteriorate, especially when the Council clearly has the money.”

Lib Dem Councillor Caroline Seymour is dismayed at the Tory council’s poor provision for young people in Stokesley this summer.

The Youth Service. working with the police, has done much work to reduce youth nuisance in the town.

However, the youth worker has gone on maternity leave and been told that there no replacement planned for the summer holiday.

County Councillor Caroline Seymour, who represents Stokesley and the surrounding villages, raised the issue with the Conservative portfolio holder for the Youth Service at today’s meeting of the Council. Cllr Seymour was told that action was being taken to provide cover but that it was “unlikely” to be in place for the summer.

Cllr Seymour commented:

“This is not an unexpected staff absence. The Council should have been able to make alternative arrangements in time for the summer holidays, the very time when this service is most needed.”

Cllr Seymour added:

“This poor level of service is even more upsetting to people in Stokesley in view of the Council’s £115,000 underspend by the Youth Service, and the £8.3 million underspend last year by the Council as a whole.”

Lib Dem Councillors are optimistic that their long campaign for a second recycling centre for Harrogate and Knaresborough may be successful.

At today’s meeting of the Council, Councillor Richard Hall (Lib Dem, Knaresborough), asked the Conservative portfolio holder if she could give any hope to the relief of the Stonefall site on Wetherby Road.

Conservative Councillor Clare Wood said that she was “hopeful that successful negotiations will be concluded for a new site soon.”

The Council was also reassured that money is still available for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Stonefall site when the new site is open.

Cllr Richard Hall commented:

“This is a welcome development, and not before time.”

“Stonefall is the largest Household Waste Recycling Centre in Yorkshire, taking in excess of 22,000 tons of waste per year. Use of the site is causing huge traffic problems on the A661 Wetherby Road in Harrogate. Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for a new HWRC for our area, to take the pressure off Stonefall, for some years.”

“I will believe it when I see it, but at last the Tories seem to be treating this as a priority.”

Lib Dem Councillor Mark Wheeler is fighting to maintain a fully staffed and operational police station in Crosshills.

At today’s meeting of the Council, Councillor Wheeler sought assurances from the Conservative Chair of the Police Authority that the station on Wheatlands Lane will not be closed.

However, no such assurance was given for Crosshills, or Ripon, Knaresborough or Settle.

Cllr Wheeler (Lib Dem, Airedale) commented:

“It seems our community is about to take another hit. First a reduction in our bus service, then post offices, and now our police stations may go the same way. Surely enough is enough.”

“Rural areas deserve as much of a police service as urban areas. Crime, whatever the perceived level of severity, has a long lasting effect on the victim.”

“Our area has a higher than average proportion of elderly people, for whom fear of crime is a real concern. Without their local police station they will be less confident that any crime can be dealt with quickly.”

Liberal Democrats in North Yorkshire are opposed to parking charges being imposed in the towns of Northallerton, Stokesley, Thirsk and Bedale.

We believe that they would:

1. Destroy the economic viability of our town centres

2. Put small shops out of business

3. Cost jobs

4. Displace parking into residential areas

Stokesley County Councillor Caroline Seymour said:
“The Conservatives who run the Hambleton District Council are responsible for creating the financial difficulties that have led to these charging proposals.
I am disappointed that the Tory bosses at the County Council have made no objection to the charges.
In addition, Labour Government policies have made it difficult for councils to raise the money needed to maintain services.”

There will be a peaceful march from Northallerton Town Hall to Hambleton Forum to protest against the charges on Tuesday 24 June at 12:30pm.

Anyone who wants to add their name to the thousands of signatures already collected can sign the petition at many of the shops in the town centres.

A report to the Council’s Standards Committee shows that the number of complaints rocketed from 532 in 2006-07 to 847 in 2007-08. This is an increase of nearly 60%. There was little change in the number of complaints in the year before that.

The bulk of the increase appears to be in Adult & Community Services, which covers social care and libraries.

Cllr John Marshall, Lib Dem spokesperson, commented:

“Alarm bells should be ringing at County Hall. A 60% rise in complaints should be a cause for concern for any organisation. Most worrying is the rise in complaints about adult & community services, which have more than doubled.”

Cllr Marshall, from Harrogate, added:

“When the Standards Committee meets next week I will be asking what has gone wrong and what is to be done about it. The Conservative bosses at County Hall really need to give this their full attention.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor Polly English today spoke out against the decision by North Yorkshire County Council not to go ahead with the proposed rebuild of a new centre for adults with learning difficulties on the grounds of Stepping Stones.

On 25 March the Tory leaders agreed to have a full consultation with local members and carers. This has not happened.

Then on 25 April there were headlines in the Craven Herald confirming that this rebuild would not go ahead.

Craven District Council have been working in partnership with the County Council for 19 months to ensure the rebuild went ahead. But they have only just been advised that NYCC has pulled the plug on the venture after spending £1200 in officer time.

Cllr English said:

“I feel ashamed to be a member of North Yorkshire County Council, which rides roughshod over its local members, partner councils and most importantly, the most vulnerable people, the adults with learning difficulties in our area.”

At today’s meeting of North Yorkshire County Council Liberal Democrat councillors Gordon Charlton and Richard Hall asked the Tory Executive member what progress had been made on finding and developing Harrogate’s vital second Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Conservative Councillor Clare Wood said in response that they are still in negotiation with landowners.

Cllr Charlton commented:

“This is what we were told 12 months ago. So much for it being a priority.”

Cllr Hall added:

“There is still no assurance that Stonefall will be redeveloped even though we were assured four years ago that funding was ring-fenced.”

Yet again the Tories have let the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough down.

Liberal Democrats on North Yorkshire County Council have re-elected Councillor Bill Hoult as their Group Leader.

At the group’s Annual General Meeting in Harrogate last Saturday, Liberal Democrats from across the county unanimously elected Bill, from Knaresborough, to lead them for another year.

Bill has led the group since 2006. The 19-strong Liberal Democrats are the main opposition to the ruling Conservatives at County Hall.

Airedale Councillor Mark Wheeler will again be Bill’s deputy, whilst Ripon’s Bernard Bateman is group Chairman.

Cllr Hoult said afterwards:

“I am delighted that the group has put its trust in me again. I look forward to the challenges of the next year. With Council Tax rocketing and services being cut, it is more important than ever to hold the Tories to account.”

“Whilst the Labour group argue amongst themselves, and vote with the Tories more often than not, the crucial job of providing an effective opposition at County Hall is left to the Liberal Democrats.”

A lot has been said in the media about the performance of the Conservatives in elections early this month, and about how they are finally managing to make a breakthrough in the north.

However, the glowing plaudits are based on a superficial reading of results. Scratching beneath the surface reveals a rather less favourable story for them.

Even after eleven years of a very unpopular Labour government, the Tories have failed to have a single councillor elected in Liverpool, Newcastle, Gateshead or Durham City. They have very few in Manchester or Hull. And there’s more: this month they lost their remaining presence on Sheffield Council.

Much has been made about the Conservatives winning control of Bury (though they will rely on the Mayor’s casting vote to do so). But Bury is far from typical of northern Labour heartlands – it had two Tory MPs until 1997 and contains affluent Manchester commuter areas. It is certainly not Salford or Easington.

There is a reason for this. People in the north remember how bad it was under a Tory Government. Even a decade of Labour’s nannying, corruption, authoritarianism and general ineptitude has not persuaded the north to back the Tories again.

By contrast, the Liberal Democrats run councils in Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull, Sheffield, Stockport, Burnley and Durham, and are the biggest party in Warrington and York. It is clearly us who are the main opposition in the north.

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.”

Both Champions are currently hired and fired by the single party Conservative Executive that runs the Council.

The Liberal Democrat Group think that, particularly for the Young Persons Champion, it should be the young people who vote for the councillor they want to represent them and not left to the Executive.

A motion is being put to the next Full Council meeting on the 20 February proposed by Councillor Bill Hoult (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group) and seconded by Cllr Caroline Seymour (Liberal Democrat spokesperson on the Young People Scrutiny Committee).

Councillor Bill Hoult (Knaresborough) explains:

“This creates a great opportunity to involve young people in the democratic process, something the County Council and the Government are striving to do.”

“We think it is wrong that the appointment or dismissal of these champions is at the whim of the Executive which will act like a gag if the person wants to keep his/her job and allowance.”

“The person elected should be able to speak up for young people without always looking over their shoulder in case they are sacked by their political masters. That is real democracy!”

 Cllr Seymour adds:

“This is just the right time for action on this. District Councils in North Yorkshire are working with the County Council on Youth Participation Plans.”

“The Local Government Association, of which I am a member, is promoting a Local Democracy campaign called “sending the councillor back to school”. What better way of encouraging young people to become involved than letting them elect a representative?”

The motion also proposes that elections for the Elderly Persons Champion should also be instituted following agreement on the electorate and the electoral system.

A Liberal Democrat has hit out angrily at North Yorkshire County Council’s failure to manage the budget for the new school at Richmond.

Richmond County Councillor Stuart Parsons has expressed surprise and anger at the revelation that the massive investment programme at Richmond School has, in under four months, already gone 18% over budget.

Cllr Parsons also expressed disappointment that the Conservative Executive member responsible, Councillor John Watson, failed to let him know that there was a problem.

Lib Dem County Councillor Stuart Parsons said:

“It is incredible that such an important project could find itself in serious difficulties already. Councillor Watson must bear full responsibility for this debacle.”

“It just goes to prove that putting Conservatives in charge, whether at County Hall, Richmondshire District or Hambleton District, guarantees one thing: total incompetence.”

“The Tories must call an emergency meeting of all partners to resolve this scandalous problem. Yet again it is the pupils and teachers who will suffer, and that is quite unacceptable. The Council owes them better than this.”