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.”