Liberal Democrats in North Yorkshire were alone in opposing the Tory County Council’s “Snow Tax” at the meeting on 17 February.

Senior Conservatives recommended a rise of 2.94%, well in excess of the 2.5% that the County Council had consulted residents on. This will generate an extra £1 million to pay for road repairs following the recent snow.

Liberal Democrats today proposed an amendment to the budget that would have restricted the Council Tax rise to the original 2.5%.

But an alliance of Conservatives and so-called “Independents” voted through the 2.94% increase.

This will result in the County Council element of Council Tax bills going up by £30.18 a year for Band D properties.

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

“This amounts to a snow tax from the Tories.”

“Of course the snow caused problems, but the Council has £15 million in reserves to deal with unforeseen emergencies like this.”

“The council consulted on a 2.5% rise. Few people who responded said it should be a higher rise than that.”

“The Conservatives and Independents don’t seem to appreciate how much ordinary families are struggling financially at the moment.”

Liberal Democrats in North Yorkshire today attacked the Tory County Council for proposing a council tax increase higher than that which they consulted residents on.

North Yorkshire County Council held consultations on a council tax rise of 2.5%. But today the Conservative-dominated Executive of the Council voted to recommend a 2.94% increase. This would generate an extra £1 million to pay for road repairs following the recent snow.

This will result in the County Council element of Council Tax bills going up by £30.18 a year for Band D properties.

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

“What is the point of consulting residents and then ignoring what they say?”

“The council consulted on a 2.5% rise. Few people who responded said it should be a higher rise than that.”

“This is a snow tax from the Tories. We all know the bad weather caused problems but the Tories could meet the extra costs from the £15 million the Council has stashed away in reserves.”

“Ordinary taxpayers are struggling with their finances and are right to ask why, with £15 million spare, the Council wants even more of their hard earned cash to put into their coffers.”

The Audit Commission has said that councils need to review the value for money of their spending on magazines and newspapers. Liberal Democrats in North Yorkshire fully support the Commission’s findings and will ask the Tory County Council bosses to do this.

In a report published last weekend, the independent body said that “councils need to assure themselves of the quality of their communications and the value of their communication spending.”

North Yorkshire spends £500,000 a year on a monthly newspaper, the “North Yorkshire Times”. This is well above the national average, which is around £68,000. Only 14% of councils put out newspapers or magazines 10 or more times a year.

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

“The Audit Commission is right to call for a review of the value of council newspapers.”

“North Yorkshire’s spending on its newspaper is way out of step with most of the country.”

“In a time of recession, the Tories need to be asking serious questions about whether we can afford this.”

A few days before the Harrogate Woodfield by-election the Tories were claiming that it was a “cliffhanger” between their candidate and the Liberal Democrats. Greta Knight responded by turning it into a “landslide” victory for the Liberal Democrats, capturing a stunning 62% of the votes cast.
The full result was:

Harrogate Borough Council, Woodfield Ward, 7 January

Liberal Democrat (Greta Knight)   688 (Elected)
Conservative  246
BNP     92
Labour     73

Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative.

Greta comments:

“All credit must go to those electors who turned out to vote in such appalling conditions and of course to the fantastic team of helpers that worked so hard to make this victory possible. My thanks to each and every one of you.”

Claire Kelley, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, comments:

“This is a tremendous result and a tribute to Greta’s standing in the local community, so many of whom came out to vote in conditions that were positively Arctic! Greta will be a excellent addition to the Liberal Democrat Group on the Harrogate Council and an excellent councillor for the people of Woodfield.”

This win deprives the Harrogate Tories of their overall majority on Harrogate Borough Council, which means that they will need to rely on Independents from Ripon to continue in control of the Borough Council.

Liberal Democrats in North Yorkshire have welcomed the support of a Tory Shadow Cabinet member over the row about the North Yorkshire County Council’s free news sheet, the North Yorkshire Times. Read the rest of this entry.

County Councillor Bill Hoult, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at North Yorkshire County Council, hailed a u-turn on tendering rules for Council contracts as “a return to common sense” at a recent council meeting. Read the rest of this entry.

It is just poppycock for the Tory-run North Yorkshire County Council to claim that their colossal £14 million budget underspend and £70 million reserves are an example of prudent control of finances. The truth is that it is a result of years of blatant over-taxation of council tax payers just to put money into the County Council’s bank account.

For the last three years your Liberal Democrat councillors proposed reductions in the level of Council tax but were voted down by the Tories and Labour acting together. 

Liberal Democrats believe that unneeded money is better left in the taxpayers’ pocket than earning interest in the County Council’s bank.

The Tory led council has used its monopoly and built in majority to push through tax rises that no private sector organisation would dare to impose in the present economic climate.

The outturn revenue accounts for 2008/2009, to be approved at the North Yorkshire County Council Full Council meeting on the 22 July, contain a provision for a “Debt Write-off” of £171,247.40 that was approved by the Executive on the 23 June 2009.

The write-off relates to two invoices submitted by the Council to Mouchel Ltd and relate to accommodation occupied by the company between April 2005 to October 2006. During that period Mouchel were providing highways/property services to the County Council.

The report explains that the Council is still in negotiation with the contractor but concludes that “it is highly unlikely that the sums will be irrecoverable”

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

“Once again we see the Tory Council’s lackadaisical approach to project management costing the Council taxpayer dearly. If the Council cannot write what should be a simple, enforceable rental agreement it is a serious matter indeed.”

Liberal Democrats are pleased that North Yorkshire has done well in the nationwide “Place Survey”. However, the figures also reveal some areas of concern.

The Place Survey was carried out towards the end of 2008 and involved questioning a sample of local residents. All councils took part.

Lib Dems are concerned that half of those who responded were unhappy with local bus services, and only 45% were happy with local transport information. Even more worryingly, only a third of residents think the County Council provides good value for money.

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

“I am very pleased that North Yorkshire has come out as one of the best places to live. I’m sure residents knew this to be the case, without the need for a survey!”

“Prosperous areas seem to have done well in the survey, regardless of what their councils are doing.”

“The Liberal Democrats have been asking for better consultation on bus timetables for over two years now. This survey seems to prove our case. The council really needs to do more to improve public transport.”

“It is no surprise that so few people think the County Council provides good value for money. With Council Tax increases among the highest in the country and half a million pounds a year wasted on the “North Yorkshire Times” newspaper, how could people possibly think their money is being well used?”

Liberal Democrat Councillors have taken several influential positions at North Yorkshire County Council.

Following today’s meeting of the Council, Cllr Caroline Seymour is Vice-Chair of the County Council. She is one of only a very small number of Lib Dems to have held this position.

Cllr Margaret-Ann de Courcey-Bayley (Harrogate Starbeck) is to Chair the Communications Overview & Scrutiny Committee. Her colleague, Cllr Geoff Webber (Harrogate Bilton & Nidd Gorge) will be Vice-Chair of the Transport & Telecommunications Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Speaking afterwards, Cllr de Courcey-Bayley said:
“I am very pleased that the Council has put its trust in me to chair the influential Communications Committee. Good communication, both internal and with the public, is the key to a successful council.”
“Effective scrutiny of Executive decisions will require a lot of hard work, and I look forward to working with councillors of all parties to try to achieve this.”

Cllr Geoff Webber added:
“I am delighted to be Vice-Chair of Transport & Telecommunications. I will use my position to make sure North Yorkshire has a transport system that is environmentally sound and fit for purpose.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Brian Simpson (Scarborough Eastfield & Osgodby) is Vice-Chair of the Safe & Sustainable Communities Committee and Stuart Parsons (Richmond) is Vice-Chair of the Environment & Heritage Committee.

Following the County Council elections on 4 June the make-up of the Council is now:

Conservatives 48

Liberal Democrats 11

Independent Group 10

Labour 1

Liberal Party 1

Other Independent 1

For the full results please follow this link http://www.northyorks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=9588

Lib Dems in North Yorkshire launched their manifesto for the County Council elections to be held on 4 June 2009.

Claire Kelley (prospective parliamentary candidate for Harrogate & Knaresborough, pictured second left) spoke at the launch and joined councillors and candidates afterwards at Holy Trinity Church in Ripon.

Click here to read the manifesto.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto for the North Yorkshire County Council elections (to be held on 4 June) will be launched at Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Lane, Ripon, HG4 2EY on Saturday 18 April. The event starts at 12pm.

Local media representatives are welcome.

Among the policies set out in the manifesto are:

•    Investing extra money in the Youth Service, to tackle anti-social behaviour.

•    A stop to above-inflation increases in the price of school meals

•    Abolishing the County Council’s North Yorkshire Times “so called” newspaper which costs over £500K a year of taxpayers money and is threatening the very existence of truly independent local newspapers.

•    Directly elected Older and Younger People’s “Champions” at the council, instead of these being political appointments.

•    Reviewing the creation of huge council contracts that make it virtually impossible for small local firms to compete against national companies.

County Councillor Bill Hoult, Lib Dem Group Leader at County Hall, said:

“Coming against a background of economic crisis, our manifesto contains no extravagant promises, but a sound and cautious approach to the future.”

“The Conservatives have more than doubled Council Tax over the last 11 years, whilst inflation has been 25%. The people of North Yorkshire deserve better.”

Liberal Democrats at County Hall today proposed an amendment to the budget asking for a 2% increase in Council Tax.

But this was voted down by the ruling Conservatives who pushed through their plans for an inflation-busting 3.94% rise.

County Councillor Bill Hoult (Knaresborough), who leads the Liberal Democrats at County Hall, said:

“The Tories at the County Council have already put Council Tax up by 108% since 1997. Over that period the rate of inflation has been 23%.”

“Today’s rise is yet another slap in the face, or should I say, in the wallet, for thousands of hard working people trying to make ends meet in difficult economic times.”

County Councillor Keith Barnes (Harrogate Oatlands) seconded the amendment, adding:

“Our proposal for a lower than inflation increase was sensible, affordable and fully costed. The Tories won the vote but not the argument.”

Liberal Democrats at County Hall think that County Council contracts are becoming so large that local businesses can no longer compete for them.

The ruling Conservatives plan to reduce the number of contractors on the Council’s approved list.

In many cases this is sensible, as some existing contractors never bother to tender for work, have gone out of business, or fail to meet quality standards.

But the Tories also plan to construct larger contracts by lumping together different work. Lib Dems fear that smaller local companies will be pushed out in favour of large national ones, and so are urging the Tories to think again.

County Councillor Les Parkes (Harrogate Harlow) questioned the Tory Executive member at today’s meeting of the Council and was told that the matter would be kept under review. Cllr Parkes said afterwards:

“In view of the current economic downturn it is more important than ever that our Council supports local businesses.”

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 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.”

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.”

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 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 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 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.”

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.

Liberal Democrat councillors at North Yorkshire County Council today were alone in opposing more allowances for councillors.

The Tory-run council voted at its meeting today to start paying allowances to two “Member Champions”. Previously these “Champions” have never been paid.

From next year the Council’s “Champion for Older Persons” and the “Champion for Young Persons” will each receive £4,518 per year. This is in addition to their basic allowance of £8,772.

Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Bill Hoult  (from Knaresborough) said:

“Once again Tory and Labour councillors combined to vote to use Council Tax payers’ money on a barmy idea.” “Councillors are elected to serve all the people in their own wards and object to the Tory leadership trying to appoint “placemen” who will interfere with the role they were elected to do”

Richmond Cllr Stuart Parsons added:

“In the current climate of ever-rising Council Tax bills, it is foolish for the Tories and Labour to start paying yet more money to councillors.”

“This is not an attack on the individuals involved. But they put themselves up for the job so why should the Council Tax payer suddenly need to start paying them?”

Liberal Democrats at County Hall are pleased that the Conservative-run
County Council yesterday dropped plans to split an important Harrogate committee in two.

In July this year there was a proposal by Tories on North Yorkshire County Council to split the Harrogate County Area Committee into two. This would have created two committees, one serving the rural areas of Harrogate borough and one the urban part.

The claim made by supporters was that the committee is too big (18 County Councillors  plus Parish, District and voluntary sector members). It was also claimed that rural issues were being sidelined.

At the meeting of the County Area Committee on the 8 November it was made clear that there was little support for the idea. Indeed, the only support was from a few Conservative county councillors.

Liberal Democrat county councillors, parish council representatives, district councillors and people from the voluntary sector all criticised the proposal as having more disadvantages than advantages.

Opponents to the change quoted increased costs of running two committees, the risk of a “disconnection” between rural and urban areas creating a “them and us” mentality at a time when County and District Councils are attempting to meet Government requirements to work closer together.

Parish and voluntary sector representatives have also pointed out the difficulties that they would meet in having to attend and contribute to two committees rather than one.

Knaresborough County Councillor Bill Hoult (Leader of the Lib Dem group at County Hall) comments:

“I am very pleased that the Executive has supported the Harrogate Area Committee recommendation that this idea be dropped. Clearly the proposal was  strongly linked to the bid for county unitary status, but that has now failed.”

“It made sense to look at splitting the committee when the County Unitary bid was a possibility but it makes no sense now.”