It lasted just 31 minutes and was a mere parish council meeting. But last night’s extraordinary meeting of Ripon City Council was indeed extraordinary in the level of bitterness and rancour that emerged.

The meeting was called solely to elect a successor to Councillor Jackie Crozier, who had resigned as mayor following another divisive meeting seven days earlier. Even that didn’t prove straightforward, as former council leader Cllr Andrew Williams suggested the vote to elect Cllr Barbara Brodigan could face a legal challenge.

Band D property holders in the city pay £80 a year on their council tax towards the city council and must be wondering whether it can function effectively for their benefit in the 20 months until the next elections in May 2027.

Here are five key questions that need resolving:

You can read more about last night’s meeting here, an interview with new mayor Cllr Brodigan here, and former mayor John Richmond’s dismay at proceedings here.

1 Will the new mayor face a legal challenge?

Councillor Andrew Williams called for last night’s vote to be postponed on the grounds that the city council had not received official confirmation of Cllr Crozier’s resignation as mayor. He said to proceed would contravene paragraph 84d of the 1972 Local Government Act, which says a parish council chairman’s resignation must be made in writing and, he said, “this council does not hold such documentation”. 

Cllr Wlliams added: “To proceed would leave us open to legal challenge.” Some members of the public agreed while others said Cllr Crozier had posted her resignation statement on her councillor Facebook page and this should suffice. Cllr Crozier posted last week: “It is with deep sadness and disappointment that I tender my resignation as mayor of the city of Ripon, effective immediately.” 

Ripon resident Brian McHugh, who attended last night’s meeting, said afterwards his emails to the city council asking for clarity on the matter “have been ignored”. He added: “I believe that the city is being sullied further by both an improper motion of vote of no confidence and an improper election of a new mayor.”

2 Will further details of Jackie Crozier’s resignation emerge?

Former mayor John Richmond summed up many people’s bemusement at last night’s meeting when he said he still didn’t understand why Cllr Crozier faced a vote of no confidence — a move that triggered her resignation. Cllr Brodigan said she was aware it appeared “decisions have been made behind closed doors and that we are not an open and transparent council” but claimed “GDPR and employment law” meant some details had to remain confidential. The council remains, however, under pressure to give a fuller account of why Cllr Crozier was put in such an untenable position.

3 Can trust be rebuilt?

Ripon City Council is deeply divided. The next city council election is due in May 2027, and the rancour of the mayoral saga raises questions about whether it will be able to function effectively. One member of the public told last night’s meeting the council shenanigans were “not in the spirit of Ripon”, which they said was a welcoming city while another person asked whether the public could request a vote of no confidence in the council.

4 Can the big beasts get on?

Two of the 12 city councillors also serve on North Yorkshire Council — and they are not in the same camp. New mayor Cllr Brodigan is a Liberal Democrat while Cllr Andrew Williams, who resigned as leader amid manoeuvres by the pro-Brodigan camp to remove the leader and deputy leader roles, was elected to Ripon City Council in 2022 as an Independent under the banner ‘Putting Ripon Before Party Politics’. He subsequently joined the Conservative Party and is now a member of the Conservative and Independents Group at County Hall in Northallerton. Asked last night if she could work with Cllr Williams, Cllr Brodigan said: “As a councillor, I will have to. Simple as that. Can he work with me? I hope so.” The Stray Ferret has approached Cllr Williams for comment.

5 What will happen to Cllr Crozier?

Cllr Crozier did not attend either last week’s vote of no confidence against her or last night’s meeting to elect a successor. Paula Benson, the clerk, did not attend last night either, due to ill health, although there was controversy when Cllr Brodigan said she was texting her for advice in response to Cllr Williams’ claims that the vote to elect a new mayor was unlawful. Cllr Crozier became the city’s first out gay female mayor in spring and, four months later, has found herself at the centre of a political storm. The market owner remains as a councillor but has kept a low profile amid the storm and must be wondering whether it’s worth her time.