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    24

    Feb 2024

    Last Updated: 23/02/2024

    Harrogate and Ripon councillors clash over council tax

    by John Plummer

    | 24 Feb, 2024
    Comment

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    mixcollage-22-feb-2024-12-51-pm-8048
    Philip Broadbank (left) and Andrew Williams.

    Old wounds between Harrogate and Ripon councillors reopened this week over council tax as North Yorkshire Council agreed proposals to increase its charge by 4.99%.

    The increase will result in almost £90 added to the average Band D bill, with senior councillors arguing the rise was crucial to protect frontline services and to keep up with inflation.

    But during the debate in Northallerton, the Liberal Democrats suggested an amendment, which was ultimately rejected, that would have seen council tax limited to 3.99% instead.

    Councillor Bryn Griffiths, the leader of North Yorkshire Council’s Liberal Democrat group, told councillors that residents should be paying less following an additional £6m government grant.

    Cllr Griffiths said this should be used to protect residents from “execessive” tax rises during a cost-of-living crisis.

    This led several councillors, including Andrew Williams, an independent who represents Ripon Minster and Moorside for the Conservatives and Independents, to accuse the Liberal Democrats of political posturing.

    He referred to a song from the movie Wonka called A World of Your Own”and said:

    “It seems this is where the Liberal Democrats reside most of the time”.


    Cllr Williams added:

    “What we have here is literally a nonsense. It’s an attempt to grab an election leaflet headline and as usual has no substance behind it from the Liberal Democrats.
    “What the people of North Yorkshire need are sensible people taking sensible decisions that protect the long-term future of services.”


    Cllr Williams’ comments provoked an angry response from Cllr Philip Broadbank, a long-serving councillor who represents Fairfax and Starbeck for the Liberal Democrats. He then accused Cllr Williams of voting to increase Ripon City Council’s council tax precept by 9% at a meeting last month.

    Councillors from Harrogate and Ripon would regularly clash on the old Harrogate Borough Council.

    Cllr Broadbank said:

    “Some points we’ve heard them all before from the same people.”


    However, Cllr Williams, who is also the leader of Ripon City Council, did not attend the Ripon budget meeting where the 9% increase was confirmed due to a family bereavement.

    He demanded that Cllr Broadbank withdraw his accusation but he refused.

    Cllr Williams told the Local Democracy Reporting Service afterwards that he was going to make a complaint.

    He added:

    “It’s appalling to be accused of something when I wasn’t even there”.