Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
20
Dec
Mayor Watch: Expenses claims and tourist tax
As part of a monthly political feature, the Stray Ferret will analyse the activity of the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and his deputy mayor for policing, Jo Coles.
In this feature, we will analyse the decisions, public and online presence and use of money by both politicians.
During December, the Stray Ferret revealed some of Mr Skaith’s personal expenses — which had not been published since he was elected in May 2024.
Meanwhile, Mr Skaith welcomed £41 million worth of bus funding but warned of rising demand for services.
He also described a mayoral tourist tax, which was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, as a “gamechanger”.
Here is what else we found after analysing their online presence.
David Skaith, pictured in Ripon.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
What did he do?
At the end of November, Mr Skaith wrote an open letter to tourism and hospitality businesses following the announcement of a mayoral tourist tax.
Mr Skaith said he knew that many firms were concerned over the announcement, but added that he believed the income raised from the policy would be “fundamentally game changing for our region”.
He added that he had met with visitor and tourism organisations about the tourist tax and that he would consult locally on the measure, should he decide to introduce it.
On December 7, the Labour mayor welcomed £41 million in funding for bus services in the region.
However, he said a lack of increases to meet rising demand was disappointing.
On December 11, Mr Skaith announced £200,900 worth of funding for the region’s independent training providers.
The fund was the second phase of the mayor’s skills innovation fund, which was launched earlier this year.
What decisions did he make?
Mr Skaith approved a list of projects which would receive funding from a £7.4 million brownfield housing fund.
The Labour mayor also approved a list of projects which would receive grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which included battery storage for solar panels at Settle swimming pool.
What else?
Following an investigation, the Stray Ferret revealed some of Mayor Skaith’s personal expenses.
The information released covers expenses claims made between April and December 2024 via credit card transaction.
They included £618.30 for two hotel rooms for one night on July 7.
The combined authority said the claim related to Mr Skaith and an officer meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after the general election in London.
You can read the rest in our investigation here.
The move comes as Mr Skaith had not published any of his personal expenses claims on the combined authority website since he was elected in May 2024.
During a combined authority scrutiny meeting on December 18, Mr Skaith admitted that the authority had not been transparent enough.
He said:
I will hold our hands up and say that as a combined authority we have not been good enough on this [transparency].
We have made big changes recently to make sure we are more open and transparent, particularly on myself. I have also committed to my senior officers in the combined authority to be much more open and transparent on things like expenses, travelling and all the rest of it.
Following our investigation, a spokesperson for the mayor told the Stray Ferret that Mr Skaith’s expenses, plus wider transparency information, would be published in full in the new year.
The Stray Ferret asked the combined authority if it had anything further it wished to add to Mr Skaith’s activity.
In a statement, the mayor said:
I will always work with our communities, never doing things to them. Over the past year I have been able to visit organisations and communities from right across York and North Yorkshire. Residents deserve to know what has shaped my decisions and I am committed to being as open and transparent as possible. I know that we are not there yet and we need to make some changes. That’s why, from the New Year, my expenses, gifts and hospitality, and a list of the external meetings that I and my team have will be available for anyone to see.
Finally, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. As a local shop owner myself, I know how vital this time of year is for local businesses. They are the heart of our communities, making our villages, towns and cities unique. I’ve been showing my support this year, both through my High Street Fund and by doing as much of my Christmas shopping for my family, and fellow Northern Mayors, as possible. I have been inspired by a high street project I’m proud to have funded in towns across North Yorkshire including Knaresborough. Totally Locally’s Magic Tenner promoted that every £10 spent in a locally owned business means up to £50 goes back into the local economy. So, this Christmas and all through next year show them your support by choosing to shop local where you can.
Jo Coles.
Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
What did she do?
On December 15, Ms Coles released a joint statement with Mayor Skaith paying tribute to the victims of the Bondi beach terror attack in Australia.
Meanwhile, Ms Coles also advertised her virtual advice surgeries which allow residents and businesses to discuss any police, fire or community issues with her.
What decisions did she make?
On December 11, the deputy mayor approved the publication of the fire service’s Community Risk Management Plan, which includes polices on automatic fire alarm attendances.
Ms Coles also made decisions on digital case files for North Yorkshire Police and a pilot on cautions for first time domestic abuse offenders.
What else?
On the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning website, personal expenses for Ms Coles are published monthly.
The office published expenses claims for September and October, which are the most recent data available.
In September, Ms Coles claimed £49.50 in expenses for travel, breakfast and dinner at a meeting in London on September 23.
She also claimed a train ticket for a meeting in Northallerton on September 25.
In October, Ms Coles claimed an expense of £1.77 for parking in Harrogate for a meeting.
Meanwhile, Ms Coles also claimed mileage of 32 miles in September for engagements in York and Easingwold and 110 miles in September for meetings in Harrogate, York and Sand Hutton.
The Stray Ferret approached York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to ask if it had anything further it wished to add to Ms Coles’ activity.
In a statement, Ms Coles said:
My focus is firmly on strengthening our emergency services. I recently represented our region at the national policing and fire conferences, ensuring York and North Yorkshire have a voice in these vital conversations.
Closer to home, I’ve been focused on tackling violence against women and girls. During the 16 Days of Activism, I visited our local victim support services and the York Women’s Centre to see the progress being made first-hand. I have also been working with David Skaith, the mayor and regional faith leaders to identify practical steps to address hate crime.
The response to the Langdale fire remains a priority. I’ve met with the firefighters and farmers who worked so hard during the incident and recently accompanied Government officials to the site to ensure they understand the impact on our environment and local businesses.
Alongside my regular surgeries, I am now focused on the future of our services. We are consulting on the police and fire precept for 2026-27, and I urge everyone to put aside some time over the holidays to have their say before the January 5 deadline.
Finally, please be reassured that our commissioned victim support services remain open throughout Christmas. Help is available to anyone who needs it.
0