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07
Jan
Mayor’s expenses yet to be published despite new year pledge
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has yet to publish details of Mayor David Skaith’s expenses, despite pledging to do so from the new year.
In December, the Stray Ferret revealed a series of expenses claims made by Labour mayor David Skaith between May 2024 and January 2025, which were only disclosed following our investigation.
None of his expenses claims from January 2025 were sent to us.
Mr Skaith was elected mayor on May 3, 2024. However, since then, there is still no record of his monthly expenses on the combined authority’s website.
By comparison, Jo Coles, the deputy mayor for policing, is legally required to publish her personal expenses.
Our investigation found that the mayor claimed £618.30 for two hotel rooms for one night on July 7, which related to him and an officer meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starrer after the general election in London.
We also found that Mr Skaith’s political advisor claimed £639.20 for a two-night stay at a hotel in Liverpool on September 23 to attend the Labour Party conference.
A combined authority spokesperson defended the move and said it was a “legitimate expense” as the advisor is a combined authority employee.
David Skaith and Sir Keir Starmer after his mayoral election win.
Following our investigation, a mayor’s spokesperson said in statement that his expenses would be published each quarter from Monday, January 5.
They added:
The mayor takes transparency very seriously, as such from Monday 5 January his diary, gifts and hospitality register, and expenses will all be published each quarter, alongside information about his office.
However, no expenses claims for the mayor can currently be found on the combined authority’s website.
The Stray Ferret has approached the mayor’s office to clarify when the information will be published.
Mr Skaith told a combined authority overview and scrutiny committee meeting on December 18 that the authority’s had “not been good enough” on transparency.
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.
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