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12
Nov 2020
‘No intention’ of becoming mayor, says county council leader
One of North Yorkshire’s most senior councillors has ruled himself out of standing for mayor in the county after devolution.
Cllr Carl Les, 71, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret the position required a younger, energetic politician to bat for the county and lobby Westminster.
A key player in driving the county towards devolution and shaking up the structure of local government, Cllr Les said he hoped government would return with its preferred council model early in the new year.
In a wide-ranging interview, he stressed the need for investment in the county and his frustration at the delay in kickstarting negotiations with government over more powers.
Shake-up of North Yorkshire’s councils
The biggest restructure of local government in the county since 1974 should take a further step in the New Year, Cllr Les hopes.
North Yorkshire County Council submitted its plan for a single council last Friday, while district leaders have tabled an alternative.
It means the ball is rolling and spells the end for the county’s seven district authorities and county council.
Read more:
- North Yorkshire devolution: what happens now?
- Call to create Harrogate Town Council
- 5 lessons to learn from devolution in Tees Valley
Cllr Les said the government hopes to come back to the county with its preferred option early in the New Year, before it embarks on a 10-week consultation.
Creating a new authority is a prerequisite to devolving power from Westminster, ministers told council bosses earlier this year.
Cllr Les said both devolution and scrapping of the two-tier system go hand-in-hand. It remains the case that the government wants a single tier council before it offers a directly elected mayor and more cash. He said:
Frustrations over devolution
Before the county can receive any powers over such things as transport and housing, it has to submit a list of requests.
Known as the devolution “asks”, it kickstarts the negotiations between council leaders and ministers over a devolution deal.
The 140-page document, agreed by seven out of the nine councils so far, outlines £2 billion worth of spending power for the county.
But both Ryedale and Hambleton have yet to agree to table the plan to ministers.
While it does not technically require every council to agree, council leaders wanted each authority to support the bid. Cllr Les said the lack of consensus was frustrating.
No appetite to be mayor
While Cllr Les has pressed leaders on the need for devolved powers, he has no intention of stepping into the role of elected mayor that comes with it.
Despite being leader of the county council for five years, he said the role needs someone “energetic”.
He pointed to Ben Houchen, the 33-year-old Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, as an example.
At 71, Cllr Les said he felt he was capable of carrying out his current duties but not a new role as mayor.
He said:
While he may not be interested in becoming mayor, he said he will consider standing as councillor on the potential new authority in the county.
Cllr Les said it is possible that he will be the last leader of the county council, but added it was too early to tell if he would be part of a new authority.
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