Ripon mayor Barbara Brodigan defied calls from fellow councillors to resign at a city council meeting last night.

However, some of the changes she had overseen in recent months were undone in a sign of the latest shift in power.

The meeting began with prayers for wisdom and peace from John Dobson, the dean of Ripon Cathedral. But recent acrimony resurfaced during an agenda item to consider the outcome of last month’s parish poll.

The poll saw 317 Ripon electors vote 'no' to the question: ‘Do you have confidence in Councillor Barbara Brodigan?’ A total of 271 voted ‘yes’. The turnout was 4.66%.

Former deputy leader Cllr Peter Horton said it was ironic that a no confidence vote among councillors, including Cllr Brodigan, had led to the downfall of her mayoral predecessor Cllr Jackie Crozier. Now Cllr Brodigan faced a similar situation, he said, yet refused to take the same course of action.

He said: “This is rank hypocrisy and it will be remembered by voters in 2027.” The next city council elections are due in 2027.

Cllr Julieann Martin-Long said the parish poll had sought views on whether they had confidence in Cllr Brodigan as a councillor rather than as mayor. Some councillors replied that it was the “same thing”.

Cllr Pauline McHardy described the poll against fellow Liberal Democrat Cllr Brodigan as a “farce” because only 592 of the 12,696 eligible had bothered to vote.

But Cllr Stuart Flatley said “this is called democracy” and Cllr Gary Camplejohn added: “Some of you need to take a long, hard look at your behaviour and what you are doing to Ripon City Council. In a short period of time, we will be having another election. I guarantee you will not be sat at this table any longer.”

Cllr Andrew Williams, who leads the Independents Putting Ripon Before Party Politics group that includes seven of the 12 councillors following a recent by-election and Cllr Sid Hawke’s U-turn, said recent troubles dated back to September’s confidence vote against Cllr Crozier.

He added:

“I’ve been in local government for 34 years and I have never, ever in all my time witnessed like what we have experienced here in recent weeks and months. I find the whole situation incredibly sad.”

Cllr Williams said no councillor from his group had campaigned in the parish poll, yet Cllr Brodigan had actively done and now ignored the result. But he said the result wasn’t legally binding and “this council has to move on”. He added:

“The Carry On Mayor or Carry On Council comedy sketch that we have had for the last few weeks or months has to stop and I believe with the constructive decisions the council has taken it has started to get back on track.”

Cllr Brodigan said the poll was city-wide and she would be answerable to the residents of Spa ward, which she represents, in 2027.

Although Cllr Brodigan remains as mayor, changes she has overseen over the last three months were undone at last night’s meeting.

Councillors voted to dissolve the civic events committee and elected new members of the human resources committee, which now consists of Cllrs Williams, Sid Hawke, Sherrie Hunt, Jackie Crozier, Tony Duncan and Chris Hardisty.

The human resources committee will recruit new staff, including a full-time clerk, for the council.