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03
Oct
Ripon City Council meeting to proceed amid questions over legality
Questions have been raised about the legality of Ripon City Council’s next meeting as the political crisis continues.
The council’s new leadership had hoped Monday’s full council meeting would mark the first step of a return to normality after a turbulent period that included three extraordinary meetings in 11 days.
Recent weeks have seen Councillor Jackie Crozier resign as mayor, her successor Cllr Barbara Brodigan face a public vote of no confidence, the leader and deputy roles abolished and three of four staff members, including chief officer Paula Benson, depart.
The agenda for Monday’s meeting was published on Wednesday (October 1) but amended yesterday. You can see it here.
Former council leader Councillor Andrew Williams said this breached the legal requirement to give three clear days’ notice of a meeting and the agenda items.
Cllr Williams also questioned why the latest agenda included an item to form a new civic events committee but not a list of planning applications, which are usually debated as part of the council’s role as a statutory consultee on planning applications made to North Yorkshire Council.
In an email to the council’s new locum chief officer / clerk, he wrote:
I note that it has been possible with the current staff resources to include an item which seeks to establish a new committee which will place a further administrative burden on the office but it wasn't possible to include the planning applications.
Given that Ripon City Council is a statutory consultee it is very concerning that planning applications may now be determined by North Yorkshire Council without any comment from Ripon City Council. It would have been more beneficial to the local community to have had an input on those rather than staff time been used to prepare agenda items establishing a new committee.
I would also be grateful if you would confirm why an amended agenda was forwarded yesterday in breach of the legal requirement to give three clear days’ notice of a meeting and the business to be transacted.
Cllr Williams told the Stray Ferret he planned to air his concerns at Monday’s meeting. He added: “The whole thing is an utter shambles.”
Ripon resident Brian McHugh has also written to the city council asking it to confirm whether Monday’s meeting can lawfully proceed according to standing orders.
'This is not unlawful'
The Stray Ferret invited Cllr Brodigan to respond to Cllr Williams' claims.
She said:
I have been advised by the Yorkshire Association of Local Councils that the full council meeting on Monday is legal as the agenda was distributed with three clear days (Wednesday October 1).
Any amendments cannot and will not be discussed at the council meeting on Monday, but will be moved to a meeting at another date.
Given the current situation with staffing on Ripon City Council, the agenda is shortened and does not include the usual planning or financial matters. This is not unlawful.
We also asked who appointed the new locum clerk as there is currently no chair of the human resources committee.
Cllr Brodigan replied:
"As chair of the council I contacted YALC for advice on how the council can proceed without a clerk or administrator. YALC advised that I contact LGRC (Local Government Resource Centre), to furnish Ripon City Council with a locum clerk.
"In the absence of a chair of the HR committee this will be ratified by full council on Monday."
Monday's meeting, which is open to the public, takes place at the town hall at 6pm.
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