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29
Mar
“Utterly disgraceful’: Tories fume after Labour diverts pothole money from North Yorkshire to York
The two sides could hardly have seen things more differently: one described it as record investment in transport; the other said road upgrades in North Yorkshire will have to be axed.
This was the week when David Skaith, the Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and Councillor Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, publicly fell out over transport funding.
After weeks of jibes, which included Mr Skaith being compared to highwayman Dick Turpin, matters came to a head when government transport funding was discussed at a York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority meeting on Friday (March 27).
The Department for Transport used to allocate funds directly to North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council on a funding ratio of 92.7/7.3, with North Yorkshire Council receiving the greater share.
But the DfT has now allocated £456.2 million over four years to the combined authority, which then distributes it to the two councils.
Mr Skaith, who chairs the combined authority, proposed changing the formula to 90/10, meaning £4 million in 2026/27 and £20 million from 2026 to 2030 which would have come to North Yorkshire Council will go to City of York Council instead.
The York-based mayor’s proposal to give more money to his Labour colleagues at City of York Council was always likely to prove contentious and with Labour support, it was voted through.
Cllr Les, who is a member of the combined authority, said he welcomed the government’s additional funding for highways maintenance, but added:
However, had that money come directly to us like it used to for many years before it came through the mayor’s office, we would be at least £20 million better off.
To be clear, this is a decision made locally that will mean we have less money to maintain our roads. We had asked the mayor to reconsider the plans, and it is extremely disappointing that the proposals have now been voted through.
There will now have to be some tough choices on where we can undertake maintenance and any hopes that we could be more ambitious will have to be curbed.
Cllr Dadd said:
“It is so disappointing that our case was not listened to, and this decision was taken despite our opposition in the strongest terms to the changes in how funding is allocated.”
'Unprecedented levels of funding'
Mayor David Skaith (right)
But the mayor said the four-year investment would provide unprecedented levels of funding and fast-track a programme to repair crumbling roads.
North Yorkshire Council, he said, will receive £63.8 million for highways maintenance in 2026/27, up from £57.8 million the previous year.
Mr Skaith said:
This record investment of £456 million is a defining moment for our region, we’re moving away from short-term fixes and delivering the long-term solutions residents expect.
We’re now in the driving seat with greater funding and local control that was previously out of reach and I'm investing a record amount to fix our streets and make them safer for everyone that uses them.
The combined authority meeting on March 27
Cllr Peter Kilbane, deputy leader of City of York authority, said it cost £13,000 per kilometre to repair roads in York compared with £9,000 in North Yorkshire because they got more wear and tear.
He said Tory-run North Yorkshire Council had under-invested in roads for years and now the Labour-controlled combined authority was fixing them. He also accused the Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council of using its communications team to push Conservative propaganda on the subject.
When the mayor denied Cllr Dadd the chance to respond and propose an amendment, Cllr Dadd said:
You’ve owned this Mr Mayor and you have also tried to gag a senior member of this authority. It seems to me the voice of North Yorkshire – 75% of your electorate — is not being allowed to be heard today. I think it’s utterly disgraceful.
The roads may need fixing — but with Labour and the Conservatives at loggerheads in North Yorkshire, the road to making decisions is equally bumpy, and this week’s bad feeling may simmer.
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