Highways chief Keane Duncan’s resignation followed a fall-out with leader Carl Les — and could pave the way for a leadership challenge next year.

The Stray Ferret exclusively revealed this morning Cllr Duncan had stood down from his role as executive member for highways and transport at North Yorkshire Council.

We have seen a copy of his resignation letter to Cllr Les, who appointed him to his 10-person executive in 2022.

It reveals Cllr Les requested his fellow Conservative resign and the contents of the letter hint that Cllr Duncan, 30, could position himself as the person to lead the party at the next council elections in 2027, when Cllr Les will be 78.

Cllr Duncan’s letter says: “As we approach the election, the next generation will be key to our party’s renewal… to win in 2027, we must be a dynamic and forward-looking party that inspires the trust of the electorate.”

The Stray Ferret understands Cllr Duncan is one of two executive members being removed as part of a mid-term shake-up by Cllr Les.

With the Conservatives suffering dire ratings in national polls and relying on the support of independent councillors to shore up its paper-thin majority at Northallerton, the party faces a fight to retain control of a council it has run for decades.

Cllr Les has not said whether he will seek re-election in 2027.

Cllr Duncan’s resignation letter said the party must “harnesses the energy of all our members” to “confront the threat posed by Reform”.

The letter lists his achievements and says Cllr Les told him the decision was “not about performance” even though the move comes weeks after the cost of the A59 Kex Gill road relaignment rose by £13.7 million.

He wrote: 

'It's goodbye from Captain Pothole'

Cllr Duncan, a former journalist who now works for Cavendish Consulting, joked about his nickname on his Linked-In page today, which said: "So it’s goodbye (for now) from North Yorkshire’s not-so-affectionately-nicknamed ‘Captain Pothole’."

He added:

Cllr Duncan declined to comment when approached by the Stray Ferret. We have approached Cllr Les for comment.

Cllr Duncan’s resignation letter in full

I am writing formally to vacate my post as Executive Member for Highways & Transport following your request that I stand down from the Executive.

It has been an honour to serve the residents of North Yorkshire over the past three years. I am immensely proud of what has been achieved in what is undoubtedly one of local government's most demanding but rewarding roles. Working with our dedicated council officers, we have:

• Led innovation in highways maintenance, including trials of world-leading equipment, allowing us to deliver the very best value and repair more miles of road;
• Prioritised road safety by adopting a bold new approach to speed limits that commits the council to proactively reviewing every inch of our vast 6,000-mile network;
• Commenced work on the Kex Gill bypass, our most ambitious-ever highways project, ensuring it is on track and ready to open on schedule in Spring 2026;
• Drawn up proposals to expand free parking to every town in North Yorkshire to give vital support to our small businesses;
• Approved the toughest action on roadwork disruption by seeking adoption of a new lane rental scheme, the first in the North of England;
• Commenced delivery of the landmark £44 million Transforming Cities Fund projects;
• Protected at-risk bus routes in the face of unprecedented pressure, and much, much more, in every corner of our very vast county.

I am grateful for your confirmation during our conversation that your decision is “not about performance”. I was particularly struck by your reassurance that you could not name a single action you would have wished me to take differently in my duties. You explained that your purpose is to “prepare for the future” and make way for “new blood”.

I agree that as we approach the election, the next generation will be key to our party’s renewal.

My commitment has always been to the unity and stability of our group and the council. I have been steadfast in my support for your leadership, particularly over the past year, when I believed that uniting our group had to be our foremost priority.

I continue to believe that our greatest strength lies in the wealth of talent and experience we possess across our benches. To meet the challenges ahead, we must be a party that harnesses the energy of all our members.

This will be vital as we confront the threat posed by Reform. To win in 2027, we must be a dynamic and forward-looking party that inspires the trust of the electorate.

Thank you for the opportunity to have served. It has truly been a privilege.

I now intend to dedicate my full efforts from the backbenches to fighting for the Conservative principles we share and taking the battle to our political opponents.