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30
Jun
‘Childish and pathetic’: Top Tory blasts Harrogate Lib Dem ‘stunt’
A leading Conservative councillor has accused Liberal Democrats in Harrogate of engaging in a “childish” and “pathetic” stunt tomorrow night (July 1).
Lib Dem-controlled Harrogate Town Council will hold a vote of no confidence in Tory-run North Yorkshire Council at its monthly meeting.
The motion, proposed by Cllr Andrew Timothy, accuses North Yorkshire of “persistent, systemic neglect of Harrogate’s public amenities and essential infrastructure”.
It follows a similar motion passed by Liberal Democrat-controlled Knaresborough Town Council this month.
The latest motion urges councillors to vote on North Yorkshire Council’s “ability to effectively manage, maintain, or safeguard services and assets within the town of Harrogate”.
Such motions can trigger debate but have no formal power to compel North Yorkshire Council to act.
Cllr Michael Harrison, a Conservative who sits on both the county and town council, said:
The motion is a childish Lib Dem political stunt, that damages the reputation of Harrogate Town Council. I will be speaking against it when I get the opportunity and am happy to tell them to grow up and start behaving in a constructive manner, and work with North Yorkshire Council to improve the town, rather than passing a pathetic motion that undermines any credibility Harrogate Town Council may have.
Cllr Timothy’s motion claims the “centralised management model operated from Northallerton is fundamentally failing the people of Harrogate” and “we cannot sit idly by while our town's basic facilities crumble due to bureaucratic apathy and a total lack of local accountability”.
It calls for “an immediate and substantial” funding on the Stray Changing Rooms, benches and paths in Valley Gardens and improving public toilets.
The motion also accuses North Yorkshire Council of failing to tackle dangerous parking, deteriorating air quality and overseeing a “complete lack of enforcement against major planning infractions”.
The meeting to debate the motion will be held at 7pm at Harrogate Civic Centre on July 1 and is open to the public.
Tory leadership
Cllr Harrison is the most senior Conservative in the Harrogate district. He is the only local politician on leader Cllr Carl Les’ cabinet in Northallerton.
Cllr Les said last week he will step down after next year’s North Yorkshire Council elections, as part of a deal in which Cllr Keane Duncan withdrew his leadership challenge at this year’s party AGM.
Asked if he would consider standing for leader next year, or preferred a particular candidate, Cllr Harrison replied:
I’m pleased to see that the uncertainty surrounding the leadership of North Yorkshire Council has been resolved, as I and my colleagues remain committed to delivering services for our residents. The council has all-out elections in May, and so any talk of who might be leader of the council next year is somewhat premature as everyone wanting to be a North Yorkshire councillor will need to be elected by the general public first.
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