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02
Mar
Tories accused of attempting to ‘gag’ opposition parties in North Yorkshire
A Green councillor has accused the ruling Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council of attempting to “gag” opposition parties.
The Conservatives and Independents group has had political control of the council since it was formed two years ago. The next elections are due in 2027.
Some opposition councillors claim leader Carl Les and his nine-person executive, which is composed solely of party colleagues, agree decisions privately and use their majority to stifle debate at the full council meetings attended by all 90 elected councillors.
The issue came to a head at this week’s full council meeting at County Hall in Northallerton when the Conservatives proposed 12 changes to the council constitution.
One of the proposals was to not allow any discussion or questions for motions at full council meetings.
Conservatives claimed this would reduce the length of meetings, which can last all day, and encourage more councillors to attend working groups and scrutiny committees to have their say then.
But the proposal was rejected following an amendment put forward by Cllr Andy Brown, a Green who represents Aire Valley, amid confusion over how the Tory proposal would work.
Cllr Kevin Foster, a Green who represents Hipswell and Colburn, said:
I am very happy that the council agreed to Cllr Brown's amendment. However, I feel it may just be a matter of time before the Conservative get their own way to prevent debate and gag councillors and the residents they represent.
Cllr Arnold Warneken, a Green who represents Ouseburn, said:
We have just witnessed another attempt from the leading party to stifle the democratic process. Full council should be the platform for all to speak, not just those wielding power. As was demonstrated today, the opposition have something of value to contribute to the debate. If we are silenced, so are the people who voted for us.
Speaking afterwards, Cllr Warneken said full council meetings were the main way opposition councillors could raise residents’ views for debate.
He also claimed Cllr Les whipped his Conservative colleagues to ensure they vote along party lines — an allegation the council leader has refuted.
'We want to be efficient, focused and up to date'
We asked Cllr Les to respond to the Green Party concerns. He said:
Whilst I have a great deal of respect for Cllr Warneken, I cannot agree with him on this issue. Citizens can attend all our meetings held in public, many online and this number is growing as we invest taxpayers’ money cautiously in new and expensive technology. All meetings have a time for public questions. Actually, this Wednesday there were none.
There are numerous ways for members to raise residents’ concerns both in the council meetings by questions and statements to the leader and other executive members and chairs of committees, and 24/7, 365 days a year by posing questions on the council website, or writing direct as I can affirm many members do to me.
We want to be efficient, focused and up to date, not mired in previous conventional processes.
Our proposal is that detailed discussions should take place in committees, open for all to attend, and that committee should come to a conclusion and a recommendation to council. That makes the committees more meaningful, something Arnold was arguing for previousl. It works well for Parliament, the mother of democracies.
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