Devolution in North Yorkshire has made local government an “incoherent mess” and “destroyed” democracy, a Liberal Democrat peer has claimed.

Harrogate Borough Council was one of seven district authorities, along with North Yorkshire County Council, abolished on March 31 to pave the way for the new North Yorkshire Council.

The single-tier system has vastly reduced the number of councillors in North Yorkshire from almost 400 to 90.

A combined authority for York and North Yorkshire is due to be created next year, led by an elected mayor, as part of the UK government’s devolution agenda.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire said in a speech in the House of Lords on Thursday the structure of local government across England was now “an incoherent mess” and accused the government of “imposing mayors on places that did not want them”.

He added:

“I find what has happened recently in North Yorkshire the most appalling, and when I heard someone assure me that no councillor in North Yorkshire would need more than two hours to drive from the ward they represent to council meetings, it showed me just how far we have gone.

“Decent places such as Harrogate, Scarborough, Richmond and Craven, which had working district authorities and which represented real places, have been dismantled and they are now trying to set up very large town councils for them.

“We have the prospect of a mayor, somehow, for North Yorkshire and, incidentally, one for East Yorkshire. That is the effective destruction of local government and I really do not understand the rationale for it.”

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He contrasted the situation with Fenland District Council, where councillors represented far fewer people, and therefore had more time to deal with their issues.

Lord Saltaire said:

“After the next election, a reform of the way in which the governance of England is conducted at all levels is a vital part of what any new government must be. If we want to regain trust in politics and re-engage some of our citizens more, that is part of how we do it.

“Let us all recognise that we face a situation of deep popular disengagement and disillusionment with the democratic politics we have in this country.”

Old system ‘confusing and expensive’

Carl Les

Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, described the old two-tier system as “confusing, inefficient and expensive”. He added:

“Over half of the country is governed by unitary local government now. Where Lord Saltaire lives has been unitary for years.

“Yes, we no longer have 390 local councillors. Some might say that’s a good thing.”

Cllr Les said the council’s plans for “double devolution”, whereby powers would be handed down to local level, would ensure it was “not only the largest geographic council in the country but also the most local as well”.

Lady Masham died from sepsis after being admitted to hospital, an inquest has heard.

At the hearing, held this morning at the Coroner’s Court in Northallerton, assistant coroner Richard Watson said Susan Cunliffe-Lister had been admitted to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton on February 2, feeling unwell and breathless.

She died there on March 12, aged 87.

The initial cause of death given at today’s inquest was sepsis of unknown origin, and myelodysplasia, a rare type of blood cancer where the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells.

The court heard her disability, caused by a riding accident in 1958, was also believed to have contributed to her death. The inquest was adjourned to a later date.

Born Susan Lilian Primrose Sinclair in April 1935, she became paraplegic in the accident, using a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

Until her death, Lady Masham was a prominent disability rights campaigner and founded the Spinal Injuries Association in 1974.

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She represented Great Britain in the inaugural Paralympics in 1960, as well as in 1964 and 1968, winning two gold medals, six silver, and two bronze, in swimming and table tennis.

She became Lady Masham on her marriage to David Cunliffe-Lister in 1959, and the couple then became the Earl and Countess of Swinton in 1972 after the death of his father.

She was made a life peer in 1970 as Baroness Masham of Ilton and was the longest-serving woman ever to sit in the House of Lords. She continued to focus on disability rights throughout her life and was patron of Harrogate-based charity Disability Action Yorkshire.

Baroness Masham, who was a the longest-serving female member of the House of Lords ever, Paralympian medallist and disability rights campaigner, has died aged 87.

She died peacefully in hospital in Northallerton on Sunday.

Born Susan Sinclair on April 14, 1935, she became a wheelchair user after injuring her spinal cord in a riding accident in 1958.

In 1959 she married David Cunliffe-Lister, who became Earl of Swinton in 1972, to become Lady Masham.

She served as a cross-bench peer for 53 years after becoming Baroness Masham of Ilton in 1970.

Baroness Masham was the aunt of Mark Cunliffe-Lister, the 4th Earl of Swinton and husband of Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat to the Masham and Fountains division on North Yorkshire County Council this year in a by-election caused by the death of Conservative councillor Margaret Atkinson.

Baroness Masham won medals in swimming and table tennis at the 1960, 1964 and 1968 Paralympic games.

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In 1974 she founded the Spinal Injuries Association and remained its president until her death.

The association, which announced her death today, said it was “devastated to have lost our greatest champion”, adding she was “the reason we have been able to champion, fight, serve and support thousands of spinal cord injured people”.

Baroness Masham was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life in 1976.

She belonged to various parliamentary committees and last spoke in the House of Lords on February 2 this year.

Guy Tweedy, a Harrogate thalidomide campaigner and trustee of Disability Action Yorkshire who met Baroness Masham many times, said:

“Baroness Masham was a formidable woman. She was a trailblazer for disability rights, along with Lord Morris of Manchester and Baron Ashley of Stoke.

“Without the work of those three we wouldn’t be where we are today with disability rights.”

Nigel Adams has been nominated for a peerage as part of Boris Johnson’s resignation honours, according to media reports.

The Selby and Ainsty MP, which includes southern parts of Harrogate, is among 20 people set to be included on the former Prime Minister’s peer list, reports The Times.

Nadine Dorries, former Culture Secretary, Alister Jack, Scotland Secretary, and Alok Sharma the outgoing Cop26 president are also set to be nominated to be elevated to the House of Lords.

Conservative Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, is also reported to be on the list.

Adams, who was a cabinet minister without portfolio in Johnson’s government, has already announced he will stand down at the next general election.

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He was regarded as a key ally of the former Prime Minister.

Mr Adams was first elected in 2010 and has defended the seat in three subsequent elections.

He currently holds the Selby and Ainsty seat with a majority of 20,137.