Richard Flinton appointed first North Yorkshire Council chief executive

Richard Flinton was this morning appointed as the first chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Flinton will take up the £180,000 to £197,000 a year role when the new authority comes into existence in April 2023.

An extraordinary meeting this morning ratified his appointment. Sixteen applications for the role were received.

Mr Flinton is the current chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council. Carl Les, the current leader of the county council, will be the new leader of North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr John McCartney, an Independent councillor for Osgoldcross, told the meeting people had been assured North Yorkshire devolution would not amount to a “power grab” by the county council but that appeared to be the case now that it had been named the continuing authority and there was a continuing chief executive.

He added:

“The perception of this is absolutely appalling out there. It’s just a disgraceful perception.

“People do not understand why they did not get a vote on the governance of their local councils and their local services and they do not get a vote on how their council tax will be used.”

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Cllr McCartney went onto add that there was a “disconnect” between the council and the county, which would be “as big as the Humber estuary” when the unitary council comes into force.

He said:

“Residents who vote Conservative in the main at General Elections are irked and discombobulated and feel like they have been treated with contempt.

“I don’t take much from the USA, but government of the people, for the people and by the people is a pretty good recipe for democracy. But that is not what North Yorkshire County Council is going to be.”

In response, Cllr Carl Les, leader of the council, said the process for choosing Mr Flinton was “well done” and attended by all political groups within the council.

He said:

“I don’t know what to say to John McCartney. I don’t think much of what you have said has anything to do with what we are discussing today which is the appointment of a chief executive.”

Cllr Les added Mr Flinton had “grown through the ranks of this organisation and grown into every role we have given him. I am sure he will continue to do so.”

Following the meeting, Mr Flinton said:

“I am honoured to have been chosen to become the chief executive of the new council at a time of huge change and opportunity in North Yorkshire.

“We are faced with some unprecedented challenges that have arisen from rising inflation as well as pressures on social care and also the issues which all local authorities are facing in recruiting and retaining staff to their workforces.

“But with those challenges come immense opportunities, while working with colleagues in North Yorkshire’s district and borough councils to introduce the new unitary authority.”