Harrogate councillor Paul Haslam has resigned as a Conservative to stand as an independent candidate in the York and North Yorkshire mayoral election.

Mr Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire Council, has set up the website haslam4mayor.com for his campaign.

The website says he is “free from party shackles” and “committed to fighting for North Yorkshire’s best interests”. It says the national government “has ignored the north of England and in particular our area”, adding:

“A decade as a local councillor has given Paul a deep and nuanced understanding of York and North Yorkshire’s community needs and the intricate workings of council”.

Mr Haslam, who is the council’s climate change champion, said his priorities included securing fair, inclusive and lasting economic growth, creating higher paid jobs, improving public transport and more affordable housing.

His website added:

“His extensive 25-year career as a director, management consultant and CEO — having recently managed the sale to a FTSE250 company for £82.5 million — has honed his strategic vision and financial acumen, crucial for addressing the economic hurdles of the area.”

Keen runner Mr Haslam, who is taking part in next month’s London marathon, said he would run across the region on foot as part of his campaign.

He said this demonstrated his commitment to reducing the carbon footprint. Conservative candidate Keane Duncan is conducting a 100-day tour of the county in a campervan.

Tories grip on North Yorkshire weakens 

Mr Haslam’s decision to leave the Conservatives means the Tories now have 44 of 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council — fewer than half.

The party shored up its control last year by convincing three independents, including Ripon Minster and Moorside Cllr Andrew Williams, to join a Conservatives and Independents group.

But Mr Haslam’s departure again has weakened the Tories’ grip.

The mayoral election will take place on May 2.

Mr Haslam will be up against Liberal Democrat Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Conservative Keane Duncan, Green candidate Kevin Foster, Labour’s David Skaith and independent Keith Tordoff.

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From a new mayor to another layer of governance, the next year is set to bring a wave of political change in North Yorkshire.

Much like in neighbouring Tees Valley, the county is set to get its first metro mayor.

While for some the prospect of another elected politician will raise eyebrows, the role will come with significant powers.

From bus franchising to police and crime commissioner powers, the mayor will wield some influence in the county.

The race to secure the role has already started.

Three political parties – the Conservatives, Labour and Greens – have already unveiled their candidates for the election in May 2024.

Keane Duncan, who currently holds a senior position on North Yorkshire Council’s executive, will fight the contest for the Tories, while Kevin Foster and David Skaith will stand for the Greens and Labour. Keith Tordoff, a businessman from Pateley Bridge, will stand as an independent.

The whole prospect signals a shift in how politics will be carried out in the county beyond jostling for control of North Yorkshire Council and individual parliamentary constituencies.

A new layer of governance

Aside from a new political position, a new layer of governance is also set to be created.

As part of the devolution deal which was announced in August 2022, a combined authority will be set up for North Yorkshire and York.

The move will be historic for the county as it joins Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Tees Valley in setting up such an authority.  

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The combined authority, which will be overseen by the directly elected mayor, is expected to have powers to make decisions on matters such as economic development and transport.

At the moment, talk of the authority appears to be couched in intangible and esoteric concepts such as “gainshare”.

But, for Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire Council, the new organisation will show “tangible benefits” for residents across the county.

He said:

“The prospect of bringing more decision-making powers and millions of pounds in additional funding from the government will bring real and tangible benefits for hundreds of thousands of people in York and North Yorkshire.”

Its formation will be overseen by Harrogate-born James Farrar as chief operating officer in its transition year.

The new authority could be launched in January amid delays with the parliamentary process.

Regardless, its formation, along with the directly elected mayor, are set to represent a shift in how politics is carried out across North Yorkshire.

The Stray Ferret is the media partner for the St Wilfrid’s Stars Awards 2024, with our coverage kindly sponsored by Little Bird Made and Grantley Hall.

A prestigous judging panel met today to decide on the winners of the St Wilfrid’s Stars awards for 2023.

The Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Jo Ropner, Paul Matless of the YMCA, the Dean of Ripon John Dobson, chairman and CEO of Newby Hall Richard Compton, the Mayor of Ripon Cllr Sid Hawke and Stray Ferret director Tamsin O’Brien were all part of the panel that met in Ripon at Thorpe Prebend House.

The judges were all impressed with the number of nominations and the range of community minded people that work hard for the city of Ripon.

There were 11 categories this year taking in areas such as business, culture, tourism and more. The judges also selected an overall volunteer of the year from all of the nominees.

Winners will be at a glittering ceremony hosted by Ripon Cathedral on the evening of Thursday, October 26. Ripon Together organised the event, which made its debut last year.

Jo Ropner, the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, said:

“There was a very broad spectrum. It is lovely to see different ages and cultures working so hard in Ripon. It is good for the city that we have an event like this that can give recognition to some of our rising heroes.”

Paul Matless, housing operations manager at the YMCA, added:

“Today has been excellent, this event has brought the local community together and hopefully it will reward all of the work done in the area. We’re looking forward to seeing lots of people celebrating on the big night.

The Very Reverend John Dobson, Dean of Ripon, said:

“The panel this year is really switched on, we’ve got a good cross section of people. It has been quite challenging because we have received so many nominations in all categories.

“There is clearly much talent, much commitment and generosity of spirit in Ripon to celebrate.”

The Conservative hoping to become the first-ever Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has said he has the “vision and fight to make a difference”.

Journalist and councillor Keane Duncan was selected at a meeting of North Yorkshire Conservatives at the Bridge Hotel and Spa at Walshford, near Wetherby on Friday.

Only party members who attended were eligible to vote and the full results have not been announced.

A senior party source told the Stray Ferret six people applied for the role and the field was reduced to three on the ballot paper. Each gave a presentation then answered questions.

They said Mr Duncan received 141 votes, York tech entrepreneur Matt Freckelton polled 38 votes and Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner who lives near Boroughbridge, received just 15.

Ms Metcalfe has not responded to questions from the Stray Ferret about the vote.

Her role will be subsumed by the mayor’s office after the election in May next year.

Whoever is chosen will also oversee the delivery of a £540m devolution deal, with responsibility for economic development, transport, housing and skills.

Mr Duncan, who is from Malton in North Yorkshire, is a deputy news editor on the Daily Star as well as the Conservative executive member for highways and transport at North Yorkshire Council. His councillor remit includes oversight of the £11.9 million Harrogate Station Gateway,

He said:

“It’s an honour to win the confidence of party members to fight for my home area in this critical election.

“Our landmark £540m devolution deal represents an unprecedented chance to unlock opportunities for everyone who lives here, particularly the next generation.

“My vision for York and North Yorkshire is one that is open for business and proud of success – a greener and more productive area embracing future industries and offering highly-skilled, well-paid job opportunities.”

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He added:

“Ahead of polling day in May I hope to convince voters I have the vision and fight to make a difference for people in every corner of our diverse and vast county.”

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“Keane’s enthusiasm for and knowledge of York and North Yorkshire is impressive.

“He understands the challenges we face and the opportunities which devolution offers to address those challenges in transport, skills, housing and employment.”

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Jones’ office is he voted for Mr Duncan but was told he was in meetings all afternoon and it might not be possible to contact him.

The Conservative party has selected North Yorkshire councillor Keane Duncan as its candidate for Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Cllr Duncan, who is executive councillor for highways at North Yorkshire Council and represents the Norton division, announced the news on social media late last night.

He is also deputy news editor of the Daily Star newspaper.

The mayor will oversee a significant budget for York and North Yorkshire covering areas such as transport, education and housing.

The role will also take on the powers of police and crime commissioner.

The 28-year-old will stand for election when voters go to the polls to elect the first mayor for the county in May 2024.

Following confirmation of his candidacy, he said:

“I could not be prouder.

“This is my home and I’ll be fighting every day to deliver results.”

https://twitter.com/keane_duncan/status/1679966223184871429?t=JOn3QRpzw9N18i77S9AnsQ&s=19

Former Harrogate councillor and current North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, had bid to become the Conservative candidate.

Pateley Bridge businessman, Keith Tordoff, has also announced that he will stand as an independent candidate for mayor.

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A new Mayor of Knaresborough has been elected at the annual meeting of the town council.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, who has been a councillor since 2015, said she hoped to use her year for the benefit of a town which had made her welcome when she moved there.

She said:

“Since moving to Knaresborough 10 years ago, I have been in awe of this beautiful town and welcoming community.

“It is a place you want to give back to – so I am honoured to be given this opportunity and promise to work hard to champion our wonderful town as mayor.”

As well as sitting on Knaresborough Town Council, Cllr Gostlow represents Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire Council after being elected for the Liberal Democrats last year.

Her election as mayor was witnessed by mayors of neighbouring towns and representatives of community groups in Knaresborough at the annual meeting.

Cllr Gostlow’s chosen charities for the year will be Inspire Youth and Knaresborough Community Energy Limited. She added:

“The sense of community is so strong. We are spoilt by the number of events throughout the year, delivered with such creativity and enthusiasm, thriving independent businesses, schools, church communities, and there are so many amazing community groups, run and supported by dedicated individuals.

“So, when it came to choosing the charity to support, it was a very difficult decision.”

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Chris Thompson has been appointed mayor of Pateley Bridge for the next civic year.

Cllr Thompson was elected chair of Pateley Bridge Town Council at May’s annual meeting in May. His wife, Dawn Thompson, is his mayoress.

London-born Cllr Thompson is a former telephone engineer who moved to Glasshouses with his family in 2001.

He suffered a near-fatal heart attack in 2012 and received so much support from the local community he pledged to give back when he’d recovered. He added:

“So in 2014, I became chair of Glasshouses Village Association, organising community events and outings, with a lot of help and support from my wife.

“Then in 2018, I was also co-opted onto Pateley Bridge Town Council. At the same time, my wife and I started working with the Pateley Bridge based community singing group All Together Now to help people with dementia and other memory loss problems.

“I am the organist for Pateley Bridge Methodist Church. We’re also members of the Nidderdale Community Choir, which is a lot of fun as well as singing some great music.”

Cllr Thompson pledged to attend as many community events as possible, support local North Yorkshire councillor Andrew Murday in his bid to establish a youth council in Pateley Bridge and to promote the town as much as possible.

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The final mayor of the Harrogate borough Victoria Oldham says the new charter mayor position will see charities lose out on profile-boosting visits.

Cllr Michael Harrison was appointed on Monday (April 17) as the charter mayor of Harrogate for the next 12 months.

But his role will be much-reduced from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayor who attended hundreds of events and functions across the district every year.

By contrast, the charter mayor is only expected to attend around a dozen events over the next year. Cllr Harrison described the role as ‘mayor-lite’.

Former councillor and mayor Victoria Oldham attended the meeting at the Civic Centre where she congratulated Cllr Harrison and wished him well.

But after the meeting she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that organisations in Harrogate will suffer due to the charter mayor’s leaner schedule.

Ms Oldham said:

“I do have my concerns that a lot of organisations in the Harrogate area will miss out on mayoral visits.

“Most mayors have done hundreds of visits and engagements, the charities, the churches and the elderly care homes will obviously not have those visits. They are a stimulus and they do help, let’s just hope it’s only for 12 months.”

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North Yorkshire Council has allocated an annual budget of £12,100 for Harrogate charter trustee business.

However, if a Harrogate Town Council is created, it will assume responsibility for the mayoral position from North Yorkshire Council should it want it.

It could then decide to allocated more money to a mayoral position that would see its role expanded, which Ms Oldham said she would be in favour of. 

She added:

“Going forward the citizens of Harrogate will need mayoral representation and I will be fully supportive of a town council being set up.”

Ms Oldham, who was the Conservative councillor for the Washburn ward on Harrogate Borough Council until it was abolished on March 31, also said some people don’t always appreciate the volume of work that went into the mayoral position. 

She said:

“It’s not just smiling for the photographs and shaking hands. It’s the time, commitment, the caring and being prepared to drop everything and make it work. 

“It’s not just about you as mayor, it’s about the citizens, Harrogate, our vibrant festival and hospitality industries, sports and more.”

Councillor Michael Harrison was appointed the first charter mayor of Harrogate at the Civic Centre this morning.

Cllr Harrison is a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate on North Yorkshire Council.

The non-political role will involve promoting the historic and ceremonial traditions of the Harrogate area during events and occasions such as Remembrance Sunday.

It will differ from the former Harrogate Borough Council mayoral role, which covered the whole of the former borough and undertook a wider range of engagements.

Cllr Harrison described the position as “mayor-lite“. He said:

“We’re doing that deliberately but there needs to be the element of civic duty that will continue. I can assure you I will be doing that.”

The mayor was elected by the Harrogate charter trustees, which are 10 councillors who represent divisions covering the unparished parts of Harrogate town.

Harrogate’s 10 charter trustees

It was a more low-key occasion than previous Harrogate Borough Council mayor-making ceremonies, which were traditionally held each year at Harrogate’s Royal Hall.

Cllr Harrison was nominated for the role by Liberal Democrat councillor for High Harrogate and Kingsley, Chris Aldred, who was also appointed charter deputy mayor during the meeting.

Cllr Aldred said:

“Some observers may expect us to nominate one of our own but it’s also equally important to prove that charter trustees are actually non-political in order to continue the civic traditions and heritage of Harrogate. I’m sure Michael will do that and be a great ambassador for the town.”

Cllrs Michael Harrison and Chris Aldred

Cllr Harrison’s first engagement as charter mayor will be at the unveiling of new sculptures at the New Zealand garden in Valley Gardens this month.

He will also attend ANZAC memorial day at Stonefall Cemetery.

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Ceremonial robes and chains most recently used by the last Harrogate borough mayor, Victoria Oldham, will be used by the charter mayor.

But he won’t be entitled to perks enjoyed by previous council mayors such as having a chauffeur-driven car to get to events.

The new council has allocated an annual budget of £12,100 for Harrogate charter trustee business.

However if a Harrogate Town Council is created, it will assume responsibility for the mayoral position from North Yorkshire Council should it want it.

The charter trustees will meet again in October. Cllr Harrison said at the next meeting the charter trustees will make a suggestion to North Yorkshire Council on what the council tax precept for the town council might be.

Consultation documents for the town council state Harrogate households would be asked to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year if a Harrogate Town Council were created.

The budget would be spent on accommodation, employment costs, office and IT equipment, insurance, professional fees, the mayor and delivering services.

What those services might be are still to be decided but it would likely involve taking control of assets once held by the abolished Harrogate Borough Council.