The former prospective parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats has announced she will not stand for the party again in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Judith Rogerson, who won 20,287 votes to Conservative Andrew Jones‘s 29,962 in 2019, said she had been asked by “lots of people” whether she would make a second bid to be elected.

However, posting on Twitter this morning, she said:

“Lots of things have changed for me in the past 18 months. Last year I had to step back from politics after I needed major surgery for cancer.

“Happily I am fully recovered and 2022 has been much kinder with a wedding and, in the autumn, a new member of our family.

“As much as I would like to carry on as H&K’s PPC, I’ve had to recognise that it won’t be possible for me to give that important role the time and dedication it needs this time round.”

The local Liberal Democrat party said a selection process has begun to select a new PPC, decided by a vote of its members in the constituency.

The chosen candidate is expected to be announced by the end of the summer.

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Ms Rogerson added:

“I loved my time as H&K’s candidate and am proud of everything we achieved.

“We built up a strong team of campaigners, won some excellent council by-election victories and halved the Tory majority in 2019.

“Most recently the Lib Dems became the biggest council group within the constituency.

“Whoever is the candidate next time will be starting from a strong position and I will be supporting them all the way.”

In response to Ms Rogerson’s announcement, David Goode, constituency chairman for the Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems, said:

“After some tough times, the Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dem family are so pleased to see her happy and healthy and we thank her for all the hard work she invested in this constituency.

“Being a PPC takes up a huge amount of time and we fully support Judith’s decision to prioritise her family life. We wish her well for the exciting times ahead!

“We know our new PPC will continue to build on Judith’s achievements, as we continue to build momentum towards the next election…

“The local election results clearly showed that voters in Harrogate and Knaresborough have had enough of this government, with voters putting Boris’s Conservatives on notice.

“The Lib Dems will be campaigning for a win at the next general election, be that in the autumn, 2023 or early 2024.”

The Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency has been represented by Mr Jones since 2010, when he won the seat from retiring Lib Dem MP Phil Willis, who had previously had a majority of more than 10,000.

Then, the Conservative majority was just 1,039 over Claire Kelley of the Lib Dems. In 2015 and 2017, Mr Jones increased this to more than 16,000 and 18,000 respectively.

None of the other parties have confirmed who will represent them in any upcoming election. A date has yet to be set, but it will have to be held by December 2024 in line with the maximum five-year parliamentary term.

Strayside Sunday is a monthly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party.

Well, I didn’t see that one coming. This week, the Daily Mail named our very own Andrew Jones MP as a Tory rebel, joining the growing movement afoot to depose Boris Johnson as leader of his party and, therefore, as Prime Minister.

Never knowingly visible or bold, Andrew’s voice now joins the swelling chorus of Tory MPs who fear for their electoral futures under the current regime. And so they should. This government seems spent of the creative energies needed to address the very serious problems we face, mired as it is in stories about the lawbreaking crimes and misdemeanours of its parliamentary members. From the PM’s Fixed Penalty Notice for attending (just one) of his (many) Number 10 lockdown parties, to the shame of the Sue Gray report into frat house culture at the heart of the heart of the cabinet office, to the jailing of former Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan for sexual assault, to the suspension of yet another, still unnamed Tory for sexual impropriety, a more than faint whiff of sleaze hovers over proceedings. It all feels a little fin de siècle.

Perhaps it’s that which has prompted Andrew Jones to break cover and join the revolution?

Or perhaps it is a rising fear that his rock-solid constituency majority might well be under threat from the yellow peril come the next election? I wrote last time about the success of Harrogate’s Liberal Democrats in May’s local election and remember it isn’t that long ago that Phil Willis was our highly effective and popular MP.  There is a very real prospect that Harrogate will return a Liberal Democrat if the current trajectory of Conservative unpopularity continues up to the next election. No doubt this heady cocktail of prosaic principle and practical calculation lies at the root of Mr. Jones’ belated emergence into the ranks of the Tory rebels.

The fact of the matter is that the good ship Johnson is taking on water apace and listing heavily. Were the economy humming along, were the NHS meeting the demand for its services, were people receiving their new and replacement passports and driving licenses in good time, and were petrol, household energy and budget foods holding their price, then Johnson might have been able to brazenly ride out the Partygate furore and the fact that his deep character flaws have moved from private realm to public sphere. As it is there is every possibility that we are heading toward recession, the new NHS Integrated Care Systems are coming on stream with a requirement to cut their budget deficits even in the face of crippling backlogs and overwhelming demands, the basic wheels of bureaucratic government seem to be gummed at the axle and inflation has hit 10%. Given all this, the Tory party’s famed instinct for self-preservation is kicking in and I predict Boris will be out this summer.

The final nail in the coffin is likely to be this month’s by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton. Both will be seen as bellwethers for the next election. Wakefield was only taken from Labour at the 2019 election with a majority of 3,500, part of Johnson’s Red Wall and proof then of his Heineken quality, reaching those parts other Tories cannot.  Given that Labour is 7 points ahead of the Conservatives in national opinion polls, and given the circumstances of the outgoing MP’s resignation, it looks like divine intervention may be the only way the Conservatives will hold the seat.  Tiverton (in Devon) is a different kettle; it is a seat held only by the Conservatives since the 1880’s. Yet the mood music suggests that the Lib Dems fancy their chances of doing a North Shropshire and indeed they benefit from a much stronger local base in Tiverton (in the form of local council seats). They are throwing the kitchen sink at the campaign and the Tories are wobbling.

If Johnson loses both by-election seats he will then face discontent and attack from both flanks – from the 2019 intake Red Wall Tories that feel they won because of him last time and from more traditional Tories in the South and elsewhere who fear a Liberal Democrat resurgence. In short, from being the Tory that proved he could win everywhere, Johnson will have become the Tory that can’t win anywhere.  And the party won’t wear that. It will see it as its duty to move against Mr. Johnson.

Talking of duty I can’t let this weekend pass without mention of The Queen and her Jubilee. I’m 54, which means the Queen had been on the throne for 16 years even before I was born. Her commitment to serving her country, her integrity, her forbearance and her honour should serve as a lesson to us all. It seems unlikely she’ll be with us for much longer (and who knows what awaits the Royal Family when she is gone), so I for one applaud the celebrations of a grateful nation.

The counterpoint of Her Majesty’s character and behaviour could not be in starker contrast to that of her latest Prime Minister and indeed many of those whose support for him is now in question.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

Read More:

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The future of Prime Minister Boris Johnson following the partygate saga is for Conservative MPs to decide, says North Yorkshire County Council’s leader.

The Guardian reported yesterday that Cllr Les would support a leadership election in the party.

However, speaking to the Stray Ferret today he claimed he was misquoted and any leadership election within the party was a matter for MPs. He said:

“I said it was disappointing results and I am sure that [partygate] was a factor.”

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When asked if he supported Mr Johnson, Cllr Les reiterated that the Prime Minister’s future was for “the parliamentary party to decide”.

His comments follow the publication of the Sue Gray report, which found that many of the parties in Downing Street “should not have been allowed to happen”.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP, Andrew Jones, told a constituent in a letter that he felt “anger” over the report.

But Mr Jones, who said in January that “lawmakers can’t be lawbreakers”,  did not say whether he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson.

The BBC reported this morning that 27 Tory MPs have publicly urged the Prime Minister to resign.

Letters of no confidence have been submitted to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs, but the precise number is unknown.

Former Attorney General Jeremy Wright became the latest senior Conservative to call for Mr Johnson to step down, saying the lockdown parties at Downing Street had done “lasting damage” to the party.

The leadership of North Yorkshire County Council has vowed to “chase savings” for residents and to bolster services from local government reorganisation as it launched an implementation plan to create a single authority for the county.

The authority’s finance boss and deputy leader issued the pledge ahead of its executive formally approving a blueprint which will be used to overcome a plethora of hurdles in reducing one county council and seven district and borough councils down to one single unitary authority.

Auditors’ analysis of the county council’s unitary plan has found it could save £30m a year by cutting red tape and reducing senior management and elected member costs.

In addition, by using the new council as a springboard for change, the auditors concluded savings could rise to between £50m and £67m a year, netting up to £252m at the end of the first five years, saving of up to £185 a year for households.

However, among the biggest concerns for residents before Vesting Day – the day the new unitary authority is launched on April 1 next year – will be how the council tax and other charges such as car parking and leisure centre fees are brought into line.

This year the district and borough councils’ element of the council tax charge ranged from Hambleton levying £165.83 to Harrogate’s £255.92 demand.

Read more:

Residents are also likely to see changes in the amount they are charged for services such as garden waste collections.

Outlining the scale of the challenge facing officers over the next ten months, county council chief executive Richard Flinton said the plan highlighted the need to collaborate with other organisations, including businesses and the voluntary sector, as it is “very easy at a time of enormous change to be very internal focused.”

He said the plan set out the vision of what the authority was trying to achieve and provided key objectives for senior officers, who would be in place for the unitary authority by autumn, to follow.

Cllr Gareth Dadd, executive member for finance, said one of the biggest drivers for local government reorganisation had been the potential savings that could be realised.

He said: 

“Through our usual budgetary processes I will be insisting that we chase not just the £30m, but £60m or £70m and more if we can get it.

“Whilst our priority at the moment must be getting to Vesting Day making sure all is safe and legal, after that we have got a job to do because by the end of this term in five years time we should be able to say we are well on the road to realising those savings.

“They may well be masked with austerity or left-field stuff coming forward,  but at least we should be able to prove we have set out to achieve and largely achieved what we intended to do by submitting that bid to government. There can be no rowing back from that, along with no rowing back from localism.”

An environmentalist has told councillors the North Yorkshire Pension Fund should “immediately offload” its investments in fossil fuel firms.

The fund receives contributions from staff at 160 firms, plus past and present public sector workers, and is worth £4.9bn.

The Stray Ferret revealed in January that the fund holds over £70m in climate-damaging companies, such as Shell and BP.

Richard Tassell, of Fossil Free North Yorkshire, told a meeting of the fund’s committee at County Hall in Northallerton that the world has “just 30 months” to begin radical changes.

Mr Tassell, a former staff member of both York and North Yorkshire authorities, said although the fund was working to invest more in renewable energy firms, this was “an entirely inadequate response to the scale of the crisis we are facing”.

He told the committee:

“We are asking that the council actively and urgently consider divesting from fossil fuel investments currently held by our pension fund and seek reinvestments in renewable projects.

“The Ukrainian invasion by Russia has highlighted the precarious nature of western countries’ energy supplies and when set against the developments in renewables over the past five years to a point where this technology is cheaper than coal, gas and oil. We must move away from those fuels at pace.”

He called for the committee to set time-specific targets to end fossil fuel investments and consult with all the pension fund’s members.

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A spokesman for the committee did not respond to either of the calls, but said getting rid of investments in fossil fuel firms immediately may exacerbate climate change.

The spokesman told the meeting the fund had been reducing its fossil fuel-related holdings in recent years and they now stood at less than 1%, which was “very low compared with just about every other local authority fund”.

He added:

“We have taken a view that we favour engagement over divestment from oil and gas companies. The reason for this is that we believe through engagement we can influence the direction of travel of these companies towards a low carbon economy.

“We also believe that if we were to sell the shares they would be more likely to be acquired by investors that would not have those responsible investment beliefs at their heart.”

He said the committee had been “quite ambitious” in terms of putting more money into low carbon investments and renewable investments.

Councillor John Weighell, the committee’s chairman, told Mr Tassell:

“I think the main difference between us may be not of the end result, but timing. We will get to the position that you want us to, but not as quickly as you would want us to.”

Nigel Adams is the only Harrogate district MP to comment so far on the publication of the long-awaited Sue Gray report.

The senior civil servant found that many of the parties in Downing Street “should not have been allowed to happen”.

The report included details of vomiting and parties lasting until 4am whilst the UK was under covid restrictions.

Mr Adams, whose Selby and Ainsty constituency includes several Harrogate district villages, is a member of the cabinet and a key ally of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He tweeted this afternoon:

“The Prime Minister welcomes Sue Gray’s report and has apologised again.

“He now needs to get on with the job, levelling up the country, tackling global challenges including the cost of living and Ukraine crisis and delivering for the country and for the people who put their faith in him in 2019.”

Other cabinet ministers including Rishi Sunak, Dominic Raab and Nadine Dorries all tweeted similar messages of support for the Prime Minister at the same time.

The Prime Minister welcomes Sue Gray’s report & has apologised again.

He now needs to get on with the job, levelling up the country, tackling global challenges inc cost of living & Ukraine crisis & delivering for the country & for the people who put their faith in him in 2019.

— Nigel Adams (@nadams) May 25, 2022

What have Andrew Jones and Julian Smith said?

The Stray Ferret asked the two other Tory MPs in the district, Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones and Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith for their response to the report but we did not get a reply.

In January during a Commons debate, Mr Jones said the Sue Gray report should be published in full.

In the same month, an email to a constituent revealed Mr Jones thoughts on ‘partygate’ scandal. The MP said: “I take the maxim ‘lawmakers can’t be lawbreakers’ seriously.”

Mr Jones said if criminal actions were found then “consequences must flow from that”.

“In respect of the investigation announced by the Prime Minister in December, if this finds wrongdoing, and the police find that these actions were criminal, then consequences must flow from that.”

Julian Smith is yet to comment publicly on the report.

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Conservative councillor Victoria Oldham has taken office as the final mayor of the Harrogate borough as other top roles were handed out during an official ceremony.

Cllr Oldham said it was her aim to bring “harmony and peace” during her one-year term before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished in April.

She was sworn in at the Royal Hall in Harrogate yesterday and took over from Liberal Democrat councillor Trevor Chapman, who served as mayor for the past 12 months.

Conservative councillor Robert Windass was also made deputy mayor.

Cllr Oldham, who represents the Washburn ward and works as an accountant and farmer, said:

“Throughout the year there will be a need to take stock, but more importantly it is a matter of bringing people together.

“I’d like to thank councillor Trevor Chapman for all of his hard work in the last year.

“I naturally am looking forward to continuing with this civic tradition, albeit until Harrogate Borough Council unfortunately will be no more.”

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Also at yesterday’s meeting, re-elected council leader Richard Cooper appointed councillor Sam Gibbs as cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling.

Cllr Gibbs succeeds councillor Andy Paraskos who was previously a member of the seven-person cabinet.

Rebecca Burnett returns to planning

Cllr Rebecca Burnett, who previously oversaw the creation of the Harrogate district Local Plan as cabinet member for planning, was made chair of the planning committee.

She replaces councillor John Mann, who will remain a committee member.

Newly-elected mayor Cllr Oldham also passed her previous title of chair of the licensing committee to Cllr Ed Darling.

The role of the mayor is to chair full council meetings and represent the borough at ceremonies and events. They also raise money for charities and are required to put their political affiliations aside to be impartial.

Cllr Oldham has chosen Yorkshire Air Ambulance as the first of her nominated charities.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Cllr Cooper said councillor Oldham will be an “outstanding mayor for all of our borough.”

He said:

“During this year she will meet hundreds of community groups, businesses and individuals. They will see in her what many of us have seen since we met her in 2017.

“She will see us out with flair, fun and dedication.”

Cllr Cooper, who will step down as the longest-serving leader of the borough council in April, also said the authority would continue pushing ahead with major projects during its final year before the new North Yorkshire Council takes over.

He said: 

“I pledge to you – on behalf of the cabinet – that this will not be a year of winding down. It will be a year of handover.

“As part of that handover, we continue to have a string of exciting initiatives and projects to take forward.

“And in the cabinet I have appointed, we have a team that can do a great job for the people of the borough.”

The new chair of North Yorkshire County Council said she is a “tough cookie” as she was sworn in for the final year of the authority.

Conservative councillor Margaret Atkinson, who represents Masham and Fountains division, was yesterday appointed as the last ever chair of the county council before it is replaced by a new unitary authority next year.

She takes over from Ripon councillor Stuart Martin, who served as chair for the previous 12 months.

Cllr Atkinson at yesterday’s meeting.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Atkinson said it was a “great honour” to take on the role.

She said: 

“I’m quite excited – it is the last year of the county council so there is a lot of work to do and a lot of effort to be put in by everybody.

“I want to say many thanks to Cllr Martin for everything he did.

“I probably have some big boots to fill, but I haven’t got very big feet.”

Cllr Atkinson, who described herself as “Yorkshire through and through”, has served nine years on the county council and 20 years on Harrogate Borough Council.

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She is a semi-retired farmer and also secretary of the Yorkshire and North East branch of the British Charolais Cattle Society.

At a full county council meeting yesterday, Bentham and Ingleton councillor David Ireton became the new deputy chairman.

The Conservative councillor will take on the chairmanship of the new North Yorkshire Council next year when the county council and seven district and borough councils are abolished.

Also at yesterday’s meeting, Conservative county council leader Carl Les was re-elected into the role.

He appointed a new 10-person executive, which faces the challenge of mapping out the creation of the new North Yorkshire Council before it takes over control of all council services across England’s largest county from April next year.

Recap the highlights from today’s first North Yorkshire County Council meeting today since the local elections on May 5.

The key points include:

• Conservative Carl Les elected council leader unopposed.
• Michael Harrison is the only councillor from the Harrogate district’s on Cllr Les’ 10-person executive.
• Female representation on the executive double from one to two out of 10.
• Calls for Harrogate Town Council to be established as soon as possible.
• Calls for sale of Ripon Spa Baths to be halted.

2pm: Meeting ends

A marathon 3.5-hour meeting ends. It was the first county council meeting since the local elections and saw a new executive team named by leader Carl Les.

The more even political composition of the council was reflected in the length of some of the debates.

1.50pm: Jubilee theme at County Hall

A copy of the Daily Mail from June 3, 1953 — the day after the Queen’s coronation — is on a royal-themed table greeting everyone at today’s meeting at County Hall, Northallerton.

1.47pm: 15 care homes have covid outbreaks

Michael Harrison, the executive member for health and adult social services, says 15 care homes in North Yorkshire have one or more covid cases. He says this has an impact on the NHS, which can’t discharge patients to these homes.

1.42pm: Motion to criticise Home Office of handling of Linton is passed

Some Conservative councillors are reluctant to vote on a motion criticising the Home Office, saying it is against procedure, or political grandstanding, But after a lengthy debate the motion is voted on and receives overwhelming support from all parties.

1.18pm: Heated debate over Linton asylum centre 

Cllr Stuart Parsons, the leader of the Independent group, proposes a vote of no confidence in the Home Office in its handling of the asylum centre at Linton-on-Ouse.

Cllr Les says he’s happy to make a statement and support Hambledon District Council’s call for a judicial review but can’t support a blanket no confidence motion on the Home Office.

Cllr Parsons says the motion purely relates to Home Office actions regarding Linton. Cllr Les agrees to support this.

Cllr Malcolm Taylor, whose division includes the former RAF site at Linton-on-Ouse that is to be converted into the centre, says Home Office representatives will be attending a parish council meeting tomorrow night and a demonstration is planned.

He says Linton has a population of 600 and the first asylum seekers are expected on May 31.

The centre will be on the edge of the Harrogate district, just a few miles from Knaresborough and Boroughbridge.

A Conservative councillor living near the site says her inbox is full of messages of concern, many from women worried about the impact of an influx of hundreds of men in the area.  She says asylum seekers need help but urges fellow councillors to “think of that little community”

There is now a vote over whether the no confidence vote should go ahead.

1.02pm: Expect more demand-led buses

Cllr Duncan is receiving plenty of transport questions and is giving an assured first performance.

He is asked whether the council’s pilot scheme testing demand-led buses, which includes Ripon and Masham, will be extended. The system is likened to Uber whereby people call for small local buses rather than rely on a timetable service.

Keane is keen. He says “this is exactly the type of approach we should be taking” as an alternative to conventional bus services. He adds demand-led buses won’t be appropriate everywhere but they could be rolled out in many areas.

12.48pm: Transport chief calls for bus alternatives

Cllr Keane Duncan says some bus routes are not viable and the council needs to look at alternatives to help people get around.

12.31pm: New transport chief Keane Duncan faces pothole questions

Ryedale councillor Keane Duncan (pictured), the youthful successor to Harrogate’s Don Mackenzie on the transport brief, is immediately asked a question on potholes by Ripon Independent Andrew Williams.

Cllr Williams invites Cllr Duncan to visit Ripon “so I can show him first had some of the pothole-ridden roads you’ve taken priority for”.

He adds he’s sure Cllr Duncan wants to make it a priority for residents to be able to drive around North Yorkshire “comfortably rather than bouncing around”.

Cllr Duncan says it’s a new council but “many issues will be the same”. He agrees to visit Ripon and is then invited by Liberal Democrat Pat Marsh to also visit Knaresborough.

12.28pm: What will happen to local assets like Knaresborough Castle?

Liberal Democrat Pat Marsh asks how parish councils will be given a voice to “retain assets they feel are theres”, such as Knaresborough Castle, when the seven district councils, including Harrogate Borough Council, are abolished next year.

Deputy leader Gareth Dadd says North Yorkshire Council could inherit 13,000 pieces of real estate when it begins life next year. He says the new council “will be open for asset transfer” and is “mindful of the benefits of community ownership” but does not commit further.

12.22pm Why do councillors have plastic bottles?

Bryn Griffiths, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Stokesley, asks why he can see so many single use plastic bottles in the chamber.

Cllr Greg White replies that he can’t give an answer but will look into it.

Cllr Griffiths then asks if removing single use plastics is a council commitment.

Cllr White says, to cheers, it will happen “as soon as we possibly can”.

12.13pm: Ouseburn councillor says council gives ‘lip service’ to environment

Arnold Warneken (pictured), the first Green Party candidate elected from the Harrogate district, suggests in his first meeting that the council only pays lip service to the environment.

He says the body language from fellow councillors when he raises tree-planting initiatives is ‘oh, not another hugger’

He says the environment is regarded as “a tag on” and protecting the planet is far more important.

Greg White, the executive member in charge of climate change, replies that every report to committees will include climate impact assessments and Cllr Warneken will have the opportunity to question them.

12.01pm: The new top table

This picture shows the new 10-person executive sitting around the top table, below chair Margaret Atkinson. Michael Harrison, on the far right, is the only Harrogate district councillor selected by leader Carl Les.

11.46am: No public questions

We are now up to the ‘public questions’ item on the agenda. But none were submitted: hardly a glowing endorsement of the state of local democracy.

11.33am: Female representation on executive doubles — to two

Janet Sanderson

Annabel Wilkinson

The number of female councillors on the 10-person executive has doubled — to two.

Bedale councillor Annabel Wilkinson is given the education brief previously held by Patrick Mulligan. Thornton Dale councillor Janet Sanderson, retains the children’s services role.

11.30am: Chamber packed for Carl Les’ coronation

It seems that all 90 newly elected councillors are here. Remember, the Conservatives got 47 councillors elected, giving them a slim majority of four, which is why the new council is led by a Conservative and a 10-person executive includes only Conservatives.

11.25am: Call for sale of Ripon Spa Baths to be halted

Andrew Williams (pictured), the leader of Ripon City Council who was elected to the county council as an Independent two weeks ago, calls for soon-to-be-abolished Harrogate Borough Council to be prevented from proceeding with the sale of Ripon Spa Baths. He says it should be retained as a community asset.

Council leader Les says “I will take legal advice on this”, adding warm words but no commitment. He says:

“We are not going to be awkward. If it’s a sensible thing being proposed we will want to support it. I will have to look into Ripon Baths”

11.23am: Harrogate district only gets one councillor on 10-person executive

Michael Harrison is the only councillor from the Harrogate district chosen by leader Carl Les on his 10-person executive, which raises questions about how strongly the district’s voice will be heard on the county council.

11.18am: Call to create Harrogate Town Council

Liberal Democrat Pat Marsh, who was elected to represent the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division on May 5, calls for an assurance that “as soon as possible, within the next couple of months” the process to create town councils for Harrogate and Scarborough begins.

Council leader Carl Les says he will check the legal position and “If it’s in our gift, I think the process should start immediately”.

11.15am Keane Duncan succeeds Don Mackenzie

Harrogate’s Don Mackenzie (pictured) did not seek re-election on May 5. He is replaced by Keane Duncan, a journalist who lives in Malton.

Cllr Duncan’s portfolio has changed slightly — he will still oversee transport, as did Cllr Mackenzie, but the brief no longer includes broadband.

11.10am Harrogate district’s Michael Harrison retains health and adult services brief

Michael Harrison has been named executive member for health and adult services. Cllr Harrison, who lives in Killinghall Moor, held the brief before the last election.

He was elected to the division of Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate two weeks ago.

11.04am: Carl Les elected leader unopposed

As expected, Conservative Carl Les is elected as leader of the county council and its successor North Yorkshire Council until May 2027.

11.02am: Margaret Atkinson gives acceptance speech

New chairman Margaret Atkinson says she is a “tough cookie” who won’t stand for any nonsense.

10.58am: Will female representation increase?

It could hardly get much worse. the previous 10-person executive included just one woman. This was Cllr Les’ previous top team.

• Carl Les, leader of the council,
• Gareth Dadd, deputy leader and executive member for finance
• Don Mackenzie, executive member for access (highways)
• Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education
• Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services
• Derek Bastiman, executive member for open to business
• Andrew Lee, executive member for public health
• David Chance, executive member for stronger communities
• Janet Sanderson, executive member for children’s services
• Greg White, executive member for climate change and customer engagement

10.50am: Kirkby Malzeard’s Margaret Atkinson elected chair

Conservative Margaret Atkinson (pictured), who was elected to represent Masham and Fountains two weeks ago, is elected chair of North Yorkshire County Council. Cllr Atkinson lives in Kirkby Malzeard and is a long-serving county and district councillor.

A group of five Independents has vowed to stand in future elections after they failed to win a seat on the new North Yorkshire Council.

Anna McIntee (Stray, Woodlands, Hookstone), Lucy Gardiner (Valley Gardens & Central Harrogate), Sarah Hart (Harlow Hill and St Georges) Daniel Thompson (Coppice Valley and Duchy) and Jon Starkey (Boroughbridge & Claro) all stood for the election on May 5.

Using the motto ‘Time for a Change’ and sporting pink uniforms, they pledged to put a stop to housebuilding in the area and oppose transport schemes like the Harrogate Station Gateway.

In the end, the district’s electorate voted for change, but it was the more familiar yellow of the Liberal Democrats that they chose.

But during their concession speeches at the election count, Ms Hart, Mr Thompson and Ms Gardiner all suggested they’d stand again in future elections, with a potential Harrogate Town Council on the horizon.

‘Same old faces’

It was a disappointing set of results for the Independents, in contrast to the strong showing by Independents in Ripon.

Over the past couple of years, thousands of people signed petitions set up by Anna McIntee and Lucy Gardiner to oppose the Oatlands Drive one way scheme and the Beech Grove Low Traffic Neighbourhood.

However, they weren’t able to translate successful petitions into votes.

Ms McIntee came fourth in her division with 167 ticks next to her name.

Ms Gardiner and Ms Hart fared better, receiving over 300 votes each, but they didn’t come close to beating the victorious Tory and Lib Dem councillors they were up against.

The five candidates met for a debrief last week where they reflected on the campaign.

Ms Gardiner said they were disappointed to see “the same old faces and old ideas being returned for another five years”.

She said:

“We were not just paper candidates but true representatives of the community, sharing many of the main issues as the residents and businesses, too many houses, no proper infrastructure, increase in congestion with no realistic solutions, pocket planning, all the wasted money on vanity projects, to name a few.

“It is disappointing that we didn’t get the majority and it was a shame there wasn’t an Independent candidate for every seat. However, considering we had no party machine behind us and none of us had ever stood before, we didn’t do too badly.”

Mr Starkey said he was disappointed by the low turnout.

“An average of only 36% voted and many still voted for the ‘party’ rather than the ‘person’, so we have to ask ourselves why?
Is the thought process ‘let’s give them another chance’, ‘I’ve always voted the same’, ‘it’s time for change’, or ‘what’s the point?’”

Read more:

• What cost the Tories votes in the Harrogate district?
• Stunning Green win in Ouseburn sets blueprint for future collaborations

Upsets

Before the election, it was difficult to predict who would vote for the ‘Time for a Change’ five.

Would it be disgruntled Conservative voters? Or people who don’t usually vote but who were attracted to their anti-establishment message?

The Conservatives failed to win three of the five seats where the independents stood.

These included the current deputy leader of Harrogate Borough Council, Cllr Graham Swift. He came a close second in the Coppice Valley and Duchy division, in a big upset for the Lib Dems.

Daniel Thompson came third and suggested his 199 votes helped to deny Cllr Swift the win.

Ms Gardiner said they succeeded in part of their aim of getting “the wrong people out”.

She said:

“We may not have succeeded by getting in but we certainly opened up the conversation and put the cat amongst the pigeons seeing a few key Conservatives in ‘safe’ seats voted out.”

Mr Thompson added:

“The Conservatives have been in power for years and their only legacy is a shambolic local plan favouring the pockets of the national house builders, pocket planning with multi million pound cycling lanes going nowhere and the (reported) £17 million vanity project that is the Civic Centre.”

Local issues

Following the abolition of HBC next year, it’s expected that a Harrogate town council will be set up to potentially manage local assets such as the Stray and Harrogate Convention Centre.

Elections could take place in 2024, and Ms Gardiner said the independents want to ensure Harrogate has a strong “community” voice, free from the shackles of party politics.

She said:

“Our efforts weren’t in vain, the independents aren’t going anywhere and we will strive to ensure Harrogate and Knaresborough doesn’t get swallowed up by the new North Yorkshire Council.

“We must not be led by politics, we must be led by the community and have a town council with the right people at the helm.”