Labour take control of City of York council

Local elections in York see Labour take control of the city council

Author: Liam ArrowsmithPublished 5th May 2023
Last updated 5th May 2023

Labour have taken control of City of York council, the first time in eight years it hasn't fallen to No Overall Control.

It means Labour will oversee all local government services in York, including budgets, planning permission and rubbish collections.

The council's been run by Liberal Democrats and The Green Party since the last local election in 2019.

But shock results saw Green leader Andy D’Agorne ousted from his seat in Fishergate, where Labour's Conrad Whitcroft and Sarah Wilson won a clean sweep.

Elsewhere, Labour made gains in the Micklegate ward, taking all three seats and ousting another Green politician.

A fierce debate over a so-called "ban" on Blue Badge parking in York City Centre dominated the election, with Labour promising to remove it.

Blue badge bays were removed from pedestrianised areas in York during the pandemic, to help with social distancing.

Councillors then voted to permanently remove disabled parking bays from pedestrianised areas so anti-terror bollards could be installed.

That angered campaigners, who claim some disabled people have been left "locked out" of the city.

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