U-turn on decision to change meeting in Filey after call for an investigation
Opposition councillors said they had “grave reservations” and called for an inquiry
North Yorkshire County Council has U-turned on a decision to change the time of an area committee meeting in Filey after opposition councillors said they had “grave reservations” and called for an inquiry.
Last week concerns were raised by councillors on both Scarborough Council and NYCC who said that the change of time would disadvantage locals while allowing MP Kevin Hollinrake to attend a local Conservative Party fundraising event later that evening.
The Thirsk and Malton Area Constituency Committee (ACC) meeting was originally set to take place at 10am on Friday, March 31 but was moved to 4pm on the same day.
However, NYCC (North Yorkshire County Council) has now backtracked on the decision to change the time of the meeting and said that it will proceed as planned at 10am.
Opposition councillors claimed that the time of the meeting had been changed so that Mr Hollinrake, who is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade, could attend a £27.50 supper club event by the Thirsk and Malton Conservatives that evening.
Area committee meetings are meant to “improve the quality of life for people in their area by acting as a ‘critical friend’ to policymakers and decision-makers,” according to NYCC.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, a representative on both councils, said: “I was told by council staff that our MP was struggling to get to Filey for the morning meeting so the council decided to move the Area Committee to 4pm in the afternoon.
“Conveniently, on the same evening, there is also a Conservative Party fundraiser in Filey at 7pm with Kevin Hollinrake as guest speaker.”
She added: “Quite frankly it stinks that taxpayers’ money is being abused in this way by both the council and our MP.”
However, Kevin Hollinrake, the MP for Thirsk and Malton said that no additional money had been spent.
In an email to the Local Democracy Service, Mr Hollinrake said: “My diary manager asked if it would be possible to move the time of the meeting to the afternoon of Friday simply for logistical reasons – to avoid driving to and from Filey twice in one day.
“Steve Loach, principal democratic services officer, legal and democratic services, said this was absolutely fine.”
Mr Hollinrake added: “No additional money has been spent. I do not claim expenses for mileage, but if I did, it would actually have cost the taxpayer less, not more.”
Cllr Donohue-Moncrieff called for “an independent review into the operation of Area Constituency Committees to ensure that this is not occurring elsewhere” while concerns had also been raised by Cllr Stuart Parsons, the North Yorkshire Independents group leader on NYCC who said he would be making a “formal complaint”.
Cllr Parsons said in an email that the NYCC was allowing “political concerns to overrule the rights of elected members in relation to ACCs”.
He said: “I do not find this acceptable. Re-arranging the meeting without due regard to the availability of NYCC/NYC members and their protected listings is completely wrong.”
However, in an email to elected members on Thursday afternoon, a democratic services officer of North Yorkshire County Council said: “Sincere apologies with regards to the further alteration of arrangements but the Meeting of the ACC will now meet at 10am on Friday, March 31 at the Evron Centre, Filey.”
The Scarborough and Whitby ACC will take place at 10am on Friday, March 24 at Scarborough Town Hall with local MP, Sir Robert Goodwill, set to attend.