Further delays to creation of Scarborough Town Council ‘a slap in the face’ to locals, says councillor

Councillor John Ritchie, who represents the Woodlands division on North Yorkshire Council, has said that further delays to the introduction of a Scarborough Town Council is “a slap in the face to all those who took the time and effort to respond to the two consultations on the issue”.

It comes as North Yorkshire Council voted last month to approve a revised proposal to create 15 single-member wards in the town instead of the originally planned five wards with three representatives in each.

This means the council will undertake a third public consultation regarding the town council’s creation which is likely to delay its inception by a year until 2025.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Coun Ritchie said he “could not be described as an enthusiast for the idea of a town council” but added that he recognised arguments in favour of its establishment.

He said: “It would seem I am not alone in that lack of enthusiasm with less than 2 per cent of residents living within the area – Castle, Falsgrave and Stepney, Northstead, Weaponness and Ramshill, and Woodlands – responding to the original consultations which cost council taxpayers more than £90,000.

“I explained to residents that if they supported the idea of creating a town council for the area, then I would support them and the conclusion reached by a majority of residents who responded to the consultation were in favour of it.”

The consultation found that a majority of respondents were in favour of having three representatives for each ward but at the meeting in July, North Yorkshire councillors voted in favour of a proposal that could lead to 15 wards with one councillor representing each area.

Coun Clive Pearson, who represents the Esk Valley and Coast division, said that single-member wards “would mean residents would be able to clearly identify with the wards and councillors would be easily able to represent smaller areas.”

However, concerns have been raised about the creation of new wards and the possibility of a future boundary review by the Boundary Commission which could also change the shape of divisions across the county.

Coun Ritchie, who is also charter mayor of Scarborough, said: “Residents have responded to two consultations […] and the council now intends to ignore those views and press ahead with new proposals that result in a delay of at least a year.”

He added: “Could there be a better way to frustrate the patience of residents than to ask them questions and then ignore their responses.”

Currently, the only parts of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council are Scarborough and Harrogate with town councils planned for both.