Fylingdales Parish Council, near Whitby, able to operate again following appointment of new councillor

On September 23, Scarborough Council decided to appoint a new councillor to the “inquorate and unable to operate” Fylingdales Parish Council following the resignation of at least three council members.

All council meetings must have quoracy, which requires a certain number of councillors to be present at meetings, for proceedings to be legal.

According to a report by Scarborough Council, a nomination for a temporary appointment had been received from a former councillor of Fylingdales Parish Council, Dick Hoyle.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a member of the parish council, Carolyn Watkinson, confirmed that Mr Hoyle had been co-opted at a meeting of the Fylingdales Parish Council on September 28.

Cllr Watkinson also confirmed that the parish council is now quorate and is working to fill the remaining vacancies through elections and co-option.

Richard Martin Robinson, known as Dick Hoyle, was last elected to Fylingdales Parish Council in May 2019 with 298 votes, according to Scarborough Council’s website.

According to a report by the borough council’s director, Lisa Dixon, Scarborough Council has powers “to enact temporary appointments to a parish council until such a time as an election can take place and a quorum re-established”.

At its meeting on September 6, Whitby Town Council also considered three co-option applications for the vacancies in the Stakesby and Town South Wards. However, the minutes of that meeting have not yet been published.