Opposition parties call for 'complete reset' in York

Speaking as campaigning for the May 4 election hots up – and in the wake of the failure of York’s bid to be the HQ of new railway body GBR and the stalling of the Roman Quarter and Bootham Park Hospital developments - Labour group leader Cllr Claire Douglas said: “Clearly the investment strategies of the Liberal Democrat and Green councillors have failed.

“York has a chance for a reset on May 4. Labour will scour national funding pots to find appropriate grants for major projects, and make sure we are able to deliver them.”

She was joined by Conservative group leader Cllr Paul Doughty in calling for a reset.

Referring to York’s failure to attract any funding in the latest round of ‘levelling up' bids, Cllr Doughty said: “The council needs to examine the bids from the cities and towns who have been successful (and) the reasons they were chosen and base future bids accordingly.

“The council should work closely with business and stakeholders, both our city’s MPs and the regional Mayor (when the latter is in place from May next year) to develop this.”

York was recently beaten by Derby in the race to become HQ of Great British Railways.

At the beginning of March, meanwhile, the much-vaunted Roman Quarter development site was placed on the market just months after finally winning planning permission for a new underground Roman museum along with an 88-room aparthotel, 153 new apartments and new office space.

Then, towards the end of March, plans to redevelop Bootham Park Hospital were sensationally dropped – again just weeks after being approved - because of spiralling costs.

In January, meanwhile, it was revealed that York – which had applied for £10 million of levelling up funding for the Castle Gateway project and £10 million for Parliament Street, Coney Street and the Riverside Quarter developments – was to receive nothing in the latest round of funding allocations.

READ MORE: 'York needs a clear vision of the type of city it wants to be'

Liberal Democrat and Green councillors in York – who have run the city council as a coalition for the last four years – say they stand by their record of achievement, however.

York party leaders, clockwise from top left: Cllr Nigel Ayre (Lib Dem), Cllr Claire Douglas (Labour), Cllr Paul Doughty (Conservative) and Cllr Andy D'Agorne (Green) (Image: Submitted)

Lib Dem leader Cllr Nigel Ayre said: “Whilst our GBR bid this time has been unsuccessful, we have already secured the move of hundreds of civil service jobs to York and work continues to establish a Government hub on the York Central site.

“Major city schemes, including York Central, Station Gateway and dualling of the Ring Road (are) progressing at pace after decades of inaction.”

Green group leader Cllr Andy D’Agorne said that, like everywhere else in the country, York had faced two years of Covid followed by the cost of living crisis.

But he added: “Rather than ‘starting again’ with a ‘reset’, we believe that we need to build on the positive progress that has been made over the last four years.

“We have opened the new Community Stadium; York’s first Local Plan since 1956 is likely to be approved in the summer opening the way for new housing and jobs on sites around the city; York Central is moving forwards after years of very limited progress under previous administrations; major remodelling of the station frontage is about to get underway (and) the council is building award-winning affordable and accessible zero carbon housing at Duncombe Square and Burnholme Green.”

ANALYSIS

Control of City of York Council hangs in the balance in the elections which will take place on May 4.

At the moment, there are 47 seats on the council.

To hold an outright majority, therefore, and take sole control, a party needs to win 24 seats.

At the moment, the Lib Dems are the biggest group, with 21 councillors.

That is short of giving them overall control of the authority. So for the last four years, they have formed a coalition administration with the Greens, who have three councillors.

The two parties’ combined total of 24 seats just gives them a majority.

All that could easily change on May 4, however.

The Lib Dems would need to win three extra seats to give them outright control of the council.

Labour, currently the second biggest party on 17 seats, would need to pick up seven seats to gain control.

If neither of them can win outright control on May 4, however, they may once again be forced into coalition, either with the Greens, the Conservatives, who currently have two seats – or even with independents.

There are currently four independent councillors on the council.

It is all to fight for.

STATE OF THE PARTIES NOW:

• Lib Dems: 21 seats
• Labour: 17 seats
• Independents: 4 seats
• Greens: 3 seats
• Conservatives: 2 seats
• TOTAL: 47 seats