York Lib Dems revolt over Council’s top team changes

Liberal Democrat Councillors have condemned Labour’s plans to increase the size of the council’s Executive - at a cost of over £20,000 to taxpayers - whilst they slash library funding, impose a green bin tax, and raise Council Tax by the maximum.

The changes announced include the Council’s Finance Chief, Councillor Katie Lomas, having her role split with another Councillor following a damning expert Local Government Association report into the Council’s financial strategy.

Councillor Jo Coles also leaves her position as Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing, Adult Social Care and Culture to become the new York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor, a move that has been branded as “a relief for York’s libraries” after she forced through a £600,000 cut to York Explore’s funding.

Councillor Carol Runciman, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care said:

“We hope that with Councillor Coles no longer in position a full reset of the relationship between the Council and York Explore can now happen. This day could not have come soon enough for York’s libraries.

“The previous Police and Crime Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire recognised that there are too many conflicts of interest to effectively be a Councillor at the same time. We call on Councillor Jo Coles to consider her position and whether it would be fair on Westfield ward residents for her to try to undertake both of these important roles.”

Councillor Paul Healey, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Finance said:

“It is not a surprise that Councillor Lomas has had to ‘phone-a-friend’ for help with her Executive role. The Local Government Association was damning on the Council’s financial literacy under her watch and condemned her latest budget as focusing too much on short term cuts rather than investing to save money over the long term.

“For Labour to make the decision to spend £20,000 extra on politicians‘ salaries at a time where they are slashing our library funding, imposing a Green Bin Tax on residents and increasing Council Tax by the maximum shows how out of touch they are. Drastic changes were needed to keep this failing Executive afloat but now York’s Council Taxpayers are having to foot the bill.”