The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, Labour’s David Skaith, has been criticised for not attending an overview and scrutiny committee meeting of councillors holding him to account.
Members say they missed an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues including the Tourist Tax plans which Mr Skaith is very keen to introduce.
The meeting was due to be held at 10:30am (Tue 16 June) at County Hall in Northallerton.
YorkMix understands that the Mayor sent his apologies last week but committee members expected to be able to read his latest report on his activities which was mentioned in the agenda.
The message that he would not be there didn’t reach some of them either, so they were surprised to see an ’empty chair’ when they arrived.
They wanted to discuss funding for road repairs and the tourist levy report into the pros and cons of a tourist tax. which some worry will harm visitor numbers.
They all agreed to send a letter of complaint about him failing to turn up as they argue there are only four such meetings a year, all dates are published well in advance.
Martin Rowley, a Conservative councillor for Osbaldwick in York, is one of the committee members.
He told YorkMix: “I hadn’t been made aware that he (David Skaith) wasn’t going to be there. The first I knew was when the chair of the committee referred to the fact that we had not got either him or a written report.
“The reality is, this is a scrutiny committee that is designed to ensure that the mayor answers questions that are relevant and important, and particularly with regards to the reports that were on the agenda.
“There was a report regarding the levy for a tourism, there was a transport report update, and there was a rural development update.
“So, these are really important areas that are in his responsibility, and areas where you would expect him to be there, and if he’s not going to be there, what you would at the every least expect is either a written report, and/or one of his deputies to come along.
“He has two deputy mayors, and we would have expected at least one of those to have been there.
“This isn’t a meeting that suddenly has been called without his knowledge. This is a meeting that he was well aware of. It was in the diary, he knew that he would be required to be there
“It was unanimously agreed that we would write to both the mayor and also to the group leaders of both local authorities (City of York and North Yorkshire Council) to just explain our disappointment and also the fact that we would expect that this doesn’t happen again.
A spokesperson for the Mayor said: “The report is to support discussion and inform members questions, as he sent apologies and was therefore not present to answer any follow up questions this wasn’t provided.
“The mayor takes scrutiny seriously and regularly attends overview meetings and takes part in public questions; on this occasion he was unable to attend due to a longstanding prior commitment.”
A spokesperson for the mayor said the report usually provided at the meetings is to support discussion and inform members questions.
As he sent apologies and was therefore not present to answer any follow up questions this wasn’t provided.
The mayor takes scrutiny seriously and regularly attends overview meetings and takes part in public questions; on this occasion he was unable to attend due to a longstanding prior commitment.
