Richmondshire District Council

Richmond District Council is the administration body that covers a large northern area of the Yorkshire Dales including Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Wensleydale and Coverdale, with Scots' Dyke and Scotch Corner at its centre.

Richmondshire Council
Type
Type
Leadership
Leader of the Council
Cllr Angie Dale, Independent
Deputy Leader of the Council
Cllr Helen Grant, Independent
Structure
Seats24 councillors
Political groups
Administration (13)
  Independent (10)
  Liberal Democrat (3)
Opposition (11)
  Conservative (9)
  Green (1)
  Non aligned (1)
Elections
First past the post
Last election
2 May 2019
Next election
May 2023
Website
www.richmondshire.gov.uk

The current district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972. It was a merger of the municipal borough of Richmond with the Aysgarth Rural District, Leyburn Rural District, Reeth Rural District and Richmond Rural District along with part of the Croft Rural District, all in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

Political Control

2003 to 2005

The Council was controlled by independent councillors until May 2003, when elections returned a council with no overall control (Conservative 11; Independent 9; Liberal Democrats 8; Richmondshire Independent Group 5; Social Democratic Party 1). Conservative Cllr John Blackie was elected as leader of the Council.

2005 to 2019

In December 2005 Cllr Blackie was replaced by the leader of the Independent Coalition for Richmondshire, Cllr Bill Glover, following the resignation of several councillors from the Conservative group and the merger of the rival independent groups.

As of January 2019, the 34 member council was controlled by a Conservative administration. The Chairman was Cllr Bill Glover and the Vice Chairman was Cllr Stuart Parsons.[1]

May 2019

Following the local elections in May 2019 a new Independent-Liberal Democrat-Green coalition took power, under the umbrella name 'Richmond Together'.[2]

This followed all up elections on new boundaries, which saw the Liberal Democrats gain two seats compared to their previous count of one seat and the Greens gain their first seat on Richmondshire Council. [3] Together with nine of the Independent councillors, this gave the 'Richmond Together' coalition a working majority over the Conservatives and one stand-alone Independent in opposition.

May 2020

The Green Party councillor, Cllr Kevin Foster, has since left the 'Richmond Together' alliance and formed a new group of two, alongside the stand-alone Independent, in opposition.[4]

Meanwhile, the Conservative Cllr Pat Middlemiss, who represents Scotton, has left the Conservative opposition group and joined 'Richmondshire Together' administration as an Independent.[5]

Overall, this increases the Independents within the 'Richmond Together' alliance to 10 seats, decreases the Conservatives to 9 seats and leaves the administration's working majority unchanged.

References
  1. "Councillors". Richmondshire. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  2. "Richmondshire District Council has a new leader". Richmondshire District Council. May 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  3. "Local elections 2019: full results for English councils". The Guardian. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  4. "New group forms on Richmondshire District Council". Richmondshire Today. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. "New group forms on Richmondshire District Council". Richmondshire Today. 20 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
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