Further scrutiny of resort plan is denied

A COUNCIL leader has denied a fresh attempt for further scrutiny of a £22m scheme to build student accommodation in a resort.

Scarborough Borough Council’s leader Coun Steve Siddons (Lab) said that there had been “great deal” of discussion of the decision, which will see the council borrow the money to demolish the former Argos building in Newborough, Scarborough, and replace it with a scheme drawn up in collaboration with Coventry University Scarborough and the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The Conservatives called in the cabinet’s decision to proceed with the scheme last month, citing concerns around the impact on the council’s finances due to the pandemic.

At a specially arranged Overview and Scrutiny Board earlier this month, the scheme was backed by councillors by five votes to four after the Conservative chairman of the committee, Coun Guy Coulson, gave his support to the project. At a cabinet meeting yesterday, Conservative deputy leader Coun Heather Phillips once again asked for the scheme to be sent to audit.

In a written question she said: “The present administration is relying upon support for the decision by a total of five elected members on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, four others on the same committee did not support the project.”

In response, Coun Siddons said that the Conservative group’s concerns had all been addressed in “great detail” during two public meetings.

He added: “I would add, Coun Phillips, that is how democracy works.”