Calls grow for release of ‘ secret’ report into shake- up

RENEWED calls have been made for the release of a report which recommends splitting North Yorkshire into two new council areas.

Harrogate’s Liberal Democrats have added their voices to calls for the region’s seven district councils to release the publiclyfunded papers, which were produced to comply with a government request for reorganisation ahead of devolution.

The independent report by KPMG gave 10 options as to how North Yorkshire’s councils could be rearranged.

Judith Rogerson, parliamentary spokesperson for the local Lib Dems, said Harrogate Council must release the “secret” report immediately and leaders should explain why they opted for a eastwest split of the county.

“Residents need to be sure what is being proposed is driven not just by what’s politically convenient, but what will deliver the best deal for their community,” she said.

The Government said in July that for devolved funding and powers to be transferred from Whitehall, the current twotier system of local government would have to be replaced with unitary authorities.

A bitter row has since ensued, with county council leaders proposing a single authority and district leaders pushing for two councils either side of the A1.

Coun Pat Marsh, leader of Harrogate’s Lib Dems, said she had asked on “several” occasions for the report to be released and criticised the district’s Conservative leader, Richard Cooper. But Coun Cooper hit back, saying he had received no requests and such a decision was not his to make.

A spokesman for the seven district leaders said the report will be released – but only after it has been agreed by each council and submitted to the Government.