Fresh faces to lead East Riding Council
CALLS FOR ALL PARTIES TO WORK TOGETHER
ALL political groups on East Riding Council will need to work together on the cost of living crisis, devolution and growing the economy, its new leader has said.
Cllr Anne Handley said the days of only the Conservatives charting the course for East Riding Council were over after her election as leader on Thursday, May 18.
Speaking to LDRS after the council’s AGM, she added she had brought together a new and vibrant cabinet fit for the new era.
It comes as the Conservatives will continue to run the council but as a minority administration, after local elections left them five seats short of a majority.
Cllr Handley told the AGM her rise from growing up struggling in Goole through to owning a business, educating and volunteering meant she was well-placed to lead the council.
She took office succeeding Cllr Jonathan Owen after winning the Conservative group’s leadership election a week ago. Cllr Handley was elected to the council in 2019 when she and Cllr Nick Coultish took Goole North from Labour.
Before becoming a councillor, she ran a travel agency and her own clothing business and also worked for Hull College Group.
She helped found the Two Rivers Community Pantry after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which now hosts a food bank and social supermarket and volunteer spaces.
Cllr Handley served on the council’s cabinet under Cllr Richard Burton’s tenure and returned to front line politics when she became Cllr Owen’s deputy in 2022.
She is the first female leader of the council and its fourth since its creation, with Cllr Charlie Dewhirst elected to serve as her deputy.
Cllr Handley said her group lacking a minority meant they would have to work collectively with others going forward. The council leader said: “We’ve got to work together to do what’s best for the East Riding.
“The Conservatives have not got overall control of this council, it’s no longer a case of us saying we’re going to do this or that. I know the opposition leader understands that and wants that as well, I’m looking forward to all of us, the Liberal Democrats, Labour, the independents and Labour working together.
“So I’m looking forward to hearing different ideas and points of view going forward. I don’t think it will be that difficult from a political point of view. I know there will be some robust challenges and debates but that’s what we should want to see.”
Cllr Handley said she had chosen to shake up the cabinet, replacing all but one member with fresh faces and past serving members.
She said: “Because of my background, I know how vital it is to plan ahead, so that’s why we’ve got a young and vibrant cabinet with some excellent councillors.
“The only one whose remained from before is Cllr Victoria Aitken, overall it’ll be a strong cabinet.
“I know Cllr Jonathan Owen is very happy to continue work on outside bodies like those dealing with health. Going forward it won’t be just about me or us as a group, I’ve already been talking to lots of different people on the council.
“Everyone knew and agreed that if we didn’t have a leader it would have been chaos.
“And these people are our friends too, the Labour leader and I have introduced ourselves to each other. So far everyone’s been very nice and respectful.”
Cllr Handley said getting a devolution deal for Hull and the East Riding was a top priority going forward after years of talks have failed to produce a settlement.
The council leader said: “At the moment I’m going to my group to see what our next steps will be, particularly on the road to devolution.
“We’ll see what the consensus is from them and the rest of the council on that but ultimately what I want is the best deal for the region.
“I’m hoping I can work with Cllr Mike Ross in Hull to so that together we can get it over the line.
“We’re the last part of Yorkshire not to have a deal. It will unlock so much potential for us.”
Cllr Handley said efforts to help people through the cost of living crisis would be redoubled and she would focus on attracting new investment to make the East Riding prosper.
She said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to have sat on cabinet for a year up to now and in that time we’ve put forward a substantial amount of money to support the voluntary sector and help the most vulnerable through the cost of living crisis.
“I run a social supermarket in Goole so I’ve seen the support from the council that’s been coming through. Going forward all that work will continue, the voluntary sector’s already pulled together on this and I want them to carry on helping us to reach the most vulnerable in society.
“Looking ahead, my portfolio as leader covers economic development and prosperity, I’m fortunate enough to know a lot of the businesses in the area.
“We’ve already seen projects like the Raise Business Centre in Goole, which the University of Birmingham’s built for the rail industry, I now want to work with companies across the region and nationally to bring more investment here.
“And with climate change, I’d like to look to the future to help build the Energy Estuary here with things like carbon capture. It’s something that’s really caught my attention, I want to understand much more about it.”