Whitby poll to escape SBC rule

Residents call poll after losing faith in Scarborough Council

Residents in Whitby are to be polled on leaving Scarborough Council’s rule to join Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Chronicle: “There are vast swathes of North Yorkshire that are much more aligned with the Tees Valley than the rest of Yorkshire… a lot of people who live in North Yorkshire work in Teesside so you could argue there should be an expansion of the Tees Valley deal into North Yorkshire.”

At Whitby’s Annual Assembly, chaired by the town council, a town poll was proposed by a member of the public asking if a vote could be held to pose the question, which was backed by an overwhelming show of hands.

The town council has confirmed that the poll will now be taking place and has notified the borough council.

A spokesman said: “We have now put the poll to Scarborough Council and they are looking at the legality of the question and they will then come back to us and say ‘yes’ this is a valid question.”

The vote will then be held next month at a date yet to be set.

But the cost is a bill the town council must foot, which is expected to be several thousand pounds.

Members of the public have cited key grievances they feel towards Scarborough’s governance of Whitby.

One group which has long been campaigning for action is Fight4Whitby. Member and former town mayor, John Freeman, said: “The big part of the problem is that a large section of the population of Whitby is completely disenchanted with treatment from Scarborough over many years and they do not appear to be willing to make any changes.

“Teesside would appear to be a very good option - it’s an area that’s developing and looking forward. Whitby would be a massive asset to any area, rather than a drain.”

Whitby’s piers are the main flood protection for the town, but are said to be in a crumbling state, and despite a 2009 report from engineering experts, Royal Haskoning identifying vital defects, repair work is yet to happen.

Outrage was also brought about when the council sold off the town centre’s Tourist Information Centre, while locals have also highlighted that the town council had to take on a number of the local public toilet facilities to save them from probable closure.

Commenting on the likelihood the poll will vote against Scarborough Borough Council, Mr Freeman added: “I think the town is sufficiently dissatisfied to make a move.”

The Tees Valley Combined Authority offered no comment on the possibility taking Whitby off Scarborough Council’s hands at the time of going to print.