Harrogate Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election: Why Labour candidate Geoff Foxall wants a park-and-ride scheme introduced for Harrogate and improvements to buses

He believes John Ennis and the Conservatives “don’t stand a chance”, so he hopes people who typically vote tactically for the Lib Dems will feel confident enough to vote Labour this time.

Mr Foxall said: “We have to try and persuade voters in the division it’s worth voting Labour in this by-election. I would say in Harrogate voters are pretty smart.”

Born and raised in Harrogate, he was a councillor for Labour on Harrogate Borough Council for eight years in the 1990s.

He’s also a former teacher in the town and has been saddened at how council finances and public services have been squeezed.

He said: “The changes have accelerated over the last 14 years since the coalition. I’ve never witnessed so much diminishing of the budgets coming from central government. It’s had an impact on all services.

"As the Labour group on North Yorkshire Council, we’ve got to try and increase that funding.”

Mr Foxall was a campaigner against the relief road through the Nidd Gorge and is a board member of Long Lands Common, the community woodland between Harrogate and Knaresborough.

He also organises weekly walks for elderly residents and says improving social care and helping people to live independently is an issue he’s passionate about.

He said traffic and congestion are a huge issue in the division, particularly around Wetherby Road, and would like to see a park-and-ride scheme introduced for Harrogate and improvements to buses.

He added: “Harrogate has already started operating electric buses but we would aim to require all public transport road vehicles to be electric by 2030 as well as all the council’s own vehicles.”

Mr Foxall is optimistic about his chances and hopes he can be a bold voice for Harrogate on North Yorkshire Council.

He said: “Harrogate has been controlled by Conservatives and Lib Dems for years with little growth or progress. Just look at the mess they have made of the Station Gateway project.

"Labour in Harrogate can provide the change that is needed.”

The by-election will take place on Thursday April 11.

For more information, visit the council’s website – https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/elections

A full list of candidates is below:

Conservative – John Ennis.

Green – Gilly Charters.

Labour – Geoff Foxall.

Liberal Democrat – Andrew Timothy.

Reform – John Swales.