Leading councillor stopped from becoming 'honorary alderman' of Harrogate following row over political standards

Harrogate Borough Council has the power to bestow the title of honorary alderman or honorary alderwomen to past members who have given over 15 years of good service to the authority.

With the impending abolition of Borough Counci on March 31 to make way for the new North Yorkshire unitary council it means a host of councillors can be considered for the award.

This includes Hookstone ward councillor Pat Marsh who was first elected 33 years ago and is the current leader of the Liberal Democrats on Borough Council.

However, earlier this year a council standards panel ruled that Councillor Marsh breached its code of conduct after she made comments to a resident, that were secretely recorded, about council leader Richard Cooper, council officers and Councillor Cooper’s employer, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough Andrew Jones.

A report concluded that Councillor Marsh “had not treated others with respect” adding “there is a need for council to ensure that they do not undermine trust and confidence with ill-judged and inappropriate statements”.

The panel asked Councillor Marsh to make a public apology.

But Councillor Marsh has refused to say sorry, citing her right to free speech and accusing the panel of not being fairly balanced because it was made up of two Conservative councillors and one Ripon Independent councillor.

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‘Honor is key’

At a full meeting of councillors last night at the Civic Centre in Harrogate, Conservative council leader Richard Cooper proposed changing the council’s constitution to ban councillors from becoming an honorary alderman or alderwoman if they have breached the council’s code of conduct but have then refused to take any of the recommended actions such as apologise to members.

He said: “The word honor is key.

"We are conferring the highest lifetime honor on people that we can bestow, other than freedom of the borough.

"I know of no other organisation where you can breach the rules, refuse to accept the penalty, then be awarded lifetime membership.

"Honorary aldership is an honor that needs to be earned and not just a rubber-stamp for time served.”

Liberal Democrat councillor for Starbeck, Philip Broadbank, who as the longest-serving councillor of 44 years is also eligible to be nominated as an honourary alderman, reeled off a list Councillor Marsh’s achievements during her time as councillor, which included helping the council build the Hydro swimming pool in the late 1990s.

Councillor Broadbank suggested Cllr Cooper’s move to change the constitution was motivated by personal feelings towards Councillor Marsh.

He said: “We all know who this notice of motion is aimed at.

"We don’t need motions like this which are basically to get your own back on somebody, that’s what it’s about.

"We need to show we’re bigger than that and can do better than that.

"We need to respectfully understand what people have done.

"That’s why they’re offered honorary aldermanships.”

‘A little bit incensed’

This prompted Conservative councillor for St Georges, Rebecca Burnett, to say she was “a little bit incensed” by Councillor Broadbank’s refusal to back the motion.

She said: “We get things wrong, we’re human aren’t we?

"We’re not perfect and there’s a code of conduct there because it might be breached.”

Councillor Marsh reiterated her reasons for not apologising, which included the political make-up of the panel.

She said: “Who are they going to find guilty, me or their leader?

"It wasn’t a balanced jury.

"I shouldn’t apologise for things that weren’t done correctly.”

Conservative councillor for Ripon Spa and former soldier, Mike Chambers, called on opposition councillors to stop “bickering and arguing”.

He said: “This is about integrity and honor, something I myself hold dear having spent the whole of my life serving country and community.

"To those who think this motion is about having an axe to grind, I would suggest that you are wrong.

"This is about safeguarding the honor of honorary aldermen of this borough.”

‘Maintaining standards’

Closing the debate, Councillor Cooper quoted sections of the independent report that concluded Councillor Marsh issued an “unwarranted personal attack on the integrity of councillors”.

He said the motion is about “maintaining standards and showing the public we are better than those we criticise in parliament”.

The motion passed by 18 votes to ten with four abstentions.

Member for Bishop Monkton and Newby, Nick Brown, was the only Conservative to vote against it.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the meeting, Councillor Marsh confirmed that she does not intend to apologise.

She said she felt “sad” that this now means she will not be made an honorary alderwoman of the borough.

She said: “It would have a wonderful experience to have been an honorary alderwoman of the place I love.”

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