Harrogate's Tory candidate unveils his policies for council by-election after controversial resignation of Lib Dem

The by-election for the North Yorkshire Council division of Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone is to take place on Thursday, April 11 following the shock resignation of Lib Dem Coun Patricia Marsh after her social media comments on Gaza and Israel prompted outrage.

John Ennis, the Tory chosen to fight for the vacant seat says, as a local resident, he knows where his priorities lie.

“Having been a councillor from 2010 to 2022 I have a lot of experience of navigating local government,” said Mr Ennis, whose career background is in healthcare and promoting high standards in patient care.

"I want to use that experience to get the best for Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone.

"That is because that community is my community.

"I live in the ward and have done so with my wife and our family for 30 years.

“And there are big things we need to focus on – social care for the elderly, special education needs for young people, preserving and enhancing our environment and looking after the unique character of our town.

“But there are also what may seem like smaller things but these are important to the people they affect.

"We could do with better bus services within the ward, a concentrated effort to improve road surfaces, roads gullies cleaned more often and drains jetted when they become blocked.

"These are the kind of big and small issues which I took up as a councillor previously and some of the ways in which I would hope to support our community again should residents decide to give me that opportunity."

Pat Marsh, who had been chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee for North Yorkshire Council, resigned after a series of comments she had made on social media platform X were widely condemned as anti-semitic, leading to her suspension by the Liberal Democrats.

Anyone interested in becoming a candidate in the forthcoming by-election must submit a completed set of nomination forms between 10am on Wednesday, March 6, and 4pm on Wednesday, March 13.

Residents of the Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone division have until midnight on Friday, March 22, to register to vote and until 5pm on Monday, March 25, to apply for a postal vote.

If someone is unable to vote in person or by post they have until 5pm on Wednesday, April 3 to apply for a proxy vote.

Voters attending the polling station for the by-election on Thursday, April 11, will need to bring photographic identification to vote.

There are many accepted forms of ID, including a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence, full or provisional; a UK passport or a passport issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man, or any of the Channel Islands; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or blue badge.

Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are recognisable from the photo.

Anyone without an accepted form of ID should apply for a free voter authority certificate by 5pm on Wednesday, April 3.

Register to vote at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and apply for a postal vote at: www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

Apply online at: www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

More by-election information at: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/elections