Battle of Marston Moor

"Marston Moor to be left unrepresented for 12 months."

Green Party Campaigns Co-ordinator Tamsin Worrel said:

"This complete affront to local democracy appears to be any excuse for not holding an election and plays right into the hands of the Conservative party. In the complete absence of the Conservatives showing any interest in Marston Moor, Arnold Warneken, the Green Party candidate and close personal friend of the late Councillor Waller, has been working hard in the community for the last four years and will continue to do so."

YET ANOTHER BATTLE OF MARSTON MOOR

Almost 378 years since the first battle of Marston Moor, it becomes the scene of another struggle for people's power as Harrogate & District Green Party fights for the democratic rights of residents.

On 26th January 2022, following many years of selfless service to his beloved community of Marston Moor, the last four years being as District Councillor, Norman Waller sadly died following a long battle with cancer.

Last May, after becoming too unwell to carry out his civic duties fully, Norman indicated his desire to resign to the Conservative leader of the Council. Norman reported this situation to his long time friend, Arnold Warneken, stating that he was told categorically by the leader not to resign as the leader allegedly "didn't want the expense of a by-election".

Following Councillor Waller's death, Harrogate & District Green Party approached Harrogate Borough Council to enquire about a by-election. HBC informed us that one would take place alongside the new Divisional elections on 5th May 2022 because the seat had become vacant within six months of another election. HBC later confirmed this via a public notice on its website published on 15th February 2022.

On 9th March 2022, Harrogate & District Green Party learned that HBC had decided not to run the Marston Moor by-election from an unofficial source. No formal notice to interested parties and no communication to the residents of Marston Moor, who will now be effectively unrepresented until May 2023.

The Council argue this is due to an anomaly between the North Yorkshire Structural Changes Order and the Local Government Act 1972. This despite a similar situation in Selby resulting in a recent by-election and, somewhat unbelievably, HBC themselves calling a by-election only last week at Wathvale following a recent resignation. Despite repeated requests from Harrogate & District Green Party, the Council appears determined not to hold the by-election for Marston Moor, having very belatedly released a statement on its website.

This outrageous affront to local democracy leaves us asking just who is working for whom? We wonder just what the local Conservative party is so afraid of that it appears they would rather the residents of Marston Moor go unrepresented for over 12 months rather than risk defeat to a hugely popular Green Party candidate who works hard for the community all year round?

In another effort to preserve local democracy, the Green Party has today tabled two questions in the House of Lords, requesting provision be made for the Marston Moor by-election. We are also contacting our two local MP's, Andrew Jones and Nigel Adams, to request them to take the matter up with legislators."