Town council has 'No Confidence' in borough leader and cabinet

Whitby Town Council has voted in favour of a motion of No Confidence in the Scarborough Borough Council leader and cabinet in a dramatic revolt.
Whitby Town CouncilWhitby Town Council
Whitby Town Council

Putting forward the proposal, Cllr Ian Havelock said the borough council has an ethos of “evasion and secrecy”.

He called on his fellow councillors to back the motion which they did, with six votes in favour, plus four against and two abstentions.

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Cllr Havelock cited a number of grievances about the borough council in regard to Whitby, raising concerns over the delayed restoration to the piers and difficulty in

obtaining information from the borough council.

Speaking about raising funds to repair Whitby’s piers, he said: “Where the piers are concerned we were told this balance is required and in the same breath discover that SBC had committed £4 million to demolish and redevelop the Futurist theatre site.

“As far as I’m concerned the borough council is treating Whitby with disdain.”

His views were backed by Ron Wilkey, a member of the public who had travelled from Scarborough to the Whitby Town Council meeting at Pannett Park, to deliver a passionate speech calling on the town council to back the motion and drain what he called the “swamp.”

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Speaking of his frustration when attending borough council meetings on the Futurist theatre, he criticised council leader Cllr Derek Bastiman, and his cabinet, labelling them "arrogant apart from a couple of exceptions."

But councillors Linda Wild and Phil Trumper said they did not believe the motion is in the best interests of Whitby.

Despite this opposition, other councillors backed the motion and it was carried.

An online petition also stating a No Confidence vote on the council’s leadership has now attracted 2,269 signatures.

How they voted:

In favour (6):

John Freeman

Terrence Jennison

Ian Havelock

Heather Coughlan

Geoffrey Wilson

Dennis Collins

Against (4):

Noreen Wilson

Rebecca Pearson

Linda Wild

Phil Trumper

Abstained (2):

Natalie Smith

Jonathan Harston

Declared an interest (2):

Steve Smith

Amanda Smith

See The Scarborough News and Whitby Gazette for more reaction.