New Leader for East Riding of Yorkshire Council

The Conservatives will govern East Riding Of Yorkshire Council as a minority administration as a new leader of the authority was elected.

Cllr Anne Handley and Cllr Charlie Dewhirst were elected leader and deputy leader respectively at East Riding Council’s annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday (May 18), backed by Conservatives and the Independent group.

Cllr Handley, the authority’s first female leader, said the ruling group’s door was open to work with others to achieve her ambition of putting the East Riding on the map.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Denis Healy said his group would be a constructive but challenging opposition and reflect the voters’ desire for change.

It comes after local elections earlier this month left the Conservatives as the largest party on the council but five seats short of the 34 needed for a majority.

Cllr Handley was elected leader with 39 votes, with 24 voting against. The Liberal Democrats, whose share of seats rose to 22, ruled out a pact with groups on the council ahead of the AGM.

It paved the way for the Conservatives to retain power with the support of the eight-strong Independent group. The AGM was a foretaste of how the new Conservative administration will govern.

They will need the support of other groups get future budgets, council tax rises and other decisions through full council with the Independents appearing to be their preferred partners at present.

The Conservatives retained control of the cabinet, the body which gives direction to council policy and gives final sign off on many day-to-day decisions.

All bar one on the council’s cabinet, excluding Cllr Handley, have changed from Cllr Owen’s tenure though some have served on it in the past.

Councillor Handley, who represents Goole North, becomes just the fourth leader in the 27-year history of the council and replaces Councillor Jonathan Owen.

After sitting on Rawcliffe Parish Council, Councillor Handley was elected to East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 2019 and has held roles as Cabinet portfolio lead as well as review panel chair while last year she was elected as deputy leader.

Before becoming a ward councillor, Cllr Handley was a familiar face in Goole, where she ran a travel agency and her own clothing business before working for the Hull College Group, where she implemented the Entry to Employment programme, taught Sage accounts, vocational qualifications and ran the 14-16 College.

During the COVID-19 pandemic and through the cost-of-living crisis, Cllr Handley was instrumental in the set up of the Two Rivers Community Pantry, which she’s still involved with now.

She is also a member of Goole Town Council and sits on the Goole Town Deal board.

After the meeting, Councillor Handley said she was honoured to become the new leader and said she was looking forward to “delivering the best” for East Riding residents.

She said:

“The East Riding is a great place to be, and working collaboratively with my elected colleagues, I am ambitious for the future.

“We have been through a difficult few years, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis but I want to do well for the East Riding, continue to invest in the economy, which will bring greater prosperity, and in return will bring in skilled jobs for our residents.

“While there are exciting times ahead, there will be challenges along the way but I want to assure all residents I will do my utmost to make sure this council delivers the best for them.”

Councillor Charlie Dewhirst, who represents East Wolds and Coastal, has been elected as deputy leader. The meeting also saw independent Cllr John Whittle stay on as chair of the council, its equivalent of a mayor, for another year.

A number of other Cabinet appointments and portfolio holder roles were allocated at today's meeting including:

• Leader of the council with responsibilities for prosperity and devolution – Councillor Anne Handley
• Deputy leader of the council with responsibilities for corporate resources, digital and communications – Councillor Charlie Dewhirst
• Finance and governance – Councillor Nigel Wilkinson
• Children, families and education – Councillor Victoria Aitken
• Adults, health and care – Councillor David Tucker
• Culture, leisure and tourism – Councillor Nick Coultish
• Housing and infrastructure – Councillor Gary McMaster
• Environment and transport – Councillor Paul West
• Planning, police and communities – Councillor Leo Hammond
• Coastal communities and heritage – vacant