Dave Merrett’s City of York Council housing role sparks row

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Paula Widdowson said appointing Cllr Dave Merrett, who previously had to leave an executive role over wrongly-issued traffic fines, showed Labour were in disarray.

Labour Deputy Leader Cllr Bob Webb said the opposition group were stuck living in the past and had reduced itself to producing political tittle tattle.

The row follows the appointment of Cllr Merrett to the council’s housing and planning executive role previously held by Cllr Michael Pavlovic who is standing down.

Cllr Merrett, of Guildhall ward, has taken over Cllr Pavlovic’s housing and planning brief, with the latter’s communities role going to Heworth’s Cllr Anna Perrett.

The Guildhall ward councillor, first elected in 2003, has held a number of roles on the council including chairing a council planning committee.

But he was also forced to resign from the executive when the council had to repay £1.3 million in wrongly-issued fines after traffic restrictions placed on Lendal Bridge were found to be unlawful.

Cllr Paula Widdowson said Cllr Merrett had also presided over the last Labour administration’s failed attempt to get a local plan adopted for York.

The opposition deputy leader added it also followed Labour economy and culture spokesperson Cllr Pete Kilbane stepping down as the council’s deputy leader.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Change at top of York Council as senior figure steps down

Row erupts after senior York council figure steps down

Blame traded for major York project £34m over budget

Cllr Widdowson said: “Labour’s answer is to bring back someone whose previous spell on the executive ended in the biggest scandal in the council’s recent history.

“This latest reshuffle is nothing more than rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, swapping one failing Executive Member for another won’t undo three years of broken promises and failure to deliver.”

Labour Deputy Leader Cllr Webb said the opposition’s comments showed there was a gaping hole in what the Liberal Democrats had to offer York.

The deputy leader said: “Instead of spending time working out how to improve the lives of York residents, the Liberal Democrats live in the past, occupied only with wild speculation and conspiracy theories.

“This highlights the straightforward decision facing residents in next May’s local elections.”