THE Conservatives won two of the three by-elections at last week’s local elections with the third taken back by the Independent councillor who was expelled from the seat last year for not attending meetings during the coronavirus lockdown. Conservative, David Staveley, who already sits on Craven District Council, where he is chairman of the Select Committee, won the Ribblesdale division seat of North Yorkshire County Council, the seat previously occupied by his ‘friend and mentor’, the late Cllr Richard Welch. His fellow Conservative, Robert Ogden, was voted onto Cllr Welch’s old Penyghent seat of Craven District Council, while David Pighills, Independent, reclaimed his old Barden Fell seat on the district council.
Cllr Robert Ogden I M delighted to have been elected as the Craven District Councillor for Penyghent. I would like to thank the people of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Stainforth and Giggleswick for putting their faith in me to take their concerns to the council chamber down in Skipton. I wish to pay tribute to my predecessor, Cllr Richard Welch, who passed away earlier this year. A strong voice for our area, Richard was a champion for working people, and he will be sorely missed. I aim to build on the legacy of passionate, local representation that Richard brought to our area. During this well-fought campaign, many issues have been raised by residents across the ward that I can now begin to address. I look forward to getting stuck in, and delivering the change that will improve our lives in the upper reaches of Ribblesdale.
Cllr David Staveley IT is a great honour to have been elected as the North Yorkshire County Councillor for the Ribblesdale division, and to have received such a strong mandate from my fellow residents. While I am overwhelmed by the result, it comes with a degree of sadness due to the circumstances which have brought me to this point. So I will once again pay tribute to my predecessor, friend and mentor Cllr Richard Welch, who will be fondly remembered for his dedication to representing residents and protecting the Dales way of life and values. I will look to his example and aspire to meet the challenges ahead.
Local elections ELECTIONS for the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, along with any county and district by-elections and parish council elections, will take place in Craven on Thursday May 6. Craven District Council elections postponed from May 2020 and County Council elections were also scheduled to be held, but have now been deferred while the Government consults on proposals to reorganise local government in North Yorkshire. There are also likely to be by-elections for the Ribblesdale division of North Yorkshire County Council, and the Craven District Council ward of Penyghent, following the death last year of Cllr Richard Welch; and also for the Barden Fell ward of Craven District Council, after Cllr Pighills was expelled from the council last year for not attending meetings.