Richmondshire District Council

The council was controlled by independent councillors until May 2003, when elections returned a council with no overall control (Conservative 11; Independent 9; Liberal Democrats 8; Richmondshire Independent Group 5; Social Democratic Party 1). Conservative councillor John Blackie was elected as leader of the council.

In December 2005, Blackie was replaced by the leader of the Independent Coalition for Richmondshire, Bill Glover, following the resignation of several councillors from the Conservative group and the merger of the rival independent groups. From 2009 to 2011, Fleur Butler, a Conservative, was Leader.

As of January 2019, the 34 member council was again controlled by a Conservative administration. The chairman was Bill Glover and the vice chairman was Stuart Parsons.^[1]

Following the local elections in May 2019 a new Independent-Liberal Democrat-Green coalition took power, under the umbrella name 'Richmond Together'.^[2]

This followed all up elections on new boundaries, which saw the Liberal Democrats gain two seats compared to their previous count of one seat and the Greens gain their first seat on Richmondshire Council.^[3] Together with nine of the Independent councillors, this gave the 'Richmond Together' coalition a working majority over the Conservatives and one stand-alone Independent in opposition.

The Green Party councillor, Kevin Foster, has since left the 'Richmond Together' alliance and formed a new group of two, alongside the stand-alone Independent, in opposition.^[4]

Meanwhile, the Conservative councillor Pat Middlemiss, who represents Scotton, has left the Conservative opposition group and joined 'Richmondshire Together' administration as an Independent.^[5]

Overall, this increases the Independents within the 'Richmond Together' alliance to 10 seats, decreases the Conservatives to 9 seats and leaves the administration's working majority unchanged.

In July 2021, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that in April 2023, the non-metropolitan county will be reorganised into a unitary authority. Richmondshire District Council will be abolished and its functions transferred to a new single authority for the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire.^[6][7]