A feud between the owner of Starbeck Post Office and the chair of Starbeck Residents Association has boiled over after the latter decided to stand for the Labour Party in the upcoming local elections.
Voters will head to the polls on May 5 to elect councillors to the new North Yorkshire Council.
This week, Chris Watt was announced as the Labour candidate for the newly created ward of Fairfax and Starbeck.
Mr Watt is also the elected chair of the SRA, which awards grants and campaigns to safeguard local facilities in Starbeck.
However, Andrew Hart, who owns the local post office, believes the resident association’s constitution forbids political allegiances.
He claims Mr Watt is using his position as chair as a means of promoting his political platform and profile, which Mr Watt denies.
Mr Watt (centre) campaigning for Labour last month. Credit: Harrogate & Knaresborough Labour Party
The two have history — there was public acrimony when Mr Watt was appointed chair last year at the residents association’s annual general meeting.
Mr Hart set up a rival group called Starbeck Community Group, in part due to what he thinks are the failings of Starbeck Residents’ Association.
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Mr Hart said it was “an insult to the community” that Mr Watt was standing for a political party and called on him to step down from his role as chair.
He said:
“Last summer I asked Chris Watt several times if he would be standing for Labour in these elections, he refused to answer. At the SRA AGM I asked him again but he refused to answer in public. I stated that it was against the constitution, it was also morally wrong and not transparent as he was already a political officer for the Labour Party.
“The very least he should do is explain why he would not admit he wanted to stand at the AGM when he was repeatedly asked and how can he justify canvassing whilst he is supposed to be the impartial chair of the SRA.
“He must resign now and seek re-election if he fails to become a county councillor. This has nothing to do with political allegiances it is about transparency and clear rules.”
‘I want to give something back’
In response, Mr Watt said:
“I love living in Starbeck so want to give something back to our local community. I’m proud to serve as chair of the Starbeck Residents’ Association and work in partnership with local people in the best interests of our area, regardless of their political affiliation.
“I’ve never made any secret of my campaigning work with the local Labour Party. It was raised at the Starbeck Residents’ Association AGM and I was pleased to be elected overwhelmingly by over 80 local people with only two people voting against me.
“I am doing my best to repay the trust that local people placed in me and would be honoured to serve them further as their local councillor.”