Sir Keir Starmer has branded Labour's York and North Yorkshire Mayoral election win as “a very, very special moment”.
Thursday was the first time voters in York and North Yorkshire voted for a regional mayor, with Labour's David Skaith securing about a third of the vote, and winning the hotly-contested elections campaign against Conservative candidate Keane Duncan.
Mr Skaith gained 66,761 votes, beating Keane Duncan (Conservative: 51,967), Felicity Cunliffe-Lister (Liberal Democrat:30,867), Kevin Foster (Green Party: 15,188), Keith Tordoff (Independent: 13,250), and Paul Haslam (independent: 12,370).
Appearing at Northallerton Town Football Club with the new mayor, Mr Skaith, Sir Keir said: “It’s an amazing moment in history, to have a Labour victory here.
“We have had really good results across the country all day long, but this is a very, very special moment, David, to become the mayor here.”
He added: “Through the villages and the towns of North Yorkshire, people are voting for change. They voted for Labour, a changed Labour Party able to earn the trust and the respect of voters in York and North Yorkshire.
“We’ve had a positive campaign here and I am very, very proud to stand here as leader of the Labour Party to celebrate this historic victory and it is a historic victory – these are places where we would not have usually had a Labour Party success but we’ve been able to create that success and persuade people to vote for us.”
To the voters, he said: “Thank you for putting your trust in Labour, we will not let you down.”
It is a “very good day for Labour,” he said.
The turnout for the regional election was 29.89 per cent from the 640,012 people who are registered to vote in York and North Yorkshire.
The result was declared by North Yorkshire Council’s chief executive, Richard Flinton, who was the combined authority’s returning officer as well as the local returning officer for North Yorkshire for the election.
North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council ran the election in the two local authority areas.
The new Mayor will start in the role on Tuesday next week (May 7) and will serve a four-year term, will develop close links with the Government to secure more funding and decision-making powers as the devolution deal evolves.
The deal includes an investment fund totalling £540 million over a 30-year term, which provides flexibility to target money to specific schemes on a more local level.
The mayor will continue work that is already underway on projects including £12.7 million to deliver 700 new homes on brownfield sites and a further £10 million to support the transition to net zero, unlocking economic opportunity, empowering business growth and creating new and better-paid jobs.
The mayor will also take on the responsibilities of the police, fire and crime commissioner for York and North Yorkshire. The commissioner is responsible for holding the chief constable as well as the chief fire officer to account and ensuring their services are efficient and effective.
The new Mayor will have a salary of £81,300 and will serve an initial four-year term.
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