City councillor criticises ‘closed-door deals’ after being suspended and losing key committee posts

A councillor has fiercely criticized “closed-door deals” after he was suspended and subsequently removed from his position as chair of a local authority’s planning committee.

Councillor Dr Tristan Learoyd said he had been suspended from the Liberal Democrat group on Redcar and Cleveland Council after its members met while he was ill in hospital. The suspension came on the eve of the council’s annual general meeting held last week, at which Councillor Stuart Smith, Learoyd’s predecessor as chairman of the regulatory committee, was elected unopposed to succeed him after being nominated for the position.

The Liberal Democrats said in a statement that Councillor Learoyd, who represents the St Germain ward in Marske, had “persistently refused to engage formally and informally with colleagues”. A statement was read out on his behalf at a meeting of group members at which his temporary suspension was proposed and approved.

Councillor Learoyd said: “I have already been contacted by one of the region’s largest employers expressing disappointment that the security and fairness of my chairmanship has come to an end. The negotiations behind closed doors by councillors, particularly the Liberal Democrat leadership, is bad news for citizens and bad for business.”

Cllr Learoyd, who was once considered a possible Liberal Democrat candidate for Parliament in Redcar, said he had been told his suspension was for “behavioural reasons”. He said his suspension had deprived him of the opportunity to stand against Cllr Smith, pointing out that there was no complaint against him for breaching the code of conduct and that he had not been suspended by the national party.

His suspension has no effect on his position as a councillor, so he could still have been nominated for the committee chair even if he himself had put it forward. However, with Councillor Learoyd losing the support of his group, he lacked the necessary backer and independent Councillor Smith, a former mayor and police officer in Saltburn before his retirement, was then something of a safe bet to resume office after a 12-month hiatus.

Councillor Learoyd told the AGM that all committee positions on the council, with the exception of two for chair and deputy chair, which carry additional remuneration, had been “waved through” unopposed.

While some observers were impressed by Councillor Learoyd’s forensic approach and his knowledge of planning laws as well as his advocacy of environmental issues, he angered local Tories, including MP Sir Simon Clarke and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, when he stood in the way of efforts to speed up consideration of a planning application for a new steelmaking arc furnace proposed by British Steel at Lackenby.

“Rare source of transparency”

Councillor Learoyd, who represented Labour in the early 2010s before being re-elected to the council as a Liberal Democrat last year, added: “I have brought to light discrepancies in Redcar and Cleveland over the past year and have been a rare source of transparency. Despite the respect and praise I have received from outside the council, councillors have bowed to the desire of officials to appoint councillors who are more sympathetic to them.”

He said that in the meantime he would “be a good city councilor and carry on as before.”

Councillors Learoyd and Smith have faced off over controversial plans for more than 800 new homes on vacant land on the outskirts of Marske. The former is a prominent campaigner against these plans and led protests by local residents, while the latter voted in favour of the plans as chairman of the regulatory committee in March 2023.

A statement from the Liberal Democrats on the council said: “The decision to suspend Councillor Learoyd for a set period to address a number of long-standing issues was taken unanimously by the group, with the exception of one other member who was unable to attend due to illness.”

“A statement detailing the views of Councillor Learoyd was read out at the meeting. Unfortunately, Councillor Learoyd has persistently refused to engage formally and informally with his Liberal Democrat colleagues.”

The statement said he would have the opportunity to explain his position, adding: “This is an internal matter that cannot be discussed in public.”