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03
Nov
Mayor Watch: India trip, bus franchising and ‘dictators’ comparison
Each month, the Stray Ferret analyses the activity of the Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and his deputy mayor for policing, fore and crime Jo Coles.
We look at their decisions, their public and online presence and their use of money by both politicians.
In October, Mr Skaith joined a delegation of almost 200 people travelling to India to secure investment and business opportunities for the north of England.
He also took the first step towards bringing buses in York and North Yorkshire into public ownership.
Meanwhile, Mr Skaith welcomed Chancellor John Healey’s Budget, which he described as giving people “breathing space”.
Here is what else we found after analysing their online presence.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire signs a Notice of Statutory Intent to Prepare an Assessment of Proposed Franchising Scheme.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
What did he do?
On October 1, Mr Skaith hit back after a senior North Yorkshire councillor compared the growing powers of elected mayors to those of a dictator.
The Labour mayor said he found the comments “offensive” and “disrespectful” during a tense exchange at a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon area committee.
On October 9, it was revealed that the mayor would be joining a delegation of almost 200 people travelling to India.
The Labour mayor was among representatives from businesses, universities, tourism, culture and sport taking part in the trip, which comes after the UK-India Free Trade Agreement came into force in July.
He also revealed that he would not be flying business or first class for the trip.
On October 28, Mr Skaith weighed in on Chancellor John Healey’s Budget which included measures such as a 3.9% increase in the national living wage, an increase in the threshold for small business rates relief from £12,000 to £18,000 and £100 household energy payments for 20 million homes.
The Labour mayor said the Budget “gives families and businesses in York and North Yorkshire breathing space today and hope for the future”.
What decisions did he make?
At a meeting of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority cabinet on October 2, Mr Skaith took the first step towards bringing the region’s bus network under public ownership.
Mr Skaith, who has claimed that services in the region are “broken”, signed a Notice of Statutory Intent to Prepare an Assessment of Proposed Franchising Scheme.
The decision means a franchise assessment will be carried out at a cost of £3.5 million.
It will consider how a franchised bus service may look in York and North Yorkshire and give the authority the powers to request patronage and revenue data from bus companies.
The mayor said the move did not necessarily mean the combined authority will franchise the bus network, but that it would be the “start of a journey” towards a franchise model.
What else?
Mr Skaith’s personal expenses and diary has not been updated with claims since January 29, 2026, according to the mayor’s transparency data.
His register of gifts and hospitality has also not been updated since September 27, 2025.
A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told the Stray Ferret previously that Mr Skaith’s disclosures are published quarterly for the preceding quarter. The disclosures for February, March and April were due to be published in August.
The Stray Ferret asked the combined authority if it had anything further it wished to add to Mr Skaith’s activity.
In a statement, the mayor said:
Taking powers and decision-making out of Westminster and bringing them closer to the people most impacted by them is a fundamentally good thing. That is exactly what the government backed in this week's Budget, and it marks a big moment for York and North Yorkshire.
We are getting the tools and resources to tackle the issues that hold our region back. Through the Good Growth Fund, we are securing millions of pounds to invest, particularly across our Mayoral Development Zones in York, Selby, and Scarborough. Crucially, the government set out how they will go further with fiscal devolution. Retaining a share of locally generated income tax and business rates means that more of the wealth created in North Yorkshire stays in North Yorkshire to be reinvested where it’s needed most.
Closer to home, this month we unlocked record levels of transport investment across York and North Yorkshire. This is about fixing our streets, repairing footpaths, and making journeys safer for everyone whether you're commuting in Harrogate, travelling through our market towns, or travelling across the region. This record investment of £456 million is a defining moment for our region as we move away from short-term fixes and deliver the long-term solutions residents expect.
Jo Coles, deputy mayor for policing and crime in York and North Yorkshire.
Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing
What did she do?
On October 14, Ms Coles chaired a meeting where the topic of on-call firefighters was debated.
A new report revealed that North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was “continuing to face challenges in recruiting and retaining sufficient on-call firefighters”.
The meeting heard new targeted recruitment strategies are having a positive effect, attracting 53 new on-call firefighters this year, compared to previous years intake of between 32 and 34.
Interest in the role also remains strong, with 206 applications received so far during 2026, following 272 applications in 2025 and 233 applications in 2024.
But panel members flagged up concerns about how long it would take to train new recruits.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Coles said it was “incredible to see more local people choosing to serve their communities as on-call firefighters”.
On October 16, Ms Coles praised police control room staff after the force saw an increase in 999 calls.
Staff picked up nearly 7,000 more calls than they did over the same period the year before, prompting Ms Coles to praise their work.
On October 29, Ms Coles attended the York and North Yorkshire Youth Commission’s Big Conversation event in York where they presented their latest report on police fire and crime, drawing on the experiences of over 1,800 young people from across the county.
What decisions did she make?
Ms Coles made no formal decisions in October, according to the Office for Policing, Fire and Crime transparency details. Her last one was on July 17.
What else?
On the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning website, personal expenses for Ms Coles are published monthly.
The office published expenses claims for July this year, which are the most recent data available.
In July, Ms Coles claimed £139.98 in expenses which included £47.50 for a train ticket for a meeting on July 23, £9 for tube tickets for a conference in London on July 8 and July 23 and a £3.70 parking ticket on July 10.
She also claimed £79.99 for an annual subscription for cameras on July 13.
Meanwhile, she also claimed 339 miles in mileage in July which included events in Whitby, Scarborough, Harrogate, Goole and Selby.
The Stray Ferret approached York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to ask if it had anything further it wished to add to Ms Coles’ activity. In a statement, the deputy mayor said:
Trying to ensure we do everything we can to keep people safe in our county includes engaging with police and fires services on the ground as well as through our victims services, around early intervention and preventative services. Highlights include:
As part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, meeting a number of commissioned services across North Yorkshire to see first-hand the support available to those affected by domestic abuse and I also joined victims and survivors at the North Yorkshire Women and Girls Health Conference in Harrogate.
It was also hate crime awareness week during the last month and I joined faith leaders from across the county as part of work to strengthen relationships between faith communities.
Work to prevent future wildfires continued with an assurance meeting with Yorkshire Water to update on their preparedness and Stokesley fire station drill night.
The York and North Yorkshire Youth Commission presented their latest report on police fire and crime, drawing on the experiences of over 1,800 young people from across the county.
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