Ribble Valley council leader to step down from role after six years at helm

The Conservative leader of Ribble Valley Council is to step down from the position after six years and hopes to take on a new role.

Coun Stephen Atkinson announced his plan at the latest full meeting of Ribble Valley Council this week, which came as a surprise to some councillors. He will remain in the role until a new leader is chosen this spring.

His announcement comes at a time of change and also some uncertainty for Lancashire councils and local politics. Coun Atkinson has represented Ribble Valley Council in recent Lancashire devolution talks with other council leaders and politicians.

He was at the launch of the new Lancashire Combined County Authority in February, where he has observer status as a district council leaders’ representative along with Chorley Council leader Alistair Bradley. But voting powers for the new combined authority rest only with the leaders of three councils – Blackpool, Blackburn and Lancashire County Council.

Stephen Atkinson and many Ribble Valley councillors are opposed to the potential scrapping of smaller Lancashire district councils under government aims to reform English councils and create new, bigger unitary authorities serving populations of 500,000.

At this week’s borough meeting, Ribble Valley Council re-stated its opposition to local council reorganisation. However, if the government insists on changes, its preference is for Ribble Valley to merge with Preston and Lancaster.  But nothing has been decided yet. The government has asked councils for feedback.

Speaking at this week’s council meeting Clitheroe, Coun Atkinson said: “This is my last full council meeting as council leader. I have been leader since 2019. I believe only one other leader has served for longer during the 50 years of this council.

“Hopefully, I will become the Ribble Valley deputy mayor with the council’s blessing this spring. It’s important tonight that I take the opportunity to thank all past and present councillors, officers and particularly members of the Conservative group. But  special mention should go to Marshal Scott, the council’s chief executive, who is a man of hard work, integrity and duty.”

Coun Atkinson praised what he saw as Ribble Valley Council’s achievements and its decision-making process which uses a cross-party committee system rather than a smaller cabinet. He also compared the Ribble Valley with other Lancashire boroughs.

He said: “We remind ourselves of what this teamwork and the council’s much-treasured committee system has delivered. We have the same post-industrial legacy of east Lancashire as other areas, with Longridge, Clitheroe and many villages once reliant on cotton. Fourteen years ago, this was the sixth most prosperous district in Lancashire. Since then, the economy has blossomed and this is now the most prosperous district.  We have the lowest unemployment rate, which is two-thirds less than Blackburn.”

He added: “Ribble Valley residents play by the rules. They get up for work, volunteer in the community and pay their council tax. We have the fourth-highest council tax collection rate in the country.

“Council policies have helped create this environment with the highest average salary being nearly 50 per cent higher than neighbouring Burnley. We also live the longest, averaging five years longer than Preston. And we have the lowest level of violent crime.

“This prosperity has delivered over 1,000 affordable homes, the lowest council tax and excellent services. The Ribble Valley is a brand where people aspire to be.”

He also recalled the challenges of the covid pandemic lock-down but said council workers, volunteers, residents and community hubs all played important roles in carrying out vital support. Millions of pounds in government grants had been paid to help local businesses, which he had played a role in securing.

Later, he took a swipe at climate change politics, net zero targets, UK energy costs, farming and industrial policies. He mentioned the closure of Scotland’s Grangemouth refinery and ethanol plans, and the Vauxhall plant closure in Luton. He added: “I hope Heildelberg cement can be sustainable with these high energy costs.”

Debates on a range of matters between different political groups came later in the meeting.