Andy D'Agorne
Andy D'Agorne | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Leader of City of York Council | |
| In office 22 May 2019 – 7 May 2023 | |
| Member of City of York Council for Fishergate | |
| In office 5 May 2003 – 7 May 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sheffield, England |
Andy D'Agorne is a Green politician, who has represented Fishergate Ward for the Green Party of England and Wales since being elected as one of the first Green councillors for York, England in 2003.[1] After the 2019 City of York Council election, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party announced that they had agreed to run City of York Council in a new 'progressive partnership' coalition, with Green Group leader D'Agorne assuming the role of Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Transport while Liberal Democrat leader Keith Aspden was elected as Leader of the council.[2]
General elections
[edit]In the 1997 United Kingdom general election, D'Agorne stood as the Green Party candidate for the Sheffield Central constituency. He lost clearly against Labour MP Richard Caborn, getting 954 votes and achieving 2.6% of the overall vote share.[3]
In the 2017 United Kingdom general election, D'Agorne was selected as Green party parliamentary candidate for the York Central constituency.[4] Controversially, he later withdrew his candidacy to ensure not to split the vote on the left. Short of endorsing Labour candidate Rachael Maskell, he indicated that her Green's policies were closer to his than any of the alternatives.[5]
European elections
[edit]D'Agorne stood as a Green Party list candidate for Yorkshire and the Humber EU constituency in the 1999 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom.[6]
City of York Council elections
[edit]D'Agorne was first elected to City of York Council as one of two Green councillors for the Fishergate ward at the 2003 City of York Council election. He got 1,093 votes (25.6%) ahead of fellow Green Party candidate Mark Hill. It was the first time that Green councillors were elected to City of York Council, winning the ward from the Labour Party.[7]
At the 2007 City of York Council election, D'Agorne was reelected as one of two Green councillors for the Fishergate ward with 1,308 votes (25.0%) ahead of fellow Green Party candidate Dave Taylor.[8] He continued to serve as councillor for Fishergate ward after winning a majority at the 2011 City of York Council election with 1,632 votes (29,5%),[9] at the 2015 City of York Council election with 2,241 votes (28,0%)[10] and with 1,553 votes (32,2%)[11] at the 2019 City of York Council election.
Liberal Democrats / Green Administration
[edit]Following the 2019 City of York Council election, the Liberal Democrats gained the most councillors on City of York Council, but remained three short of the 24 seats needed to gain overall control. Cllr D'Agorne first proposed a three-party coalition with Labour and the Liberal Democrats, after the Green Party held its four council seats at the election.[12] Later York's Greens and Lib Dems secured a deal to run the council together in a joint administration with D'Agorne assuming the role of Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Transport.[13] Afterwards, York's Labour Party accused Green Group Leader D’Agorne of dishonesty as he supposedly didn't provide any options to Green party members to work with Labour in a two or three-party Coalition, citing leaked minutes of internal Green Party's discussion on power-sharing.[14]
The Groves traffic ban
[edit]As Executive Member for Transport, Cllr D'Agorne ordered a controversial ban on through traffic in The Groves district of York under the government's Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme,[15] using government emergency funding that aims to promote cycling and walking during the COVID19 pandemic. Minor changes were made to the traffic scheme after complaints were made that the scheme was blocking emergency vehicles.[16] While opponents of the scheme claim that the scheme causes stress and inconveniences for local residents,[17] Cllr D'Agorne stated that the development of the scheme started before the LibDem-Green administration got in place and local residents had been consulted by council officers and are supportive of the trial.[18] The plans were approved on a temporary basis for 18 months,[19] but D'Agorne indicated that the experimental trail would eventually become permanent.[18]
Bishopthorpe Road closure
[edit]Cllr D'Agorne introduced emergency traffic measures during the Coronavirus pandemic on Bishopthorpe Road earlier in 2020, comprising a southbound closure of the street.[20] The closure caused some opposition, with a petition supporting re-opening receiving 1,600 signatures, but was supported by the local Labour and Green ward councillors.[21] The temporary order expired on 4 August 2020. The council said: “Whilst the restriction helped with meeting the objectives for social distancing, a gradual increase in traffic has caused a number of local issues, including increased congestion and unofficial diversions through side streets."[21]
Ring road dualling
[edit]D'Agorne came into conflict with his own party on the York outer ring road dualling plans, a project that York Green Party opposed for years and claimed cannot be justified under the council's climate policies. As the responsible executive member of the Lib Dem/Green administration, D'Agorne committed himself to a joint approach with the Liberal Democrats, who support the plans, to take the project forward and secure the necessary funding from the Department for Transport and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ "Andy D'Agorne – York Green Party".
- ^ Services, Web. "Executive council members". City of York Council.
- ^ "VOTE 2001 | RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES | Sheffield Central". BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Lib Dem and Green parties name York candidates". York Press. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Greens withdraw from York Central fight to avoid 'splitting the vote'". York Press. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "1999 Election Candidates | UK Office of the European Parliament". 18 May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "York - election results May 2003". 11 October 2003. Archived from the original on 11 October 2003. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Election results May 2007 - City of York Council". 14 October 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Fishergate Ward - City of York Council". 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Services, Web. "Local election results May 2015". City of York Council. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Services, Web. "Local election results May 2019". City of York Council. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "York Greens look for a three-party coalition with Labour and Lib Dems". York Press. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Lib Dems and the Green Party join forces to run City of York Council". YorkMix. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Labour respond to Lib-Dem/Green coalition". York Labour. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ Services, Web. "The Groves low traffic neighbourhood trial". City of York Council. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ Laversuch, Chloe; Gray, Charles (23 October 2020). "Changes to York traffic scheme after 'carnage' caused for drivers". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "York road closures: "I am finding this increasingly stressful with all the noise"". York Press. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Video: 'In time, people will get used to it' – Council leader suggests Groves traffic ban will become permanent". YorkMix. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ haulage - BingNews, road (16 June 2020). "Groves road closures plan is to start in York". Translogistics. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ Administrator. "Bishopthorpe Road temporary traffic measures to end". iTravel York. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Bishopthorpe Road to fully reopen after residents provided 'valuable feedback' on its closure". YorkMix. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Council transport chief speaks out on ring road dualling plan after his party said it 'should be scrapped'". York Press. Retrieved 25 January 2021.