The departing Conservative leader of Darlington Borough Council has praised his party’s financial management - and urged the new Labour leader to spend the authority’s money wisely. 

Cllr Jonathan Dulston left a parting letter on his desk for Labour’s cllr Steve Harker,  telling him to ‘make good choices’ after highlighting how his party left the authority with £9.5 million more in reserves than Labour in 2019. 

The letter from the Conservative councillor was inspired by one left by Labour MP Liam Byrne, chief secretary to the Treasury under Gordon Brown, who left a note for his Conservative successor in 2010, which said: “I’m afraid there is no money”. 

Cllr Dulston said: “As I handover the leadership of the council I am pleased that the conservatives [sic] leave the local authority with reserves in excess of £23.3 million, £9.5 million more than the £13.8 million left by labour [sic] in 2019. 

“Make good choices!”

 

Cllr Harker was elected as council leader following the local elections in May after receiving the backing of Labour and Liberal Democrat colleagues despite the Conservatives and Greens voting against the move. Labour’s route to the leadership was secured after it agreed on a coalition deal with the Liberal Democrats, in a move which both parties say will “mean stability for Darlington and the effective running of the council”

And despite the criticism, cllr Harker said Labour left the authority’s finances in a “very good financial position to your party” when it lost control in 2019 compared to the ‘mess’ that has allegedly been left by the Conservatives. “This was despite the Conservative Government taking £45m per year from Darlington Council since 2010,” cllr Harker added. 

“Four years later, we are now inheriting your financial plans. You’ve not mentioned that your plans include overspending by £7.5m every year. That’s £30m over the next 4 years. So, the reserve of £23m will vanish very quickly. 

“Your financial plan doesn’t say anything about how you were going to stop overspending. Your letter doesn’t mention that either. Frankly, it’s a big mess that you’re handing over for someone else to sort out. 

“Given your party has crashed the economy nationally, the Conservatives’ reckless financial mismanagement here in Darlington comes as no surprise.”

 

Further details on the make-up of the new Darlington Borough Council cabinet, which will be made up of Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors, is expected later this week.