The Yorkshire Post
·Aug 2026
I'm a Tory council leader - Andy Burnham's devolution changes are a big step in the right direction
Carl Les, Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, reviews the council’s adult social care and public health services, including a £289 million social care budget, a £3.6 million overspend and a strong Care Quality Commission rating. He supports shifting care toward prevention, community services and support closer to home, while warning that rising demand, an ageing population and a Fair Pay Agreement will increase costs. Les also welcomes the government’s proposed fiscal and administrative devolution, describing it as a major step away from the UK’s highly centralised system despite delays, no new funding and the need for Westminster approval. He opens by criticising the BBC’s repetitive campaign defending the licence fee.