Understanding Ryedale District Council
Organisational structure and details of the Leadership Team
Stacey Burlet, Chief Executive
Stacey was appointed Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service in September 2018.
As Chief Executive, Stacey is the Council's Head of Paid Service, the principal policy advisor. She provides the overarching managerial leadership for the Council.
Chief Executive
Stacey Burlet
Executive Support Officer
Julie Bradshaw
Leadership team
Chief Finance Officer (s151)
Anton Hodge
Head of Planning and Regulatory Services
Gary Housden
Head of Waste and Environmental Services
Beckie Bennett
Head of Customer Services
Margaret Wallace
Programme Director for Economic Development, Business and Partnerships
Phillip Spurr
Head of Communications, Technologies and Business Transformation
Louise Wood
North Yorkshire Building Control Manager
Rob Harper
01347 822703
Leadership model of RDC
The Local Government Act 2000, as amended, has required local authorities to choose a political management structure which may include:-
i. An executive which can be made up as follows:-
- Leader and Cabinet Executive (Council elects an Executive Leader who appoints 9 Cabinet Members)
- Mayor and Cabinet Executive (Directly elected Mayor appoints 9 Councillors as Cabinet Members)
ii. Alternative arrangements system based on a committee system.
Ryedale District Council has alternative arrangements. The Council does not currently have a Leader of Council (March 2021).
The roles of the Chairman of Council and the Leader of the Council are explained below:-
The main role of the Chairman is to act as the non-political, civic and ceremonial head of the District of Ryedale. The role of the Chairman also includes:
- Chairing meetings of the Council;
- Communication with private and voluntary sector organisations across the District;
- Acting as official host to visitors to the District;
- To represent the District at ceremonial events;
- To promote public involvement in the Council’s activities.
The Chairman is elected at the Annual Meeting of Council in May of each year.
Parliament has provided that the Chairman has social precedence in the district but not so as to affect Her Majesty’s royal prerogative. When the Sovereign visits the District, she is met by the Lord-Lieutenant who then presents the Chairman of Council.
The Leader is the political head of the Council and usually the Leader of the majority political group. The Leader of Council is appointed at the Annual meeting of Council in May of each year.
The Leader’s primary role is to give leadership to the Council and to steer the policies of the ruling Group or coalition through the Council.
Political makeup and recent political history
The political make-up is as follows:-
| Representing | Number | % |
| Conservatives | 11 | 36.5% |
| Ryedale First Independents | 3 | 10% |
| Independents for Ryedale | 3 | 10% |
| Liberals | 5 | 16.5% |
| Independents | 5 | 16.5% |
| Ungrouped Independent | 1 | 3.5% |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 |
6.5% |
Type of Council
In England there are three types of local authority:-
1. Single Tier Council Areas
(i) Unitary authority which discharges the full range of local authority duties. An example of a nearby unitary authority is the City of York Council.
2. Two Tier Council Areas
(ii) County Council
County Councils undertake strategic services on a county-wide basis such as highways, education, social services and trading standards.
(iii) District Councils undertake specialist services such as planning, environmental health, housing and economic development.
Ryedale District Council operates in a two tier authority area with North Yorkshire County Council.
North Yorkshire County Council
North Yorkshire County Council provides the following services:-
- Education
- Social care services
- Libraries
- Trading standards
- Highways
- Transport
Further information can be found on their website or by telephoning 01609 780780.
