Richmondshire Council leader and mayor of Colburn Angie Dale hits back after being criticised for going to the Maldives while sending 'stay at home' message

The leader of Richmondshire Council who sparked a furore by calling on people to stay local while on holiday in the Maldives has broken her silence to give her version of events.
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Richmond

Coun Angie Dale said her family had suffered “absolutely devastating” media intrusion after a press release that she had no knowledge of was created by Craven District Council featuring a fabricated quote from her.

The press release, which also included North Yorkshire Police comments on travel restrictions, was issued on January 8 to some members of the media directly by Richmondshire Council as she was enjoying a dream holiday with her husband Richard in the Maldives.

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As Coun Dale relaxed on the Indian Ocean island of Kudahuvadhoo she was quoted as saying: “The number of Covid cases is rising dramatically every day and we are told we haven’t reached the peak yet, so it is vitally important that people heed the stay local message.”

Despite facing intense pressure to explain the apparent contradiction, Coun Dale, who is also the mayor of Colburn, told the first full meeting of the district council since the press release that she had been waiting for “correct forum” to comment.

The Richmondshire Together councillor told the meeting she had booked the holiday before the Government announced lockdown travel restrictions and that she had followed all the rules.

Coun Dale said: “The content of the press release issued was not discussed with me as I was not contactable. However it was done in the leader’s name, and I would have agreed the content, as I am sure each and everyone of us would.

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“The impact of the press intrusion on my husband, children, parents and family’s privacy has been absolutely devastating to the point that they had to disconnect phone lines as they were being harassed by the press. This to me is totally out of order, and an infringement of not only mine, but my husband’s and family’s privacy.

“No one should have to read comments about their parents like my children have read from the trolls on social media. This is totally unnecessary and unacceptable and is the lowest form of local politics that I have witnessed since becoming an elected member for Colburn and Richmondshire.

“I would like to add that this was not a last-minute booking, but a planned holiday, and my husband and I travelled through legitimate travel corridors following all Government guidelines that were in place to and from our holiday. This included paying for PCR Covid-19 tests.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the hundreds of people who have contacted me over the last few weeks offering their support and kindness. I will not be making any other comments on this matter.”

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In response, Independent councillor Leslie Rowe highlighted that some 500 fixed penalty notices had been handed out over the last month to North Yorkshire residents flouting lockdown rules.

He questioned whether Coun Dale still thought travelling 5,000 miles to the Indian Ocean was appropriate at a time when the Covid infection rate in Richmondshire was high and when the Maldives were suffering an increase in infections mainly brought in by tourists.

He asked her: “Don’t you think you owe the people of Richmondshire and the members of the district council an apology for making this council the laughing stock of this country?”

Conservative councillor Richard Ormston said Coun Dale's holiday had been ill-conceived, but going ahead with it had displayed “arrogance”.

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He said: “Still to think she’s in the right just beggars belief. The flak I’ve personally had to take in my ward has been very difficult to deal with knowing she’s in the wrong.”

Another Tory member, CounJimmy Wilson Petch said he accepted Coun Dales had not breached any rules and was pleased the messages she had sent from the Maldives showed she had enjoyed the trip.

“Good on her, that’s what I say. However, the press release was extremely ill-judged and the timing and the message portrayed especially, because the vast majority of us were trying to keep safe. All I ask is that she recognises the statement was unwise and just an apology for the whole matter and put it to bed.”

Coun Dales replied that the press release had been issued without her knowledge, but Coun Wilson Petch responded: “That’s no excuse, you’re the leader.”