Troubled tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire (WTY) is facing an uncertain future after Hambleton District Council became the second local authority to withhold funding.
Hambleton joins Ryedale in refusing to handover payments to the organisation, which has been in turmoil since being engulfed in an expenses scandal surrounding former chief executive Gary Verity.
Hambleton has refused to hand over a £53,000 payment it is due to pay WTY this year.
Ryedale has already announced it will be withholding £33,000 it was scheduled to give WTY.
Hambleton council leader Mark Robsin told the Yorkshire Post: “I’m not prepared to throw more money at something at this time without seeing more evidence on where the money is going to go.
“I’m of the same opinion as Keane (leader of Ryedale District Council). Ultimately the share from Hambleton was going to be in excess of £53,000, plus £10,000 membership.
“I am not prepared to put something into an organisation that I am not sure will be around in the next financial year.”
WTY held an extraordinary board meeting this afternoon, which was held in private despite the organisation previously stating it aimed to be more accountable in the future.
WTY said board members met to discuss the organisation’s future following the serious challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board discussed offers of financial support from local authorities across the region but said it needed further discussions with councils before a definitive option can be pursued.
As lockdown eases and the hospitality industry is due to begin reopening in July, WTY said it aimed to put tourism at the heart of the region’s economic recovery.
Chair of WTY, Peter Box said: “There’s more work to do before we can agree a way ahead. We will continue to talk to council leaders about financial support and the options that flow from that.
“The response we’ve had from leaders over the past few weeks has been encouraging and we were able to have a constructive discussion at this afternoon’s Extraordinary Board Meeting. We will have further talks before we plot a way forward.
“I’m grateful for the support we’ve already had from council leaders, and others, across Yorkshire. If we are going to deliver a successful economic and social recovery from the pandemic, tourism will have to play a crucial role in that.
“Without a thriving tourism industry, there won’t be the kind of recovery we all want to see in Yorkshire.”
In response to today’s meeting being held in private, Welcome to Yorkshire can confirm their commitment to transparency and to continue to hold Board meetings in public.
The meetings on the January 22 and February 21 were open to the public.
It said the meeting on March 23 would have been held in public but was cancelled due to COVID-19.
A spokesperson added: “The decision to hold today’s extraordinary meeting in private was based on the nature of matters discussed such as the options for the future of Welcome to Yorkshire.
“We did not feel this was something that could be held in public as we have a duty to inform the staff, paying members and other partners first.”
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