Gary Verity

[Venod]

Gary Verity has resigned due to health reasons, there also is some mention of expenses irregularities.

He brought the TDF to Yorkshire and subsequently the TDY, and helped bring the UCI world champs later this year.

It will be a blow if nobody takes over in promoting cycling in Yorkshire, although his promotion came from working for Yorkshire Tourism, it has raised the profile of cycling.

 

[Paulus]

I'm sure someone will take over. There is too much money at stake along with the prestige of the the tour.

 

[Pale Rider]

"Errors of judgment in relation to expenses" is just a long-winded way of saying thieving.

Seems as if Verity is going to be allowed to walk on condition he pays back the money he now accepts he should not have taken.

How much? is another valid question.

We are talking about public money, the public should be told what's been done with it.

I would hold him to the same standard of account as our expense fiddling MPs, several of whom have been prosecuted.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47672013

 

[marinyork]

I would hold him to the same standard of account as our expense fiddling MPs, several of whom have been prosecuted.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47672013

Our MPs got off very lightly in the vast majority of cases.

But yes. Sounds a very naughty boy and that's a shame.

 

[Pale Rider]

Our MPs got off very lightly in the vast majority of cases.

But yes. Sounds a very naughty boy and that's a shame.

Yes, a lot of the MPs did get off lightly.

I think Verity's case does depend on how much.

If he's just claimed a few extra quid here and there for otherwise legitimate expenses, then a warning/repayment might be a proportionate response.

If he's claimed hundreds, or even thousands, to which he's not entitled he ought to be prosecuted.

After all, Mrs Miggins from the council estate gets done for stealing a £10 joint of meat from Tesco.

 

[colly]

It is a shame because he came across as a genuine good guy. On the other hand until we know what is actually behind this it's probably best not to speculate too much.

 

[tom73]

My MP got done held in till last minute got locked up for it. Never paid anything back still say he did nothing wrong as he only did what many other did at the time.
So he say's he will pay it back so that's one thing more than most MP's only time will tell I guess yes it's public body and we should know. I remember once listening to a radio interview he was asked how much he got paid. He would not say saying it's in the accounts so look it up he was challenged saying I work for the BBC i'm happy to say i get paid £ he still said nothing. Gary then said he'd not agreed to questions like this the interviewer said I don't do deal's my producers know that and that I'd not do interviews that way i'm free to ask anything thing. He never did say which I always found odd way to be.

 

[NorthernDave]

Sad to see him go due to ill health, especially given the insinuations that are now being bandied about.

If he genuinely did something wrong, then lets have it in the open - if not, whoever is doing the behind the scenes briefing needs taking to task.

 

[tom73]

Agree @NorthernDave give him some space if he's not well clearly something has gone off the only way to kill the story is be open about and have someone take the lead on it, learn from it and move on. Black clouds never fully go from organisations if they lack leadership around it. If expenses claims are wrong then the bigger question is who was signing them off and when did the governance committee 1st know about or did they miss it all together ?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

If it was genuine health issues he would have been allowed early retirement.

 

[stephec]

It is a shame because he came across as a genuine good guy. On the other hand until we know what is actually behind this it's probably best not to speculate too much.

Innocent until proven guilty, on the Internet, are you crazy?

As you say, probably better to wait until all the evidence is presented.

 

[NorthernDave]

Slightly more here, but not much:

Yorkshire Post: Welcome to Yorkshire director 'shocked' by Sir Gary Verity's resignation after expenses investigation.
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/new...nation-after-expenses-investigation-1-9668333

 

[Pale Rider]

Slightly more here, but not much:

Yorkshire Post: Welcome to Yorkshire director 'shocked' by Sir Gary Verity's resignation after expenses investigation.
https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/new...nation-after-expenses-investigation-1-9668333

Substantial sum of money by the look of it, 'five figures' being anything between £10,000 and £99.999.

Might be closer to the former, but it's still well within prosecution range, particularly as it's public money and a breach of trust.

 

[NorthernDave]

Substantial sum of money by the look of it, 'five figures' being anything between £10,000 and £99.999.

Might be closer to the former, but it's still well within prosecution range, particularly as it's public money and a breach of trust.

Presumably someone will have signed those expenses off - or was this public body being run with no oversight / checks in place?

 

[Pale Rider]

A couple more bones, if not the full skeleton, have fallen out of the Welcome to Yorkshire cupboard.

Seems Verity is either charismatic or a bully, depend on who you listen to.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47695831