A PROFESSIONAL poet was dropped from hosting a council’s community awards scheme because she had criticised the authority’s libraries policy in the past.

Poet Kate Fox of Sowerby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, had been due to host Hambleton District Council’s Community Awards at The Forum in Northallerton last week but despite being booked since November, she was told her services were no longer required.

She was told of the decision via email from the council’s chief executive Justin Ives that the reason behind pulling her from presenting the awards was due to her past criticism of the council’s policy on community libraries.

Ms Fox said she was stunned by the explanation and believes it may have arisen from a comment she made in 2016 when Hambleton Council was coming under fire from northern writers for levying business rates on community-run libraries.

At the time she said the decision to continue charging rates was "a slap in the face" for the volunteers trying to keep the libraries going.

She said it was “disappointing and dissatisfying” that the council cancelled her presenting job because she spoke out in defence of the library volunteers and she questioned whether the authority has now set a precedent in not employing anybody who has ever criticised its policies.

Ms Fox was still paid a £250 fee due to the short notice of the job cancellation, but has pledged to split it between Thirsk Community Care and The Clock charity in Thirsk.

She said: “I thought I had a good relationship with the council and have worked well with them in the past.

“It is a disgusting waste of tax payers money to hire somebody else and I expect they thought I wouldn’t make a fuss, but they don’t know me.

“What they have done is just wrong.”

A spokesperson for Hambleton District Council said: “Kate Fox had in the past been highly critical publicly of the council’s policy concerning Community Libraries, although it is of course her right to comment on any council policy.

“Given that this was the council’s Community Awards ceremony it was felt that it would be more appropriate for another person to host the awards."

“Kate Fox suffered no financial detriment and was paid her fee for the evening in full.”

The Community Awards are held by the council each year to celebrate voluntary groups, projects and individuals who have made a difference to their community.

The ceremony was hosted by BBC Tees presenter Scott Makin.