THE Lord Mayor of York has explained why she stood down from chairing a major council debate about York's planned new community stadium.

Cllr Sonja Crisp said her chosen charities, which include Dementia Friends, had received a major personal donation last autumn from York City chairman Jason McGill, and she had also been closely involved in stadium discussions when she was a council cabinet member.

She said that before last week's full meeting of City of York Council, she had consulted officials and been advised there was no legal reason why she should declare an interest and step down from chairing the debate about proposals for the authority to borrow another £5.4 million to cover the increasing costs of the stadium complex at Huntington.

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However, officers did say she might feel it would be 'prudent' to stand down and, because she did not wish anyone to perceive a possible conflict of interest, and potentially challenge her decision to chair the meeting afterwards, she decided to do so.

Her comments followed online speculation about links between her decision and the donation.

Mr McGill told The Press he was 'appalled' that anyone might believe there was any ulterior motive in his and his wife's decision to make a personal donation of £20,000 to the Lord Mayor's charities.

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Jason McGill (left) and Sonja Crisp

He said he had done so because he had witnessed the terrible impact of vascular dementia on his father-in-law, Roger Speck, and he had wanted to help a charity dealing with dementia through the Lord Mayor's appeal.

"My father-in-law died less than a fortnight ago because of complications caused by dementia, leaving a wife without her husband, a son and two daughters without their father, seven grandchildren without their grandfather and two great-grandchildren without their great-grandfather," he said.

"His funeral took place on Tuesday and it is very upsetting for my family for anyone to make any suggestions there might have been any ulterior motive in my making this donation to the charity."

He added that he had made personal donations previously to good causes, including Prostate Cancer UK and Martin House Hospice.

Cllr Crisp added that she was concerned that any implied criticism of Mr McGill's donation might be off-putting for anyone else considering supporting Mayoral charities in years to come.