Latest news with #JoanneMonk
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Worcestershire: Reform UK takes over leadership of county council
Reform UK has taken over the leadership of Worcestershire County Council for the first time, following its success in the local a meeting on Thursday, party leader Joanne Monk was sworn in as council leader, and she went on to announce a new cabinet of Reform council has no overall majority, after Reform UK won 27 seats - two short of securing an overall majority of opposition groups combined to pick newly elected Green councillor Louis Stephen as the council's chair, as well as secure a raft of other appointments. Casting vote One new Reform councillor, Bromsgrove South member Gaynor Jean-Louis, did not attend the meeting and sent her the party failed to elect another of its councillors, Roger Bennett, as council chair. All 30 opposition councillors voted against his Stephen was chosen with the support of votes from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the council's two the county in no overall control, the role's casting vote could be crucial in big decisions over the coming years. In her first interview as council leader, Ms Monk confirmed her party would look to run the council as a minority move will allow Reform to pass key decisions on a vote-by-vote basis, providing the party can secure at least two extra votes or abstentions from other the new administration now faces the risk of the council's opposition parties working together to veto key decisions such as the annual budget or to push through their own in the meeting, Conservative, Green, Liberal Democrat, Labour and independent councillors worked together to secure a number of scrutiny positions on council committees. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK elects Joanne Monk as Worcestershire group leader
More than a week after Reform UK won 27 seats on Worcestershire County Council, the party has selected its Monk, elected as Redditch East councillor on 2 May, was chosen as head of the party's Worcestershire group, at a meeting of Reform's newly-elected means she will likely be elected as the authority's leader when a vote takes place at the next full council meeting on 22 its success in the local elections, Reform UK is now the largest party in the county, though it remains two short of securing an overall majority. Monk said it was an "honour and a privilege" to have been elected leader of the group."What we have achieved here is incredible," she said. "From a standing start we are now the largest party on the council."The people of Worcestershire have given us a clear mandate for serious change and we fully intend to deliver that."The big losers in the election in the county were the Conservatives, with 33 of their 45 councillors failing to secure enough votes to keep their the election, the relatively new Reform UK party had no seats in the of the party's gains – based on the 2021 results – were at the expense of the Tories. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Worcestershire's Reform UK councillors move to elect leader
Worcestershire's Reform UK councillors will meet today to select their first leader, as they look to secure control of the county least three contenders are expected to put themselves forward for the top job, including former Conservatives Bill Hopkins, Joanne Monk and Alan its success in the local elections, Reform UK now has 27 council seats, the most of any party. However, the group remains two short of an overall must decide whether to form a minority administration or form an agreement with another party. The county's new Conservative leader, Adam Kent, said his group would consider all options. Runners and riders Of Reform's group, only councillors Hopkins, Monk and Amos have served on the county council has their own position on how Reform should form an administration."Official policy is that we are not doing any coalitions or any deals. Our intention is to implement our manifesto," said councillor Amos."Obviously the reality is we're two votes short. So we will do whatever we can, within that context, to implement our policies." The former Labour MP was a Conservative councillor from 2015 to 2024. After leaving the party to become an independent, he joined Reform earlier this year."Being realistic and sensible, that doesn't mean you can't have discussions with other people, arrangements or understandings."While a coalition agreement would require a formal deal between parties, a minority administration could allow Reform to pass decisions on a vote-by-vote basis, provided it could secure at least two extra votes or abstentions from other councillor Amos ruled out any deal with the county's Conservative group."We're there to replace them. We are not there to prop them up." Since last Saturday, talks have been taking place between all the parties."What I have experienced… is how murky politics can be," said Bill Hopkins, another leadership contender, who insisted any talks should be transparent."People are sick to death of politics… we're straightforward, nothing hidden. I've got no sides and what you see is what you get," he said.A former UKIP, Brexit Party and Tory councillor, Hopkins left the Conservatives at the beginning of 2024. "My thought is that we will operate as a minority," he said."But in essence, what I want to have is a coalition, and I want the best people on their merit from each of the parties to join us together to form the next council.""Voters turned to Reform because they are tired of backroom deals," said councillor Monk, who defected from the Conservatives in March and who declined to be interviewed."We should govern as a minority administration, with courage and conviction. We will offer an open hand to other parties and groups on issues where we can agree," she said in a Sunday, Reform UK's regional director Pete Durnell told the BBC's Politics Midlands programme the party would work with other groups. As well as Worcestershire, it has a majority in Staffordshire and is the largest group in Warwickshire. In Shropshire, one of the party's newly-elected councillors has already quit, describing it as a 'cult'. Potential partners Despite Reform being close to a majority, talks are also understood to have taken place between the county's other parties: the Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour."It is no overall control, so anything can happen," said one source."I think everyone is starting to talk to everyone… with lots of attempted horse trading."Before defeat in last Thursday's local elections, the Conservatives had been in control of the county council for 20 Tories now have just 12 councillors, though remain the second largest party on the group's new leader, Adam Kent, said he expected Reform UK to lead the council and did not rule out a power-sharing agreement."We've got to deliver for the people of Worcestershire. I don't think it's just Reform," he said."I think everything is on the table. There's opportunities in all directions really." He stressed his priority would be ensuring residents' key issues were addressed, including public transport, flood alleviation schemes and improvements to children's services and fostering."There wasn't really a local manifesto from Reform. It was all on national policies. So nobody really knows what they stand for locally," he said."As soon as we know who the leader of Reform is, it'll be clearer what we can do."Any power-sharing agreement between parties must be reached before the County Council's Annual Meeting on 22 the local authority's constitution, councillors must appoint a leader at that session, although they can subsequently remove them and appoint another. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram.
