Latest news with #MartinHill
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tory group leader to step down after 20 years
The outgoing leader of Lincolnshire County Council has announced he is stepping down as head of the Conservative group at the authority. Martin Hill, who has led the county council for the last 20 years, said it was time for "some fresh blood". It comes after Reform UK took 44 of the 70 seats following last Thursday's local election, ahead of the Conservatives in second with 14 seats. Hill, who retained his Folkingham Rural seat, claimed he would have been standing down "pretty soon" even if his party had retained control of the authority. He added: "I've been 20 years as leader of the council - that's long enough I think, [and] I'm the wrong side of 70." The Conservatives had controlled the authority for most of the last 50 years and started the night with 53 seats. 'Frustrating' Commenting on the election result, Hill said people had voted on national issues, rather than what the council was actually responsible for. "Immigration was a thing on the doorstep, and the feeling that the country is in a mess," he said. "It's frustrating... [People would say] I think you guys have done a good job for us - but we are still voting for Reform." Despite Reform UK's success, Hill said he had no intention of jumping ship, but added that he would support Reform in opposing plans for pylons across the county, along with "too many solar farms". "Where it makes sense we will support - where it doesn't, we wont," he said. Hill said he would also be on hand to offer help to the new leader of the Conservative group, if it was wanted. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. More on this story Related internet links
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Outgoing Lincolnshire council boss quits Conservative group role
Tory group leader to step down after 20 years 8 minutes ago Share Save David McKenna BBC News Share Save Sharon Edwards/BBC Hill said it was time for some fresh blood to take over as Conservative group leader The outgoing leader of Lincolnshire County Council has announced he is stepping down as head of the Conservative group at the authority. Martin Hill, who has led the county council for the last 20 years, said it was time for "some fresh blood". It comes after Reform UK took 44 of the 70 seats following last Thursday's local election, ahead of the Conservatives in second with 14 seats. Hill, who retained his Folkingham Rural seat, claimed he would have been standing down "pretty soon" even if his party had retained control of the authority. He added: "I've been 20 years as leader of the council - that's long enough I think, [and] I'm the wrong side of 70." The Conservatives had controlled the authority for most of the last 50 years and started the night with 53 seats. 'Frustrating' Commenting on the election result, Hill said people had voted on national issues, rather than what the council was actually responsible for. "Immigration was a thing on the doorstep, and the feeling that the country is in a mess," he said. "It's frustrating... [People would say] I think you guys have done a good job for us - but we are still voting for Reform." Despite Reform UK's success, Hill said he had no intention of jumping ship, but added that he would support Reform in opposing plans for pylons across the county, along with "too many solar farms". "Where it makes sense we will support - where it doesn't, we wont," he said. Hill said he would also be on hand to offer help to the new leader of the Conservative group, if it was wanted. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
ITV News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Reform UK takes control of Lincolnshire County Council from Conservatives
Reform UK has taken control of Lincolnshire County Council after a "seismic" victory in the local elections. The party took 44 of the 70 seats, with the Conservatives losing 40 of the 54 seats they held previously, to finish with 14. Labour finished the night with three seats, down one. Reform did not have a single councillor before Thursday's vote. Speaking as he arrived in Hull, where votes were being counted for the newly created role of mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice, the MP for Boston and Skegness, said it had been a "remarkable 36 hours" for Reform. "We are the big winners in these elections," he said. He called it a "seismic shift in British politics". Conservative group leader Martin Hill, who kept his sear, said the result was a "massive protest vote". He said: "People didn't seem that interested in local services, it was all about national issues - immigration and stuff like that - and I think people had made their minds up and wanted to send a message.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reform take control of Lincolnshire County Council
Reform UK has taken overall control of Lincolnshire County Council following Thursday's local election. As counting continues, they have hit the majority needed with 36 seats, currently ahead of the Lib Dems in second, who have five seats so far. It marks a double success for the party, which earlier saw Dame Andrea Jenkyns elected as the county's first mayor in a resounding victory. Outgoing council leader Martin Hill, who has led the authority for 20 years, said there had been a "tidal wave of Reform crashing over us". Hill, who retained his Folkingham Rural seat, added: "It's all about national politics, they had very simplistic messages. "On the doorstep, people were saying they were fed up with both national parties. "Immigration was a big issue and that's what it all seemed to be about." All 70 seats across the county council were contested and the results showed a huge swing from the 2021 election, when the Tories secured a majority 54 seats. Andrea Jenkyns: Ex-Greggs worker with knack for bouncing back Reform's Andrea Jenkyns elected Lincolnshire mayor AT A GLANCE: What happened overnight and what's still to come? East Lindsey went to Reform in its entirety, with big wins in Lincoln, Boston and South Holland. There were also some high-profile Conservative casualties, including Colin Davie, who lost his Ingoldmells Rural seat to Reform by almost 1,000 votes. Fellow councillors Wendy Bowkett, Daniel McNally, Patricia Bradwell and William Gray, who have decades of council experience between them, will also be leaving the chamber. The Liberal Democrats narrowly managed to retain two seats in Gainsborough, including that of district council leader and Mayoral candidate, Trevor Young, who won by 17 votes. Elsewhere, the Lib Dems have picked up three new seats which currently makes them the second largest party in the county. Independent Richard Cleaver won big in Stamford West. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. LIVE: Follow the latest election updates POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your area FULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election stories Sir John Curtice: Reform challenging traditional party dominance Matt Chorley: Local elections might lack glamour - but they matter Lincolnshire County Council
BBC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Lincolnshire County Council election results: Reform take control
Reform UK has taken overall control of Lincolnshire County Council following Thursday's local counting continues, they have hit the majority needed with 36 seats, currently ahead of the Lib Dems in second, who have five seats so marks a double success for the party, which earlier saw Dame Andrea Jenkyns elected as the county's first mayor in a resounding council leader Martin Hill, who has led the authority for 20 years, said there had been a "tidal wave of Reform crashing over us". Hill, who retained his Folkingham Rural seat, added: "It's all about national politics, they had very simplistic messages."On the doorstep, people were saying they were fed up with both national parties."Immigration was a big issue and that's what it all seemed to be about."All 70 seats across the county council were contested and the results showed a huge swing from the 2021 election, when the Tories secured a majority 54 seats. Andrea Jenkyns: Ex-Greggs worker with knack for bouncing backReform's Andrea Jenkyns elected Lincolnshire mayorAT A GLANCE: What happened overnight and what's still to come? East Lindsey went to Reform in its entirety, with big wins in Lincoln, Boston and South were also some high-profile Conservative casualties, including Colin Davie, who lost his Ingoldmells Rural seat to Reform by almost 1,000 votes. Fellow councillors Wendy Bowkett, Daniel McNally, Patricia Bradwell and William Gray, who have decades of council experience between them, will also be leaving the chamber. The Liberal Democrats narrowly managed to retain two seats in Gainsborough, including that of district council leader and Mayoral candidate, Trevor Young, who won by 17 the Lib Dems have picked up three new seats which currently makes them the second largest party in the Richard Cleaver won big in Stamford West. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. LIVE: Follow the latest election updatesPOSTCODE LOOKUP: Check the results in your areaFULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election stories
