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Original poster

Councils now run by Reform - end of the beginning or beginning of the end?

715 replies

boys3 · 05/05/2025 21:31

So after 1st May Local Elections Reform have outright control of ten top tier Councils, and are the largest, or close to the largest party, in a number of others.

How will they get on do we think? Suddenly having responsibility and accountability for real stuff.

Just for a bit of context the recent National Audit Office report on Local Government in England.
https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/local-government-financial-sustainability-2025/?nab=2

These are the Councils they won outright. Number of seats they won and total seats on each Council, plus a link to the more detailed results. Some of the Councils have really good info sets with clear summaries and maps showing who won where. Others are a bit more basic. These councils deliver services for some 8 million people

Derbyshire
42/64 Derbyshire Results

Doncaster

37/55 Doncaster Results

County Durham
65/98 Durham Results

Kent

57/81 Kent Results

Lancashire
53/84 Lancashire Resuts

Lincolnshire

44/70 Lincolnshire Results

North Northants
39/68 North Northants Results

2 seats pending as ward election postponed due to death of a candidate

Nottinghamshire
40/66 Nottinghamshire Results
2 seats pending as ward election postponed due to death of a candidate

Staffordshire
49/62 Staffordshire Results

West Northants
42/76 West Northants Results

There are then 4 Councils where they are the largest party but short of a majority. Will Cons, or others, support them in any of these to give control? Or will others, incl Cons, coalesce to prevent that? We'll soon find out. If anyone knows already post away!

Cornwall 28/87. Cons have 7 seats so even combined well short of a majority. Lib Dems won 26 seats. I think more likely that Lib Dems will get support from sufficient Independents (19), Green (3) and Lab (4) to form an adminstration.
Cornwall Results

Leicestershire 25/55, so 3 short. Cons have 15 seats. So could easily support a Reform led adminstration. Or would they join with Lib Dems (11), Lab (2), Green (1) and Indie (1) to create a coalition administration that keeps Reform out?
Leicestershire Results

Warwickshire 23/57 so 5 short, Cons then have 9 seats, so could support to provide a majority. Lib Dems 14, Greens 7, Lab 3, Indie 1 - combined 25 so again short of a majority, Which way will Cons go?
Warwickshire Results

Worcestershire 27/57 so 2 short. Cons then have 12 seats, so could support to provide a majority. Or could join with the Greens (8), Lib Dems (6), Lab (2) and Indie (2) to thwart a Reform led Council. Equally only needs 2 of the 12 Cons to side with Reform to give them a majority and control though
Worcestshire Results

Of the remaining hung councils:

Northumberland Cons won 26/69, then Reform with 23, So the two combined have a comfortable majority, Or would the Cons look for support from 9 from Lab (8) Indie (7) Lib Dem (3) and Green (2) and avoid Reform. Northumberland Results

Buckinghamshire. Cons have 48/97 so 1 short of a majority. Reform only have 3 seats, but Cons only need support of 1. Equaly 1 of the 13 independents may provide that support. Buckinghamshire Results

In the others Devon, Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire support from Lab and Greens would give the Lib Dems control in each.
Hertfordshire Results
Gloucestshire Results
Devon Results

Lastly Wiltshire all down it seems to the Indies (7). Lib Dems have 43/98. Cons have 37 seats and Reform 10. Wiltshire Results

The final 3 Councils contested last Thursday all delivered Lib Dem majorities - Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire and Shropshire

Election results by party, 1 May 2025 - Derbyshire County Council

https://democracy.derbyshire.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=5&RPID=12080910

OP posts:
Thread gallery
188
Dahliasrule · 09/05/2025 11:53

Comefromaway · 06/05/2025 10:15

I' m really glad that my SEN children are no longer in school but I feel for those reliant on already stretched services.

Yes, really worried for my two autistic DGC as we are now in a county with a massive Reform majority and a Reform mayor.

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 09/05/2025 11:11

DuncinToffee · 09/05/2025 10:37

First by-election

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g2qxr79gdo

First of many I suspect. So much for cutting waste.

Original poster
boys3 · 09/05/2025 11:08

Thanks @DuncinToffee i suspect we’ll see several more over the coming weeks and months.

in that particular Nottinghamshire ward - Newark West

Reform 909 35.9%

Cons 756 29.9%

Lab 508 20.1%

Green 193 7.6%

Lib Dem’s 164 6.5%

Spoilt papers 4

Turnout 28.6%

non Reform vote 64%.

Will be interesting to see if we get the same number of parties standing. Will Reform even find a candidate?

The other Newark ward had similar percentages but flipped round. Cons 34.9%, Reform 26.1%, then Green on 19.3%

OP posts:
Original poster
boys3 · 08/05/2025 14:23

Upcoming Council meeting dates when we’ll have confirmed how much influence or indeed lead Reform will have in those hung Councils, and in the ones they already have outright control who are the key players, such as Leader of the council, and a sense of policy direction. Plus how many newly elected cllrs actually turn up!

14 May

14:00 Leicestershire (hung)

15 May

17:00 West Northamptonshire

16 May

10:00 Warwickshire (hung)

20 May

10:00 Hertfordshire (hung)
10:30 Wiltshire (hung)

21 May

10:00 Gloucestershire (hung)
10:00 Durham
14:00 Derbyshire
15:00 Northumberland (hung)
16:00 Buckinghamshire (hung)

22 May

10:00 Worcestershire (hung)
10:00 Kent
10:00 Staffordshire
10:30 Nottinghamshire
13:00 Lancashire
14:00 Devon (hung)
18:00 North Northamptonshire

23 May

10:30 Lincolnshire
11:30 Doncaster

OP posts:
IdaGlossop · 07/05/2025 19:24

I'm trying to be optimistic, hoping that the chaos and disfunction Reform is going to cause at local and county level will act as a deterrent to voting Reform when we get to the General Election. In the meantime, though, lots of people will suffer - job losses, services poorly delivered, charity revenue cut. Still, at last the union flag will be flying above council buildings.

OP posts:
Original poster
boys3 · 07/05/2025 19:04

Just picking up further on @HelpMeGetThrough 's post

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crldl3r31e6o

Reform won 28 of the 87 seats - well short of the 44 needed for a majority to win votes in the chamber.
Since then, the party said it had been rebuffed by offers to work with the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrat groups.

Big well done to the Cons, Lab, & LDs - the latter two likely never in doubt. Hope they stick to their guns on this.

Adam Paynter, leader of the Independents group of 16 councillors, said: "I hope to speak to the Reform leader in the next few days."

Well Adam, time to learn from the Cons, Lab & LDs. Though where I am a few previous "independents" turned out to be closet Reformers.

Reform whining already started:

Reform claimed it would be "undemocratic" if it was not part of the next administration - despite being the largest party on the authority.

LDs have 26 seats so not exactly far behind. Overall 59 seats not Reform

A man with grey hair in a grey jacket with a blue shirt and dark blue tie standing in front of County Hall in Truro

Cornwall Reform UK leader remains 'optimistic' about power-deal

Talks continue between parties to try and form a new administration on Cornwall Council.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crldl3r31e6o

OP posts:
HelpMeGetThrough · 07/05/2025 18:49

Here in Cornwall all other parties have said they won’t go into coalition with them. There is apparently some “back room dealing” afoot with the other parties, although the Conservatives have said they are going it alone, as they got absolutely trousered and it was a Tory council previously.

To be honest, the Council is so badly in the shit, I don’t think Reform could make it worse.

And to think Unitary in 2009 was meant to be a good thing here.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 07/05/2025 17:12

DuncinToffee · 07/05/2025 17:06

Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire

https://bsky.app/profile/implausibleblog.bsky.social/post/3lojkrj3xyc2m

Andrea Jenkyns walks away from an interview with #C4News when she is asked how she's going to move asylum seekers out of hotels into tents

Ha! This is the shape of things to come!

It is very easy for Reform to stand on the sidelines and criticise. As soon as they're actually faced with the responsibility to do anything, they are not quite so confident.

We can only hope that people will watch and wise up.

DuncinToffee · 07/05/2025 17:06

Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire

https://bsky.app/profile/implausibleblog.bsky.social/post/3lojkrj3xyc2m

Andrea Jenkyns walks away from an interview with #C4News when she is asked how she's going to move asylum seekers out of hotels into tents

Original poster
boys3 · 07/05/2025 16:50

Durham - big Reform majority

we want to.........put more money into front-line services

Sounds great - bit light on the realistic "how" bit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp91gg8d5e5o

Amanda Hopgood sits on the red Politics North sofa with the teal set behind her. She's wearing a silky navy blue top and has her blonde hair tied back.

Nigel Farage DEI comments disgusting, Durham Lib Dem says

Reform UK pledges to end diversity roles after taking control of Durham County Council.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp91gg8d5e5o

OP posts:
Original poster
boys3 · 07/05/2025 16:28

Warwickshire - meetings planned with Cons - Reform biggest party but six short of a majority. Cons have 9 seast

Nigel Clarke, the chairman of the Warwick and Leamington branch of Reform, has said his party is happy to work with the Conservatives at a local level and meetings are already planned.

Though in the same article Lib Dems (14 seats)

With control yet to be decided between the players, Roodhouse (LD) said there had been no talk yet of any coalition deals, adding: "We'll have to wait and see how it goes."

Seems Cons support most likely to give Reform the majority - but we'll see how it plays out. First Council meeting to formally confirm everything looks to be 16 May

Nigel Clarke is wearing wearing glasses and a grey chequered jacket over a blue polo shirt. He is standing in the hall used for an election count

Warwickshire County Council vote sees Reform become largest party

Tory leader Izzi Seccombe loses her seat while the vote leaves the council under no overall control.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clywqljezd5o

OP posts:
MiloMinderbinder925 · 07/05/2025 16:28

DuncinToffee · 07/05/2025 16:24

Lincolnshire

Reform’s green energy assault in Lincolnshire ‘puts 12,200 jobs at risk’

Party intends to block projects despite net zero industries contributing nearly £1bn to local economy, analysis shows

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/may/07/reform-uk-green-energy-assault-lincolnshire-jobs-risk

They confuse me. They're talking about cutting costs yet want to spend millions on legal objections and want people to lose their jobs as well as important investments into the local economy.

Perhaps someone who voted for them can explain the logic.

Original poster
boys3 · 07/05/2025 16:19

Worcestershire - maths proving a struggle

Owen Cleary, who took the Worcester seat of Warndon & Elbury Park for Reform, told the BBC following his win: "We don't have any intention of making alliances."

Though as they are two seats short of a majority they are going to need support from somewhere

Slapped down by "Regional Director"

"Of course we have to work with other parties," Reform's West Midlands regional director Pete Durnell told the BBC's Politics Midlands programme on Sunday.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74nppn94j4o

A man with short grey hair stands on a pavement with parked cars on the road. He is wearing an open-collared shirt under a brown jacket.

We will work with other West Midlands parties, Reform says

A senior party figure sets out Reform's approach at councils where it does not have overall control.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74nppn94j4o

OP posts:
Original poster
boys3 · 07/05/2025 16:14

Shropshire - inauspicious start - though they are only the biggest opposition party. Lib Dems, comfortably in control with 42/74 seats, won't be too worried.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qw8qd5lvno

Donna Edmunds, smiles at the camera. She has dark hair and is stood with a woodland behind her

Reform UK is a 'cult', says suspended Shropshire councillor

Donna Edmunds was suspended from the party last week over a post on social media.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qw8qd5lvno

OP posts:
Original poster
boys3 · 07/05/2025 16:11

Lancashire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ypy3jn41xo

The Reform UK group that now controls Lancashire County Council will elect a leader on 10 May.

The vote had been expected to take place last weekend in the wake of the party's emphatic victory in the local elections, which saw it secure a majority at County Hall.

However, the Lancashire group had to await the implementation of rules and procedures for the leadership election process, which have now been drawn up by Reform at a national level after it also took control of nine other county councils across England. My observation - Might have thought Reform would have had that sorted before rather than after election day.

The successful candidate will become the leader elect of the authority before a confirmation vote of the full council is heard at its annual general meeting on 22 May.

Stephen Atkinson, the former leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council, who defected to Reform from the Tories in March and was elected last week as the county councillor for Ribble Valley South West, has said he will be putting his name forward.

Presumably at the 22nd May meeting they will also confirm which cllr is the political lead for each broad service area - eg Children's Services; Adult Socal Care; Highways etc Along with chairs of all the various committees.

Stephen Atkinson, Ian Duxbury and Ged Mirfin at the Lancashire County Council count. All are wearing turquoise reform rosettes

Reform set to elect new Lancashire County Council leader

The party secured the largest single-party majority at Lancashire County Council in modern times.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5ypy3jn41xo

OP posts:
HildegardofBingen34 · 06/05/2025 12:27

There will be a steep learning curve both for members of the Reform led councils and for the people who voted for them!

crumblingschools · 06/05/2025 12:26

I think for many of the new councillors it will be like when Brexit won and Boris and Gove were like WTF, how did that happen, we didn’t expect to win and now we have to try and work it out!

ethelredonagoodday · 06/05/2025 12:11

I work in local govt for a large, mainly rural council, but luckily we didn’t have elections this time.

I think many of those elected for reform probably have no clue what councils actually do, let alone how they operate in practice. And most election cycles you might get one or two wholly new councillors with no experience… I feel for all the democratic services officers having to guide them through this. I would imagine they will need a lot of patience!

MiloMinderbinder925 · 06/05/2025 11:52

CHEESEY13 · 06/05/2025 11:47

It's the use of the word "bloke" in regard to Reform that rattles me: it seems to identify relentlessly with Nigel Farage forever doing photo-opps in some pub, pint in hand, laughing, joking and spouting bar-room philosophies. Just like an "ordinary bloke".

Personally, I think there is a distinct whiff of mysoginy emanating from Reform.

I can't pin down why I get that impression, but I just do.

Farage hangs around with rapists and uses VAWAG to score points. I didn't notice any information regarding VAWAG in their manifesto and nor has he or any of his MPs addressed it while elected. In fact didn't one of them kick in his girlfriend? Boys will be boys.

CHEESEY13 · 06/05/2025 11:47

It's the use of the word "bloke" in regard to Reform that rattles me: it seems to identify relentlessly with Nigel Farage forever doing photo-opps in some pub, pint in hand, laughing, joking and spouting bar-room philosophies. Just like an "ordinary bloke".

Personally, I think there is a distinct whiff of mysoginy emanating from Reform.

I can't pin down why I get that impression, but I just do.

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