To wonder if the majority of new councillors realise what they have signed up for?

[Bobbingtons]

After the local elections and the huge shift to reform I do wonder if the majority of newly elected counselors actually realise what they have signed up for.
Bring a counsellor is not an easy task and on average the commitment is around 22 hours a week. The job involves reading reports, helping constituents, sitting on committees and running a large complex organisation with hundreds of departments, it's not just a case of having a title, but having a whole extra job.
We saw in Kent when reform took over it fell into chaos and bickering. I know a number of reform candidates were experienced political operators, but with so many newly elected I do worry they haven't as actually considered what happens next and how much work is actually involved.
I'm highly politically motivated and have thought about standing in the past, but realised that the commitment is far too much for me to handle!

A lot won’t go 🤷‍♀️ they’re protest candidates

Farage never runs surgeries in Clacton and hardly ever goes to Parliament. He’s just a mouthpiece who steals money from the taxpayer for doing fuck all.

I do wonder how many even realise it is voluntary and you have to fit it around other committments. Some of those elected in Kent didn't have that basic level of knowledge and resigned quickly. Total numpties.

3 gone so far...

It's almost one gone per day 😂

Thank you for this - I hadn't heard or thought to check. Didn't realise they'd be falling by the wayside so soon, but here we are.

This is a good way to keep track of any of them who quit: https://pgw.report/council-changes-2026/v1/

My council is reform. More than half have resigned.
We currently only have 2 out of 6 left after they got an absolute avalanche of people all enquiring & wanting every migrant in our area sent else where. That is the soul reason many people around here voted in reform, they thought all the non white people would be rounded up and sent else where as soon as they got voted in. We have usually been under Labour for over 25yrs. Old pit town, very stuck in their ways.

It’s being reported that there are already going to be at least 7 by-elections as a result of reform councillors stepping down or being suspended.

Good old reform wasting tax payer money.

More likely to be the one doing the flytipping.

The main headline here is not that the Reform council has done loads of awful stuff, but simply that they haven't done much at all. The word from local authority staff is that everything has just been stuck because the councillors have been so inexperienced and it has taken them so long to get their heads around their respective briefs.

They have made lots of noises about council staff not wfh and getting back to the office, even though the council had apparently sold off/rented out space so there isn't actually enough space for everyone to do that anyway. They have done a fair bit of fannying around with flags. And they have spent a large amount of money on expensive consultants to tell them how to save money.

How much does it cost to hold a replacement by- election? They need to be called to account!

The interview with newly elected Green focussed more on Gaza than other stuff which was concerning. However the post below is more reassuring, hopefully they’ll just focus on what needs to be done locally and good luck to them.

Yes I bet

It’s hard to tell, but between 2021 and 2024 Leeds spent on average just over £1m on their elections

https://taxpayersalliance.com/the-cost-of-council-elections/

If you’re in a reform area, keep an eye on your council. Unfortunately you need to demand a byelection, if you don’t they can just choose someone else to take that seat

Not concerning when a reform councillor says that Nigerians should be melted down to fill potholes? Not concerning when a reform councillor celebrated the gang rape of a Sikh woman? Not concerning when a reform councillor is elected despite beating his girlfriend black and blue?

You might be listening or reading other media, as said I listened to Greens newly elected and he spoke on Gaza for a large part of it.

I’m in London we’re more Green now than before, I prefer they focus on the bins and stuff here. Which I’m sure they will, as apart from a few interview lines Gaza probably doesn’t come up much in meetings or work. I hope.

I’m asking how you feel about these reform councillors, or if your concern only extends to people not wanting Israel to commit genocide.

Did you vote Green? That was the large part of the interview, Gaza and genocide.

There should be a process for comments you are talking about, and people removed. Including antisemitism.

One of them didn't even attend the count because he was focusing on his exams!! He wasn't there when he won (because he didn't expect to).

I’m not asking about that. I didn’t vote as my area didn’t have local council elections.

It’s not antisemitism to to criticise Israel.

How old is your DS? Over what time period was this casework?

Where did I post it was? There have been other statements from councillors, all parties need to manage that.

You’re downplaying racism, misogyny and domestic violence.

You are quite clearly dodging what @acourtofmistandfury has raised about Reform councillors

Of course not, people should go after making statements you listed. There have been similar from other parties, which I’m not looking up or amplifying on here.

There are incompetent councillors whatever their political hue. I expect the Greens are in the same camp as Reform when it comes to inexperience.

By elections are compulsory if a council seat is vacant (ie due to someone resigning or dying). The position of a councillor cannot just be filled from anywhere, there has to be an open and democratic election