County awaits political future after elections

The dust has far from settled after this month's elections to Leicestershire County Council.

Reform UK took 25 seats - not quite enough to take overall control at County Hall but enough to end the Conservatives' 24-year grip on power there.

The Tories, now numbering 15, said on 3 May that they would act as a "strong opposition" to a Reform minority administration, closing off the option for a coalition of the parties to run the council for now.

It means Reform has the option of either governing in a minority administration or trying to form a coalition with parties towards the opposite end of the political spectrum.

But there has been no official word on what is happening.

Reform has until 14 May to name its leader and cabinet.

That is the date of the county council's annual general meeting - when all councillors meet to elect a chair and vice-chair and appoint councillors to committees.

The other parties are waiting for Reform to name its leader so they know who they will be working with to form the important committees that oversee the authority's work.

Conservative leader Deborah Taylor said: "We all need to work together for the good of Leicestershire.

"Without a leader to talk to, I can't do anything."

Joseph Boam, the newly-elected Reform councillor for Whitwick, previously said: "Let's not forget the sheer importance of what has happened here.

"From a standing start we are now the largest party in Leicestershire County Council.

"The message from local residents is clear: They want change and Reform UK will deliver that."

Reform councillors must decide among themselves who leads them - a meeting to decide that is understood to be taking place on Monday.

So how will they choose their leader - will they rate youth over experience?

Dan Harrison has the most council experience in this Reform group.

First elected on to Leicestershire County Council as a Conservative in 2017, he defected to Reform in February.

He also served on North West Leicestershire District Council for eight years until 2023.

He has to be in contention.

Virge Richichi stood as an independent in district council elections in north west Leicestershire back in 2007 but didn't win.

He succeeded as a Conservative four years later and continued as a district councillor until 2023, including as council chairman in 2021.

Some of the group at least have previous experience in contesting elections.

Three of the new Reform group stood for the party in the last county council election in 2021: Pete Morris elected in Loughborough North, Adam Tilbury in Forest and Measham and Bill Piper in Broughton Astley.

Piper has a long history as a candidate in a range of elections including three for Parliament, also standing for the UK Independence Party before he joined Reform - and has previously served on Lutterworth Town Council.

Others just elected may have had parish council roles before or have roles within the party now, like Boam, who chairs the North West Leicestershire Reform UK branch - or 19-year-old Charles Pugsley, who is the same branch's secretary.

For whoever does emerge as leader, the job of winning over their colleagues is just the first hurdle to stepping up as leader of the whole council in which they are outnumbered by other parties.

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