UK's first Reform council leader promises Leicestershire tax cuts on first day in office
The UK's first-ever Reform UK council leader said his party will be able to cut council tax as it takes aim at wasteful spending.
New Leicestershire County Council leader Dan Harrison said: "To think of the journey from where we came to where we are, this is just incredible."
The former Conservative county councillor who defected to Reform UK in February, is now the party's leader in Leicestershire, and was formally confirmed as leader on Wednesday (14 May).
He said: "We're now looking at the cost, the efficiency, we'll then have money for front line [services] but we'll also be able to cut council tax."
'Something has got to change' - people in Coalville gave their feelings on the new Reform leadership.
The Conservatives lost control of the council after 24 years in power, as Reform UK became the largest party.
Reform UK holds 25 of Leicestershire 's 55 seats compared to the Conservatives' 15.
The party has opted to govern as a minority administration rather than trying to form a coalition with another party.
Meanwhile, Reform UK in Derbyshire has announced Alan Graves, the former Mayor of Derby, as its new leader after the party unseated the Conservatives across the East Midlands.
Although already selected as the leader of Derbyshire's largest party, he can only be confirmed as leader of the council at a full council meeting on 21 May.
Nigel Farage's party won 42 of the 64 Derbyshire County Council seats, taking overall control away from the Conservatives for the first time in eight years.
Cllr Graves said: "People will see a change, because there'll be more potholes sorted, the roads will be better, the council efficiency will find money where it once was hidden or lost and we will achieve great things."
"We need to make sure the council is operating properly and efficiently to see where we can save some of the vast amounts of money that is being spent."
He confirmed the party's stance against net-zero policies, which he said would be streamlined to those which would not cost the council extra.
Asked about how the party will tackle potholes and SEND provision, Cllr Graves said: "I've literally just been elected and we have not had any discussions with anybody yet so give us a chance to have a chat about it and I am sure we might actually come up with something."
Of the 42 Reform UK councillors elected in Derbyshire, none were county councillors before the election.
Reform UK also swept to victory in Nottinghamshire, winning 40 of the county council's 64 seats, and won the Lincolnshire County Council and Great Lincolnshire mayoral elections.
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