Latest news with #DanHarrison
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Row over Reform council's new 'British values' flag rules
Reform's decision to scrap Leicestershire County Council's flag flying policy has been formally challenged by opposition party approved the move during its first cabinet meeting on 12 June, discontinuing a previously agreed schedule of flags to be displayed outside County Hall in Glenfield, including those to mark LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Windrush Day and Reform council leader Dan Harrison said the changes to the protocol were "to celebrate British values that unite us all".However, opposition leaders have called the decision in for further scrutiny, saying they did not believe it had been "thought through properly". Under the new rules, Harrison said the union jack flag and the county council's own flag would fly permanently on two of the three flagpoles outside County St George's flag would fly from the third pole, he said, unless it was replaced with the Lord Lieutenant's flag when they were in the building.A fourth flagpole in County Hall's quadrangle could be used to mark events such as Armed Forces Day, Commonwealth Day and Armistice on flying all other flags are to be delegated to council chief executive John Sinnott after discussion with Harrison. The decision prompted a joint letter from representatives of LGBTQ+, disabled and BAME staff who said they had not been properly consulted on the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the decision will be subject to further debate on Tuesday.A call-in announcement, signed by Conservative Deborah Taylor, Liberal Democrat Michael Mullaney, Labour's Jewel Miah and Naomi Bottomley for the Green Party, said the decision was "not clear".According to the LDRS, it states: "It cannot be left to a weekly decision. Neither can the staff be left without any clear direction."This decision was weakened by the current positive position of our approved flag flying policy."Harrison previously told the LDRS that staff were "protected by law" and said they "could always" fly flags at home."I will meet with their groups and assure them that their health, their safety, the [working] environment will be safe," he added."Nobody would ever disrespect anybody because there's a law to protect them, and we as a county council will guide the way to protect these people."
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform council brings in 'British values' flag rules in Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Council's new Reform leadership has scrapped the authority's flag flying policy in its first cabinet move, approved at a meeting on Thursday, means a previously agreed schedule of flags to be displayed outside County Hall in Glenfield has been list included flags to mark events celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month and Windrush Reform council leader Dan Harrison said the changes to flag-flying protocols were "to celebrate British values that unite us all". Some staff groups at the council, where Reform formed a minority administration following May's local elections, raised concerns about the described the eight-minute cabinet meeting, which had only the flag-flying policy on the agenda, as "historic".He said: "People will rightly ask why are we changing this protocol?"It's important to understand the importance of recognition of national identity, our heritage and culture and celebrate British values [which] is what unites us all."This new protocol allows us to do all this." Under new rules, Harrison said the Union flag and the county council's own flag would fly permanently on two of the three flagpoles outside County St George's flag would fly from the third pole, he said, unless it was replaced with the county Lord Lieutenant's flag when they were in the said a fourth flagpole in County Hall's quadrangle could be used to mark events such as Armed Forces Day, Commonwealth Day and Armistice on flying all other flags are be delegated to council chief executive John Sinnott after discussion with the leader. In a joint letter, representatives of LGBTQ+, disabled and BAME staff said they had not been properly consulted on the change."We feel that the lack of time between our understanding of this event, and the meeting taking place, has hampered our ability to communicate and promote the voices of those in our staff networks and beyond," they said they represented more than 400 council staff and asked the administration to consider the impact of changes on employee letter added: "We would recommend the cabinet members reflect on the purpose of flying flags as a local authority. "It is an example of the Public Sector Equality Duty, our legal requirement to foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics and those who don't."Opposition Conservative group leader Deborah Taylor called the meeting "very strange" and said "staffing groups support a number of staff here and should be listened to". She added: "Staff that are committed to the Leicestershire residents and Leicestershire County Council have not had their voice heard and I think that's terrible."Harrison said he would meet staff group representatives to discuss the new protocol.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Leicestershire County Council boss John Sinnott to retire
The chief executive of Leicestershire County Council has said he will retire from the role later this Sinnott has held the top position at the council since 1994 and is believed to be the country's longest-serving local authority chief Sinnott has said he will leave the position at the end of county council said he informed senior politicians of his intention to leave before this month's elections, in which Reform UK became the largest single party at County Hall. A spokesperson for the authority said Mr Sinnott had intended to leave the council at the end of it said he had agreed to stay on in the role for longer, at the request of new council leader Dan Harrison to help the Reform minority administration settle Sinnott's retirement will come ahead of a major shake-up of local government which could see the county council abolished in its current government proposals, a mayor, heading a combined authority, would be elected and given more powers over transport, planning and economic growth county's existing seven district and borough councils could be abolished and replaced with either one or two new authorities.
ITV News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
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.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Reform UK stands by newly-elected councillor sacked by police
A Reform UK council leader has defended one of his newly-elected colleagues after it was revealed he had been sacked from his role as a police Hamilton-Gray won a seat on Leicestershire County Council in this month's local elections when Reform became the largest party on the it has emerged Hamilton-Gray was dismissed by Leicestershire Police last year after a misconduct hearing found he had called in sick, to travel to Spain, when he should have been working as a Harrison, who was elected as the council's leader on Wednesday, told the BBC the former police officer was an "honourable, decent man". Hamilton-Gray was elected to the senior civic role as county council vice-chairman on Conservative council leader Deborah Taylor called for the councillor, who represents the Loughborough North West division, to be suspended claiming vital information about him had been withheld from the BBC approached Hamilton-Gray about these remarks but he said he had been advised not to asked if there would be a suspension, Harrison said this would not happen."It's unfortunate, but he's an innocent person - he's not doing anything wrong," he said."I'm defending him strongly because he's an honourable, decent man." Hamilton-Gray was sacked by Leicestershire Police for breaching professional standards on "honesty and integrity, discreditable conduct, orders and instructions, and duties and responsibilities".His page on LinkedIn advertises a consultancy advising "high-end dealerships in the luxury car market".Leicestershire Police Federation, which represented the former officer, has confirmed that his misconduct hearing related to selling luxury panel heard that the force had given him permission to run a car sales business in his own misconduct panel heard that PC Gray, as he was then known, applied for leave to deliver a car to Barcelona in April of his leave request was rejected. But a week later, he booked a return ferry ticket from Portsmouth, returning over two days when he was scheduled to reported in sick only hours before the outward sailing, the panel heard.A month later, two police officers stopped PC Gray in the passenger seat of a vintage red Porsche. The panel heard that he was giving a potential buyer a test drive while he was signed off PC Gray's dismissal, Leicestershire's then Chief Constable Rob Nixon described his conduct as "deliberate" and "planned" has been on the College of Policing barred list since his dismissal from the force.
