England.

New Reform leader Cllr Dan Sutherland has defended the Party’s controversial decision to cut the number of Scrutiny Committees at Calderdale Council from four to one, made at Calderdale’s AGM last week. The decision will see committees overseeing Children and Young People, Place and Adult Health abolished, leaving a single Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a much-expanded remit. Cllr Sutherland pointed to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s decision to do the same, criticising the defunct boards as expensive, ineffective “talking shops” that only served to delay local decision-making.

Naturally, Labour and the Greens have criticised the plans as risking “silencing dissent” and weakening democratic oversight. Opposition parties also criticised the decision made by the new administration to install Reform councillors as chairs on every committee, and the removal of an independent chair of the Standards Board. Reform are unlikely to apologise, and will instead be betting that swift, decisive action in power will prove them right in the end.

Old foes in Bradford came together to ensure they can still exert influence on the running of the Council after Reform UK secured the leadership in the city. Reform UK Councillor Stephen Place was elected Leader of Bradford City Council at a second attempt after an earlier vote failed. The second attempt came after the rules of the election for Leader were changed so members could only vote for or abstain when considering a candidate.

The Conservatives, Labour, the Your Bradford Independent Group and other smaller parties conceded to these new rules and accepted that Reform UK would form a minority administration. However, the opposition groupings then went on to work together to lock Reform UK out of all Chair and Vice-Chair positions of scrutiny and regulatory committees. The result will likely mean several executive decisions being called in this year and planning and licensing decisions potentially going against the agenda set out by the ruling Reform UK administration.

Wolverhampton’s cabinet has been confirmed following May’s elections, where Reform made notable gains and reduced Labour’s majority to four.

While leader Cllr Stephen Simkins and deputy leader Cllr Steve Evans remain in place, changes within the cabinet reflect the shifting political landscape, including the loss of two Labour members.

Reform now sits as the main opposition, signalling a potentially challenging year ahead for the administration.

Cannock Chase has moved into no overall control after Reform secured all contested seats, becoming the largest party without a majority.

Cllr Paul Jones now leads the council, heading its first Reform-led administration.

With a largely new cabinet and no formal coalition, attention will turn to how cross-party working develops to maintain progress on regeneration and local services.

Coventry has shifted to no overall control, with Labour continuing as the largest party but now leading a minority administration.

Cllr George Duggins remains leader, with a refreshed cabinet reflecting new political realities.

With Reform strengthening its position locally, the council will need to navigate a more balanced chamber and increased focus on collaborative decision-making.

Sandwell has seen a significant political shift, with Reform securing a majority and bringing an end to decades of Labour control.

Cllr Ray Nock takes over as leader, marking a clear change in direction for the authority.

In Redditch, a Conservative administration has returned to power through a confidence and supply agreement with Reform and independent councillors.

Despite holding a small number of seats, Cllr Matt Dormer resumes the leadership, supported by a broader voting bloc.

Labour moves into opposition, highlighting the increasingly fragmented and fluid nature of local governance, where delivery will depend on maintaining cross-party alignment.

Nuneaton and Bedworth remains under no overall control, with Reform’s Cllr George Finch appointed leader with Conservative backing.

As the youngest council leader in the UK, and also leader of Warwickshire County Council, his appointment reflects both political change and a more complex governance picture.

With no majority in place, progress will rely on cooperation across parties within a balanced chamber.

Following the clear majorities won by the Liberal Democrats on both the new Councils for East and West Surrey, the Lib Dem groups have now elected their leaders and deputy leaders for each Shadow Council.  In West Surrey a contested election saw Paul Follows (the current leader of Waverley) see off a challenge by Ann-Marie Barker (Woking BC leader).  The deputy leader of the new Council will be Shaun McDonald, the current leader of Surrey Heath.  In east Surrey, the new Leader will be Steve Wooton (from Reigate & Banstead), with Kirsty Hewens as Deputy Leader, a current Elmbridge Cabinet Member.

The Liberal Democrats made a further Leadership gain in West Surrey, where despite there being no elections for Spelthorne, Conservative frustration with the state of affairs on the Council saw a highly unusual move when the entire Conservative bloc (the largest on the Council) voted in a Liberal Democrat, Greg Neall, as Leader of the Council to end three years of leadership by a councillor from the Independent Spelthorne Group.

The modest gains by the Conservatives in the recent elections (up 3 seats) led to an unusual call from the Conservative Group Leader at the annual council meeting for more proportional representation on the Council.   Venting his frustration at the Liberal Democrat group’s proposals to keep all the committee chairs and vice chairs, the Conservative leader called for a more proportional approach to appointments “when the Lib Dems only hold 46% of the seats on the Council”.  This call fell on deaf ears thanks to Labour, Green and Independents ignoring the Conservative group leader’s calls for more proportionality, as it is only the Conservatives who have the numbers to justify more of the committee roles.

Despite Reform making the most net gains, West Sussex County Council will now be run by a “rainbow coalition” led by the Liberal Democrats, alongside the Greens, Labour and an independent councillor. This deal locks out Reform (who won the same number of Councillors as the Lib Dems) and blocks any Reform/Conservative coalition from taking office.  Horsham Councillor Jay Mercer now leads the Council and this marks a defining shift for its final two years for what was always a solidly Conservative controlled council for all but a brief period in the mid-1990s.