High drama in Winchester yesterday when the Conservative Councillor, Nick Adams-King was narrowly voted in as leader of the County Council by 31 votes to 25 - backed by his Conservative colleagues, a number of Reform UK councillors and the Whitehill & Bordon Community Party - ahead of Liberal Democrat, Councillor Keith House, who was backed by the Liberal Democrats and Labour.  The Green Party, the majority of Reform UK councillors and other independents abstained.

The meeting then went on to appoint a range of other council positions.

A critical moment was the decision to appoint the Chair of the powerful ‘Corporate Services and Resources Select Committee’ where Conservative councillors voted unanimously to back George Madgwick, the Reform UK council group leader - who received 45 votes, against Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Winchester Westgate and City Council Leader, Martin Tod - who received 28 votes - backed by the Liberal Democrats, Labour, Green and Independent councillors.

Despite the recent scandals about Reform UK councillors’ conduct in other councils, the Conservative Party then went on to unanimously vote to appoint Reform UK councillor, Paul Carter, to chair the county council’s Conduct Advisory Panel.

Other Winchester district councillors putting themselves forward included Cllr Jonathan Williams for the Regulatory Committee, responsible for the County’s planning decisions, and Cllr Jackie Porter for the Employment in Hampshire committee - however both were defeated by joint Conservative/Reform UK nominations. 

Other positions given to Reform UK councillors by the Conservatives included the committees responsible for Children & Young People and for Universal Services - the committee responsible for roads and potholes, and for the Audit Committee responsible for the robustness of the council’s finances.

Councillor Martin Tod noted:

“Other parties promised to stop Reform UK at the most recent elections - but they didn’t vote that way today. Only the Liberal Democrats and the Labour councillor from Basingstoke voted consistently for new leadership at the County Council and to stop Reform.  The Conservatives and Reform UK are now working hand in hand - the party that wrecked Hampshire’s finances and lost more than half its councillors - and the party that’s failing councils around the rest of the country - and that can only be bad news for Hampshire residents."