The Conservative Group Leader on Worcestershire County Council has responded to a County Councillor's decision to quit Reform.
David Taylor, who represents Redditch East and was elected as a Reform County Councillor last May, has made the decision to quit Reform over his former party's decision to hike council tax this year.
In response, Cllr Adam Kent, Leader of the Conservative Group on Worcestershire County Council, said:
"I want to wish David Taylor well following his decision to leave Reform. David has only been elected since May, and in that short time he has clearly seen first-hand the realities and pressures that come with running a county council. I respect the fact that he has chosen to speak honestly about those challenges, and I know his priority has always been the best interests of Redditch and Worcestershire residents.
"Anyone stepping into local government leadership today quickly discovers the scale of the financial pressures councils are facing. Demand in adult social care and children’s services has risen significantly since Covid, and these are not challenges unique to Worcestershire. They are structural pressures affecting councils across the country and they require honest and responsible decision-making.
"However, it is also clear that many of the promises made during last May’s election campaign did not reflect the financial reality facing the council. Governing is very different from campaigning, and residents deserve honesty about the scale of the challenge from the outset.
"Some within the current Reform leadership were themselves senior members of the previous Conservative administration and were fully aware of the financial pressures already building within adult social care and children’s services. To now seek to distance themselves from those realities, while the council faces a very significant overspend since May, risks undermining public confidence at a time when stability is most needed.
"The council now has to bring its costs under control accordingly. I was appalled by the proposed retention plan and the approach taken by senior officers, and I was unequivocal in my view — a view David agreed with — that it cannot be right to reward failure while residents are being asked to face massive council tax rises. At a time when families are tightening their belts, the council must do the same.
"The Conservative opposition will be doing everything in our power to ensure that Worcestershire residents are not asked to pay the price for failures in financial control through what could become one of the highest council tax rises in the country. Residents and businesses are already under pressure, and they should not be expected to pick up the bill for poor financial management.
"With the current administration now holding substantially fewer members than the combined opposition, serious questions inevitably arise about Reform’s ability to maintain control and provide the stable leadership Worcestershire residents expect. This cannot become a period of instability or political point-scoring while the council faces significant financial challenges. The priority must be restoring discipline, transparency and confidence in how the council is run.
"I would also say to those councillors who share David’s concerns about honesty, financial responsibility and putting residents first that there is always a place for constructive working across the chamber. Where members feel unable to support decisions that risk higher taxes and weaker financial control, they should reflect carefully on where they stand. The Conservative opposition will continue to work with anyone prepared to take a responsible and pragmatic approach in the interests of Worcestershire residents."
