Mayor appoints former rival as transport lead

Claire Ward was elected as the first East Midlands mayor in May

The former Conservative candidate for the new East Midlands mayoral role is among the council leaders across the region set to take on new unpaid roles overseeing key areas under the new authority.

Ben Bradley is the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council and will now take charge of transport and digital connectivity for the new mayor.

Labour's Claire Ward was elected earlier this year to oversee Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire.

His and a series of other leadership roles are set to be approved at a meeting next week.

The mayor said: "Making this region the best place to live, to work and to learn is a real team effort across political boundaries and I’m delighted that board colleagues will be working with me to deliver real change.

"Whilst we come together from across different parts of the political spectrum, we have a common and shared purpose in wanting the very best for the people we represent."

'Cross-party organisation'

Bradley, who also served as the Conservative MP for Mansfield from 2017 until losing his seat in the election in July, came second to Ward in the mayoral race by about 50,000 votes.

He told BBC Radio Derby: “The combined authority is made up of the leaders and deputy leaders of all of the councils that are involved - the upper tiers, the county and city councils - and that means it’s a cross-party organisation.

“Inevitably, there’s a role in there for the leaders and deputy leaders of councils working with the mayor to try and deliver for residents. It’s always been about bringing those councils together.

“I’m pleased to be able to play a part in it and to help to steer our transport and connectivity priorities for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, over the coming years.”

Ben Bradley also served as Conservative MP for Mansfield from 2017 until July this year

The two had previously clashed over the state of Nottinghamshire’s roads during the campaign.

In response to reports in February that millions of pounds worth of highway liability claims had been rejected by Nottinghamshire County Council, Ward wrote on X prior to her election: “If he’s elected, Ben Bradley says he’ll ‘fix the roads’. He can’t even fill in the potholes he’s responsible for now. Promise everything, deliver nothing.”

The Labour leader of High Peak Borough Council, Anthony McKeown, will serve as Bradley's deputy.

'Supporting mayor Claire'

Derby City Council’s leader Nadine Peatfield, who leads a minority Labour administration, will serve as deputy mayor.

Peatfield told BBC Radio Derby she was "honoured and delighted" to be selected.

"We are at a pivotal moment in the East Midlands where we are poised to gain the recognition and investment that we deserve," she said.

"I look forward to supporting mayor Claire in her inclusive growth vision for the region."

Other leaders taking on roles include the leader of Derbyshire County Council, Barry Lewis, who lost his bid to be the Conservative candidate for the position to Bradley before the campaign. Lewis will now lead on farming and rural affairs.

Paul Peacock, Labour leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, will act as deputy.

Labour’s Nottingham City Council leader Neghat Khan will lead on investment, deputised by the Conservative deputy leader of Derbyshire County Council, Simon Spencer.

Derby City Council's deputy leader Paul Hezelgrave will lead on skills and employment, with the Labour leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, Milan Radulovic, serving as deputy.

The leads for transport and connectivity, skills and employments and investment will all chair separate committees to work on the areas.

Members of the East Midlands Combined County Authority board will approve the nominations at a meeting at Derby City Council next week.