Reform elects new group leader on council

Roger Tarrant and Paul Ashton are the new leadership team of the Reform UK group on Cornwall Council

The Reform UK group on Cornwall Council has elected its new leader after its former one unexpectedly resigned.

Councillor Paul Ashton, who represents St Austell Poltair and Mount Charles, won a vote of the party's councillors.

He succeeded councillor Rob Parsonage who stood down last week from the position he had held since May's local elections.

Reform won 28 seats on the authority but failed to take control after it was unable to agree a coalition deal with any of the parties.

Councillor Roger Tarrant was elected as deputy leader of the group, which is the largest on the council.

It now has 27 members after former deputy Rowland O'Connor quit to sit as a independent instead.

Ashton said: "I am honoured to have been elected to this trusted position and will work hard to lead the party into the next phase of growth and impact across Cornwall.

"I recognise the challenges that we all face in these tough economic times and as we seek to work collaboratively in council, our Reform councillors will also be pressing hard to make the changes that voters told us they want to see."

The council is controlled by a coalition between the Liberal Democrats and independents.