Reform cabinet member resigns from county council

There will now be a by-election for a Derbyshire County Council seat after Jack Bradley's resignation

The Reform UK councillor in charge of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision in Derbyshire has resigned from the county council.

Jack Bradley was elected for the first time in May as Reform took control of the council and was appointed cabinet member for education and SEND.

The party said he was standing down for "personal reasons", which the BBC understands to be health-related, and there will be a by-election in his Long Eaton North division in due course.

Meanwhile, Reform has also gained a councillor in Derbyshire, after a defection from former Conservative Paul Maginnis.

The Reform council leader Alan Graves said he wished Bradley well for the future.

Graves stressed the education role was "very important" and would name a successor in the coming days.

The leader of the Conservative group in Derbyshire, Alex Dale, said a new cabinet member needed to be appointed to "get a grip" of a "really complicated and sensitive" brief.

Last year, a damning Ofsted report found "widespread and systemic failings" in the then Conservative-run Derbyshire SEND provision.

Paul Maginnis has defected from the Conservatives to Reform

Reform declined to comment further on Bradley's decision to stand down, but the party said it was "delighted" to have Maginnis "on board".

"We welcome anyone who shares our vision for integrity, accountability, and meaningful change to join us," a spokesperson said.

Maginnis, who was first elected on a Tory ticket in 2019, said the party had "left him" and Reform was now "the future".

Tory leader Dale, who had accused the Reform council of breaking election promises, admitted he was "disappointed" but had "no hard feelings" towards Maginnis.

He added his party would be fighting the by-election triggered by the resignation of Bradley "with all we've got".

The county council Labour group leader Anne Clarke said the resulting by-election would cost "thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money".

"It sadly comes as no surprise that there is more chaos from Reform, with yet another councillor stepping down after only a few months in post," she said.

"After the debacle over the closure of adult education centres behind closed doors and an utter failure to improve the dire state of SEND services for some of the county's most vulnerable children, we know Reform isn't up to the job."