REFORM has taken the leadership of Worcestershire County Council, with Jo Monk becoming its new leader.
But the party didn’t have everything its own way at the first full meeting since the local elections - losing out on its choice of chairman and vice chairman.
Cllr Monk, who joined Reform from the Conservatives earlier this year, was the only person nominated for the role of leader.
She also announced the Reform councillors that will make up her cabinet.
David Taylor is the new deputy leader and cabinet member for One Worcestershire and Justin Bowen is the cabinet member for children and families.
Steven Foster has the portfolio for education and SEND, Sue Eacock is cabinet member for adult social care and Karl Perks is the new highways chief.
Alan Amos is cabinet member for business and training, Rob Wharton is in charge of finance and efficiency and Satinder Bell is the cabinet member for health and community support.
Ian Cresswell is the cabinet member for the environment and communities.
Reform has the largest number of seats on the council but does not have an overall majority - meaning it is outnumbered by opposition councillors.
This was evident as the party tried and failed to get former Redditch mayor Roger Bennett elected first as chairman and then as vice chairman.
In a series of votes, the Green Party’s former Worcester mayor Louis Stephen was voted chairman and Lib Dem councillor Paul Bennett was named vice chairman.
Cllr Stephen echoed the words of former Labour MP Jo Cox, saying: “We have more in common than which divides us.”
But during a debate in which opposition councillors successfully passed a motion that will see substitutes allowed on scrutiny panels, Cllr Monk accused opposition councillors of wanting to get their “noses in the trough”.
* A previous version of this story said Reform had not appointed a cabinet member for the environment. Cllr Cresswell's appointment was not announced at the meeting but later, in a press release.
