Reform retains seat in by-election following resignation

Reform UK has successfully kept its representation on Derbyshire County Council following a sudden by-election triggered by the resignation of a cabinet member. Owen Ferron secured the Long Eaton North seat, narrowly defeating the Conservative candidate by 23 votes.

The by-election was called after Jack Bradley, former cabinet member for education and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), stepped down for "personal reasons," according to Reform UK. Attempts by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) to get a comment from Mr Ferron were unsuccessful, as he was unavailable to speak to the press.

This election, occurring seven months after the main local elections in May, saw a lower voter turnout of 29%, with 500 fewer votes cast than in the previous election. After this by-election, Reform UK now holds 42 of the 64 seats on the council, with one vacancy still to be filled.

Dan Price, Reform councillor for Ilkeston North and group whip, commented: "This was a fantastic result for us and a very tight race. Owen will be an excellent representative for the Long Eaton community. Residents were disappointed with Jack Bradley's resignation, which was not well-received here. Our focus has been on local issues, though national matters naturally influence voters. People need to understand the responsibilities of a county councillor."

Conservative candidate and former borough councillor Dan Pitt described the outcome as "a significant improvement" for the party in the area. He added, "Nationally we are 18 points behind in polls, yet here we were only 23 votes short. Our track record locally stands apart from national politics."

Author: Sophia Brooks