Sandwell Council's new Reform leader has announced that 'substantial savings' have already been identified in the council's finances as the party moves to fulfil pre-election pledges, including the restoration of weekly bin collections and free car parking.
New Leadership Takes Charge
Cllr Ray Nock was elected leader of Sandwell Council on Tuesday, May 26, after Reform took control from Labour for the first time since 1979. Following his appointment, Cllr Nock told the council meeting that the Reform cabinet had spent the previous weeks working to 'make the borough a much better place to live,' though he did not specifically mention restoring weekly bin collections or scrapping car park fees.
Cllr Nock had previously promised to freeze council tax in Reform's first year in office. 'We have already highlighted substantial savings... money which I can assure you will go to frontline services,' he said. 'I can assure everyone that every penny of our council's money will be spent wisely as we endeavour to make our borough fairer and a much better place to live.'
Reaction from Opposition
Green councillor John Tipper welcomed Cllr Nock to his new role but questioned the feasibility of Reform's main election promises. 'I wish [Ray] all the best,' Cllr Tipper said. 'And although I have no brief from the Labour group to such an extent that I left them to join another party, Cllr Nock does inherit a fairly solid council from the outgoing Labour group. If the Reform councillors are looking for a hole in the budget, I don't think they are going to find one.'
Highlighting the financial challenge, Cllr Tipper added: 'Since it will cost over £5m a year to restore weekly bin collections, I'm interested in which of our residents' lives the Reform group is willing to make worse to pay for it.' He also posed a rhetorical question: 'If 60p off a trip to buy a kilogram of raw dog food and some polyanthus doesn't reverse 30 years of social change and the rise of the internet, what then?'
Reform's Response
Reform councillor Brad Simms defended the party's approach, stating: 'I will say that some people in Sandwell voted for something completely new, they wanted change, and in regards to parking, will it turn back time? You don't know until you try. At least we are forward-thinking enough to put [free parking] in place so we can actually improve resident's lives, make the high street safe with more people visiting.'
Simms emphasised cross-party collaboration: 'It's definitely something we can all work together on. Irrespective of party, we are here for the good of all residents, no matter what, and I am happy to support it.'
