Conservatives Lose Majority at Walsall Council After Councillor Resignation
The Conservative group has lost its overall majority at Walsall Council following the resignation of another councillor from the party. Councillor Keith Sears, who represents the Aldridge North and Walsall Wood ward, has quit the Conservatives in a dispute over the upcoming local elections.
Selection Process Sparks Controversy
The Aldridge Brownhills Conservative Association, responsible for selecting candidates for the elections, prevented Councillor Sears from standing. He was among nine Tory councillors at Walsall Council not approved by the association for the all-out elections in May. This unprecedented decision faced heavy criticism from Conservative councillors within the council.
Councillor Sears appealed the decision and was offered a second selection interview but did not attend, stating he “knew” the outcome would be the same. He recently celebrated 50 years of unbroken service to the authority and described the association as having a “death wish.”
Impact on Political Control
Councillor Sears is the eighth councillor to resign from the Conservative group in the past 12 months. His departure reduces the Conservatives to just 30 out of 60 seats on the council, meaning they no longer hold an overall majority. This shift threatens the political stability and decision-making power of the council ahead of critical local elections.
Councillor Sears has stated he will continue to support the Conservative group as an independent member and will stand as an independent candidate in May. He emphasized his commitment to residents, saying, “I’ll still be looking after residents’ interests like I’ve always done. That’s why they kept voting me back in.” His top priority is preserving the green belt, particularly opposing a proposed development for hundreds of houses on Stonnall Road.
Reactions and Fallout
A spokesperson for the Aldridge-Brownhills Conservative Association responded, “I would like to thank Keith Sears for his service. However, there was a properly constituted selection process and having failed to be selected in the first round Councillor Sears was given the right of appeal. Councillor Sears was allowed to go before an independent panel drawn from Conservative members across the country, sadly Councillor Sears failed to attend the interview.”
The Conservative Party has been approached for further comment as the situation develops. This resignation highlights ongoing internal conflicts within the party and could influence voter sentiment in the upcoming elections, potentially benefiting alternative parties like Reform in the region.
