New Lib Dem chair elected in face of Reform UK abstentions

Devon County Council’s new chair appointed

Devon County Council’s new chair has been appointed in a vote that saw most of the biggest opposition party abstain.

Cllr Caroline Leaver (Liberal Democrat, Barnstaple South) secured the position as chair, a largely ceremonial role that involves representing the council across the county.

Cllr Leaver was the only nominee put forward for the position at the first full council meeting of the new administration this week, but when votes were taken, many Reform UK councillors abstained.

They largely did the same when it came to the vote for council leader, for which Lib Dem Cllr Julian Brazil (Kingsbridge) was the only nominee.

Cllr Edward Hill (Reform UK, Pinhoe & Mincinglake) said after the meeting that the his party’s abstentions were related to what some feel is a lack of political representation on the cabinet.

The cabinet is the council’s main decision-making body, and while the 10-member entity does have a Green Party councillor – Totnes & Dartington member Cllr Jacqi Hodgson – no other parties are represented.

The previous administration, led by the Conservatives, only had Tory cabinet members.

“The rationale for our abstentions is that the Liberal Democrats have in their manifesto that they support proportional representation, but their cabinet is not proportionally representing all of the parties across the political spectrum,” Cllr Hill said following the meeting.

“I abstained from voting on that basis, and while the Lib Dems could say that they have a Green member on the cabinet, they need that party to support them as they don’t have an outright majority to take control.”

The 2024 Liberal Democrat national manifesto said the party was fighting for proportional representation, which it states makes “seats won match votes cast”.

New leader Cllr Brazil (Liberal Democrat, Kingsbridge) said he understood the Reform UK members’ frustration.

“Who knows, in future perhaps we can be more inclusive, but from the beginning we need to get on with the work we need to do,” he said.

“We do have Cllr Hodgson in the cabinet, and she works with us at South Hams District Council and is a crucial and valued part of the administration.

“Your voice will be listened to, but not as members of the cabinet at this stage.”

Cllr Brazil reiterated that he wanted to try and be “as inclusive as possible”.

“I genuinely feel that’s what we should do,” he added.

“All voices will be listened to and if you have a good idea, that will be accepted as we want to get rid of the Punch and Judy approach to politics. We owe it to our electorate, as they have spoken and want us to do things in a different way.”

Cllr Hill said his party’s members had not been asked to abstain, and so the move by members of the party to do so had been an individual choice on each councillor’s part.

He added that he would be disappointed if Reform UK appointed cabinets in councils it controlled entirely from its own party.

Alongside Cllr Leaver, Cllr Rosie Dawson (Liberal Democrat, Dawlish) was appointed vice chair, replacing her predecessor in the role, Pru Maskell, a former Conservative councillor who lost her seat in the election at the beginning of the month.

In her first session as chair, Cllr Leaver had to deal with some discontent from members, including frustration from Reform UK member Cllr Neil Stevens (Alphington & Cowick) about not being allowed to address the chamber with comments he had prepared, and from independent member Cllr Paul Hayward, who complained about the poor acoustics and confusion around a motion about installing swift boxes on council-owned property.

Cllr Hayward said it was difficult for people who were hard-of-hearing to keep up with verbal changes to the motion, and requested that in future updated motions be “put in writing on the 20-foot screen that’s right there.”