The Worcestershire county councillor had yet to attend any council meetings due to ill-health
A Reform councillor at Worcestershire County Council, Gaynor Jean-Louis, has resigned from her role due to ill-health just four months after being elected.
Councillor Jean-Louis had not attended a single council meeting due to health issues, and her resignation will now trigger a by-election which will cost around £27,000.
Reform won Jean-Louis’ seat in Bromsgrove South by 89 votes back in May and have minority control of Worcestershire County Council.
Reform UK council leader Joanne Monk said she was “proud” of Jean-Louis for “putting her family and community first” and stepping down.
“In our very first full council meeting, I said if any councillor is consistently unable to fulfill their duties of representing their local community, then they should consider resigning, even if the reason is ill-health,” Monk told the BBC.
Bromsgrove Conservatives have called for Jean-Louis to return her councillor’s allowance.
Nigel Cutress, chairman of Bromsgrove and the Villages Conservatives, said he wishes Jean-Louis well, but that “we’re not surprised by her resignation”.
Cuttress told the BBC: “She failed to attend the election count and even more shockingly she has failed to attend a single council meeting since her election in May – all whilst still taking her councillor allowance.
“Perhaps the Reform councillor could help by returning the councillor allowance she has taken since May, especially when she failed to attend a single meeting. It’s the right thing to do”.
This now means that at least 16 Reform councillors have resigned, been suspended or expelled since May.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn’t have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
