By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Gloucestershire County Council’s current chairman Vernon Smith will lead the Reform UK group at Shire Hall.
The former Conservative cabinet member for highways stood for Nigel Farage’s party and won the Tewkesbury West seat earlier this month.
He was voted unanimously as group leader of the Reform UK group at a meeting earlier this week.
The longstanding county councillor said he was “really proud” to have been chosen to head the group.
“They voted for me on Monday when we had an official annual general meeting,” he said. “It was unanimous. It’s quite an honour really. I’m really proud.”
Cllr Smith, who was first elected as a Conservative in 2009, said ahead of the election that he defected to Reform after “a lot of soul-searching” and becoming disillusioned with the Tories nationally.
Former County Councillor Alan Preest, who preceded Cllr Smith as chairman, said it was an obvious choice for Reform to choose him to lead the group.
“There’s no better choice as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “He followed me as County Council chairman and I have the utmost respect for him.
“Reform definitely need a man with Vernon’s credibility and experience.”
The Tewkesbury councillor, who has held the ceremonial role of chairman since 2023, is expected to be succeeded by Labour Councillor Steve Robinson (Nailsworth) at next week’s County Council meeting.
The Liberal Democrats who won 27 of the 55 seats at Shire Hall are expected to lead the authority. A total of 11 Reform UK councillors were elected on May 1 making them the larges opposition group.
The County Council’s makeup is 27 Lib Dems, 11 Reform UK, nine Greens, six Conservatives, one Labour Party councillor and an Independent.