Labour councillors want ‘clarity’ over Broxtowe council’s composition after defections

Broxtowe Borough Council offices.
By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter
Remaining Labour members at Broxtowe Borough Council they want clarity over the future running of the authority after a number of party defections changed the political balance of the council.
On January 2, 2025, it was announced that 20 Broxtowe Labour councillors would be resigning from the party to form a new independent group- separate to the existing ‘Broxtowe Independent Group’.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) at the time, Council Leader Milan Radulovic said disagreement over the two-child benefit cap and the winter fuel payments were the reasons the group wanted to leave Labour.
Since then, it has been confirmed that 18 Broxtowe Labour councillors have stepped down from the party. Labour held a majority and therefore controlled the council before the defections.
Formal notifications to the council of the group’s decisions to leave Labour were made after the public announcement. This meant each councillor was still listed as ‘Labour’ on the council’s website- this has since been changed, with them now being listed as ‘Independent (Group Name Pending Registration)’ on the council’s website.
Last Friday (January 17) it was announced the eight remaining Labour councillors had called for an extraordinary meeting of the council.
The Borough Council has confirmed to the LDRS this meeting request has been received by the Mayor – Cllr Sue Paterson, a member of the newly-independent breakaway group – who has seven working days to respond.
This is then reviewed by the council’s Chief Executive in consultation with the Council Leader, but this has no timescale.
Speaking to the LDRS, remaining Broxtowe Labour councillor Peter Bales said the remaining Labour group wants “clarity” over what the defections mean for the council’s composition.
He said: “There are certain legal obligations as a council, with licensing, planning.
“A number of spaces on each committee are in proportion to the number of councillors [from each party].”
The new composition of the council currently stands as 18 new independents, whose group name is pending, 10 Conservatives, eight Labour, five Broxtowe Independent Group councillors and three Liberal Democrats.
This means the new independent group will form a minority on the council and would suggest the composition of councillors by party would need to change on committees.
Cllr Bales said: “We just want clarification on how they’re planning to [run the council], they were elected on a Labour manifesto, they aren’t Labour now- we want clarity for the electorate and officers.”
The council confirmed today (January 21) it has received 18 resignations from the Labour Party.
The councillors who remain as Labour members are David Bagshaw, Susan Bagshaw, Peter Bales, Andy Cooper, Helen Faccio, Tyler Marsh, Will Mee, and Ellie Winfield.