Reform UK has picked the former Conservative group leader to lead its team on Bury council.
Elton councillor Jack Rydeheard will head the group on the local authority after being re-elected to his seat in this year’s local election race.
Coun Rydeheard became the party’s first councillor in Bury last year after defected from the Conservatives.
At the time of his defection, he was the Tory group leader at the town hall. Announcing the change, he said the Conservative Party was ‘over’ and ‘only Reform’ could deliver ‘the change Britain needs’.
Reform is now tied with the Radcliffe First group as the second largest party on the council. Both groups have six members.
On his election at Reform group leader, Coun Rydeheard said he was ‘honoured’ by his selection and ‘looked forward to delivering fair scrutiny and constructive criticism’ of the leading Labour administration for ‘all residents of Bury, Radcliffe, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Tottington and Prestwich’.
He added: “Reform has really broken through in these last elections, taking seats of all parties with representation on the council and slashing Labour’s majorities across the board. We have a fantastic group of six, all with really great professional backgrounds. I look forward to all of us continuing to work together in our shared goal of creating a better Bury.”
His deputy on the council has also been selected, with newly elected Unsworth councillor Jerome Roith taking the role. David Hill, of Bury West ward, will serve as the group whip, and Pilkington Park councillor Shadman Zaman is group press officer.
Coun Roith said: “I’m delighted to have been elected by the group to serve as deputy leader, and I look forward to working alongside Jack and the other Reform UK councillors to serve residents across Bury. As a new group, to win six seats across April and May is an unbelievable achievement.
“We now have councillors to the north of Bury, in Radcliffe, Whitefield and Tottington and we came close in Ramsbottom and Prestwich as well. There is appetite for change across the borough and I am excited to get started to deliver for the residents who elected us.”
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