Reform UK selects group leader for city council

Reform UK has selected a leader for its group on City of Doncaster Council after the party surged to an overall majority following the local elections earlier this month.

Guy Aston, who was voted in as a councillor for Wheatley Hills and Intake on 1 May, was chosen as the group's leader on the council at a meeting on Monday.

Aston was one of 37 Reform UK councillors elected to the authority, with the group now forming the main opposition to Labour Mayor Ros Jones and her cabinet.

At Monday's meeting, Aston described his role as leader as "an honour and a privilege" and vowed to deliver "serious change" in the city.

Conisbrough councillor Rachel Reed was chosen as Reform UK's deputy leader on City of Doncaster Council at the same meeting.

After being chosen as leader, Aston told his colleagues: "What we have achieved here is incredible. From a standing start we are now the largest party on the council."

Aston, who was born in Doncaster, briefly served in the Royal Navy before moving into sales and marketing, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Despite having a majority of councillors, the Reform UK group on City of Doncaster Council acts as a very large opposition group to Jones, the directly elected mayor.

Jones narrowly saw off the Reform UK challenge for Mayor of Doncaster by less than 700 votes and has now begun her fourth consecutive term in the role.

Last week, she announced her Labour cabinet, made up of councillors Glyn Jones, Sue Farmer, David Nevett and James Church.

Alongside her cabinet appointments, she announced she would be inviting Reform UK and Conservative councillors to a private "executive group" on decision making.

The group will offer opposition councillors the chance to have an "input" on decision making, however, the final say on key decisions remains with Jones and the Labour cabinet.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that Labour will invite Aston and Reed, and whoever Aston appoints as party whip, to join the executive group.

Two councillors from the Conservative Party are also expected to be invited, likely to be leader Steve Cox and deputy leader Nick Allen.

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