Another Walsall councillor quits Reform ahead of tonight's crunch meeting

A fourth Walsall councillor has today (Monday) left the controlling Reform UK group to join the newly formed Walsall People’s Alliance.

Councillor Paul Nugent, who represents Bloxwich West ward, joins fellow former Reform colleagues Daniel Rollinson, Bella Simon and Robin Perry in the group that was formed last month.

The news comes hours before tonight’s crunch meeting on the ‘governance and leadership’ of the council, which will be held in private amid speculation about a rift between council leader Elaine Williams and chief executive Emma Bennett.

All four were elected when Reform swept to power in a landslide victory at May’s local elections, which saw the party take 40 of the council’s 20 seats.

But days later, Councillor Perry was suspended from the party for likening Councillor Williams to Italy’s fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, and went to sit as an independent.

Councillor Simon was expelled from the Reform group in July in a row about procedures for submitting motions to the council, and Councillor Rollinson resigned from the group in September.

Last month, the three joined together to form the new group.