New Sandwell Council leader says ‘substantial savings’ found in pre-election promise bid

A council’s new Reform leader says “substantial savings” have already been found as the party looks to bring back weekly bin collections and free car parking as part of pre-election promises.

Cllr Ray Nock was elected leader of Sandwell Council on Tuesday (May 26) after Reform snatched power away from Labour for the first time since 1979 in this month’s local elections.

Following the appointment, Cllr Nock told the meeting the Reform cabinet had already spent the past weeks working to “make the borough a much better place to live” but did not mention restoring weekly bin collections or scrapping fees for council-owned car parks. 

Cllr Nock had also previously promised to freeze council tax in Reform’s first year in office. 

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“We have already highlighted substantial savings… money which I can assure you will go to frontline services” he said at the meeting.

“I can assure everyone that every penny of our council’s money will be spent wisely as we endeavour to make our borough fairer and a much better place to live.”

Welcomed into the new role by Green councillor John Tipper, Cllr Nock was asked about Reform’s main election promises.

“I wish [Ray] all the best,” Cllr Tipper said. “And although I have no brief from the Labour group, to such an extent that I left them to join another party, Cllr Nock does inherit a fairly solid council from the outgoing Labour group. 

“If the Reform councillors are looking for a hole in the budget, I don’t think they are going to find one.”

“Since it will cost over £5m a year to restore weekly bin collections, I’m interested in which of our residents’ lives the Reform group is willing to make worse to pay for it,” Cllr Tipper added.

“… My question is, if 60p off a trip to buy a kilogram of raw dog food and some polyanthus doesn’t reverse 30 years of social change and the rise of the internet, what then?”

Reform councillor Brad Simms replied: “I will say that some people in Sandwell voted for something completely new, they wanted change, and in regards to parking, will it turn back time? You don’t know until you try. 

“At least we are forward-thinking enough to put [free parking] in place so we can actually improve residents’ lives, make the high street safe with more people visiting.  

“[It’s] definitely something we can all work together on. Irrespective of party, we are here for the good of all residents, no matter what, and I am happy to support it.”