Walsall Reform councillor leaves party to serve as an independent
Councillor Bella Simon has not confirmed the reason behind leaving the group but said on social media ‘the full truth will come out in the end’.
A local councillor in Walsall has left Reform and will now serve residents as an independent.
Councillor Bella Simon has not confirmed the reason behind leaving the group but said on social media ‘the full truth will come out in the end’.
It is not clear whether her departure was a result of being kicked out by Reform or if she resigned on her own accord.
Councillor Simon, ward member for Short Heath, has declined to speak to the Local Democracy Reporting Service on the matter.
In a Facebook post over the weekend, the councillor said she ‘didn’t choose to leave Reform’ and that it ‘was not her decision’.
In the post Councillor Simon wrote: “I didn’t choose to leave Reform, yes, I am now an independent, but this was not my decision.
“I am, and always will be, Reform through and through, as many of you saw during my tireless campaign.
“Even though I stand alone as an independent for now, I will continue to go above and beyond and give 110 per cent to all of you: making sure your voices are heard, and doing everything I can to make Short Heath a safer, cleaner place to live.”
Councillor Simon was elected for the first time in the May 2026 local elections in the same ward as the authority’s Reform leader, Councillor Elaine Williams.
Councillor Simon received the second highest number of votes so will be in office for two years. As Councillor Williams had the third highest amount, her seat will be up for reelection in May 2027.
Councillor Simon is the second councillor to leave Reform since the group swept to power in Walsall nearly three months ago.
Councillor Robin Perry, ward member for Harden, Goscote and Ryecroft, quit the group in May in a row over discrimination.
Despite the two resignations, the Reform group in Walsall still has a majority of 38 out of 60 councillors.
Councillor Elaine Williams has been approached for comment.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.