'Dictatorship': Ex-Reformer launches scathing attack on council leader in public

An ex-Reform councillor has accused the authority’s leader of running Walsall as a ‘dictatorship’. 

The comments were made in public by Councillor Daniel Rollinson at a meeting of full council on Thursday, September 28. 

The New Invention ward member made the remarks about group leader, Councillor Elaine Williams. 

Councillor Rollinson said: “If the leader of the council wants the truth to come out, well, here it is: ladies and gentlemen of Walsall, you are now living under a dictatorship. A dictatorship that I certainly didn’t campaign for…” 

The comments were part of a notice of motion submitted by Councillor Rollinson, along with two other ex-Reform members, Councillors Bella Simon and Robin Perry. 

All three, who have left the group since the local elections in May, asked for the council to support the scrapping any rewilding policies across the borough of Walsall. 

They said residents in Walsall deserve better than the current rewilding policy which was first introduced by the Conservative administration to save money.

In delivering his speech on the motion, Councillor Rollinson said that he tried to bring the item forward while he was still a Reform councillor, but claimed that Reform leaders were not behind the move.

He said: “The administration made it clear to me that they had no intention of scrapping the rewilding policy. 

“Though after the fires some weeks later, the administration then tried to use the tragic incident for their own political gain while trying to take credit on social media for supporting the policy’s removal. 

“[Councillor Williams] has given Keir Starmer a run for his money with the number of U-turns she’s making. 

“I made the decision to put my residents first and resubmitted this motion ahead of September’s meeting. This then led to Councillor Williams trying to also get me thrown out of Reform. 

“I tried every avenue to resolve the issue within the group, even meeting with party HQ, but it became clear that the only way I would be able to represent my residents effectively was to become an independent councillor.”

Councillor Williams did not respond to Councillor Rollinson’s attack, only about the grass cutting. 

However, deputy leader Councillor Nicky Barker said if Councillor Rollinson and Councillor Simon ‘want the truth to come out’ then they should give permission to publicly share emails between them and the leaders. 

Councillor Aiden Clarke said: “Are we allowing all the emails to go public? You’ve gone round talking a good game then completely bottled it.”

Councillor Richard Tapper thanked clean and green staff and added: “Before attacking this administration, I think it would be interesting and important for the relevant emails and correspondence surrounding these issues to be released, so that members and residents can see the full picture and decide for themselves.”

No permission was given to share the emails. 

Speaking on the rewilding policies being scrapped, Councillor Williams submitted an amendment to the notice of motion which was carried.

It said rewilding policies should be renamed to grounds maintenance standards, and that feedback from residents and councillors will inform the programme going forwards.