Reform UK confirms new Leicestershire County Council deputy

Two new councillors have been appointed to Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet after the authority’s former deputy leader was removed from his role.

Reform UK’s Joseph Boam was also removed from his position as cabinet member for adult social care.

The 22-year-old was one of 25 Reform councillors elected to the authority in May’s local elections.

Kevin Crook, councillor for Glenfields, Kirby Muxloe and Leicester Forests, is the council’s new deputy leader while Carl Abbott, who represents Stoney Stanton and Croft, has taken on the role of cabinet member for adult social care.

Crook has also been appointed to lead the council’s new heritage, libraries and adult learning portfolio.

Council leader Dan Harrison said: “We’re a new administration, in place for around three months, and finding the right people for the job is very important.

“I’d like to thank Joseph for his efforts and helping to establish our new team.

“Adult social care deserves its own focus and I’m delighted to welcome Carl to the cabinet.

“Kevin brings a lot of experience and I’m pleased he’s joining our leadership team.”

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Boam previously said he had not “stepped down from any role”, but had been offered “a cabinet support role which I’m inclined to take”.

The reason for Boam’s departure has not been confirmed by Reform UK, but a party source previously said he would now be taking on an unspecified “new role”.

Posting on social media on Sunday, Boam said: “Despite the recent news, nothing’s changed, I’ll keep fighting for Whitwick at County Hall and doing everything I can to help get a Reform UK government and Nigel Farage as our next prime minister.”

The Leicestershire Conservative group – the main opposition on the authority – has now branded Reform UK’s local leadership a “shambles”.

Michael Mullaney, leader of the Liberal Democrat group at the authority, said: “This Reform cabinet reshuffle so soon after they took office has been chaotic and costly for the people of Leicestershire at a time when they need effective leadership from the county council.”

Additional reporting by Hannah Richardson, Local Democracy Reporting Service