Midway and Woodville Tory Councillors Among Six South Derbyshire Rebels To Form Independent Group

Six Conservative South Derbyshire councillors have resigned to form their own group of independent Tories - including two representing Midway and Woodville.

South Derbyshire District Council, based in Swadlincote, is currently under Conservative control with 19 out of the 33 seats.

However, six Conservatives have now resigned the Tory group whip, leaving Labour with 14 councillors as the largest group, followed by the main Conservative Party on 13.

If the new independent group does not make a deal to vote with the main Conservative Party group, the authority will fall into Labour control for the first time in 13 years.

The six Tory councillors, who will now sit as Independent Conservatives, are:

Cllr David Angliss, Midway; Cllr Michael Dawson, Woodville; Cllr Martin Fitzpatrick, Melbourne; Cllr Andrew MacPherson, Willington & Findern; Cllr Dan Pegg, Linton; Cllr Andy Roberts, Hatton.

The reason or reasons for the six councillors resigning from the main Conservative group have not been disclosed.

The new Independent Conservatives group provided the Local Democracy Reporting Service with the following joint statement: "We have chosen to resign the whip of the Conservative Group of South Derbyshire District Council and we will now sit as independent councillors for our wards.

"We would like to state clearly that we have every confidence in our MP Heather Wheeler (Conservative), likewise, the current council leader (Cllr Martyn Ford, Conservative), the chief executive (Frank McArdle) and the officers and chair of South Derbyshire District Council (Cllr David Muller, Conservative).

"It would be inappropriate at this stage to expand further on our reasons for resigning the Conservative whip.

"We would, however, like to add that as a united team of independents we will continue to work transparently and tirelessly for both the residents and business communities of South Derbyshire.

"These are unprecedented and challenging times and the people of South Derbyshire deserve every member's undistracted,best efforts to protect livelihoods, to support essential services and to maintain amenities.

"As an independent group, our immediate aim is to minimise disruption and ensure business continuity as South Derbyshire District Council."

Negotiations are currently ongoing as to whether the independent group will vote alongside the main Conservative group so that the party retains control of the council.

Cllr Martyn Ford, Conservative leader of the district council did not wish to comment.

Cllr Kevin Richards, leader of the district council Labour group, has been approached for comment. "There is obviously some form of major disagreement and fallout within the Conservative Group.

"No doubt there will be considerable arm twisting, promises and secret deals behind the scenes in order to encourage their return and retain control.

"The disagreement must be of a serious nature and we will await the January council meeting to see if the independent councillors make public their grievances and state that they have no confidence in the present leadership and Conservative administration.

"We will see, it may just be a playground fallout but at a time of a national crisis, dealing with the pandemic South Derbyshire, does not need such a distraction."

Three further Conservatives resigned from the council completely earlier this year, Hilton Cllr Jason Whittenham in January, Hilton councillor Andy Billings in April and Seales councillor Andrew Brady in October.

Their reasons have not been declared.

In August, the Local Democracy Reporting Service told how Cllr Brady had been filmed drinking a glass of white wine while sitting in the driver's seat of his car with the engine running.

South Derbyshire District Council has been under Conservatvie Party control since 2007, preceded by 24 years under Labour between 1983 and 2007.

The authority was in no overall control between 1976 and 1983 and was held by Labour between 1973 and 1976.