Four Mansfield and Ashfield Reform councillors given seats on Reform-led county council cabinet

Coun Martin Wright (Mansfield East) takes up the business management brief, Coun Barry Answer (Mansfield West) with be in charge of dult social care, Coun Dawn Justice (Selston) gets communities and public health and Coun Rory Green (Kirkby South) will be the member for children and families.

A majority of decisions about council services are made by the cabinet, as well as the setting of a budget each year and the council’s policies.

Each member has a designated department, such as transport and environment, finance, social care, or education.

The new cabinet is as follows:

Coun Martin Wright – business management

Coun Barry Answer – adult social care, alongside his deputy Coun Kelvin Wright

Coun Rory Green – children and families

Coun Dawn Justice – communities and public health

Coun James Walker-Gurley – economic development and asset management

Coun Hana John – education and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Coun Stuart Matthews – finance and resources, and he will be deputised by Coun James Rawson

Coun Bert Bingham – transport and environment

In the May 2 election, Reform secured a sweeping victory, taking control of the authority from the Conservatives with a clear majority, securing an initial 40 out of 66 available seats.

This has since fallen to 39 after Desmond Clarke, who unseated the Conservative Party’s Keith Girling in Newark West, resigned a week after the election.

A by-election will now take place for his seat.

The Conservatives previously held the authority with 34 seats, but now sit as the main opposition with 17 councillors.

Reform announced Coun Mick Barton, who represents Mansfield East, as the new council leader on May 12.

It has also now been announced that Dr John Doddy, who represents Stapleford and Broxtowe Central, will become deputy leader.

He was expelled from the Conservatives after he stood independently against the party for the Broxtowe constituency in the 2024 General Election, before becoming the council’s first Reform councillor earlier this year.

A further two of the 66 seats, in Mansfield North, are yet to be decided following the death of Trade Union and Socialist Coalition candidate, Karen Seymour, before the election.

A by-election is expected to take place there on June 12.