Andrew Leadbetter: Reflections on our defeat in Devon

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter is the Leader of the Conservative Group on Devon County Council.

May 1st 2025 was the end of an era for Devon County Council. The Conservatives had been in control for the previous 16 years with a hefty majority and a strong Cabinet with many years experience. I had been a Cabinet Member for 16 years, covering all the major portfolios and most recently Children’s Services.

We knew we would probably lose overall control, but we hoped we would be able to help form some sort of an administration and retain some control. We believed we had a demonstrably strong record, and that now with all the issues to be faced, not least local government reorganisation, our experience would win out. Unfortunately, we were mistaken, as what we did not expect was to lose over 30 seats and be reduced to a group of 7 members. Reform gained 18 seats, many at our expense, the Liberal Democrats 27, with Greens and Independents taking 8. Labour did not gain a single seat, plunging Devon into no overall control, although now run by an unholy alliance of Liberal Democrats, propped up by the Greens and Independents.

It is clear that the amount of work and effort that a sitting Conservative councillor had put into their Division meant nothing. National politics, issues with the national party (not forgotten since losing power to Labour) and campaigning by Reform, swept them aside and returned a Councillor who had previously contributed nothing to the local area and was only elected owing to their Reform label. My biggest regret is that we lost many loyal, hard-working and dedicated councillors, and a challenge now is to keep them engaged for any forthcoming elections.

Whilst at first the new leader waxed lyrically about a collaborative approach to running the new council, the ruling coalition soon took the majority of positions and chairmanships, taking all but one of the Cabinet roles, giving the Greens one seat as a reward for their support.

Turning to those Reform winners, it has taken their members some time to understand how they could win 18 seats, and not be in any position of power – such is politics – and they are still sulking and struggling to understand and come to terms with the outcome. What is clear is that they are a group of individuals, thrown together to stand for Reform, and from differing political backgrounds. What they do have in common is little experience of political life. They have also been hit by a number of internal problems and have already lost two members, who now sit as unaligned independents.

Devon County Council gained 46 new members, out of 60, and we now have a mostly new and inexperienced Council having to deal with the difficult issues we all face, such as SEND, pressures on Children’s services and local government reorganisation.

I, on the other hand, find time on my hands and the task, after being elected as the new Group Leader, with our other Conservatives of making our small group relevant and heard. I now also enjoy the slightly envious position of being ‘the father of the house’ being the only councillor to have served for 28 years (and before your ask -when I was first elected in 1997 I was the youngest member of the council)!

As for what has changed in the first five months, it is still early days, but to me it appears not very much. Following the elections, the majority of committee meetings were cancelled and now, in late September, we have only just completed a full set of Scrutiny Committees.

The Council continues on the same path that we set, however I am left wondering how many of the new Cabinet Members find the time to run the County Council. We always considered being a Cabinet Member was pretty much a full time job however four of the new Liberal Democrat Cabinet Members are in addition Leaders of District Councils and the Leader of the Council has taken a portfolio role on his District Council (as well as a seat on the Fire Authority). It makes you wonder how they find the time and who is in control of the Council.

When I attend Cabinet, and speak on items regarding my previous portfolio role I find myself agreeing with the recommendations because they are from my tenure and are now being implemented by the new administration. In fact it turns into a bit of a love in with the Leader thanking me for my previous work! However not one of the new Cabinet Members has sought to ask me about anything, despite my offer to brief them.

What is clear is that there is a lack of unity and the Liberal Democrats don’t have the same discipline we had. There are clear factions and disagreement, not least on local government reorganisation, which will be interesting to see played out. Decisions at Cabinet are altered ‘on the hoof’ and some policy is made by motions to Full Council. A decision by the Cabinet has just been called in by Liberal Democrat scrutiny members – unheard of during our term.

In addition, there was an ugly exchange at the last Full Council Meeting when a Liberal Democrat, in proposing a motion regarding racism, told the Reform members that if they didn’t back it “they would be racists”. This resulted in the Reform Councillors walking out.

I am sure that in time we will start to see new Liberal Democrat policies, but they had better be quick, because Devon County Council, along with the District Councils, is due to be abolished and replaced with Unitary Councils – how many we wait to see.

What we all agree on is that there are other, more pressing issues, that the Labour Government needs to deal with other than local government reorganisation.