A new group of Reform UK councillors intend to 'exert influence' on Ribble Valley Borough Council having met on Tuesday 5th May. 

Ian Brown, Derek Brocklehurst, both former independents, and Richard Newmark, a former Conservative, recently moved to Reform. They have joined forces with Stephen Atkinson, a borough and county councillor and leader of Lancashire County Council.

The group’s formation comes ahead of the borough council’s annual meeting in May, and claim they will have ‘considerable influence’ on borough politics as the political landscape has changed dramatically in recent years.

In a statement about the launch, Reform UK’s Ribble Valley Chairman (Gary Wood) said: “The Reform group is the third-largest opposition group and now exerts considerable influence on Ribble Valley Council, which is currently Conservative-led with no overall control."

Image above (left to right): Gary Wood - Richard Newmark - Stephen Atkinson - Ian Brown - Derek Brocklehurst.