Jack Kellas announced as new Conservative group leader at Newark and Sherwood District Council

Yesterday (Wednesday, December 4) a new leader of the Conservative group at Newark and Sherwood District Council was elected.

Jack Kellas, who represents Farndon and Fernwood, has been announced as the new leader of the group — meaning he is also leader of the council’s opposition and will be a cabinet member without portfolio.

He succeeds Rhona Holloway, who recently stepped down from her role as Conservative group leader and instead became an unaligned Independent councillor, in order to focus on a major community hub project in her ward of Bilsthorpe.

Mr Kellas said: “I am delighted to have received the support of my colleagues to become the new leader of the conservative group at Newark and Sherwood District Council.

“The Conservative group is the largest group on the council and has a very important role to play in holding the Labour-Independent-Green-Lib Dem coalition administration to account and we have a duty to ensure that residents across our beautiful district have their voices heard.

“I am excited to be taking on this new role, and whilst I’ll have to come off the policy and performance improvement committee to sit on the cabinet, I look forward to continuing to act as a supportive and critical friend at council, albeit in a different role.

“Over the coming weeks I will be meeting with Conservative colleagues and officers to discuss how we will continue to work together moving forwards in the best interests of our local residents.

“I would like to thank councillor Rhona Holloway for her hard work and steadfast leadership since May 2023. Rhona is a great friend and has been a supportive mentor to myself and my colleagues, and I wish her all the best with her future endeavours.”

Mr Kellas was first elected to the district council in 2021 at the age of 18, and was subsequently re-elected in May 2023.

He was previously one of Nottinghamshire’s members of Youth Parliament, and is currently the county youth lead for Nottinghamshire Scouts — where he is responsible for promoting youth-shaped scouting and young people taking on leadership positions.

Mr Kellas is also a Newark Town councillor, volunteers on a weekly basis with a Cub Scout pack, and serves as a trustee for two charities in the area.