Reform UK plans to remove opposition vice-chairman roles on Nottinghamshire County Council committees - a move branded as “marking their own homework” by Conservative group leader

The removal of opposition committee roles could lead a council down the path of its bankrupt neighbour, according to the county’s Conservative leader.

Nottinghamshire County Council Conservative group leader Sam Smith has branded Reform’s plans to remove opposition party roles on county council committees as ‘very concerning’.

Agenda documents for Nottinghamshire County Council’s first full council meeting under its new Reform UK leadership, which will take place tomorrow (May 22), include details of proposed appointments for the committee chairmen and vice-chairmen.

All roles — excluding one role which is the responsibility of the city council, and one appointment made by the health and wellbeing board — are proposed to be filled by Reform councillors.

Typically, committee vice-chairmen have been members of the opposition group on the council — one way to allow for scrutiny of its decisions.

The agenda documents state that a paragraph of the Council’s Overview and Select Committee Procedure Rules — which say that the chairmen of the overview committee and the three select committees will be members of the ruling group and the vice-chairmen will be members of the opposition groups — has been proposed for removal “in order to give full council greater discretion around the appointment to these roles”.

As the former leading group — now the opposition with 17 seats to Reform’s 39 — the Conservatives plan to challenge these changes at the meeting.

Opposition group leader Sam Smith, who represents Newark East, said: “It’s a bit like they want to mark their own homework.

“It goes against good governance and scrutiny. Under the Conservative leadership we had Labour vice-chairman on the committees.

“It’s one of the first decisions Reform has made and it’s very concerning.”

Mr Smith fears the removal of scrutiny could lead the council down the path of bankrupt Nottingham City Council and Birmingham City Council, where he said that opposition members do not hold formal committee roles.

“We’ve seen what’s happened there,” he added.

“We don’t want Nottinghamshire County Council to go the same way.

“Scrutiny is needed to keep the council on track.”

Reform UK has been approached for comment.