Dissent at KCC

At least five Reform Kent County Councillors have reportedly lodged complaints about their leadership with the party's head office.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands grievances about the leadership style have been filed over recent months.

The development comes as KCC has become embroiled in controversy after a video of a heated virtual meeting of Reform councillors was leaked at the weekend.

Council leader Cllr Linden Kemkaran was heard swearing and raising her voice, threatening to mute one member asking for clarity about local government reorganisation policy.

In the footage, the Maidstone south east representative tells colleagues: “You are just going to have to f****** suck it up.”

Some of the complaints were made during a time of growing tensions between the leadership and the backbenches.

They were lodged with a regional Reform official, who passed them on to the party’s London HQ to be dealt with.

There were rumours of a “rebellion” over the summer and of a breakaway group of between 12 and 15 members, formed of those concerned about the leadership style and feelings of remoteness from decision-making.

LDRS has spoken to a number of complainants, all elected in May in the Reform UK landslide victory at County Hall, who have disclosed the nature of their concerns but asked for them not to be revealed for fear of being identified.

One said: “This comes down to the way backbenchers feel they have been treated and how they are not listened to. There is a culture and a leadership style among those at the very top that a significant proportion of those backbenchers are not happy with.

“The complaints went to head office to be dealt with. However, no one sees this as a head office problem; it’s a Kent problem. Pure and simple.”

Two deputy chief whips, councillors Sarah Emberson (Maidstone rural east) and Wayne Chapman (Tenterden) have been appointed in recent weeks to assist the chief whip Cllr Maxwell Harrison (Sheppey).

Following the leaking of the video, four councillors – Paul Thomas (Maidstone South), Oliver Bradshaw (Maidstone Central), Maxine Fothergill (Sevenoaks Rural North East) and Bill Barrett (Ashford Rural South) – had the Reform whip removed pending investigation.

But one complainant said they are not convinced the four are the culprits, saying: “There is little, if any, firm evidence to support the accusations against the four councillors.

“If you could think of the people least likely to have leaked the video to the Guardian, they’d be on that list.”

Both Cllr Thomas and Cllr Fothergill denied any involvement in the leak on Monday. Cllr Barrett refused to comment “at this point”. Cllr Bradshaw was approached for comment.

The latest development follows a dramatic few days at County Hall.

After the Guardian published its report on Saturday afternoon, Cllr Kemkaran sent a message to members announcing a “thorough investigation” into the source of the leaks, branding the culprits “cowards” who had committed an act of “treachery”.

On Sunday, it emerged a backbencher was considering gathering the required signatures to spark a vote of no confidence in Cllr Kemkaran, under section 14.43 of the KCC constitution.

By Monday morning, the party had announced the whip had been removed from the four councillors, pending an investigation. Cllr Fothergill left County Hall in tears, issuing a denial as she went, having been removed from the role as a panel chair. Cllr Thomas said he felt sure he would be “exonerated”.

The following morning, it was disclosed that Cllr Kemkaran had sent out a message, on advice from headquarters, asking members to sign a pledge of allegiance to her.

There was more woe when Labour-run Medway Council slammed their KCC counterparts over a decision to double the amount agreed to help fund Visit Kent and Locate in Kent.

Liberal Democrat deputy opposition leader at KCC Richard Streatfeild said: “It looks like an act of increasing desperation because she is being told by Reform HQ to get members to back her or sack her. It looks more and more like it’s now outside the leader’s hands.”

Reform UK swept into County Hall in May having secured 57 of the 81 seats, ending nearly three decades of Conservative dominance.

Some observers remarked at the time how difficult it is to manage such a large number of councillors, particularly since a significant proportion may not have expected to be elected.

Responding to questions about the unhappiness with the KCC leadership, a Reform UK spokesman said: “As standard, we don’t comment on internal complaints.”