‘The lowest depth in 30 years!’ West Lindsey District Council left ‘rudderless’ after ‘combative’ leaders removed from posts in heated meeting

An authority has been left leaderless after the top two councillors were removed from their posts.

Liberal Democrats Trevor Young and Lesley Rollings were voted out of their posts as leader and deputy leader of West Lindsey District Council by a cross-party group in a heated meeting on Monday, July 7.

The pair were officially removed because they had lost the support of their party.

However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was told that their ‘combative’ leadership style and accumulation of positions had upset other councillors for months.

Councillors shared fears that the authority was being left ‘rudderless’ at a crucial time.

Coun Young, who took charge in 2023, said: “This vote has brought the council to the lowest depth in the 30 years I’ve been on the council – it’s a sad day.

“The Conservatives don’t have a mandate to lead. It is a car crash waiting to happen.

“The council needs clarity and stability. No leadership will disadvantage the people we serve.”

Coun Rollings said the motion was ‘incredibly disappointing after all the good work the administration has done over the last two years’.

Both councillors were removed by 20 votes to seven, with three abstaining.

The leader of the opposition, Coun Jackie Brockway (Con) said after the meeting: “The leader and deputy leader had lost the confidence of pretty much the whole council.

“Some members still voted with them, but the majority felt we couldn’t go forward.

“We really feel there’s enough conflict elsewhere in politics, and we want to work on a model of sharing without this awful name-calling that comes up.”

Both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative leader said they didn’t know which party the next leader would come from.

Arguments broke out several times in the meeting between Coun Young and the chairman Coun Matt Boles, who are both Liberal Democrats.

At one point, Coun Boles told the former leader to ‘stop spreading untruths’, with Coun Young firing back: “You wouldn’t know truth if it hit you”.

Coun David Dobby (Lib Dem), who sided with the leadership during the debate, said: “Taking them both out at the same time leaves the council rudderless.

“This is very divisive, and will cause most disruption at a crucial time for the council, with local government reorganisation.”

Liberal Democrats attacked the credentials of the person behind the motion, Coun Trevor Bridgewood, who sits as Consensus Independent on West Lindsey and Reform on Lincolnshire County Council.

The Liberal Democrats remain the largest party on the council with 17 seats, followed by the Conservatives on 14.

As a committee system, West Lindsey District Council isn’t legally required to have a leader, although it traditionally does.

A meeting to elect new leadership will be held on September 8.