Ashby-based Dan Harrison has become the first Reform UK member to sit on Leicestershire County Council.

Cllr Harrison currently represents the Ibstock & Appleby ward - but at the local elections in May, he will stand for the Ashby seat.

He announced today (Wednesday) that he has switched from the Conservative Party to Reform UK.

Cllr Harrison says he has made the decision due to his frustration at the the way the Conservative-led council is run at County Hall.

He also admits he has issues with the constant change in leadership of the Conservative Party.

Cllr Harrison told Ashby Nub News his reasons for making the switch.

He said: "It's because I can see that we're in a rut. We're just going on with the same old programmes. 

"We're trying to make efficiencies at the County Council, but it's not on the scale to have a massive impact. 

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"And we need to have a review. My words are, we need to have a proper, professional overview of efficiency throughout the whole organisation. 

"We need staff in the office, yeah, so we know what we're doing and we can see and the key to this.

"But we are required to always provide value for money. And at the moment, how can we distinguish value for money when costs are escalating and we don't know what departments are doing.

"There is a loss of faith going forward, when it comes to truly representing the people of Leicestershire, because we're not looking at efficiency in the organisation. 

Cllr Harrison also feels that the regular change of Conservative leadership in recent years is a another issue.

He added: "It's just chaos.

"We've had a new leader in Kemi Bandenoch, and now there's talk they may be changing her, and it just goes on."There's no continuity. Who do you believe in? And what do they stand for nationally?"

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