A new era as Walsall Council prepares to elect new leader

Walsall Council is to appoint a new leader following the suspension of former leader Mike Bird by the Conservative Party. An extraordinary meeting of the full council will be held on Monday, June 3, with a single vote of a new supreme to fill the vacancy.

Councilor Garry Perry, who was elected to lead the Walsall Conservative Group, is expected to become the authority’s new leader at the meeting. Councilor Perry, who has represented Pelsall since he was first elected in 1998, said he would lead the Conservative group with “integrity and dedication” and build on the successes they have enjoyed.

He added, pending the outcome of the June 3 meeting and if he succeeds in becoming head of the authority, he will appoint his cabinet. During his time, Councilor Perry has held a number of senior roles, including his current post as Deputy Leader for Resilient Communities and was District Mayor in 2011.

READ MORE: Tributes to solid, dedicated former councilor

Councilor Perry said: “It has undoubtedly been a challenging few weeks, especially after a brilliant set of local election results which defied the national trend and highlighted our notable achievements. In my speech to the Conservative Group, I outlined my leadership plan, which I will share publicly in due course.

“I am deeply honored to receive such strong support from the group. It is incredibly gratifying to know that my colleagues trust my leadership. This support motivates me even more to work diligently and collaboratively to achieve our shared goals. I look forward to leading with integrity and dedication to ensure our continued success.”

Councilor Bird was suspended from the party for three months and banned from holding any leadership position within the party for a further 12 months following a disciplinary investigation. He appealed the decision. Councilor Suky Samra was also suspended by the Conservatives as part of the same inquiry, but has served on the council as an independent since March last year.

Following this, most members of the group supported the formation of the Conservative and Independent group, with Councilor Bird still at the helm.

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the Conservative Party has received complaints which have resulted in emails being sent to those members warning them they face allegations of breaching their code of conduct. The first full council of the new municipal year this week confirmed the political groups represented on the authority, with Councilor Perry leading the Conservatives.

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