Reform UK is to set up the first new political group office at the LGA in the organisation’s history, after the party’s success in the 1 May local elections.
Every year after local elections, the LGA’s political proportionality is recalculated and independently verified, and used to determine the make-up of the LGA Board and all the LGA’s policy boards and committees.
Labour remains the largest group at the LGA, at 35.9 per cent, retaining the right to choose the organisation’s chair.
The other parties are: Conservatives, 24.1 per cent; Liberal Democrats, 17 per cent; Independents, 10.2 per cent; Reform, 7.8 per cent; Greens, 4.6 per cent; and Plaid Cymru, 0.4 per cent.
Political groups whose total share of the weighted electorate is 5 per cent or more are entitled to their own group office. Cllr Louise Gittins, LGA Chair, said: “Now that Reform UK has notified the LGA of its intention to form a group, we will offer our support in helping them formalise a new group office.
“Local government is at its strongest when we speak with one voice to national government on the many challenges facing our sector right now, including the acute financial pressures on councils, as well as the ever-increasing demand for their much relied upon local services.
“As cross-party Chair, I am committed to working with all our political groups to strengthen local government so our communities thrive.”
The new LGA Board will be elected at the annual meeting of the LGA’s General Assembly on 1 July, ahead of its annual conference in Liverpool from 1-3 July.