The Conservatives have taken control of Harborough District Council (HDC) after an extraordinary meeting was held this week.

A motion to remove Councillor Phil Knowles as coalition leader of the authority with immediate effect was put forward by Tory councillor Simon Whelband after claims the administration “no longer reflects the will of the council”.

A vote on Cllr Whelband’s motion was narrowly voted in on Monday (April 20), with 17 votes for and 16 votes against, with Cllr Whelband, leader of the Conservative group, now HDC’s leader.

He said: “Following the Market Harborough – Logan by-election held last December, the Conservative Group is now the largest single political group on Harborough District Council.

Cllr Whelband speaking at the extraordinary meeting

placeholder image — Cllr Whelband speaking at the extraordinary meeting

“The current administration no longer commands an effective majority and has, in recent meetings, been unable to secure the passage of its own business.

”The current administration no longer reflects the will of the council, and it is right that the leadership of the council should now rest with its largest single political group.”

The extraordinary meeting had started with a minute’s silence in memory of Labour Cllr David Gair who died last week. He was one of the 16 coalition members, which had been reduced to 15 following his passing.

Opening the debate, Cllr Whelband said: “I’m not going to go through this in any length, because we all know why we’re here, we all know what this is about, and I’m pretty certain everyone’s made up their mind how they’re going to vote, so, the only thing I will say is that the Conservative Party is the largest single political party on this administration, always has been, but we are now in a strengthened position.

Lib Dem Councillor Asher said she found it “deeply distasteful” the meeting was being held “just five days after the death of a councillor colleague”.

She added: “It speaks volumes that the postponement apparently wasn’t an option for the Conservative group. That decision reflects priorities.

“And the residents will draw their own conclusions, I’m sure. What we are seeing here is quite simply a numbers game.But let’s be clear, if you do take control of this council, you will be the minority administration. And with that comes the same challenges that we have faced.

“The need to work collaboratively to build consensus and to earn every single vote. Leadership is not about control, it’s about responsibility, compromise and delivery.

“Regardless of what happens next, I will continue to fight for my residents.”

Before seconding the motion, Cllr Phil King said he wanted to acknowledge the passing of councillor Cllr Gair, adding: “We did differ politically, I have to be honest, we did not get on or see eye to eye about many things, but one thing we are, as has been mentioned, we are united in public service, so I do extend my condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.”

About the motion, he said: “It is right that leadership reflects the balance of the chamber, and this is a straightforward democratic principle from councils all the way to national.

“And so this motion provides clarity and stability and enables the council to move forward with leadership that reflects its current composition.”

Following the vote, Cllr Whelband thanked the coalition for their service.

Outgoing leader Cllr Knowles said: “It would be remiss of me not to congratulate Cllr Whelband. I wish him luck and I hope that they’ll get it right, because if they don’t get it right, the people who are going to suffer are the people of this district.”

A couple of days after the meeting, Cllr Whelband laid out his priorities for the council, saying: "With Local Government Reorganisation on the horizon, we have no time to waste. We are already delivering on the priorities we secured in the budget.

"Residents told us they want action on fly-tipping, cleaner streets, and better, more accessible play equipment - and that is exactly what we will deliver.

"Small and micro businesses, particularly in hospitality, have been clear about the pressures they face. We will introduce a new small grants scheme to support them with rising costs.

"We want local councillors to have more of a say, so decisions are taken closer to the communities they serve. We will reshape the council’s grants system so ward councillors have greater influence, ensuring funding is distributed fairly across every part of the district.

"This is a big task, but I have a strong team around me to help deliver it.

"This is just the start. We want to go further - backing our rural communities, supporting our market towns and village centres, and standing behind the small businesses that are the backbone of our local economy.

"We will refocus the council on these priorities, while giving clear reassurance to parish and town councils and community groups that they will continue to have our full support.

"We have made these changes happen - now we will deliver.”

Cllr Whelband has appointed the following councillors to serve in the Cabinet: