Conservative leader to stand down after 14 years

A Conservative council leader who held his post for 14 years is to step down after his party lost its majority in last week's local elections.

Martin Tett took charge of the old Buckinghamshire county council in 2011 before taking on a similar role on the unitary authority that replaced it in 2020.

Buckinghamshire had been a strong Conservative county, but while the party remains the largest on the authority with 48 councillors, it needed to secure one more to keep full control of the 97-seat council.

The Tories said Steven Broadbent would replace him, but the BBC understands Tett would officially remain as leader of the council until a formal announcement was made at a meeting on 21 May.

After Friday's results, Tett told the BBC the loss of seats was down to the rise of Reform UK who he claimed had "cannibalised our vote seat after seat after seat".

He added that "the people of Buckinghamshire deserve a good council, well run with a good majority and we need time to assess what that might look like".

According to the Conservatives, Broadbent has been "unanimously elected" as its new party leader, having been a ward councillor for 10 years and deputy council leader of the authority since January 2024.

Broadbent said: "I am honoured and delighted to have won the backing of my colleagues, and I pay tribute to Martin Tett for his sterling service to the people of Buckinghamshire over many years."

He added that "since its creation Buckinghamshire Council had been a great example of an efficient, well-run council, delivering for residents. That's why local voters have put their faith in the Conservatives again, delivering us almost double the seats of the next largest party".

He continued: "Last week's result is a highly notable achievement given the picture across the rest of the country. It gives us a strong mandate to take the council forward and we look forward to forming the new administration later this month."

The unitary authority is now made up of 48 Conservatives, 27 Liberal Democrats, 11 Independents, four Labour, three Reform UK, two Wycombe Independents and two councillors from the Green Party.

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