REFORM UK's Michael Hadwen has been formally appointed to take Sufffolk County Council's top job.

He was elected to lead the authority during its annual general meeting this afternoon (Thursday, 21 May) with 38 votes for, 27 against and two abstentions.

With 41 Reform councillors elected during the local elections earlier this month, this means some within his party decided against his appointment.

During his maiden speech this afternoon, Cllr Hadwen said the day marked 'a new chapter' for the county.

He said under his administration, communities would come first and promised to be transparent, deliver value for taxpayers and 'focus relentlessly' on delivery.

His appointment was opposed by the council's opposition parties.

Cllr Andrew Stringer

Cllr Andrew Stringer, the leader of the Green Group – the main opposition – criticised the new leader's lack of experience and social media activity.

His criticisms were shared by several councillors, including Richard Rout, the new leader of the Conservative Group.

This follows posts dating back to 2016 and 2018, when he was still at university. In one of these, he said Enoch Powell 'was right' and 'before the times' in his views on multiculturalism.

Last week, Cllr Hadwen said he still believed that demographic change could cause divisiveness within communities, but did not agree with everything the politician said.

In another post, he said he would have Milo Yiannopoulos as his public relations manager if he ever became an MP.

On this, he clarified he had only known Yiannopoulos as 'hilarious' and a 'provocateur' during the early Donald Trump days, but had no interest in what he was up to, distancing himself completely from him.

Cllr Stringer also pointed to a lack of action after social media accounts for Reform's Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket branch was found to be posting and sharing controversial posts over several months.

Some of the posts included referring to a sitting MP as 'protecting paedophiles' and the Greens as 'unwashed' and 'Islamic'.

Cllr Hadwen was asked to address these, as well as his own social media activity from a decade ago, during the meeting, but did not.

In an email response, he said he had pushed for the branch's accounts to be taken down 'to avoid any further embarrassment'.

The social media accounts have since been deleted.

Cllr Hadwen said he would be announcing his administration's work over the next two years shortly.

In the meantime, his team will include:

• Cllr Philip Faircloth-Mutton as deputy leader and cabinet member for adult social care.
• Cllr Vicky Armstrong as cabinet member for finance, economic development and efficiency.
• Cllr Simon Aalders as cabinet member for children's services.
• Cllr Tony Gould as cabinet member for education and SEND.
• Cllr Christopher Hudson as cabinet member for transport and highways.
• Cllr Tristan Gale as cabinet member for planning, devolution and the fire service.
• Cllr June Mummery as cabinet member for coastal affairs, communities and public health.
• Cllr Morgan Brobyn as cabinet member for food, waste and rural affairs.