Ashfield Independents

Last updated

Ashfield Independents
Leader Helen Smith
TreasurerThomas Hollis
Nominating Officer Jason Zadrozny
Founded28 July 2016;8 years ago (2016-07-28)
Headquarters84-86 Outram Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 4FS
Ashfield District Council
32 / 35
Nottinghamshire County Council
10 / 66
Annesley and Felley Parish Council
7 / 13
Selston Parish Council
8 / 21
Total councillors
57 / 16,930
Councils Controlled
2 / 317
Website
ashfieldindependents.org

The Ashfield Independents are a political party in the Ashfield District in Nottinghamshire, England.

Contents

Electoral history

In 2017, the Ashfield Independents stood candidates in the Nottinghamshire County Council elections. They won five seats. [1]

A month later, Gail Turner ran for the party in the 2017 general election and gained 9.2% of the vote with 4,612 votes, receiving the second-highest vote share of an independent candidate in England; however, Labour retained the seat. [2]

The party won two by-elections to Ashfield District Council in 2017 and 2018 in the Hucknall North [3] and Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood wards. [4]

In 2019, the party stood candidates across Ashfield District Council and won 30 of the 35 seats, taking overall control of the authority. [5] The party also stood candidates in the neighbouring Broxtowe Borough Council, winning a single seat. [6] In addition the party won control of Annesley and Felley Parish Council.

In July 2019, party leader Jason Zadrozny announced that he would be a candidate for the Ashfield constituency when the next general election was held. [7] The election came in December 2019 and Zadrozny came second with 27.6% of the vote.

In the 2021 local elections across the UK, the party won an increased 11 seats on Nottinghamshire County Council, winning every seat in the Ashfield District. [8]

in the 2023 Ashfield District Council election, the party increased their majority by two seats on the Ashfield District Council, taking a seat each off of the Tories and Labour, for a total seat count of 32. [9] [10]

In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, Zadrozny again ran in the Ashfield constituency and came third with a reduced vote share.

Elected councillors

Ashfield District Council

There are currently 35 councillors in the Ashfield District Council, 32 of whom are members of the Ashfield Independents. [11] Councillor Dave Hennigan was elected in 2019 as an Ashfield Independent, but was expelled in May 2020 after disagreements with the rest of the party. [12]

CouncillorWard
John BairdSummit
Kier BarsbySt Mary's
Jim BlagdenHucknall Central
Christian ChapmanJacksdale
Samantha DeakinCentral & New Cross
Andy GascoyneSelston
Dale GroundsKingsway
Arnie HankinSelston
Andrew HardingHuthwaite & Brierley
Tom HollisHuthwaite & Brierley
Trevor LockeHucknall Central
Rachel MaddenKirkby Woodhouse
Sarah MadiganLeamington
Andy MeakinAbbey Hill
Warren NuttallSummit
Matthew RelfSutton Junction & Harlow Wood
Dave ShawHucknall North
John SmallridgeCarsic
Helen-Ann SmithStanton Hill & Teversal
David WaltersAshfields
Lee WatersHucknall North
Caroline WilkinsonThe Dales
Daniel WilliamsonKirkby Cross & Portland
John WilmottHucknall North
Jason Zadrozny Larwood

Broxtowe Borough Council

There was one councillor on Broxtowe Borough Council who is a member of the Ashfield Independents: [13]

CouncillorWard
Elizabeth WilliamsonBrinsley

Nottinghamshire County Council

There are 10 councillors on Nottinghamshire County Council who are members of the Ashfield Independents: [14]

All Ashfield Independent councillors on Nottinghamshire county council sit as part of the Independent Alliance, headed by Jason Zadrozny, of which there are 15 members. Jason Zadrozny is joint leader of the opposition on Nottinghamshire County Council.

CouncillorDivision
Elizabeth WilliamsonGreasley and Brinsley
John WilmottHucknall North
Lee WatersHucknall South
Dave ShawHucknall West
Andy MeakinKirkby North
Daniel WilliamsonKirkby South
Samantha DeakinSutton Central & East
Tom HollisSutton West
David MartinSelston
Helen Ann-SmithSutton North
Jason Zadrozny Ashfields

United Kingdom House of Commons elections

ElectionCandidateTotal votes % % in contest seatPlace in Ashfield
2005 Roy Adkins2,2920.0%5.5%
4th
2017 Gail Turner4,6120.0%9.2%
3rd
2019 Jason Zadrozny 13,4980.1%27.6%
2nd
2024 Jason Zadrozny6,2760.0%15.7%
3rd

Charges of fraud, election offences and misconduct in public office

In November 2022, Zadrozny and five other Ashfield Independent Councillors were arrested for fraud, election offences, money laundering and misconduct in public office. [15]

On 23 June 2023, Zadrozny was charged with 22 offences including 12 counts of fraud by false representation, five counts of money laundering, four counts of tax evasion, and possession of cocaine. [16]

The fraud by false representation charges relate to the alleged misuse of Nottinghamshire County Council funds between 14 February 2018 and 16 February 2021. [17]

As part of the same investigation, Tom Hollis was charged with two offences for allegedly failing to declare his disclosable pecuniary interest in a property, between 30 May 2019 and 10 September 2021. [17] A spokesperson for the Ashfield Independents said both Zadrozny and Hollis "absolutely deny" the charges and "look forward to clearing their name". [16] Hollis subsequently pleaded guilty. [18]

David Martin was amongst the Councillors arrested in November 2022. Whilst Martin was not charged in relation to the offences he was initially arrested for, he was charged with assaulting a police officer during his arrest. Martin chose to have his case heard in front of a jury at Crown Court. He initially pleaded not guilty at a pre-trial hearing, but changed his plea to guilty on 24 September 2024. [19] [20]

In 2017, Zadrozny appeared before Nottingham Crown Court charged with child sex allegations. The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence and the charges were dismissed. [21]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Council, Nottinghamshire County. "Election Results 2017". Nottinghamshire County Council Elections 2017. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "Ashfield parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News . Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "Election results for Hucknall North, 12 October 2017". democracy.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  4. ↑ "Election results for Sutton Junction and Harlow Wood, 12 December 2018". democracy.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. 12 December 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "Election results by party, 2 May 2019". democracy.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. 2 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  6. ↑ "Borough Election 2019 : Broxtowe Borough Council". www.broxtowe.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  7. ↑ Sandeman, Kit (5 July 2019). "Ashfield Independents leader to stand in the next general election". nottinghampost.
  8. ↑ Council, Nottinghamshire County. "Election Results 2021". Nottinghamshire County Council Elections 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  9. ↑ "Ashfield result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Pridmore, Oliver (5 May 2023). "Ashfield Independents secure bigger majority after local elections". NottinghamshireLive. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Your Councillors". Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  12. ↑ Sandeman, Kit (27 May 2020). "Senior councillor removed from Ashfield Independents". nottinghampost. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  13. ↑ "Election of Borough Councillors 2019-2023" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  14. ↑ "Contact a councillor - Ashfield Independents" . Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  15. ↑ "Ashfield District Council leader and five other councillors arrested". BBC News. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  16. 1 2 Pridmore, Oliver (23 June 2023). "Council leader unwilling to speak as he's charged with 22 offences". Nottinghamshire Live . Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  17. 1 2 "Pair summonsed to court to face charges following police investigation". Nottinghamshire Police . 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  18. ↑ Naylor, Martin (5 February 2024). "Cllr Tom Hollis fined for not declaring interest in £160,000 house". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  19. ↑ Cunningham, Tim (17 May 2023). "Selston councillor faces Crown Court trial on police assault charge". Chad. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  20. ↑ Naylor, Martin (24 September 2024). "Councillor told to pay £5 blasts 'waste of money' decision to prosecute him". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  21. ↑ "Nottinghamshire councillor Jason Zadrozny's child sex case thrown out". BBC News. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
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