Reform UK councillors refuse diversity training

A Reform UK council leader has confirmed that his group will not take part in diversity or climate training as part of their new roles as elected officials.

Mark Arnull, a Reform UK councillor, was appointed as the leader of West Northamptonshire Council on Wednesday.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "As it stands, I will stand with the policy and the councillors on the Reform group will not be attending the training."

The move comes after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted on social media that newly elected councillors would boycott the training stating that "all people should be treated equally".

Reform UK has political control of West Northamptonshire Council after winning 42 seats out of the 76 elected in the recent local elections.

According to the authority's equality, diversity and inclusion policy, the council said it was "committed to advancing equality of opportunity" and "eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation".

It said the responsibility of ensuring there was no unlawful discrimination rested with staff and that all members must comply with the policy and framework.

Arnull said: "The councillors in West Northamptonshire Council are waiting for their briefs from the democratic services team."

He confirmed that his administration would only fly flags of the St George's Cross and the Union Jack and have the council emblem only on local authority buildings.

The authority has also proposed to reduce remote working for council staff.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the party's key policies going forward would focus on "what local people said" on their doorsteps.

"We're going to address the issues that we said by meeting with the officers and executives at the earliest opportunity and we'll look at what we can do," Arnull added.

Arnull and his new cabinet are expected to attend their first public meeting as a senior decision-making panel at One Angel Square in Northampton in June.

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