Councillor not quitting over letting unsafe homes

A Warwickshire councillor who had two rental properties closed over "serious safety failures" has confirmed he will not be giving up his county council seat.

Ed Harris stood down as the chairman of the county council and resigned the Reform UK group whip after Tamworth Borough Council in neighbouring Staffordshire said it had shut down two six-bed houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) in January.

It was alleged Harris had repeatedly failed to take action over problems with central heating and hot water, fire and smoke detection, and cooking facilities.

Harris, now an Independent councillor for Baddesley & Dordon, said at last week's full council meeting that he remained a member of Reform UK the party despite resigning from the county group.

He subsequently confirmed that he had been "considering" stepping down from public office altogether but told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he intended to continue, having received "overwhelming" support from people he represented.

"I had one or two members of the constituency unhappy because of what they have read so far but I have had overwhelming support from inside Reform, inside the [county's] Reform group and from constituents," he said.

"That was really heartening and why, when I considered my position as councillor, I thought to myself that the overwhelming majority of my constituents wanted me to stay."

Harris backed Warwickshire's Reform UK council leader George Finch last week when he survived a challenge to his leadership by just one vote.

At last week's council meeting in Warwickshire, he described the situation with Tamworth Borough Council as an ongoing process on which he felt it was too early to comment, describing it as "a personal matter" between himself and the authority, but adding he expected information would be forthcoming that "should put [these] issues to bed".

He said he was "not aware of any" investigation by Reform UK and that it was still "unclear where my future lies, politically speaking".

When asked whether he had referred himself to Warwickshire's monitoring officer, he said he had been told "there is no investigation required".

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This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.