Tories bid to seize control of coalition-run council

The Conservatives have launched a bid to take control of Harborough District Council.

The Tories, the largest single party on the authority, have submitted a motion to try to remove Liberal Democrat Council leader Phil Knowles.

Knowles has led a 16-strong coalition of Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green and independent councillors since 2023 on the tightly balanced authority.

"It's a power grab," Knowles said.

"I'm proud of our record over the last three years as a coalition and we have achieved more in that time than the Tories did in 20 years before us."

The Conservatives, who also have 16 councillors, said the coalition no longer commands an effective majority and has struggled to get its business voted through in the council chamber.

Last month, the coalition administration was unable to pass its planned budget for the coming financial year without the Conservatives getting support for major amendments, including the deletion of funding for a large-scale rewilding project near Market Harborough.

The Conservative motion was submitted after district councillors narrowly voted, by 17 to 15, to submit a new local plan to the government for examination.

The local plan, a strategy for development up to 2041, includes potential sites for up to 6,500 new homes in the district, including a potential 4,000-home new town on farmland near Leicester Airport.

The Conservative group on the council voted against the local plan on Monday.

Conservative leader Simon Whelband said the Tories' position is now even stronger after winning a recent by-election.

"The Conservatives have always been the largest party on Harborough District Council but since we've had a couple of by-election wins last year, our position is even stronger now," he said.

"We've waited and seen how things have panned out with various votes and various meetings, but it's clear now the coalition keeps losing votes.

"I think it is the right time to put forward our own agendas so we have put in the motion to council to change the leadership.

"We'll see what happens and I hope we have the numbers to do that."

Knowles said: "This is democracy. The Tories have made their move, as is their right.

"It is a completely balanced council - 16 of us, 16 Tories, as well as an independent and a Reform councillor, so nothing is certain.

"There will be a vote on this but I am confident that our record as a coalition stands head and shoulders above theirs.

"We did lose a vote [on the budget] but it was marginal. The Tories put in an 11th-hour wrecking motion which turned out to be full of errors and we are now trying to sort those out."

The motion to remove Knowles and his cabinet will be discussed at a special council meeting for which a date has not yet been set.

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