Tory gains in Sandwell not a complete shock , claims losing councillor
The Conservatives gained nine seats on Friday to return councillors for the first time since 2015.
17:36, 7 MAY 2021
Updated
Get all the latest politics news via email updates Invalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
Subscribe
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
A Sandwell Labour councillor who lost his seat as the Conservatives won seats on the council for the first time in six years says it wasn t a complete shock that the party lost ground.
Sandwell’s Conservatives have hit back at claims they have ‘split personalities’ after the Tory MP for West Bromwich East, Nicola Richards, voted for a 4. 99 per cent council tax rise for Dudley. Labour councillors took the opportunity to attack their party rivals as they voted through an increase of nearly three per cent at the council’s budget setting meeting. Cllr Liam Preece said Tory criticism of the council ignored the fact that Ms Richards is also a councillor on Conservative-run Dudley council which voted through a higher percentage increase on Monday evening. In a pointed jibe, he said: “Curiously, according to their website, a certain Cllr Richards was present at that meeting who I can only assume voted for it as she is a member of the controlling group.