Nottinghamshire County Council

The newly elected leader of Nottinghamshire County Council has set out his hopes and ambitions for Nottinghamshire residents.

Councillor Ben Bradley, was unanimously elected as the leader following the Conservative Group Annual General Meeting on Monday, 10 May.

Councillor Bruce Laughton was elected as the deputy leader and Councillor Chris Barnfather becomes the Conservative Group Business Manager.

Ben, 31, father of two, has served as Member of Parliament for Mansfield since 2017 and becomes the only sitting MP and local authority leader in the country.

Councillor Bradley said he was honoured to have been selected as leader of the Conservative Group and Nottinghamshire County Council.

Councillor Ben Bradley said:

“I never thought ten years ago when I was in the public gallery at a Full Council meeting, doing work experience with Mark Spencer MP, that I would one day be the Leader of this authority. I am grateful to all my colleagues for their unanimous support and excited about the opportunities and benefits this majority Conservative administration can deliver to residents.

“I feel that I am in a unique position to advance the cause of Nottinghamshire County Council and residents by working directly with Government and ministers to get things done. My current roles will allow me to speak to ministers first-hand and these conversations will directly benefit Nottinghamshire. No other Council Leader in the country has that same opportunity to put local issues direct to the heart of Government.

We have listened to local residents throughout the local election campaign. We have got a far-reaching agenda for the County of Nottinghamshire and as a Conservative administration we are keen and ready to get on with the job.

“I wish to use this opportunity to offer my thanks to the workforce for their efforts during the pandemic. It has been a challenging year but we’re heading out the other side and I look forward to working with colleagues from across the council in a new post-Covid era.”

Councillor Bradley will be officially appointed to lead the new administration at the Council’s planned Annual General Meeting on 27 May.