The former Reform leader of Worcestershire County Council, Jo Monk, has been ousted after Reform councillors voted to replace her.

As reported by the BBC, Monk lost an internal leadership vote to councillor Alan Amos, meaning he now leads the Reform group and is set to become county council leader in May. 

Reform runs Worcestershire as a minority administration, after winning 25 out of 57 seats on the council last May.

In February, the Reform administration voted through a council tax increase of almost 9% due to the council’s ailing finances. 

The council was also granted £59.9 million in emergency support from the government to prevent it from effectively going bankrupt.

In March, the Lib Dems put forward a no confidence motion seeking to oust Monk due to the council tax increase.

Amos was part of the previous Conservative administration on the council which Reform has consistently criticised for leaving the local authority in “a mess”. 

Amos was a Tory MP in Northumberland in the late 1980s and early 90s. He was forced to resign in 1992 for alleged indecency on Hampstead Heath.

He went on to become a member of Labour and a Labour councillor in 2002, before rejoining the Conservatives in 2015. Amos joined Reform in April 2025. 

As a Tory councillor in 2016, he suggested it was far too easy for women to report allegations of rape.

The Tories have accused Reform of overseeing “chaos” by replacing their leader.

Councillor Adam Kent, opposition Conservative group leader, said: “Worcestershire deserves serious, stable leadership. 

“What we’re seeing here feels less like a political movement and more like a vehicle for one individual’s ambition, constantly shifting direction depending on what suits him at the time.”

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward

The post Reform council leader ousted by own councillors in Worcestershire appeared first on Left Foot Forward: Leading the UK's progressive debate.

Opposition councillors have tabled a motion to remove the Reform leader of Worcestershire County Council from office.

The Lib Dems have put forward the motion calling for the council leader Jo Monk to be ousted as they have no confidence in her leadership, the BBC has reported.

Lib Dem councillor Josh Robinson criticised Reform for breaking its promise and increasing council tax by almost 9%.

Robinson said: “They promised to cut waste and cut taxes – elected officials should stand by their word.” 

He added that “The council’s leadership has clearly failed over the past nine months. 

“[Reform] promised to cut waste and cut taxes. When a clear failure has occurred you need to stand by your actions. 

“The situation we face is grave, and I have no confidence in this leadership to enact it.”

This comes after a furious eight-hour debate on the council’s budget took place last week, which saw Reform raise council tax by 8.98%.

Monk defended the tax rise as “the responsible choice” for an authority that has been battling a financial crisis.

The government has given Worcestershire County Council £59 million in emergency government support for 2026-27 to enable it to avoid effective bankruptcy.

All seven Lib Dem councillors on the council walked out of the council chamber before the budget vote. 

The motion will be voted on at the next full council meeting in May and will only be approved if the majority of the 57 councillors vote for Monk to be ousted. 

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward

The post Reform council leader faces no confidence vote over tax hike appeared first on Left Foot Forward: Leading the UK's progressive debate.