New council leader elected after reorganisation row

Rose Grewal has been elected as the new Labour leader of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council following a row over the reorganisation of local government.

On Friday, councillors voted to replace outgoing Labour leader Max Holloway with Grewal, the ward councillor for Hatfield Villages.

Labour's cabinet majority has twice approved decisions opposed by most councillors, including the reorganisation of local government, and then on election delays.

The Labour and Liberal Democrat groups are to continue to run a joint administration, with a new Joint Administration Agreement expected to be finalised in the coming days.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the Liberal Democrat group triggered the dispute clause in the previous agreement after Labour's cabinet majority twice voted to go against non-binding votes of full council.

Holloway had argued in favour of delaying May's local elections in Welwyn Hatfield – a decision now agreed by government – because he believed they would distract from the work of preparing for local government reorganisation.

After Grewal's election as leader, she said: "I am excited about the prospect of a new joint administration and, once this is finalised, look forward to speaking with cabinet colleagues on how we can best deliver our shared vision and programme of work."

Conservative group leader Tony Kingsbury said he was concerned that Holloway would remain a cabinet member and suggested it "weakens any sense of accountability for having overridden the council".

"When Holloway resigned as leader, many of us saw that as an acknowledgement of what had occurred," he said.

He added that it was disappointing that the Liberal Democrats were supporting the same Labour cabinet members who disregarded the will of council.

Holloway said: "To meet the challenges ahead, this council needs stability, and I am pleased that conversations between the two parties of the joint administration are continuing."

The borough council is due to be abolished in 2028 as part of the government's shake-up of local government.

A new unitary authority combining the functions of the borough council and county council would take over, with elections to a shadow authority being held in May 2027 to prepare the ground.

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