‘My dual role can be an advantage for county’

MP DEFENDS DECISION TO BECOME LOCAL AUTHORITY LEADER

THE new leader of Nottinghamshire County Council has said he recognises the challenge of taking up the role alongside being an MP.

Ben Bradley, Tory MP for Mansfield, was selected to lead the council yesterday following the Conservative Party’s majority election win last week.

Mr Bradley will take on the role following the council’s annual general meeting on May 27, leading the council on its policy and decision making for the next four years.

This will be done alongside his roles as Mansfield MP and county councillor for Mansfield North, with many people criticising Mr Bradley for his decision to take on the job.

However, he believes the criticism is “unfair” and says there is precedent for MPS taking on “a huge amount of responsibility” – drawing comparisons with Government ministers.

“I recognise the challenge, it’s something I’ve thought about a lot,” he told the Post.

“The comparison I would make is one that is not unprecedented or even unusual, in that every person who is a Government minister is a member of parliament and also has a huge amount of responsibility.

“Matt Hancock for example is an MP first and foremost, but also runs a £300 billion department, so there are 100 MPS who also have a full-on responsibility.

“The reason that I’ve chosen to do this is because I don’t want to go and build a career in Whitehall. That’s not what I went into politics for.”

Mr Bradley announced last year that he was taking a step back from Westminster, resigning from his role as a parliamentary private secretary to “put more focus” into Mansfield.

He believes leading Nottinghamshire County Council, alongside being an MP, will “put the county at an advantage” when negotiating with the Government on big issues.

“I want to deliver things for people in Nottinghamshire and in Mansfield, more local services, and rather than going off to have an extra job in Whitehall I’d rather do that here,” he said.

“We’ve got the levers here to deliver better services for people in the county.

“No other council in the country has the ability to send their leader off to a minister’s office and bang the drum for various causes.

“That is potentially a huge benefit, it’s not tried and tested, but potentially it could be a good opportunity to tie together local decision making and get things done.”

However, concerns have been raised by leading political figures about how Mr Bradley will balance the workload of being council leader and member of parliament.

Former Conservative Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry Tweeted her views as the announcement was made.

She said: “This is unprecedented and wrong.

“Being the leader of a county council is a full time job.

“Being an MP requires you to be in Parliament – it’s a proper job. You can’t do both competently. But you can pick up a salary of £130,000.”

And a district councillor in the area where Mr Bradley now represents on the county council, Mansfield North, also spoke out and believes residents “deserve better”.

Councillor Daniel Redfern, who independently represents the Peafields ward, said: “All I can really say on the matter is that it’s very clear that Mansfield North was always just a stepping stone for Bradley’s political ambition.

“I’m very concerned our area will be left behind even further than it already is and the community will miss out as Bradley juggles his focus between Parliament and County Hall.”

We’ve got the levers here to deliver better services for people in the county

Ben Bradley MP