Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Jon Cooper
The newly-appointed Deputy Leader of Reform UK-controlled Derbyshire County Council has told how he is honoured to take on his new role as the council prepares for potential changes under Local Government Reorganisation plans with a Cabinet reshuffle.
Cllr Stephen Reed was voted in as the new Deputy Leader of the county council after a secret ballot of the Reform UK Party’s councillors at the Derbyshire Reform UK’s AGM on April 6.
Sutton ward Cllr Robert Reaney has now lost the title which he had held since the administration’s success at the May 2025 elections and he has also lost his position as Cabinet Member for Regeneration on the council’s Cabinet under the recent reshuffle plans.
Cllr Reed, on his new role as Deputy Leader, said: “It’s an honour. I am humbled… We have got a big mission.
“Our overall goal is to get [Reform UK Party Leader] Nigel [Farage] into Number 10 and mainly to deliver for the people of Derbyshire.
“We have big challenges we have to deliver on and we cannot afford any distractions. We have to deliver on LGR regardless of the premise to make sure it’s right for Derbyshire.”
Cllr Reed, who oversees Clay Cross and Tupton, retains his role as Cabinet Member for Business Services since the Reform UK administration was elected into power at the May 2025 elections.
Cllr Reaney who has served as Cabinet Member for Regeneration, and who has been overseeing the planned revamp of Elvaston Castle and plans to convert the council’s County Hall offices, at Matlock, into a hotel is no longer named in the newly-reshuffled Cabinet plans.
Council Leader, Cllr Alan Graves, remains in the top role after he retained his position in a vote at the recent Derbyshire Reform UK AGM.
Other key figures to keep their same roles are Cllr John Lawson, for Finance and Efficiency, Cllr Charlotte Hill, for Highways, Cllr Carol Wood, for Environment, Cllr Joss Barnes, for Adult Care, and Cllr Simon Mabbott for SEND and Education.
But Cabinet changes include different councillors to oversee Derbyshire’s health services, children and families and a new role to address Government plans for Local Government Reorganisation.
Cllr Dan Price, under Communities and Safety, will oversee Derbyshire’s health services and Cllr Paul Maginnis takes on the role for Children and Families.
There is also a new role for Cllr Paul Parkin, under LGR and Transformation, to focus on the Labour Government’s Local Government Reorganisation plans to merge county, district, borough and city councils in two-tier areas like Derbyshire to form single, unitary councils in the next couple of years.
Some Cabinet titles have changed notably with references to net zero being removed in line with Reform UK’s well-documented views about prioritising economic growth ahead of climate change concerns.
Derbyshire County Council’s Reform UK administration’s changes to its Cabinet, which will be formally signed-off at a pending council meeting, have come about one-year after the Reform UK administration took the reins with a decisive election victory in May 2025.
Council Leader, Cllr Alan Graves, said: “We have been running the council for one year now and have overseen many changes which I believe will benefit the people of Derbyshire.
“The new faces on my Cabinet team will help us to take this good work forward, and the changes to some of the portfolios better reflects our focus and priorities.
“This includes the addition of a portfolio which will concentrate on Local Government Reorganisation and the continuing transformation of the council.”
Cllr Graves added: “I’d like to thank the outgoing Cabinet Members for their hard work and commitment.”
The new Cabinet line-up, with some revised portfolio titles, inlcudes: Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership – Cllr Alan Graves; Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Business Services Cllr Stephen Reed; Cabinet Member for Local Government Reorganisation and Transformation – Cllr Paul Parkin; Cabinet Member for Adult Care – Cllr Joss Barnes; Cabinet Member for Children and Families – Cllr Paul Maginnis; Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency (DOGE) – Cllr John Lawson; Cabinet Member for Communities and Safety – Cllr Dan Price; Cabinet Member for Environment – Cllr Carol Wood; Cabinet Member for Highways – Cllr Charlotte Hill; And Cabinet Member for SEND and Education – Cllr Simon Mabbott.
Cllr Graves said: “I have a very strong and committed team who I know will work hard for all our residents, businesses and communities.”
All the changes announced will come into effect on Monday, May 11.
The Reform UK-led council will also have no doubt been buoyed by local election results which took place on May 7 elsewhere for many English councils and the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments.
Overall, early results show Reform UK has made major gains and Labour has suffered heavy losses while the Conservatives have suffered significant losses, and the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have enjoyed some successes.
