An Ashfield councillor has defected to Reform UK after his former group’s leader was convicted of fraud and tax evasion offences.
Ashfield District Council’s former leader, Jason Zadrozny, was found guilty of nine counts of fraud and four counts of income tax evasion at Northampton Crown Court on September 21.
The 46-year-old had led the authority on behalf of the Ashfield Independents since 2018, but announced his resignation as leader of the council and the group the day after he was convicted.
The Ashfield Independents’ Cllr Samantha Deakin was selected as the new leader of the authority at a meeting on Monday (September 28), but none of the group’s members, including Cllr Deakin, would speak to the media.
Now it is understood that a number of councillors are considering defecting, and some have begun speaking out.
Cllr Warren Nuttall, who represents Greenwood and Summit, says he has left the group to join Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
“The papers got signed last night,” he said. “I’ve been in politics too long to get dragged to the floor with it.
“There are a lot more who want to leave; they just don’t know which way to go. Jason has collapsed the Ashfield Independents.”
Despite Zadrozny’s conviction, he has chosen to remain as a councillor, pending his sentencing in November.
Cllr Lee Waters, another Ashfield Independents member, has now called for Zadrozny’s resignation as a councillor.
“I wish Cllr Samantha Deakin well as the new leader and hope this marks a fresh start,” he said.
“We need stability, high standards and a renewed focus on serving residents, delivering good services and getting things done for our communities.
“In my view, former council leader Jason Zadrozny should resign as a councillor. His convictions for fraud and tax evasion are serious and have damaged public confidence. When the actions of individuals undermine that confidence, they make the job harder for everyone else who serves in public life.
“There are many good councillors and council officers who work hard for Ashfield every day. Their work should not be overshadowed by the actions of others. It is time to move forward and get back to what matters: serving our residents.”
Asked if he was considering leaving the group and if he believed it still had a future, Cllr Waters added: “At the moment, feelings are quite raw.
“Everyone is at a point of reflection.”
Cllr Matt Relf, who is the council’s lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning, said he had put himself forward for the position of leader.
However, at a private members’ meeting, Cllr Deakin was the only one to be selected.
“Samantha is an enormously capable, hard-working individual who knows her way around the council,” he said.
“There are people who are wanting to carry [the Independents] on, and I wish them the best of luck with that. We have achieved a lot. There is a future for that, but it needs fresh energy,” he added, speaking of the group’s future.
Cllr Relf also confirmed he would not be standing in the elections next May.
Cllr Kier Barsby left the Ashfield Independents earlier this year after accusing Tom Hollis, another of the party’s top representatives at Ashfield, of bringing the authority into disrepute following a conviction for criminal damage.
“The Ashfield Independents are done,” he said. “Whoever wants to stand for them next year won’t get elected.”
Zadrozny’s fraud offences involved the Ashfield Heritage Society, which received £9,100 of public money between 2018 and 2021, and the Classic Cinema Club, which received £1,200 in the same period.
The funding came from a Nottinghamshire County Council fund for good causes, but the prosecution said the 46-year-old set up the Ashfield Heritage Society as a “front” to pocket money for himself.
Lee Anderson, Ashfield’s Reform MP, called for a new political class in the area and added: “Reform UK will drain the swamp at Ashfield next May.”
By Joe Locker, Local Democracy Reporter