Herefordshire Council’s largest opposition group has announced a change in its leadership.
It’s Our County has appointed councillors Alan Seldon and Liz Harvey as their co-leaders as current leader Anthony Powers steps down from the role.
Party representatives say they have always been proud of the group’s gender balance and broad age range of councillors, and the party has warmly endorsed this shared approach to group leadership.
The group says councillors Harvey and Seldon have previously worked well together in scrutinising the council and have each served as deputy to coun Powers in recent years.
Local government regulations do not allow for co-leadership models, so the two will take turns as the nominated group leader for council.
Coun Seldon, who crossed the floor from the Independents in 2014, will assume the title first, with effect from October 8.
He said: “Liz and I have complementary skills.
“The fact that we don’t always agree on everything leads to the kind of healthy debate we encourage in It’s Our County. Together we will make a strong leadership team as we prepare for the local elections next May.”
Coun Harvey, an IOC councillor since the 2011 elections and deputy leader to both Mark Hubbard and Anthony Powers, said: “I look forward to working in partnership with Alan, and with all the other opposition Group Leaders, to offer a credible alternative in 2019 to Conservative rule for Herefordshire.”
Councillor Powers said: “Now is the right time for me to step aside. It’s been a privilege to have served for the last five years as group leader of It’s Our County. I know that my successors in our new co-leadership model have all the experience and knowledge to continue taking IOC forward.”
Herefordshire’s Conservatives control the council with 27 councillors, It’s Our County currently have nine, while the Independents, Greens and Libdems have eight, four and two respectively.
There are also two councillors with no declared political party.
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