Leadership challenge at Reform-led council

Worcestershire County Council's Reform leader is facing a challenge to her position - with a secret ballot taking place to decide her fate.

Alan Amos is plotting to wrestle the position from Jo Monk, who became the authority's first ever Reform leader following the 2025 local elections.

The party's Worcestershire Annual General Meeting (AGM) is taking place this evening, where its councillors will be asked to take part in the ballot.

If he succeeds it would pave the way for Amos to become the authority's leader at the next full meeting on 14 May, subject to approval.

Reform runs the county council as a minority administration, holding 25 of the 57 seats.

Amos attempted to become leader of the group last year but could not find enough support within the party.

He is known for being outspoken - including calling long-term sickness "an excuse for job evasion" and saying money for housing Ukrainian refugees should be spent on clearing litter.

Amos was a Conservative MP in Northumberland in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He later became a Labour councillor in London and Worcester and then rejoined the Conservatives in 2015, only to quit the Tories a second time before joining Reform last year.

He was part of the old county council Conservative leadership that the current Reform administration has consistently criticised since taking power.

Reform councillors have been told not to talk about the vote publicly, after being told it is an "internal party matter".

One told the BBC: "It's a secret ballot, so we won't be able to know who is voting for which candidate.

"I honestly don't know which way it is going to go, we'll have to just see what happens."

Reform has endured a difficult first year in power - with the council having to secure £59.9m in emergency government support to avoid effective bankruptcy.

It also whacked up council tax by almost 9% and had to draw up a multimillion-pound savings plan including withdrawing vacant job posts in areas like IT, finance and HR.

Amos and Monk did not respond to approaches from the BBC, while the county council said it was unable to comment.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.