Councillor who said role 'dull and boring' resigns

A Reform UK county councillor in Staffordshire who sparked a council complaints inquiry has resigned, triggering a by-election.

Barry Martin, who represented the Stretton and Horninglow division, told the BBC he had stood down because of physical health issues.

In November, two complaints against Martin were upheld in a standards panel meeting, with the panel due to meet again next week. He was one of 49 Reform councillors elected in May 2025, as the party swept to power at Staffordshire County Council.

The complaints relate to his conduct and social media activity. Reform UK has not responded to the BBC's request for comment.

According to the county council website, Martin has not attended any council meetings in 2026.

The authority confirmed his resignation and said a by-election would be held in due course.

Reform council leader Martin Murray also said Martin had stood down because of "physical medical issues" and wished him a "speedy recovery".

In one of Martin's posts on his Facebook page shortly after the first full council meeting of the new administration, he described the job of a councillor as "so dull and boring", further saying that "Barry doesn't do dull and boring".

In the same post he also wrote "do I really wanna do this?" saying the role involved "endless boring meetings" and "the pay is so poor for all u do".

For the Conservative opposition on the council however, Martin's resignation was overdue.

Its leader Philip White said: "His constant stream of bizarre social media posts and breaches of council standards for bad behaviour towards residents have left people in Horninglow and Stretton without a representative they can trust to deal with their issues."

Elaine Pritchard, former chair of Stretton Parish Council, said she had made complaints about Martin's conduct on the basis she felt the people in his ward "had not had the representation they deserve".

On the news of his resignation, Pritchard said she was "sad things had turned out like this".

The standards panel investigating the complaints was due to meet again next Tuesday, but this has now been cancelled.

The by-election will be the second to take place since Reform took over at the county council, last year.

Reform member Wayne Titley triggered the first when he stood down, citing it was for personal reasons.

His resignation also came after he published social media posts that suggested the Royal Navy should shoot at small boats carrying migrants.

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