Calls for KCC leader to step down after party members lodge formal complaint
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands at least five members have sent grievances to the party’s head office
Kent’s Council leader is facing calls to resign after members of her own party filed formal complaints against her.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands at least five members have sent grievances to the party’s head office.
Council leader Linden Kemkaran is facing criticism following the leak of a council meeting video showing her swearing at another party member.
Cllr Kemkaran was heard raising her voice, threatening to mute one member asking for clarity about local government reorganisation policy.
In the footage, she tells colleagues: “You are just going to have to f** suck it up.”
The complaints were lodged with a regional Reform official, who passed them on to the party’s London HQ to be dealt with.
Seven Labour MPs in Kent had already formally expressed their concerns over KCC's leadership in a written letter this week.
Chatham and Aylesford MP, Tris Osbourne, is one of them:
"Reform responded to our letter saying we were talking irrelevancies and we shouldn't have even contributed.
"It now appears even Kent Reform councillors are saying that the culture is intimidatory, bullying, and unacceptable."
Following the leaking of the video, four councillors – Paul Thomas (Maidstone South), Oliver Bradshaw (Maidstone Central), Maxine Fothergill (Sevenoaks Rural North East) and Bill Barrett (Ashford Rural South) – had the Reform whip removed pending investigation.
Two deputy chief whips, councillors Sarah Emberson (Maidstone rural east) and Wayne Chapman (Tenterden) have been appointed in recent weeks to assist the chief whip Cllr Maxwell Harrison (Sheppey).
Tris Osbourne told Greatest Hits and Hits Radio:
"It is really clear it's absolute chaos. They are not focusing on the day job: fixing potholes, sorting out the SEND system, supporting residents with their issues. They are fighting like ferrets in a sack.
"It's our position that Linden Kemkaran needs to consider her position."
One of the Reform UK complainants told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“This comes down to the way backbenchers feel they have been treated and how they are not listened to. There is a culture and a leadership style among those at the very top that a significant proportion of those backbenchers are not happy with.
“The complaints went to head office to be dealt with. However, no one sees this as a head office problem; it’s a Kent problem. Pure and simple.”
Responding to questions about the unhappiness with the KCC leadership, a Reform UK spokesman said: “As standard, we don’t comment on internal complaints.”
We've contacted Kent County Council for comment.