'Change starts now' - Lib Dems confirm Shropshire Council's new leader after huge election win
The new leader of Shropshire Council has been confirmed as the Lib Dems make their choice to take on the top job.
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The party secured a stunning victory in last week's Shropshire Council elections, ousting the Conservatives who have led the authority for 16 years.
Councillor Heather Kidd has now been confirmed as the group's new leader - effectively making her the new leader of the council.
In the run-up to the election she had jointly held the post of Lib Dem leader with Councillor Roger Evans, who was also re-elected in Longden.
The party took 42 of the 74 seats available on the local authority, reducing the previous Conservative administration to the third largest party - behind Reform - with just seven seats.
Councillor Kidd is a long-standing representative for Chirbury and Worthen and a previous leader of South Shropshire District Council.
She is now set to be officially installed as the leader of Shropshire Council at its first post-election meeting on May 22.
Councillor Kidd secured the largest vote of any councillor up for election in Britain last Thursday (May 1), taking 71 per cent of the vote.
She has previously received an MBE for services to rural communities and has a record fighting for residents across Shropshire on issues from NHS access to the state of rural roads.
Councillor Alex Wagner, a previous Parliamentary candidate for Shrewsbury who represents Quarry and Coton Hill, has also been elected as the Lib Dems' deputy leader – and will take on the role of deputy leader of Shropshire Council.
Councillor Wagner has been a prominent campaigner in the Shrewsbury area for several years, and was instrumental in setting up the campaigning machine for Helen Morgan MP after she won the North Shropshire by-election in 2021.
He is also the incoming mayor of Shrewsbury.
In a statement the new administration said to ‘watch this space’ ahead of cabinet and committee appointments for the coming term.
The group has spoken of ambitions for a 'bold' reforming agenda, with aims to deliver fundamental changes in the way Shropshire Council works, alongside a ‘devolution agenda’ for the delivery of services.
Councillor Kidd said: “The Liberal Democrats are determined to deliver a bold, ambitious and reforming agenda for Shropshire. I’m honoured to have been elected as leader and can’t wait to get started on delivering the change that people have voted for.
“Shropshire Council cannot go on as it has been. The organisation has to be more transparent, more efficient, and more positive about working with others – residents, businesses, town and parish councils and all sorts of voluntary organisations. We have to make people’s money work better.
“Change starts now.”
