Ashfield Independents
Ashfield Independents | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Helen Smith |
| Treasurer | Thomas Hollis |
| Nominating Officer | Jason Zadrozny |
| Founded | 28 July 2016 |
| Headquarters | 84–86 Outram Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 4FS |
| Ashfield District Council[1] | 32 / 35 |
| Nottinghamshire County Council | 1 / 66 |
| Councils Controlled | 1 / 317
|
| Website | |
| ashfieldindependents.org | |
The Ashfield Independents are a political party in the Ashfield District in Nottinghamshire, England.
Electoral history
[edit]In 2017, the Ashfield Independents stood candidates in the Nottinghamshire County Council elections. They won five seats.[2]
A month later, Gail Turner ran for the party in the 2017 general election and gained 9.2% of the vote with 4,612 votes, receiving the second-highest vote share of an independent candidate in England; however, Labour retained the seat.[3]
The party won two by-elections to Ashfield District Council in 2017 and 2018 in the Hucknall North[4] and Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood wards.[5]
In 2019, the party stood candidates across Ashfield District Council and won 30 of the 35 seats, taking overall control of the authority.[6] The party also stood candidates in the neighbouring Broxtowe Borough Council, winning a single seat.[7] In addition the party won control of Annesley and Felley Parish Council.
In July 2019, party leader Jason Zadrozny announced that he would be a candidate for the Ashfield constituency when the next general election was held.[8] The election came in December 2019 and Zadrozny came second with 27.6% of the vote.
In the 2021 local elections across the UK, the party won an increased 11 seats on Nottinghamshire County Council, winning every seat in the Ashfield District.[9]
in the 2023 Ashfield District Council election, the party increased their majority by two seats on the Ashfield District Council, taking a seat each off of the Tories and Labour, for a total seat count of 32.[10][11]
In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, Zadrozny again ran in the Ashfield constituency and came third with a reduced vote share of 15.7%.[12]
Elected councillors
[edit]Ashfield District Council
[edit]There are 35 councillors in the Ashfield District Council, 32 of whom are members of the Ashfield Independents, as of 10 May 2025.[1] Councillor Dave Hennigan was elected in 2019 as an Ashfield Independent, but was expelled in May 2020 after disagreements with the rest of the party.[13]
| Councillor | Ward |
|---|---|
| John Baird | Summit |
| Kier Barsby | St Mary's |
| Jim Blagden | Hucknall Central |
| Christian Chapman | Jacksdale |
| Samantha Deakin | Central & New Cross |
| Dale Grounds | Kingsway |
| Arnie Hankin | Selston |
| Andrew Harding | Huthwaite & Brierley |
| Tom Hollis | Huthwaite & Brierley |
| Trevor Locke | Hucknall Central |
| Rachel Madden | Kirkby Woodhouse |
| Sarah Madigan | Leamington |
| Andy Meakin | Abbey Hill |
| Warren Nuttall | Summit |
| Matthew Relf | Sutton Junction & Harlow Wood |
| Dave Shaw | Hucknall North |
| John Smallridge | Carsic |
| Helen-Ann Smith | Stanton Hill & Teversal |
| David Walters | Ashfields |
| Lee Waters | Hucknall North |
| Caroline Wilkinson | The Dales |
| Daniel Williamson | Kirkby Cross & Portland |
| John Wilmott | Hucknall North |
| Jason Zadrozny | Larwood |
Broxtowe Borough Council
[edit]There was one councillor on Broxtowe Borough Council who is a member of the Ashfield Independents:[14]
| Councillor | Ward |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth Williamson | Brinsley |
Nottinghamshire County Council
[edit]As of the 2025 County Council elections, the Ashfield Independents have just one 1 councillor on Nottinghamshire County Council (John Wilmott, Hucknall North), down from 10.[15][16]
United Kingdom House of Commons elections
[edit]| Election | Candidate | Total votes | % | % in contest seat | Place in Ashfield | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Roy Adkins | 2,292 | 0.0% | 5.5% | 4th | |
| 2017 | Gail Turner | 4,612 | 0.0% | 9.2% | 3rd | |
| 2019 | Jason Zadrozny | 13,498 | 0.1% | 27.6% | 2nd | |
| 2024 | Jason Zadrozny | 6,276 | 0.0% | 15.7% | 3rd | |
Charges of fraud, election offences and misconduct in public office
[edit]In November 2022, Zadrozny and five other Ashfield Independent Councillors were arrested for fraud, election offences, money laundering and misconduct in public office.[17]
On 23 June 2023, Zadrozny was charged with 22 offences including 12 counts of fraud by false representation, five counts of money laundering, four counts of tax evasion, and possession of cocaine.[18]
The fraud by false representation charges relate to the alleged misuse of Nottinghamshire County Council funds between 14 February 2018 and 16 February 2021.[19]
As part of the same investigation, Tom Hollis was charged with two offences for allegedly failing to declare his disclosable pecuniary interest in a property, between 30 May 2019 and 10 September 2021.[19] A spokesperson for the Ashfield Independents said both Zadrozny and Hollis "absolutely deny" the charges and "look forward to clearing their name".[18] Hollis subsequently pleaded guilty.[20]
David Martin was amongst the Councillors arrested in November 2022. Whilst Martin was not charged in relation to the offences he was initially arrested for, he was charged with assaulting a police officer during his arrest. Martin chose to have his case heard in front of a jury at Crown Court. He initially pleaded not guilty at a pre-trial hearing, but changed his plea to guilty on 24 September 2024.[21][22]
In 2017, Zadrozny appeared before Nottingham Crown Court charged with child sex allegations. The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence and the charges were dismissed.[23]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections emails". opencouncildata.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Council, Nottinghamshire County. "Election Results 2017". Nottinghamshire County Council Elections 2017. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "Ashfield parliamentary constituency - Election 2017". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- ^ "Election results for Hucknall North, 12 October 2017". democracy.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. 12 October 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "Election results for Sutton Junction and Harlow Wood, 12 December 2018". democracy.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. 12 December 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "Election results by party, 2 May 2019". democracy.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. 2 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "Borough Election 2019 : Broxtowe Borough Council". www.broxtowe.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ Sandeman, Kit (5 July 2019). "Ashfield Independents leader to stand in the next general election". nottinghampost.
- ^ "Election Results 2021". Nottinghamshire County Council. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- ^ "Ashfield result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ Pridmore, Oliver (5 May 2023). "Ashfield Independents secure bigger majority after local elections". NottinghamshireLive. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ "Ashfield - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ Sandeman, Kit (27 May 2020). "Senior councillor removed from Ashfield Independents". nottinghampost. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
- ^ "Election of Borough Councillors 2019-2023" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "Contact a councillor - Ashfield Independents". Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/ashfield-independents-wiped-out-reform-10152117
- ^ "Ashfield District Council leader and five other councillors arrested". BBC News. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ a b Pridmore, Oliver (23 June 2023). "Council leader unwilling to speak as he's charged with 22 offences". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Pair summonsed to court to face charges following police investigation". Nottinghamshire Police. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Naylor, Martin (5 February 2024). "Cllr Tom Hollis fined for not declaring interest in £160,000 house". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Cunningham, Tim (17 May 2023). "Selston councillor faces Crown Court trial on police assault charge". Chad. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ Naylor, Martin (24 September 2024). "Councillor told to pay £5 blasts 'waste of money' decision to prosecute him". Nottinghamshire Live. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "Nottinghamshire councillor Jason Zadrozny's child sex case thrown out". BBC News. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2024.