The leader of Ashfield District Council has said he is hopeful that the area's 'salt of the earth' population will re-elect his party despite a year in which one of his councillors was convicted and five others were arrested. The authority is just one of the district and borough councils across Nottinghamshire where full elections will be taking place next May.
Jason Zadrozny first led Ashfield District Council on behalf of the Liberal Democrats between 2007 and 2009. He then regained the position in 2018 after a vote of no confidence in the Labour administration running the authority at that time.
When taking up the role of leader again, he did so on behalf of the Ashfield Independents. In the party's first electoral test at the last elections for the authority in 2019, it won 30 seats, leaving the Conservative Party with three and Labour with just two.
Read more: New speed limit on key city centre road where pedestrians 'take a chance'
The party also went on to win every Ashfield seat on Nottinghamshire County Council during the last elections at that authority in 2021. But in 2022, the former deputy leader of Ashfield District Council was convicted on speeding and harrasment charges while six councillors, including Councillor Zadrozny himself, were arrested in November.
The six councillors were arrested on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and misconduct in public office, though all of them were later released under investigation and Nottinghamshire Police has provided no update since. But Cllr Tom Hollis, who was the deputy leader of Ashfield District Council at the time, faced calls to resign after his conviction at sentencing this year at Nottingham Magistrates' Court.
Hollis was found guilty of harassing a couple next door to his own home in lockdown and careless driving as he tore through the streets in his Range Rover. Cllr Zadrozny sacked Hollis from his deputy leader role, but he still serves in the council's cabinet as the lead member for council and social housing.
But when asked whether the Ashfield Independents need to rebuild trust following this year's events, Cllr Zadrozny said: "In terms of building trust, we do that every day, we don't turn up at the election and that's why I think we're so successful because we are genuinely there all year round trying to make things better. We've effectively dug a moat around Ashfield and said it's not just somebody else's turn to be in power, it's about what's best for your area.
"We took over in 2018 and then we had a year to prove ourselves and we won seats by massive margins. We're the only group on the county council that has every seat in a district.
"I wouldn't say [events like Hollis' conviction] don't matter because we take everything seriously, but because we're independents, we're not campaigning on elect the Ashfield Independents. We're saying in Underwood, elect David Martin, in Stanton Hill, elect Helen-Ann Smith, and each of those people go in on their record.
"Of course we work collaboratively as a team because that's how you get stuff done, but Tom will have to put himself forward in Huthwaite and see if the people elect him or not. But in all of those other seats I'll be saying what they've done and look what they're doing. Everybody has their own record to go on."
Cllr Zadrozny pointed to a recent election result in Hucknall as a sign that the Ashfield Independents were trusted by voters. A by-election took place in November following the passing of Cllr Jim Blagden in July and it saw the Ashfield Independents holding the seat, increasing their vote share by around 20%.
Turnout was very low though, at just 23.6% of the electorate, but Cllr Zadrozny says the result gives him confidence for May's elections. He said: "I think the real test came in Hucknall Central which was a very marginal seat in a town where public outcry has been stirred up. We were able to talk to people, sign to them what we have done and tell them what we are trying to do.
"There was an 18% swing to us in a marginal seat exactly a week to the day that we had all those arrests. I think that shows that the public of Ashfield are salt of the earth people who reward you if they think you are trying to do your best."
READ NEXT:
- Hidden underground Nottingham shop opens with a unique theme
- Cotgrave man launching 'make or break' businesses venture at closed Nottingham gym
Behind the scenes of the Nottingham greetings card company that started in a back bedroom in Colwick
Nottinghamshire recycling bank overflows with Christmas rubbish
'Unbelievable' car seen being driven in Nottinghamshire without a wheel
