21 May 2025
The St Albans branch of Reform UK is looking optimistically towards the future in the wake of their successful polling in the recent county council elections.
Although they did not secure any seats, the party came second in the divisions of St Albans East, North and South and St Stephen’s, beating the Conservatives in each.
Eleanor Jackson, interim chair of St Albans Constituency Reform UK Branch Party, said they were incredibly proud of how strongly Reform UK performed in those areas.
“It’s also worth noting the small margin between first and
third place in London Colney, with just 298 votes separating the two. We believe this reflects a growing appetite for real change and a rejection of the tired politics offered by other parties at both local and national levels.
“St Albans North and St Stephen’s have longstanding grievances regarding irresponsible planned developments on Green Belt land and pluvial flood zones, which will impact the character of the surrounding areas as well as strain the capacity of existing infrastructure. It’s likely that this persuaded residents to vote for an alternative at the ballot box.
“We will continue to engage with residents across St Albans to grow support and raise awareness to issues that directly impact them.”
She revealed some of the key issues discussed on the doorsteps during canvassing: “It was clear that residents are increasingly frustrated with the continuous price rises and poor returns on their council tax.
“Many expressed dissatisfaction with the provision of services, including road repairs and general upkeep of grass verges, as well as the increase in fly-tipping incidents in certain parts of St Albans. There were repeat concerns regarding women’s safety, which is reinforced by the ‘Violence and Sexual Offences’ statistics for St Albans that can be found on the www.Police.Uk website as well as the recent sexual assault incident in Verulamium Park in broad daylight last month. Overall, there was a consensus that there is a disconnect between the council and its residents, with many feeling councillors are more focussed on vanity projects rather than what residents really need.”
What are the party’s key policies locally?
“Prioritising public safety, restoring local control over planning decisions, cutting waste and increasing efficiency of services by reviewing the allocation of spending within the council, freezing council tax rates, improving transparency between the council and its residents, and protecting the Green Belt.
“Any developments should be appropriate for local demand and the Green Belt should not be readily sacrificed to make amends for failed national policies.”
Reform’s performance in the General Election locally wasn’t very strong – why does she think the tide has turned in their favour? Is it merely a reaction against the performance of the Labour Government?
“It is evident that since the General Election, the political tide has turned. Since then, national support has soared following Government failures, we have officially formed a local branch party, stood a full slate of candidates in the county council elections, and have raised our profile in the community. The electorate is increasingly disillusioned with career politicians and broken promises.
“Reform UK is growing rapidly across St Albans, and we will be putting forward strong local voices to contribute to national conversations from a grassroots level. Reform
UK offers a clear alternative – common-sense policies, accountability, and a fresh voice that genuinely reflects the concerns of local people.
“Residents are waking up to the fact that the Lib Dems’ dominance in the area has relied heavily on a well-oiled ground campaign supported by targeted data and not necessarily on delivering meaningful change. Reform intends to stand candidates and campaign robustly for all future district council by-elections and elections.”
