Ten Ashfield Independent councillors have resigned from the party this week in the aftermath of their former leader's conviction on fraud and tax evasion charges. According to BBC News, Jason Zadrozny was found guilty of nine counts of fraud and four counts of tax evasion, and the departures have left the party on the brink of losing control of the council.
Zadrozny, 46, had been accused of establishing a fraudulent heritage organisation to extract money from Nottinghamshire County Council. The Crown Prosecution Service said he dishonestly secured £6,200 through grants from councillors' discretionary funds for the non-existent Ashfield Heritage Society, which was purportedly created to maintain local war memorials. He was also alleged to have evaded tax on income from four rental properties. Following his conviction last month, he stepped down as leader of Ashfield District Council but was subsequently appointed to the authority's planning committee.
The exodus of councillors reflects deep discontent within the party over both the conviction and the decision to place Zadrozny on the planning committee without consulting the broader membership. As of Thursday, 13 councillors are sitting as non-aligned independents, while 18 Ashfield Independents remain, leaving the party with a majority of just one.
Among those departing the party is John Wilmott, a cabinet member who also represents Hucknall North on the Nottinghamshire county council, and Dale Grounds, the council chairman. Two other councillors, Warren Nuttall and Kier Barsby, had already quit the group before this week's resignations.
Why did councillors cite integrity concerns?
Councillors who left the party emphasised that the appointment to the planning committee crossed a line they could not accept. Matt Relf, executive lead member for growth, regeneration and local planning, described the decision as pushing the group beyond what its principles could tolerate.
The understandable controversy around Jason's conviction and the choices he made that led to that have upset and surprised a lot of people in the group. With the election of a new leader we hoped that would put everything behind us, but unfortunately the decision to appoint Jason back on to the planning committee was just a step too far. That decision was made with no consultation with the broader group. To stay true to our principles of integrity and democratic accountability I was left with no option but to leave, and I think others have reached the same conclusion.
Lee Waters, a Hucknall Central councillor who also quit this week, framed his departure as part of a broader reflection on his role.
Throughout my time as a councillor, my priority has been to listen to residents, address their concerns and work hard on the issues that matter to our community. That remains unchanged. I will continue carrying out my council responsibilities and dealing with ongoing casework with the same commitment and dedication as always.Waters said his decision
follows a period of reflection, and I believe the time is right to move on.
Four additional councillors—Lee Waters, Dave Shaw, Sarah Lewsey and Christopher Huskinson—were confirmed as leaving the Ashfield Independents on 21 October, all taking non-aligned independent status.
What is the current state of the council?
Samantha Deakin has assumed the role of council leader following Zadrozny's resignation, but she has declined to be interviewed by the BBC about the recent developments. The party's narrow majority means that any further departures could result in the loss of control of the council. The council's political-balance rules entitled the three non-aligned independents to one planning-committee seat; Zadrozny receives no additional allowance for serving on it.
What happens next?
Zadrozny is due to be sentenced on 27 November; reporting indicates that a prison sentence of three months or more would disqualify him from serving as a councillor. The outcome of his sentencing could have significant implications for his continued presence on the planning committee and his status as a councillor.
