Decisions taken at Staffordshire County Council shape services used by people in Stone and across the borough, from roads and transport to education and social care.
On Thursday 26 March, the authority appointed a new permanent leader, but the meeting was again overshadowed by rows over controversy that has engulfed the council in recent months.
Staffordshire County Council has appointed a new leader, with opposition councillors calling on him to deal with the “scandal” that has affected the authority in recent months.
Martin Murray, who has been acting leader since December, had his position made permanent at an extraordinary full council meeting on Thursday 26 March.
Former county council leader Ian Cooper was expelled from Reform UK last year after he failed to disclose a social media account and faced allegations over racist social media posts. He now sits as an independent member of the council.
Councillor Chris Large was due to succeed him as the authority’s new leader earlier this year, but stood down just days after the announcement following a family bereavement. He had previously hit the headlines after allegations that a TikTok account bearing his name made or endorsed racist comments. He said he had not been personally responsible for the activity, which he condemned, and that a large number of people had access to the account.
Councillor Peter Mason, who remains a member of the Reform UK cabinet, has also hit the headlines for controversial social media posts about women and black people made before he was elected to the authority. He apologised in November for his “choice of words” in posts made in 2023 and 2024.
Protesters were present outside County Buildings on Thursday, calling for Councillors Cooper, Large and Mason to resign. Councillor Mason’s position was also referred to inside the council chamber during the meeting.
Reform UK members voted in favour of Councillor Murray’s appointment as leader, with deputy leader Hayley Coles nominating him and fellow cabinet member Sean Bagguley seconding the motion. But the five Conservative members present at Thursday’s meeting did not support the move, while Green Party member Jack Rose and Stafford Borough Independent Jill Hood abstained.
Councillor Hood said she hoped all members could sincerely work together following Councillor Murray’s appointment. In recent months, full council meetings have seen heated exchanges between members, as well as protesters interrupting proceedings in December. Security staff were present in the chamber on Thursday, and members of the press and public were required to use a separate entrance to County Buildings.
Councillor Hood said:
“It’s the most enormous strain coming to these meetings and wondering what is going to be said, the laughter, the disrespectful clapping. Please can we stop it and act like Staffordshire County Councillors.
“We cannot be united politically, but we can become friends down the road. I’m not going to vote for you Councillor Murray and for that I sincerely apologise.
“I believe your first duty when you are elected should be to remove Councillor Mason as quickly as you can. I will say good luck for the future and I wish you well.”
Conservative members congratulated Councillor Murray on his appointment, but questioned why it did not take place at the previous full council meeting.
Opposition group leader Councillor Philip White said:
“I can’t say I’m pleased to see you, only two weeks after our last council meeting. It’s a great shame we’ve had to go to the time, trouble and expense of holding this meeting today when it could have been dealt with two weeks ago.
“I’m afraid on this side of the chamber we won’t be able to vote for you. You have been part of the leadership of this council since your election in May, first as deputy leader, then as acting leader of the council since December.
“During that time we have been in utter chaos with rolling scandals. You have not done a single thing since December to deal with the scandals that have rocked this council, particularly around racism.
“I heard your interview at the weekend where you said you will come down hard on racists within this council, yet you also said that we need to move on from the Peter Mason scandal. I ask you today, how are those two things compatible?
“We would all like to move on in this council, yet we cannot do so whilst these issues remain. You have an opportunity to put these things right, so I call on you today to do that.”
Councillor Murray said he did not wish to respond to Councillor White’s comments “in any way”. Following his appointment, he thanked members for their “huge vote of confidence” in him and the work they had been doing in their communities.
He added:
“I am truly honoured to lead this county council in these amazing chambers. I am very proud but also slightly sad that I will be the last leader of this county council, before it is replaced by a new unitary authority system in 2028.
“Today is not only about leadership, it’s about stability and getting the job done. It is about working together, not only as a group but as a county and as a country.
“At the onset of LGR, local government reorganisation, this has never been more important. And with devolution coming this gives us great opportunity, it gives Staffordshire a voice and I hope it brings the great city of Stoke-on-Trent back into this county, to make this county whole once again.
“Then we can get on with the job, making Staffordshire the beating heart of our country. I thank you all once again for putting your faith in me, now let’s get on with the job.”
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