DEVON’S Reform UK leader has issued a bid to launch a multi-party ‘shadow cabinet’ to “try something radically different”.

Councillor Michael Fife Cook (Reform UK, Yelverton Rural) has invited any councillor outside the ruling Liberal Democrat and Green Party coalition that leads Devon County Council to join to try and better organise the council’s opposition parties.

Nigel Farage, the national leader of Reform UK, recently dubbed his leadership team a ‘shadow cabinet’ even though the leader of the opposition and shadow roles are given to the largest party not in government, which is currently the Conservatives.

Cllr Fife Cook (Yelverton Rural), who has recently been selected to lead his party in Devon for a second year, invited councillors to form a shadow cabinet “based solely on meritocracy”.

“I would like to ask if you might be willing to help try something radically different,” Cllr Fife Cook wrote to Devon County Council’s non-Lib Dem and Green members.

“We are going to be forming a shadow cabinet, and I want to ask all of those with ability, who are not LibDem/Green, to join with us and form a united opposition, so that we might have more say in the way forward for Devon.

“If you feel you would like to be part of this non-political working relationship, hopefully in training to take the reins as soon as needed, and if you have the courage to really work together for the people of Devon, then please step forward.”

Councillor Paul Hayward, an independent member who represents Axminster, said while he was “flattered to be asked” he was unable to join.

“I simply don’t have enough time in my day with my own [parish] council-employed role, Devon Association of Local Councils, Local Government Association, as well as being a member at East Devon District Council and the county council to take on anything else.”

Another independent, Councillor Jess Bailey (Independent, Otter Valley) said she felt accepting such an invitation would be “difficult” because of her role leading a committee.

“I chair the health and adult care scrutiny committee, which performs a really important scrutiny role, so I don’t think I could be in a shadow cabinet,” she said.

“I try to keep whatever political views there are out of the committee to ensure it is effective, so I couldn’t join this.”

She acknowledged she understood Cllr Fife Cook’s motivation, but added that challenging an authority didn’t necessarily require a shadow cabinet.

Cllr Fife Cook said the recent local election results had “moved the goalposts” ahead of local government reorganisation, which is the process launched by government to overhaul local councils.

While no decision has been made yet, most of Devon’s existing councils are likely to be abolished and replaced by fewer but larger unitary councils, which are responsible for all services within their administrative boundary.

Cllr Fife Cook said while it wasn’t guaranteed that everyone who expressed interest could join, he wanted it to represent different parties and independents, “making use of those who have good knowledge, understanding and interest in the various subjects to be covered”.

He added there would be a “small group” choosing the shadow cabinet members that would do so “[without] favour or partisan alliance in any way”.

“This is our chance to show the public how councillors should work together in saving Devon and doing what we were all elected to do,” Cllr Fife Cook added.

While only Lib Dem and Green members are on Devon’s cabinet, the leaders of other parties are invited to cabinet meetings to have their say on decisions, and members can also support or oppose initiatives and proposals brought to the full council.

Scrutiny committees can also invoke a so-called ‘call-in’ of cabinet decisions, whereby they can raise further queries, but they do not have the power to overrule cabinet decisions.