A Nottinghamshire councillor has been expelled from the Conservative Party following a disciplinary process. Councillor Nigel Turner, who represents Worksop South on Nottinghamshire County Council, has had the Conservative whip removed after a complaint was received by the Conservative Party’s central office.
He continues to sit on the authority as an unaligned independent councillor. A senior Conservative at County Hall has confirmed internal disciplinary procedures led to Cllr Turner being expelled by the national Conservative Party, without providing details of the nature of the complaint against him.
Cllr Turner also been removed from the Conservative Group and will “no longer be part of the administration” at Nottinghamshire County Council. Councillor Chris Barnfather is the Conservative business manager at County Hall.
He said: “A complaint was received by Conservative Central Office which led to disciplinary procedures being initiated and which has now resulted in the expulsion of Councillor Nigel Turner from the Conservative Party. Acting in accordance with the Conservative Party’s constitution, I have now removed the whip from Cllr Turner, he will no longer be part of the administration at County Hall and will now sit as a non-aligned independent member in the chamber. I can confirm that the complaints do not in any way relate to his performance or role as an elected member since May 2021.”
Cllr Turner was first elected almost exactly a year ago after unseating former Labour councillor Kevin Greaves by a 270-vote margin. He currently sits on the council’s transport and environment committee and health and wellbeing board, and is listed as a vice-chairman for the authority’s health scrutiny committee. He was previously vice-chairman of the authority’s adult social care and public health committee until January 2022.
Council documents to be approved at the full council meeting next week confirm Cllr Turner will sit as an independent, whilst his online contact page on the authority’s website also now confirms his independent status. Cllr Turner did not respond to requests for comment from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
