Reform UK member ‘hasn’t been to any’ decision meetings, cabinet member says

A Reform UK councillor has been criticised for low attendance at a committee he is paid nearly £1,400 per year to attend.

Last week, Portsmouth City Council held its annual budget meeting, where councillors of all parties voted on the level of spending, and cuts, to be made to the 2026/27 budget.

(L-R) Russell Simpson, Derek North, George Madgwick, Chris Dike, Matthew Cordy

placeholder image — (L-R) Russell Simpson, Derek North, George Madgwick, Chris Dike, Matthew Cordy

Councillor Matthew Winnington, cabinet member for community wellbeing, health and care, defended changes to how domiciliary care services are funded after they were criticised by Reform UK.

Cllr Winnington said the reforms “haven’t come out of the blue”, reminding members there was a decision meeting on the topic in November last year.

He added that Cllr Chris Dike, Reform UK’s opposition spokesperson at the meeting, “wasn’t there” and “hasn’t been to any of my decision meetings in this municipal year”, including the briefings.

Cllr Dike, who represents Paulsgrove, defected to Reform UK from the Portsmouth Independent Party in October last year.

Since his appointment to the position in May last year, he has not attended any portfolio decision meetings or health and wellbeing boards.

In that time, he has attended 14 of the 27 meetings he was expected to attend, or 52 per cent. Since his term of office began in April 2023, that figure rises to 70 per cent.

Councillors receive a special responsibility allowance when appointed as a group spokesperson for a portfolio (£1,395), on top of their basic allowance (£13,949).

Labour councillor Graham Heaney added: “If members are unable to undertake the role for any reason they should relinquish it to another member of their group.

“It cannot be right that members take the special responsibility allowance but do not carry out the minimum requirements of the role.”

Currently, the Reform UK spokesperson for Cllr Winnington’s portfolio decision meetings is Lee Tindall, member for Cosham ward.

Cllr George Madgwick said: “Cllr Chris Dike is currently in QA hospital with heart failure and is due a triple bypass shortly. He’s in a very very bad way in his personal health life and has been suffering for several months. He tried to attend council on Wednesday and collapsed half way through a meeting and has been in hospital since. I wish Chris a speedy recovery and hope others do too.”