Lib Dems retain Royal Borough control as independent councillor joins

A senior independent councillor has joined the Liberal Democrats in a move which keeps the party’s Royal Borough majority intact.

The decision by cabinet member for highways Geoff Hill (Oldfield) preserves the party’s control of the council by a single vote, key to its decision-making.

It comes after the RBWM Lib Dem Group suspended Cllr Jack Douglas (St Mary’s), who is now listed on the borough's website as an independent and is no longer on the cabinet.

The party has been approached for comment on the decision.

Cllr Hill, formerly an independent councillor, said his move had been ‘precipitated by Jack Douglas’ suspension’.

He said joining the party would help ‘keep the majority, and keep the good work going’.

His defection means the Lib Dems still have 21 councillors – enough to retain overall control of the 41-seat council.

“I've been very close to the Lib Dems and work very well with them,” Cllr Hill told the Advertiser.

“I did sit down with Simon [Werner, the council leader] and he said, ‘look, you know, this is what’s going happen if you don’t come across, I’d really like you to join us,’ and I said, ‘yeah, ok’.

“He didn't really twist my arm or push me into it.”

Cllr Hill was a Conservative councillor until 2018, when he resigned after a falling out with then-leader Simon Dudley following the latter’s comments about ‘aggressive begging’ in Windsor.

He then joined The Borough First Independents (TBFI) and was elected to represent Oldfield in 2023 alongside TBFI councillor Helen Taylor.

Both councillors have since resigned from the group, which was set up as an organisation for elected representatives without ties to national political parties.

Asked whether siding with the Lib Dems was in contrast to the values of the TBFI platform which he had been elected on, Cllr Hill said: “I believe I am putting the public first because the Conservatives, in their recent history, made such an awful mess of the borough and have left us with more debt than we can reasonably handle.”

Cllr Hill has faced criticism online for moving between several political parties.

He added: “My view at the moment is keeping this cabinet partnership, because there's still [council cabinet member for finance] Lynne Jones, who is an independent.

“And I’m a pretty independent thinker, even though I’ll have a Lib Dem badge on me.

“I think we’re doing a better job than the Conservatives would do if they were in office and it’s better for the public [for me] to go this way.”

Cllr Taylor said on Saturday that she would not stand for re-election in the 2027 local elections.

In a video message on social media, she cited care demands and a potential need to live away from the Royal Borough.

“It’s been a pleasure for the time I’ve been in office,” she said.

RBWM Conservatives leader Councillor Sally Coneron (Ascot and Sunninghill) said it was ‘entirely reasonable’ for residents to question when councillors change party affiliation.

She added: “In the case of Cllr Geoff Hill joining the Liberal Democrats, residents are entitled to ask whether that change should be put back to the electorate.

“He has now represented Conservatives, Independents and Lib Dems since 2018.

“I don't think his residents can possibly know what he stands for, he doesn't know himself, so in this case I would strongly advocate for a by-election.”