Today marks a 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 for Reform UK in West Sussex — the 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗨𝗞 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 presented at County Hall has been debated and 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 by councillors of all parties.

The motion, proposed by Cllr Dr Paul Linehan, called for stronger action on the growing issue of shoplifting — a crime that now accounts for almost 12% of all offences in West Sussex.

While the Tories unfortunately chose to 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 the motion by calling residents’ concerns about poor police response merely “perceived”, and to commend the Police and Crime Commissioner despite rising crime figures, Reform UK 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺 in representing the real experiences of residents and businesses across our county.

Despite the Tories slight amendment, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁, and the vote saw 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 — a clear sign that 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗨𝗞 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻-𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

Congratulations to 𝗖𝗹𝗹𝗿 𝗗𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗻 for bringing forward this important motion and making Reform UK history in West Sussex!