Reform UK councillor in West Sussex comments branded "repulsive"

A ‘repulsive’ suggestion from a Reform UK councillor that West Sussex County Council should get rid of its diversity staff has been firmly closed down.

The amendment to the 2025/26 budget was made by Gary Markwell (Arundel & Courtwick) during a meeting of the full council on Friday (February 14).

But it was given short shrift from all sides of the chamber, being branded ‘repugnant’, ‘Trump-like’ and ‘illiterate’.

Mr Markwell’s proposal was to drop the three Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (DEI) staff – he said they were ‘unnecessary, they add layers of bureaucracy and they do not provide a service that residents need’ – and take on an extra four special educational needs caseworkers.

He said the move would save the council £48,000.

While the idea of extra caseworkers would no doubt be appealing, the loss of the DEI staff would be too high a price – even if it was one which the council was willing to pay. And councillor after councillor made it very clear that it was not.

Dawn Smith (Lab, Broadwater) was trembling with anger, repeatedly calming herself, as she pointed out that the children the amendment claimed to help would need DEI as they hit adulthood.

Mrs Smith, whose children all have additional needs, said: “Inclusion is something they are going to need support with their entire lives.”

She called the amendment ‘offensive’ and ‘gutter politics’, adding: “I honestly cannot for a moment buy into this as being anything other than a cynical ploy to play on the vulnerable – which is something Reform is really good at. They like to play on people’s vulnerabilities.” 

She told Mr Markwell: “There is just no room for this politics of hate in this chamber.”

Referring to his entire group of four – all of whom defected from the Tories – she added: “Not one of you was democratically elected on the seat that you’re sitting in – that needs pointing out, too. Get in the bin.”

Donna Johnson (Green & Independent Alliance, Selsey) acknowledged the need for some ‘shoring up’ of the special educational needs process.

But she said: “DEI staff are vital in fostering a culture where all individuals, regardless of background, feel valued and supported. They play a key role in addressing systemic biases, promoting equal opportunities and ensuring that diverse voices are heard.”   

Sujan Wickmerachi (Con, Haywards Heath Town) said he was appalled by the amendment, adding: “I’ve been in this country for 45 years and I’ve never heard anything like this in the council chamber.”

Mr Markwell said DEI needs were already covered by the Equality Act 2010, adding: “There is no need for dedicated, taxpayer funded roles to enforce what should already be embedded in our working culture. 

“So we have to ask what measurable outcomes do these roles deliver? Unlike essential council services where performance can be tracked and improved based on real word impact, DEI roles operate in a vague and unquantifiable space.”

But Steve Waight (Con, Goring) explained that, not only did the DEI team improve the ‘representative and diverse workforce’, but they made sure the council didn’t end up in court should something go wrong with one of the dozens of legislations covered in the Equality Act.

Such a date in court could cost the council hundreds of thousands of pounds.