Cherwell Reform UK councillor says win shows demand for change

Paul Jeffreys, an engineer and former soldier, took 950 votes to Labour’s 701, unseating Andrew Drichton, who has held the ward since 2022.

Reform UK, who gained six seats on Cherwell District Council during this year’s election, with Liberal Democrats leading the no majority council.

Paul Jeffreys who gained a Reform UK seat in Banbury Hardwick over the former Labour Andrew Crichton (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Jeffreys aid he had “done a lot of research” and spent weeks leafleting and speaking to residents on their doorsteps.

He described campaigning as hard‑working but fair with candidates treating each other respectfully.

He said: “It’s been very fair and respectful. We haven’t done anything too untoward and when we met here we’ve all been very friendly.”

He argued that “not a lot has happened” under the previous Labour control in Banbury Hardwick and that people had turned to Reform UK because they were frustrated by a lack of progress on everyday issues.

READ MORE: Local elections 2026: Cherwell and West Oxfordshire results

Drawing on his professional background, he said he could “see what needs to be fixed” and could not understand why simple problems had been allowed to drag on, insisting the barriers were “not down to money” but to “time and resource”.

Mr Jeffreys pointed to waste and street cleaning as examples of what he wants to tackle first.

He said small changes, such as giving street staff better equipment and scrapping the requirement to book appointments at the tip, could make a big difference to how clean the area feels.