North West Leicestershire Conservatives have announced their new team following the General Election - with a view to winning at next year's County Council vote.

The Conservative candidate, Craig Smith, narrowly lost out to Labour's Amanda Hack at July's election as former Tory, Andrew Bridgen, lost his seat.

A strong Reform vote may have damaged Tory hopes of holding the constituency - but now it is the 2025 elections that have focused the party.

Cllr Smith confirmed that the candidate selection process began this week. 

The local party's new officer team consists of:

• Honorary President - Gill Hoult

• Chairman - Keith Merrie MBE, County Councillor

• Deputy Chairman (Political) & Parliamentary Spokesman - Craig Smith, County Councillor

Keith Merrie MBE, Craig Smith and Kirat Sandhu remain part of the officer team. Photo: Supplied

• Deputy Chairman Membership - Andrew Woodman

• Association Secretary - Aimee Garner

• Volunteer Engagement Officer - Matt Smith

• Communications Officer - Kirat Sandhu 

• Data Protection Officer - Matt Groves

Image: Dreamstime.com

The North West Leicestershire Conservatives came under fire this week as ex-Coalville councillor, Elliott Allman, resigned from the party.

But a response read: "Both nationally and locally, the Conservative Party is a welcoming and inclusive organisation, as shown by the significant increase in new memberships we've seen in the past few months here in North West Leicestershire."