William Nunn elected to Norfolk County Council for Swaffham

William Nunn, a former Breckland leader and county councillor, has been elected to County Hall in a by-election. 

The Conservative member will represent Swaffham, having previously sat on the county council covering the Guiltcross area from 2009 to 2013. 

William Nunn in 2013 (Image: Ian Burt/Newsquest)

He lost his seat after local party members forced him out, declining to reselect him as their candidate. 

In 2012, he said: “I can't say I always had a passion for the county council because it's almost too global for me, whereas at a district you are genuinely at the coal face.” 

READ MORE: Norfolk and Waveney council election results 2023

READ MORE: Breckland council leader stands down day after local elections

In regard to his passion for the role, Mr Nunn has said he will have to reflect on it in a year’s time. 

He said: “I think district councils are the shop keepers, they have a broader engagement with the community. 

“I recognise that the county council has the big roles, like adult social care and children's services, but if devolution is happening it should go down more to the districts, with more joined up working between the county and the districts."

Norfolk County Council (Image: George Thompons, LDR)

While describing himself as "very pro-devolution" he said he was "nervous" about the government's current offer, which would see the council get a directly elected leader.

However, he believed the new leader at County Hall, Kay Mason Billig, would work for a better deal.

Mr Nunn is also a Breckland councillor and served as the leader of the authority from 2016 until 2019. 

The by-election was held last Thursday after Conservative councillor Ed Colman resigned after six years of representing the ward. 

Mr Nunn was elected with 1,288 votes, almost double his nearest rival, Labour’s Terry Land, who received 649.