A new Reform councillor joked he would start holding public surgeries ‘when his stab proof vest had arrived’.
Cllr Bob Jones, cabinet member for environment and enforcement at Sandwell Council, made the remark in an e-mail after a request for more information on the newly elected councillor.
The cabinet portfolio includes services ensuring public protection and community safety.
David Fisher, the former leader of Sandwell Conservatives and councillor for Charlemont with Grove Vale, said he had e-mailed the three newly elected Reform councillors as a resident to ask for more information on their priorities and plans to hold surgeries.
In an email to the councillors, which includes Reform council leader Ray Nock, Bob Jones and Rachael Mitchell, Mr Fisher said: “May I first congratulate you on your election victory.
“I would just like to know if you have any other means of interaction with your constituency residents of Charlemont and Grove Vale with me being one of them!
“I know you have generic councillor emails as standard but do you have social media profiles that we can follow, Facebook, X, TikTok etc with news alerts, updates on things you are doing and issues you have reported in the ward.
“I would also like to know what are your priorities in Charlemont and Grove Vale and where you plan to hold Cllr surgeries?”
To which Cllr Jones replied: “Thank you for your email Mr Fisher.
“If you do have any issues regarding Charlemont and Grove Vale, I am sure with your experience and knowledge of the job you would know exactly who to go to get the answers first hand, however all the information that our residents will need to get the help will be published soon, as soon as my stab vest arrives I can make progress.”
Cllr Jones was elected for four years in last month’s local elections in Sandwell where Reform UK swooped to power and threw Labour out of control for the first time since 1979.
Mr Fisher was elected to represent the Charlemont and Grove ward in 2021 but lost his seat in 2024.
The former councillor came under fire for a series of offensive social media posts where he questioned white representation in the NHS and pledged to boycott a KFC branch in Wednesbury over its decision to not serve bacon.
Mr Fisher resigned as a result of the resurfaced posts but he was re-instated by party members just five months later before losing his seat in 2024.
He then stood for the Conservatives in the ward in May in a bid to regain the seat but was unsuccessful.
Cllr Jones received 1,499 votes in May’s local elections – more than 600 votes in front of Mr Fisher.
Sandwell Council has been approached for comment.
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