Reform MS denied constituency office in town council building

Emily Price 

A Reform UK Senedd Member’s request to establish a constituency office in a town council-owned building has been refused.

Usk Town Council meeting papers show that Sir Fynwy Torfaen MS Laura Anne Jones submitted a question in early July on whether she could rent an office space at Sessions House in Usk.

The former Victorian courthouse is owned by Usk Town Council and functions as its main town hall.

Parts of the building recently underwent a redecoration and refresh project meaning some areas of the building have become available to rent as office premises.

Session’s House Committee papers show that on July 8, Ms Jones’ office rental request was discussed by councillors.

The Reform UK politician’s aunt, Councillor Kay Peacock, is Usk’s Mayor and was therefore forced to declare an interest because any decision on the office space request would directly affect a member of her family.

Committee papers show that a week after Ms Jones submitted her request, Usk Town Council declined it, stating that “no political parties” would be eligible to apply to rent office space in the town hall building.

A political insider told Nation.Cymru there was pushback from some councillors who had concerns it would “look dodgy” given Ms Jones’ family links to Usk’s mayor.

Another Usk Town Council source said: “The decision was made collectively by the Town Council.

“Members felt that allowing a Member of the Senedd to operate an office from a town council building could be perceived as compromising the council’s political neutrality.

“It was therefore agreed that no political party should be offered office space within council premises, ensuring that the council remains impartial and avoids any potential conflict of interest.”

Ms Jones defected from the Welsh Conservatives to Reform UK in 2025 at a special press conference hosted by party leader Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show.

The transition made her Reform’s first-ever Member of the Senedd.

Ms Jones’ represented the party for only a few months before she was formally suspended from the Senedd for 14 days and her pay docked after leaked WhatsApp messages showed she had made a racial slur against Chinese people.

She was re-elected to the Senedd on May 7 and shortly after winning her seat, Reform’s leader in Wales Dan Thomas appointed her as the shadow cabinet minister for food, farming and rural affairs.

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