Ben Bradley considers trying again to become a mayor - in Lincolnshire

Ben Bradley leads Nottinghamshire County Council and previously tried to become the first East Midlands Mayor

Ben Bradley is again considering entering the race to become an elected mayor but this time in Greater Lincolnshire. Nottinghamshire Live understands no firm decision has been made either way but that Councillor Bradley has submitted an application to be the Conservative candidate, just in time to meet the party's nomination deadline.

It is not yet clear what the campaign would mean for Councillor Bradley's role as Nottinghamshire County Council leader, which he is set to hold until May 2025. Councillor Bradley previously stood unsuccessfully in the first ever East Midlands Mayoral election, which ended in victory for Labour's Claire Ward back in May 2024.

The East Midlands Mayor heads up the East Midlands Combined County Authority - an organisation being given billions of pounds by the central government to make decisions on matters previously decided in Westminster. A similar organisation is now in the works for Greater Lincolnshire and the first election for a mayor to head up that authority is set to take place in May 2025.

Ahead of that date, parties are now choosing who they want to put forward as their candidate. For the Conservative Party, former Lincoln MP Karl McCartney and former Boston and Skegness MP Matt Warman have both said publicly that they want to be the candidate.

Multiple sources have now told Nottinghamshire Live that Ben Bradley may join the race to become the Conservative candidate, having submitted his application on Tuesday (October 1). Councillor Bradley has led the Conservative-run Nottinghamshire County Council since 2021, having previously done that job alongside his role as Mansfield's MP.

Councillor Bradley then lost his Mansfield seat at the July general election, having represented the area since 2017. The mayoral election and general election results left Councillor Bradley with his county council role as his only job.

Councillor Francis Purdue-Horan, a spokesperson for the Nottinghamshire County Independent Group, reacted to the reports by saying: "While we wish Councillor Bradley the best of luck in his pursuit of a new role in Lincolnshire, the Nottinghamshire County Independent Group's focus remains solely on Nottinghamshire, just as it has always been. Our commitment to serving the people of Nottinghamshire is unwavering. The independent group stands ready to lead the county council.

"The reality is that there is no one left on the Conservative front benches in Nottinghamshire who is either fit or trusted to do the job. Nottinghamshire needs fresh leadership, and we are prepared to deliver that for the residents we are proud to serve."

The most recent figures show that Councillor Bradley received £55,233 last year for being both a standard county councillor and the leader of the council. Nigel Farage confirmed that Reform UK will be putting up a candidate for the Lincolnshire mayoral race. The other parties will set out their plans in due course.

No confirmation has come from Councillor Bradley, who has few obvious links to Lincolnshire, though it is understood he lives close to the county's border. The Greater Lincolnshire Mayor would be elected on a four-year basis and it is not yet clear how much they will be paid, but the East Midlands Mayor receives an annual salary of £93,000.