Paul Bean - Councillor for Crook | Reform Watch
Profile and accountability tracker for Paul Bean, Councillor for Crook. Independent.
Role: Councillor for Crook
Party: Independent
Paul Bean remains a Durham county councillor for Crook and continues to attend council meetings. He was suspended and then expelled by Reform UK over alleged social media comments and became County Durham's first Advance UK councillor in January 2026. Durham's register still lists him under Advance UK, not aligned to any political group, following the party's dissolution, so his status update is pending. Sources: The Northern Echo; Durham County Council member record. Advance UK was deregistered on 10 July 2026, so no active Advance UK affiliation can exist; their council register entry has not yet been updated and they are listed here as Independent pending confirmation of any onward affiliation.
Recorded incidents (showing 1-1 of 1)
Paul Bean suspended by Reform UK over social media comments about asylum seekers
Category: social media conduct
Location: Durham
Paul Bean, a Reform UK councillor for Crook in Durham who also works as a civil servant processing asylum claims, was suspended by the party on 19 August 2025 pending an investigation into social media comments criticising asylum seekers. Campaigners said the comments breached civil service impartiality rules. He later joined Advance UK and is listed on the council website under that party or as not aligned to a group. Reform UK has not published the outcome of its investigation.