Reform UK is set to announce today that the dozen councils it controls have saved British taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds in just over six months. The party's Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, will present figures showing significant financial savings and a major push on infrastructure repairs.
Substantial Savings and a Shift in Policy
Richard Tice, who also heads the party's Trump-inspired Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), revealed that Reform-led local authorities have achieved savings totalling £331 million. This has been accomplished by ending what the party deems wasteful spending. A key source of these savings has been the abandonment of various green policies initiated by previous administrations.
In Kent and County Durham, the party claims it will save tens of millions by 'undeclaring' the climate emergency. The flagship Reform council in Kent expects to save £7.5 million by 2030 by scrapping its planned transition to an electric vehicle fleet. It has also cut councillors' allowances by 5% and cancelled the planned sale of County Hall, a move it says will save £14 million.
Elsewhere, in Staffordshire, the council saved more than £4 million by withdrawing from an electric car charging project and stopping the sale of agricultural land for eco-projects. Leicestershire reallocated £2 million originally intended for net zero plans to build flood defences instead.
Debt Reduction and Frontline Results
Beyond policy shifts, Reform councils have focused on core financial management. Kent is said to have saved £5.5 million by renegotiating its debts, saving £1,820 a day in interest payments alone. Similarly, Lincolnshire reduced council debt by £7 million and expects to save another £30 million by renegotiating a major IT contract.
Savings have also been found in operational areas. In Lancashire, councillors saved £1.7 million in IT and digital services, £850,000 by selling unused land, and £3 million by using minibuses instead of taxis for school transport for children with special educational needs.
Perhaps the most visible achievement for residents is the work on road repairs. All Reform-led councils have combined to fill a staggering 136,705 potholes since the May elections. Derbyshire led the way by repairing 28,000 potholes, eliminating a huge backlog and reducing vehicle damage complaints. Staffordshire has even acquired a specialised Pothole Pro machine from a local JCB factory to accelerate repairs.
Political Reactions and the Road Ahead
While celebrating these results, Mr Tice took aim at previous administrations, stating last night: 'Since May, Reform UK councillors have been getting on with the job of cleaning up the mess of past Tory administrations.' He added, 'This is only the start of our plans at local government level... Reform will fix broken Britain.'
However, the party's local government record has not been without controversy. Labour has accused Reform councils of descending into 'chaos and infighting', pointing to Kent where seven councillors were expelled after a leaked video of a heated meeting. A Labour spokesman countered: 'For all their talk about saving money, the story of Reform in local government has been one of promising big savings and council tax cuts, then failing to deliver, slashing frontline services and hiking council tax instead.'
Despite the criticism, Reform UK is positioning its local government performance as a blueprint for national change, with further plans expected to be outlined in the coming days.
