Nigel Farage, the Member of Parliament for Clacton and leader of Reform UK, has pledged to transform local government spending if his party secures control of councils in the upcoming elections on 1 May. Speaking to The Sun during his campaign, Farage criticised what he described as wasteful expenditures by local authorities and outlined plans to cut unnecessary spending across the country.
Farage drew inspiration from the United States’ Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), initiated by entrepreneur Elon Musk, stating, "Local councils have big budgets and they waste loads of it. They spend it on diversity agendas, climate change, consultants, contracts with firms that are meant to mend potholes and don’t do the job." He further highlighted that senior local government officials often receive higher salaries than the Prime Minister, with many earning over £100,000 annually, yet exhibiting a lack of commitment to work: "Basically no one comes to work on Mondays or Fridays."
An audit carried out by Reform UK, based on 3,000 Freedom of Information Requests submitted to councils nationwide, revealed numerous examples of extravagant or ineffective spending. The audit detailed that despite increases in council tax, basic services such as pothole repairs remain neglected, with some areas having up to 90,000 unfilled potholes. Cornwall Council reportedly spends £147,000 each day merely servicing its debt, while Shropshire Council pays £1,000 per day for a pothole consultant.
Additional findings included Durham County Council spending £40,000 to send four town hall executives to a property conference in the South of France, and Devon County Council investing over £1.7 million on electric cars for staff. Farage also pointed to Derbyshire County Council’s £150 million expenditure on a waste recycling plant that ultimately failed.
Farage expressed his ambition to replicate the US model of efficiency and accountability across local British authorities, saying, "The whole thing has to change. We need a British DOGE for every county and every local authority in this country.” He vowed to implement significant reforms and reduce what he terms "fat and lazy" council spending wherever Reform UK gains political control.
These statements come as the party prepares for the local elections, positioning itself on a platform of fiscal responsibility and government efficiency. The outcomes of the elections will determine the extent to which Farage’s proposals might influence local government operations in the UK.
Source: Noah Wire Services