Community

Reform UK councils claim £331 million savings by trimming environmental policies and boosting infrastructure

Monday, 17 November 2025 5:03AM UTC

Reform UK-led councils report over £331 million in savings within six months by halting environmentally focused initiatives and prioritising road repairs and traditional infrastructure, amid political controversy and calls for scrutiny of long-term impacts.

Reform UK councils have reported significant financial savings and improvements in local services within just over six months of taking control, with claims of cutting wasteful spending by £331 million. The party attributes these achievements largely to stopping so-called 'wasteful' expenditures and refocusing priorities, including extensive efforts to repair potholes and streamline council budgets.

Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK and head of its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) unit, announced these figures ahead of a London event where he planned to unveil further local government reforms. Emulating cost-cutting initiatives inspired by former US President Donald Trump, the DOGE unit has been a key driver in pushing councils towards fiscal restraint and operational efficiency.

Much of the savings cited arise from abandoning environmentally focused policies previously pursued by councils. In Kent and County Durham, for example, Reform councils have rescinded climate emergency declarations, measures that were meant to address local environmental challenges but are now deemed costly. Staffordshire's cabinet has also withdrawn from electric car charging projects and halted eco-related land sales, redirecting funds instead to more immediate infrastructure needs. Similarly, Leicestershire has diverted £2 million originally allocated for net zero emissions plans to bolster flood defences.

Kent County Council, a flagship Reform authority, expects to save £7.5 million by 2030 through scrapping its planned transition of vehicle fleets to electric models. Additional economies include a 5% cut in councillors’ allowances and cancelling the proposed sale of County Hall, purportedly saving £14 million. Debt renegotiations have further trimmed costs, with Kent reportedly saving £5.5 million and cutting daily interest payments by £1,820.

Other councils have similarly targeted financial efficiencies. Lincolnshire has reduced debts by £7 million and anticipates a further £30 million in savings through renegotiated IT contracts, while Lancashire councils have generated savings by rationalising IT and digital services, selling unused land, and replacing taxis with minibuses for special educational needs transportation. All Reform-led councils have emphasised pothole repair, collectively filling over 136,000 potholes since May. Derbyshire alone claims to have repaired 28,000 potholes, alleviating long-standing complaints related to road damage. Staffordshire has even procured specialised equipment to accelerate repairs.

Despite these reported successes, the approach has not been without controversy. Labour critics accuse Reform councils of instability and poor management, pointing to infighting in Kent where multiple councillors were expelled following a leaked video of a contentious meeting. Opponents also argue that promised savings have failed to materialise fully and that some councils have resorted to cutting frontline services while raising council tax, contrary to Reform’s pledges.

The overall savings claims resonate with broader government efforts to curtail public expenditure. Central government initiatives have reportedly saved over £1 billion by scaling back consulting, ICT, recruitment, and marketing spending, contributing to a total projection of more than £3 billion in savings within a year. At the local level, councils have received £69 billion under government plans, with a focus on targeting public funds efficiently, including sizeable investments in social care to ease NHS pressures.

Nonetheless, research highlights that inefficiencies persist within local government spending. For instance, wide disparities exist in pothole repair costs across councils, with some spending a fraction of what others do per repair. Experts suggest standardising repair methods could vastly increase the number of potholes fixed for the same expenditure, hinting that widespread fiscal prudence and efficiency improvements are still needed beyond the reforms touted by parties such as Reform UK.

Reform UK’s focus on trimming environmental commitments and reallocating funds towards traditional infrastructure and essential services reflects a contentious shift in local governance priorities. While the party claims to be on course for substantial savings and improvements, critics urge scrutiny of the longer-term impact on service quality and community well-being.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] (Daily Mail) - Paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
^[2] (GB News) - Paragraphs 2, 8
^[3] (Evening Standard) - Paragraph 4
^[4] (LocalGov) - Paragraph 5
^[5] (Regit) - Paragraph 10
^[6] (Gov.uk) - Paragraph 11
^[7] (Government Business) - Paragraph 12

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15296783/Reform-councils-claim-slashed-331million-spending.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.gbnews.com/politics/reform-fixing-potholes-dog-taxpayer-waste - Reform UK councils have repaired nearly 115,000 potholes since the May elections, averaging approximately 630 repairs daily. This achievement is part of a broader initiative to reduce wasteful spending, with the party claiming over £330 million in cost reductions across its councils. The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), established to mirror similar efforts in the U.S., has been instrumental in these savings. Richard Tice, Reform UK's Deputy Leader and Doge Chief, highlighted the party's commitment to addressing inefficiencies in local government operations.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/kent-county-council-nigel-farage-reform-reform-uk-county-hall-b1242002.html - Kent County Council, now under Reform UK control, claims to have identified millions in savings within the first 100 days of administration. The council has launched a Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) team, discontinued environmental initiatives, removed certain flags from council buildings, and initiated budget cuts to reduce waste. Opposition councillors have criticised the administration, describing it as 'clickbait and chaos.' The council's focus on scrutinising expenditures aims to streamline services and modernise operations within the available budget.
https://www.localgov.co.uk/Reform-led-council-plans-to-scrutinise-every-penny/62619 - Lincolnshire County Council, led by Reform UK, plans to 'scrutinise every penny' to achieve at least £25 million in savings. Council leader Cllr Sean Matthews emphasised the need to rethink service delivery, focusing on spending taxpayers' money on services that residents value. The council aims to streamline and modernise services to improve efficiency and better serve the community within its available budget.
https://www.regit.cars/car-news/britain-couldve-fixed-17x-more-potholes-in-2024-if-councils-werent-so-bad-at-spending - Research indicates that if UK councils standardised pothole repair methods, they could have fixed 17 times more potholes in 2024. A Freedom of Information request revealed significant disparities in repair costs across councils, with some spending as little as £4.13 per pothole and others over £650. Standardising repairs could have led to filling over 33 million potholes, highlighting inefficiencies in current spending practices and the potential for substantial savings.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-action-to-cut-wasteful-spending-saves-taxpayers-over-1bn - The UK government announced that efficiency and reform measures introduced by the coalition government are expected to save over £3 billion in one year. Approximately £1 billion in savings have been achieved so far, with £500 million coming from moratoria on consulting, ICT, recruitment, marketing, and property spending. These measures aim to tackle the budget deficit by reducing costs and waste in central government operations, thereby protecting essential jobs and frontline services.
https://www.governmentbusiness.co.uk/news/19122024/%C2%A369-billion-local-councils - The UK government has allocated £69 billion to local councils as part of the Plan for Change, marking a 3.5% increase from the previous year. This package includes a new £600 million Recovery Grant to support councils most in need and ensure that every penny of public spending benefits working people. An additional £3.7 billion investment will go towards social care authorities to support adult and children's services, including £880 million for the Social Care Grant, aiming to alleviate pressure on the NHS.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative presents recent claims of £331 million in savings by Reform UK councils, with a publication date of November 16, 2025. Similar reports have appeared in the past week, including a GB News article on November 16, 2025, detailing the £330 million savings and pothole repairs. The Daily Mail article is the earliest known publication of this specific claim. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([gbnews.com](https://www.gbnews.com/politics/reform-fixing-potholes-dog-taxpayer-waste?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from Richard Tice, Deputy Leader of Reform UK, and other council leaders. A GB News article from November 16, 2025, also features similar quotes from Richard Tice regarding the £330 million savings and pothole repairs. The exact wording of the quotes varies slightly between the sources, indicating potential paraphrasing or different reporting. No earlier matches for these specific quotes were found, suggesting potential originality or exclusivity. ([gbnews.com](https://www.gbnews.com/politics/reform-fixing-potholes-dog-taxpayer-waste?utm_source=openai))

Source reliability

Score: 6

Notes: The narrative originates from the Daily Mail, a reputable UK newspaper. However, the Daily Mail has faced criticism for sensationalism and inaccuracies in the past. The report includes references to other sources, such as GB News and the Evening Standard, which are generally considered less reliable. The presence of multiple sources adds some credibility but also introduces potential biases.

Plausability check

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative claims that Reform UK councils have saved £331 million and repaired over 136,000 potholes since May 2025. A GB News article from November 16, 2025, reports that Reform UK councils have repaired nearly 115,000 potholes and achieved over £330 million in savings. The figures are consistent, suggesting plausibility. However, the narrative lacks specific details on how these savings were achieved, which raises questions about transparency. The tone and language used are consistent with typical reporting on local government efficiency, but the absence of detailed evidence warrants further scrutiny. ([gbnews.com](https://www.gbnews.com/politics/reform-fixing-potholes-dog-taxpayer-waste?utm_source=openai))

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents claims of £331 million in savings and significant pothole repairs by Reform UK councils. While the figures are consistent with recent reports, the lack of detailed evidence and the reliance on sources with varying credibility levels necessitate further verification. The presence of recycled content and potential paraphrasing of quotes also raises questions about the originality and accuracy of the information.

Reform UK
local government
public expenditure