How are the new Reform-led councils faring so far?

Written by Hannah Lazell.

On May 1st, Reform UK defied the odds and won 677 councillors, an impressive 41% of the seats that they were contesting. This has ended up with Reform running 10 councils, either as a majority or running a minority administration. In other councils they are now the official opposition, with a sizeable number of councillors who will be influencing the debate in the council chamber and in their communities. Two metro Mayors were elected too - Luke Campbell in Hull and East Yorkshire, and the former Conservative Minister, Dame Andrea Jenkyns in Lincolnshire.

Since the elections, many have been watching to see how the new Reform-led councils would operate in practice. These councils, with responsibility for services such as adult social care, children’s services, waste collection and public health, are a first look at how Reform treats being in power. 

Nationally, the Reform leadership moved quickly to set up “mini-DOGE” style units modelled on the US “Department for Government Efficiency” to cut waste and maximise efficiencies in councils. Given the last 15 years has seen councils forced to focus ruthlessly on innovation to provide better services to residents and to make financial savings, many who work in and around local government have scratched their heads as to how this might actually work, as it’s hard to see where more efficiencies can be found. 

So far, the “DOGE” in Kent has received the most publicity, with the unit finding spending on unaccompanied minors waiting for asylum decisions (which the council has statutory responsibility for), and announcing an end to schemes such as making the council’s vehicle fleet fully electric and scrapping a renewable energy programme on vehicle modifications. These are all issues central to Reform’s cause - scrapping Net Zero, vastly reducing immigration and a small state.

Much could be written about Reform’s council DOGEs, and that warrants a separate piece. What is certainly true is that we’ve already seen quite a bit of political turmoil in Reform-led councils, with numerous by-elections triggered due to people being elected unexpectedly or being ineligible for the role due to their employment. There have been reports of infighting - for example, the sacking of the Deputy Leader of Leicestershire County Council after only three months in the role. Such incidents are not unique to Reform, and some would argue that they are coming under more scrutiny than other parties. It would be unlikely that the sacking of a Deputy Leader of a Labour or Liberal Democrat council would make the national news.

Gaining power often sees political parties do one of two things - either become even more hardline to their values, or become more pragmatic about the realities of governing and decision making. This isn’t a piece that either, for example, seeks to debate the merits of spending on Net Zero. Some would argue that cancelling Net Zero projects now will kick the cost into the future, and that Reform (or whoever is in power in the future) will just have to deal with it when the time comes.

There’s been some evidence of pragmatism and deviating from the party line so far - whether this continues remains to be seen. Mayor Luke Campbell, who was elected as the first Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire has defended the renewable energy sector in the region given the jobs it has created, and will create, and he has backed Combined Authority bids. It is worth noting, however, that he refused to sign the “White Rose Agreement” with the other Yorkshire Mayors over his opposition to Net Zero within the agreement. Cllr Linden Kemkaren, Leader of Kent Council, wrote to the Government in July to ask them to reconsider the changes to the Health and Social Care Visa, perhaps in recognition of the acute challenges in the social care workforce that she will be seeing first hand as leader of a council. This is in contradiction to Reform nationally, who are hardline on immigration.

With the national party taking an active role in the running of their 10 councils, it’s hard to see how much agency council leaders have to make decisions in the interest of the local area. Any localists should be concerned about this, as councils should have the autonomy to make their own decisions. Looking ahead to 2026, elections in Wales and Scotland, as well as councils across England, will likely be beneficial to Reform, with them taking control of more councils and making gains in the Welsh Senedd and the Scottish Parliament. If Reform sees the successes of 2025 replicated next year, then it is unlikely that Reform nationally will be able to have the same level of oversight over councils.

In conclusion, it’s too soon to make a clear judgement about the direction that Reform councils are going to take, and whether they will take a hardline or more pragmatic approach. The next few months will tell us a lot more about the direction that different Reform council leaders will take as they are faced with difficult decisions during the budget setting process. Crucially, they may give us a hint as to what Reform in power more broadly could look like.