| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date 08:10 - May 9 with 2624 views | unstableblue |
(What a sh!t show, where are we as a country when people think Reform are a good idea, concerning for the future, and our club gave them a platform)
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Evidence from the past year strongly suggests that Reform UK’s performance running local councils has been poor, with numerous resignations, broken promises, and little measurable improvement in services. Multiple investigations across national and regional outlets outline a pattern of inexperience, internal conflict, and unmet pledges, despite early claims of efficiency and “doing things differently.”
Councillor Resignations and Internal Chaos
Around 70 Reform councillors have quit, been expelled, or stood down since the May 2025 local elections, roughly 10% of their total intake, about double the attrition rate seen in Labour or Conservative councils over the same period. Reasons include disillusionment, scandals, and lack of experience in governance.
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openDemocracy and The Sunday Times report councils with up to four different leaders in a single year, such as Staffordshire
opendemocracy.net
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Examples:
Ian Cooper, Staffordshire’s first Reform leader, resigned after racist social media allegations; two successors also quit within weeks.
David Taylor (Worcestershire) resigned live on BBC after voting against his party’s 9% council tax rise, calling it a betrayal of campaign promises.
At Kent County Council, more than ten councillors quit or were expelled after a leaked video of the leader insulting colleagues. Seven later defected to another party.
Policy Delivery and Local Impact
1. Council Tax and Budgets
Reform campaigned on cutting taxes and waste, but every Reform-run council has raised taxes, typically by 3–5%, with some increasing them far more.
In Kent and Worcestershire, Reform leaders defended the rises as “responsible budgeting,” but critics call it a reversal of key pledges
thedailybritain.co.uk
opendemocracy.net
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2. Potholes and Infrastructure
Reform’s promise to “fix Britain’s roads” has not been achieved.
FOI data reviewed by openDemocracy shows increased pothole complaints in four out of five Reform-led councils compared to before they took power.
In West Northamptonshire, monthly pothole complaints rose from 860 to 1,193 after Reform took control.
3. Cuts and Efficiency Drives
Reform established “DOGE” or “DOLGE” (Department of Local Government Efficiency) units inspired by Elon Musk’s supposed U.S. model, but these have produced negligible or no savings.
In Kent, the flagship DOLGE team found nothing substantial to cut, and its head resigned in frustration
thedailybritain.co.uk
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In Staffordshire, The Sunday Times reported that Reform claimed £2.5m in savings largely inherited from the prior Conservative budget
thetimes.com
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4. Social Policy and “Culture War” Actions
Reform scrapped or defunded diversity, equality, and climate initiatives but found very little savings to show for it.
Several councils, like Derbyshire and Kent, disbanded their climate or net-zero committees, but actual savings were “small” and provoked local backlash.
Durham Council cut £2,500 from its local Pride event, citing “political ideology,” which sparked accusations of homophobia
opendemocracy.net
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5. Public Services
In Derbyshire, Reform moved to close eight care homes, prompting residents’ distress and local protests.
Councils have been criticised for closing public facilities such as recycling centres and libraries, with only limited new investment elsewhere.
Tangible Improvements (Sparse)
Across all reports, the few positive outcomes include:
Staffordshire: modest roadmap for highway repairs (+£15m in funding) and commitment to hire 120 children’s services staff over two years.
Kent: claimed £66m debt reduction and cancellation of some costly office projects, though critics say these were originally Tory proposals carried over.
However, these modest actions are overwhelmed by leadership instability, unmet promises, and rising costs. Observers note that Reform councillors underestimated the legal and financial limits of local government—most budgets are already dominated by statutory services (care, education, child protection), leaving little room for the radical “anti-waste” agenda they promised.
General Assessment
Overall performance:
Effectiveness: Low – limited achievements, widespread administrative problems.
Governance: Weak – frequent leadership changes and procedural breakdowns.
Credibility: Damaged – tax rises and internal scandals undermine Reform’s “anti-establishment” brand.
Public reaction: Local polls and reports suggest disappointment; in Kent, residents say “nothing has changed.”
Central Bylines summed it up succinctly: Reform-run councils have brought “division, departures, chaos and broken promises,” with little evidence of the reform their name suggests
centralbylines.co.uk
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In short, nearly a year into running several English councils, Reform UK has presided over resignations, tax hikes, local controversies, and minimal tangible gains. The pattern across Kent, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and beyond is one of inexperience meeting the practical limits of local government, leaving most councils mired in dysfunction.”
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| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 12:58 - May 10 with 497 views | Rimsy |
| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 17:35 - May 9 by Rimsy |
All the hand wringing from the lefties on here is hilarious. Don't know what you'll all do when Farage is pm  |
And all the replies since confirms my suspicions. Personally don't think he'll ever be pm. The system will do all in its power to stop it happening. |  |
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| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 13:03 - May 10 with 465 views | StokieBlue |
| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 17:35 - May 9 by Rimsy |
All the hand wringing from the lefties on here is hilarious. Don't know what you'll all do when Farage is pm |
Why is it "hand wringing" to point out these things?
Any thoughts on the Sunderland Reform councillor who said that Nigerians should be melted to fill in potholes? Or the fact that Tice seemingly is refusing to condemn him and instead said most of this stuff is "smears"?
Glenn Gibbins, who was elected as a Reform councillor in Sunderland in this week’s local elections, posted on social media in 2024, complaining about the "amount of Nigerians in town".
"Should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes!!" he wrote in a later-deleted post, according to campaign group Hope Not Hate. [1].
SB
[1]. https://www.independent.co.uk/ |  |
| Avatar - M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy |
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| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 13:06 - May 10 with 454 views | You_Bloo_Right |
| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 12:58 - May 10 by Rimsy |
And all the replies since confirms my suspicions. Personally don't think he'll ever be pm. The system will do all in its power to stop it happening. |
A stab in the back? |  |
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| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 13:47 - May 10 with 410 views | J2BLUE |
| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 19:54 - May 9 by DJR |
Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) confers a permanent right to live in the UK. Abolishing ILR for those who have it is not reasonable.
Also not reasonable is leaving the European Convention on Human Right and joining Belarus and Russia as the only European countries that are not members with all the consequences for civil liberties that will follow.
Nor is leaving the Refugee Convention which they will have to do.
I could go but but you get the gist.
Sadly we've reached the stage where many people think these things are reasonable or don't really care. [Post edited 9 May 19:57]
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Did you actually read my post? |  | | |
| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 14:18 - May 10 with 369 views | DJR |
| Asking AI how have Reform councils and councillors performed to date on 13:47 - May 10 by J2BLUE |
Did you actually read my post? |
I was responding to the words you used, namely, "fairly reasonable" and "questionable".
The policies I mentioned are in my view unreasonable (or even outrageous) and thus much more than merely questionable.
But I am sorry that (not if) I misunderstood what you said or was over-pedantic.
And of course, as you implied, we can't be sure that many of their policies aren't performative and designed only to garner votes. [Post edited 10 May 14:33]
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