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Following Reform UK’s victory in May’s local elections, which saw them take control of Lancashire County Council, attention quickly turned to how the untested party would wield its newfound power.
The initial period was characterized by onboarding, with new councillors navigating the complexities of their roles.
Now, after leading the authority for over four months and as they begin formulating next year’s budget, the council leader offers a candid assessment.
The task is far from simple.
Speaking from his office at the council’s Preston headquarters, Stephen Atkinson is forthright about the challenges confronting the council.
“We face ever-growing demand coupled with limited revenue,” he stated.
“The government is placing increasing demands on local government without providing adequate resources.”
In June, Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform, visited Lancashire to meet the newly elected councillors and acknowledged the “very tough position” they had inherited.
He suggested that the party’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) unit, inspired by Elon Musk’s efforts to reduce government spending in the US, would be crucial in identifying potential savings – though he couldn’t quantify the amount.
“The Doge team will be here next week,” he told me.
“Can we make a difference? Can we give council tax payers better value for money? Yes. How big a chunk or percentage that will be – I don’t know the answer to that but we are going to try.”
However, three months later, Reform’s Doge team has yet to visit Lancashire and has encountered challenges in other councils regarding access to sensitive data.
The party maintains that the unit’s work is ongoing, highlighting recent announcements from Deputy Leader Richard Tice regarding local government pension schemes.
In the meantime, Lancashire County Council has launched its own efficiency review, with council officers meticulously examining the budget to identify savings.
The council currently faces a projected overspend of approximately £28m in this year’s finances, with over £100m in savings required over the next two years.
Council Leader Stephen Atkinson emphasized the need for a focus on “innovation, smart-working, using digital data” and a review of council procurement practices.
When questioned about whether efficiencies alone could address the magnitude of the financial challenge, he responded: “The chief executive is telling me it can.”
“It’s not easy. But we were put here to do a job, and I think this fresh look at what we do and how we do things and where we put our residents’ money is absolutely a key part of that process.”
Like many local authorities, the council is grappling with rising demand for statutory services, particularly adult social care and children’s services, where costs have escalated.
The council received a critical Ofsted report regarding its provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities prior to Reform taking office and is now allocating additional funds to address the concerns raised.
The delivery of a fleet of new mini-buses, ordered by the previous Conservative administration, is expected to reduce home-to-school transport costs, but the council maintains that budgetary pressures remain significant, attributing them to a lack of central government funding.
The government is expected to announce reforms to support for children with special educational needs and disabilities later this year, with the stated aim of “fix[ing] the broken SEND system we inherited, so all children receive the support they need to achieve and thrive”.
The government asserts that it has increased overall funding for councils this year – including Lancashire, with a spokesperson stating: “We’re turning the tide on decades of underfunding in councils to give people the public services they deserve.”
In Lancashire, opposition councillors are skeptical about Reform’s ability to achieve savings without negatively impacting services.
Azhar Ali, an independent councillor and leader of the Progressive Lancashire group, commented: “In some areas there could be some savings and efficiency savings, but I think those are miniscule.
“And that’s going to be the interesting challenge for Reform. Are they going to invest to save or are they going to just slash, slash, slash services?”
Now that Reform is in power at the local government level, it is facing many of the same financial difficulties as its predecessors.
Councillor Aidy Riggott, leader of the Conservative group, observed: “They went into the election with many of them promising freezing council tax for a number of years, saving £5 in every £100 the council spends – they’re just wildly unrealistic ambitions.
“So the residents who were expecting perhaps better services and more services perhaps face them going in the other direction.”
In Lancashire, the council’s internal efficiency review is scheduled to report back in November and will inform decisions regarding the budget – including potential council tax increases.
The leader affirms that his party will deliver a balanced budget with an emphasis on more efficient delivery of day-to-day services.
As this process unfolds in councils nationwide, it represents a pivotal moment for Reform UK.
The party’s performance in the councils it now controls will serve as a crucial test for a party with aspirations to govern the country.
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