Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Reform UK is celebrating 100 days since officially taking control of Kent County Council. Following the May local elections, the new administration has made a few changes from removing Ukrainian and Pride flags from public buildings to announcing a set of cuts to its net zero programmes.
On Saturday (August 9), it will be 100 days since Reform UK won 57 of the 81 available seats in Kent County Council (KCC) - overturning almost 30 years of Conservative control. But opposition councillors say the administration has been "clickbait and chaos".
Under the new leadership, Reform has launched an Elon Musk-style Department of Local Government Efficiency (Dolge) team. It scrapped environmental initiatives, removed "divisive" flags from council buildings and begun "cutting waste" from council budgets.
Leader of Kent County Council Linden Kemkaran said: "It was an enormous honour to be elected as a county councillor, and a huge privilege to have been chosen to lead Kent County Council. My group of Reform councillors is made up of incredibly dedicated and talented people who are determined to serve the people of Kent.
"We've made a strong start and intend to continue to make the changes that people want to see in terms of getting value for money and cutting waste while delivering core services. We are just getting started."
Critics say KCC is being run by Nigel Farage with "Reform HQ", adding that the Reform administration has used the "politics of division" and "put people off" wanting to work for the council.
Liberal Democrat group leader Antony Hook said Reform council leader Linden Kemkaran told him she was making changes to a council speech "after Nigel's visit". "There is an issue about them taking instructions from above rather than running it according to their mandate," said Mr Hook.
Reform UK claims it has reduced KCC's debt by £16 million, with £2,000 a day being saved on interest payments alone. The savings include a five per cent cut in all Member allowances which generated £202,500, scrapping the Net Zero Renewable Energy Programme of property modifications to save £32 million over four years, ending the net zero transitioning of the KCC vehicle fleet to electric vehicles to the tune of £7.5 million in savings by 2030, and putting a stop to plans to move staff into a neighbouring building, decreasing borrowing by over £14 million.
The leader said she has approved plans to bring children's care homes back in-house by KCC purchasing four properties which is set to produce a saving of £1.5m over the next two financial years and is working closely with her cabinet to find significant savings in the home-to-school transport budget.
KCC claims investment has been increased by £67 million for renewing roads and fixing potholes and paths. This includes securing £14.2 million in additional funding from the Department of Transport for a dedicated pothole and patching programme, representing a 65 per cent increase on last year's investment.
Mr Farage said: "From rolling back the devastating net zero agenda on a local level to cutting wasteful spending, Reform councils are standing up for the priorities of local people, not the whims of bureaucrats or the entrenched elite."
Mr Farage has been very vocal about scrapping net zero targets and recently called it "mindless" for the UK to pursue climate action. Mr Hook said: "Money doesn't really matter that much if we're leaving our next generation or even our current generation with an environment that's going wrong.
Acting leader of the KCC Green group Mark Hood also pointed out that environmental programmes tend to be cheaper in the long run, and said Reform is a "short-term party" which is "worried about the next election".
Get more news from KentLive straight to your inbox for free HERE.