Reform UK to give council Musk-style audit

Reform UK plans to send its Elon Musk-style Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) team into West Northamptonshire Council to assess "wasteful spending".

The council has become one of the frontrunners to receive a visit from the party's new audit team, including software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors.

However, a party spokesperson said there was not currently a timetable for the Northamptonshire visit. The authority's Conservative group leader said savings could be achieved "without the gimmicks".

Reform UK took 42 of the 76 seats in the council after the local elections on 1 May to run it as a majority.

The party took control of eight authorities from the Conservatives - including neighbouring North Northamptonshire - along with Doncaster from Labour and Durham, which was run as a coalition.

The idea follows the US Doge, which was launched in January after President Donald Trump took office to cut federal spending.

Billionaire Musk was involved but has since left his position spearheading the unit.

Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf announced on X that West Northamptonshire and Lancashire were next in line to be visited by the audit team.

Reform UK claimed the work would be completed free of charge.

The party said the unit would use artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis tools to find any waste.

Although the Doge team would be able to give tips and tricks, elected councillors and leadership would decide whether to act on recommendations.

A Reform UK party spokesperson said: "The taskforce will identify and eliminate wasteful spending, increasing transparency and ensuring taxpayer money is spent solely on activity that benefits local people."

Mark Arnull, Reform UK leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said: "Since forming the council's new political administration we have been working closely with senior officers, building good relationships and meeting regularly as we start to shape our future priorities for communities across West Northants."

Daniel Lister, leader of the Tory opposition, said: "We made over £115m in efficiency savings under the last Conservative administration and we were committed to finding even more, so we know savings can be achieved without the gimmicks.

"This new so-called 'efficiency unit', parachuted in and styled on the Trump/Musk Doge model in the United States, delivered only a fraction of the promised savings over there, while increasing spending and gutting support for veterans, the homeless and other essential services. Is that really the reform people voted for?"

The council's Labour group leader Sally Keeble said: "Reform's proposals for Doge-type activities in West Northamptonshire will be vigorously opposed by Labour.

"I hope the Reform administration on West Northants Council has the good sense to see this has nothing to do with the important job of improving services for the public here, and everything to do with Farage's wrecking-ball tendencies."

Independent councillor Ian McCord said he had written to the council leader to ask whether advice had been sought about the legal standing of the Doge unit, and whether data held by the council would be safe.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening the first cabinet meeting of the new Reform UK-led council was disrupted by clean air campaigners.

It was paused after a number of public speakers refused to stop talking when asked by the leader of the council, and cabinet members briefly left the room.

Protestors from Clean Air Northampton and 1,000 Voices spoke on an item about a public space protection order to stop car cruising, which was eventually supported by cabinet - and will be implemented for a maximum period of three years with the opportunity to extend.

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