Reform UK likely to raise council tax in Kent despite promise to cut costs

Reform UK’s Kent councillors. The party has been seeking to pilot an Elon Musk-style ‘department of government efficiency’ (Doge) unit to examine spending in areas it controls and cut costs. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

A Reform UK-run council where the party sought to pilot drastic cost-cutting plans is going to have to raise council tax, a cabinet member has admitted.

Services at Kent county council were already “down to the bare bones”, said Reform’s cabinet member for adult social care, Diane Morton. It makes Kent the latest local authority controlled by Nigel Farage’s party to signal its intention to raise council tax.