Reform UK cost-cutting unit to assess council finances

LANCASHIRE County Council has been given a hint of what to expect from the self-styled 'DOGE' team that Reform UK is sending in to assess the authority's finances.

- BY PAUL FAULKNER Local Democracy Reporter

It is to become the second of the councils the party controls to receive a visit from the unit, which is based on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency within the Trump administration in the United States.

A letter sent from the leader of Kent County Council whose DOGE assessment is already under way to ‘whom it may concern’ at the authority, sets out what will be analysed as part of the process.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands similar correspondence will be issued to the chief executives of all 10 Reform-run authorities ahead of their DOGE visits although there may be tweaks to the contents made by each individual leader.

The Kent letter, published on X by Reform chairperson Zia Yusuf, states that the scope of the DOGE review to be carried out by a group of what the party describes as ‘software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors’ will include, but not be limited to:

Contractual arrangements with suppliers and consultants

All capital expenditure

Use of framework agreements and direct awards

Any off-book or contingent liabilities

Use of reserves and financial resilience

Any audit flags raised by internal or external auditors in the last three years.