County council's new Reform leader promises 'revolution'

And cutting waste will be the No 1 priority

- Phil Corrigan Local Democracy Reporter

THE leader of Staffordshire County Council's ruling Reform UK group has promised an 'incremental revolution' to save taxpayers' money.

Ian Cooper will be officially appointed as the county council's new leader on Thursday, following his party's historic landslide victory in the local elections earlier this month.

He says the incoming Reform administration will 'forensically investigate' the council's finances and root out any 'profligate' spending. But he declined to give examples of current wasteful spending, saying this would only become apparent once Reform had access to the relevant information.

Cllr Cooper, who represents Perrycrofts in Tamworth, also gave his thoughts on local government reorganisation, and the early resignation of one of his councillors, in his first interview with The Sentinel since his election as Reform group leader.

Reform took 49 out of 62 county council seats in the elections on May 1, leaving the party with a strong democratic mandate from voters. Cllr Cooper said cutting waste would be a key focus for his party.

He said: "Councils are responsible for hundreds of millions of pounds worth of taxpayers' money. I believe that every penny we spend at the council should be spent in the most effective and most efficient way. Reform has said nationally, as a policy, that we need to go in and challenge this and investigate where the waste occurs.