Reform UK has been accused of “betraying” voters after several councils under its control unveiled plans to raise council tax close to the legal maximum, despite election promises to freeze or cut bills.
The party led by Nigel Farage controls a number of county councils in England, including Kent County Council, which it has described as a “shop window” for how a Reform-led government would operate. Kent has proposed a council tax rise of 3.99% for the coming year.
Four other Reform-run authorities, Derbyshire, North Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, have all set out plans to increase council tax by 5%, the maximum allowed under current rules. Derbyshire county council confirmed its proposal earlier this week, citing a projected £38m budget gap driven by overspending on children’s and adult social care.
In Lincolnshire, also controlled by Reform UK, councillors were told that a 4.99% increase was being considered. A public consultation will also look at alternative options, including a 3.99% rise, though officials warned that this would leave a £4.1m shortfall.
Opposition councillors in Kent said the proposals contradicted Reform’s election messaging. They pointed to leaflets distributed during last year’s local elections which pledged to freeze or reduce council tax. The draft budget is due to be voted on at a full council meeting next month. Reform retains a strong majority in Kent, despite internal rows and the loss of several councillors.
Tensions within the party have previously spilled into public view, including leaked footage last year showing a heated internal meeting at which dissenting councillors were told to “fucking suck it up”.
Linden Kemkaran, leader of Kent county council, said the proposed budget reflected progress made since Reform took control. “When this administration took office, the council was facing a very serious financial situation,” she said, pointing to more than £700m of debt and daily interest costs of around £84,000.
“Since then, we are on track to deliver £100m of savings and income, we have reprofiled almost £40m of future spending, and we have reduced the council’s debt by £67m,” she added. Kemkaran said the 3.99% rise was lower than the 5% increase anticipated when Reform took office and had been achieved while protecting frontline services.
However, the Liberal Democrat opposition described the plans as a “total betrayal” of voters. The party’s group leader, Anthony Hook, said, “Despite campaigning on a platform of tax cuts, Reform’s budget will see the average Band D household pay roughly £67.47 more per year.”
“Reform stood for election promising to make savings and lower the burden on taxpayers. Today, that promise has been utterly broken,” he added, arguing that the difference between a 3.99% and 5% rise amounted to just 33p a week for the average household.
Labour councillor Alister Brady accused Reform of misleading the public. “During the election they said they would cut council tax but in their first budget they have put council tax up,” he said. “They should be honest with the public.”
Tony Travers, visiting professor at London School of Economics, said Reform councillors had faced a “long and sharp learning experience” about the realities of running councils after years of financial pressure.
“Frankly I am surprised that few, if any, have managed to achieve a figure significantly below 5%,” he said, adding that the widespread use of the maximum increase undermined claims that there was a distinct “Reform way” of managing local finances.
