Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says he is yet to be convinced that a planned shake-up of councils across Nottinghamshire “is anything more than taking power away from people at local level”.
The Labour Government announced in December last year that it intends to reorganise local authorities to cut costs and streamline services.
All nine Nottinghamshire councils have now developed three potential options, which have been submitted to the Government for review.
Under all proposals, the existing two-tier structure in the county would be scrapped, and the area would instead be divided into two unitary authorities.
The planned changes come as Nottinghamshire County Council approaches an election on 1st May, when voters will elect representatives for its 66 county councillor seats.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, visited Ashfield on Wednesday 9th April ahead of the election.
“No one has convinced me that devolution under [Deputy Prime Minister] Angela Rayner’s plan is anything more than taking power away from people at local level and centralising it,” he said.
“Nottinghamshire is divided into individual district councils, which many residents feel strongly attached to. I could be persuaded this is the right approach, but so far, no one has made the case.”
His remarks follow criticism from Gedling’s Labour MP, Michael Payne, who also questioned the Government’s devolution and local government reorganisation plans.
Payne said his constituents had told him “loud and clear” they opposed the changes.
While some Labour MPs in the East Midlands disagree on where new boundaries should be drawn, Payne has been the first to publicly challenge the reorganisation’s rationale.
He raised these concerns during a House of Commons debate on the importance of local government to the East Midlands economy.
“Do we really want council staff tied up in a multi-year reorganisation, or should they focus on boosting local economies?” he asked.
In response, Alex Norris, the Communities Minister and MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley, argued that simplification was overdue.
“Parts of my constituency have five tiers of government,” he said. “They have an elected mayor, an MP, a county council, a borough council, and a town council.”
Nottinghamshire County Council is currently led by a Conservative administration under Councillor Sam Smith.
Like many councils nationwide, it faces rising costs in adult and children’s social care, growing demand for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) school transport, and pressure to improve the county’s roads.
During his visit, Farage admitted there would be “no magic wand” under Reform UK to reduce costs in social care and SEND provision.
“Central government funding has shrunk. The SEND crisis, worsened by the pandemic, has hit many children hard,” he said. “With an ageing population, social care is another huge challenge. If we cut waste, boost businesses, and increase revenue, we might turn things around.”
The Conservative-led council says it repaired 25,000 potholes in the first half of the 2024/25 financial year as part of a £66 million road maintenance programme, including resurfacing and gully cleaning.
Work is carried out by Via East Midlands, a council-owned company operating under a 10-year contract (extendable to 2031).
Farage claimed some councils were “locked into failing long-term contracts” and argued Nottinghamshire was “performing poorly” on potholes despite the council’s record investment claims.
When asked how Reform would differ, Farage proposed a Nottinghamshire version of the US ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE)—a body led by Elon Musk under Donald Trump, tasked with cutting government waste.
“If elected, we’d audit council spending thoroughly,” he said. “Why do six staff earn over £100,000 when the chief executive makes more than the Prime Minister, yet potholes remain unfixed? Remote working would end. We’d bring in fresh leadership and ideas.”
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