Reform council to save £40m as Doge unit axes net zero plans

Head of Reform UK's DOGE, Zia Yusuf says he will pull 'every lever available' to stop horrendous waste of money
GB NEWS
George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 10/07/2025

- 20:13

Updated: 10/07/2025

- 20:14

Nigel Farage's party take up 56 seats out of 81 on Kent County Council

A Reform-led council said it will save £40million by cutting net zero spending.

The party's Doge unit has taken aim at Kent County Council, with plans to save £7.5million by 2030 by scrapping plans to convert the authority's fleet of cars to electric.


Council leader Linden Kemkaran has pledged to save £32million over the same period by scrapping plans to make council property net zero compliant.

She also suggested allowances for all councillors will be cut in another money-saving move.

Linden Kemkaran\u200b

Councillor Linden Kemkaran with party leader Nigel Farage and other councillors

PA

Kemkaran, who represents the Maidstone South East ward on the council, said: "My team has found these savings and streams of potential revenue in just a few short weeks.

"They’ve done it while undergoing essential training, getting to grips with their new roles and generally finding their way around in a brand-new job. Just imagine what we can do in the months to come."

The council has dropped plans to sell County Hall in Maidstone, with Kemkaran claiming it will save the council £14million.

She believes that the party’s "no more borrowing" policy will reduce overall council debt by over £33million by next March.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

\u200bReform UK leader Nigel Farage attends a meeting alongside the Head of Kent County Council, Linden Kemkaran

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage attends a meeting alongside the Head of Kent County Council, Linden Kemkaran

PA

As part of Reform's plans, Kemkaran said that Reform wants to create an office "repopulation plan", meaning she aims to get 500 workers back at their desks.

She also expressed interest in campaigning to relaunch Eurostar services from Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International.

Services stopped operating at the two Kent terminals due to restrictions brought on by the Covid pandemic, but they never returned when international travel regulations were lifted.

Kemkaran also said the council intends to save money in children’s services by bringing children’s care homes back in-house.

Services stopped operating from Ebbsfleet International railway station following the covid lockdown\u200b

Services stopped operating from Ebbsfleet International railway station following the covid lockdown

PA

However, the Liberal Democrat leader of the opposition and former MEP Antony Hook warned that Reform cared "too much about photos with party VIPs."

Hook, the councillor for Faversham, said the party's agenda was "too thin" accusing Kemkaran of "covering a lot in a verbal report" and "lacking detail".

He said: "If you want change, you have to put it on paper, you can't run a council like this...I'm fast losing confidence in this council, and it appears to me the public are."