A month after their victorious Local Election campaign, voters who were eager to see how Reform would govern are starting to get some answers – and it’s not looking great. Several opposition figures have now voiced their concern about a party that are, allegedly, ‘missing in action’.
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Reform in government? It’s not quite keeping up appearances
In a statement issued by the Folkestone & Hythe Liberal Democrats this week, the scale of Reform’s inactivity was laid bare. Of the five crucial meetings planned for Kent County Council in June, four have been postponed – and there are suspicions that the fifth will follow.
“After the first Full County Council meeting of 22nd May saw Kent County Council elect its new Leader, and she then appointed her Cabinet, a slew of timetabled Council meetings have been cancelled or postponed. They are also yet confirm which Cabinet Committees will be formed, if at all.
“For the first three weeks of June, there were FIVE committee meetings timetabled. FOUR have been cancelled – on topics including health, planning, and governance – and watch this space for [the cancellation of] the Personnel Committee.” | Folkestone & Hythe Liberal Democrats
Local politicians vent frustrations towards Reform
Tim Prater, a Lib Dem County Councillor in the region, went one step further in his criticism, accusing them of ‘paralysing local government’. He believes they are failing to deliver on their promise to work hard from the start, and slammed the party for having ‘no direction’.
“I thought this administration, formed by Reform, had claimed that they wanted to get to work from day one. Well, they’ve got a funny way of showing it: There are no meetings, no scrutiny, no decisions, no direction. This isn’t Reform. It’s paralysis.” | Tim Prater
Calls for accountability grow in Kent
Labour’s Councillor for Ebbsfleet has also voiced his concerns. Jonathon Hawkes flagged a postponed meeting for the Police and Crime Panel, and accused the right-leaning organisation of being ‘missing in action’. He also said his local Reform Councillor ‘has not been heard from’ since the election.