‘Governing reality’ hits campaign promises
Reform has previously campaigned on promises including freezing council tax rises, removing diversity policies, ending Net Zero spending and restricting working from home.
Advertisement
But according to the leaked document, such pledges were quickly confronted by the practical realities of running local government.
Councils remain bound by law, statutory duties and formal planning procedures, regardless of which party takes control.
The briefing reportedly reminds officers that budget deficits cannot simply be solved through political slogans and that council tax decisions must remain financially credible.
Senior staff are advised to share information with colleagues and maintain detailed written records whenever political directions change.
They are also encouraged to record instances where councillors reject professional advice, creating a clear governance trail in case decisions are later questioned.
The document adds that inappropriate conduct should be dealt with openly, stressing that professional standards and safety at work must not be compromised by political pressure.
Morale fears as staff consider leaving
Anxiety among council staff is said to have intensified because senior Reform figures have repeatedly portrayed public-sector officials as opponents of political change.
At Reform’s conference last year, Greater Lincolnshire mayor Andrea Jenkyns praised fellow mayor Luke Campbell after around a dozen roles were reportedly cut at the Hull and East Yorkshire combined authority shortly after he took office.
One senior council director told The Mirror that morale in their authority had fallen to “rock bottom” following Reform’s latest electoral victory.
The concerns come at an already fragile time for local government.
Twenty county areas are undergoing major reorganisation, with existing county, borough and district councils due to be replaced by new unitary authorities.
Around a third of those areas are now under Reform control, according to the report.
Hundreds of council workers are expected to lose their jobs during the restructuring process, while some officers in Reform-run authorities are reportedly choosing to leave before decisions about their roles are even made.
The document predicts that some staff will resign even when their jobs are secure because they no longer feel able to work in the political environment.
Hung councils face fresh disruption warning
The briefing also raises concerns about councils where no party holds an outright majority.
Around 42 per cent of English councils are now under no overall control, making cooperation between political groups increasingly important.
But the document claims Reform councillors have sometimes been encouraged to take a confrontational approach in opposition rather than work with rival parties.
In several hung councils, Reform members were reportedly discouraged from attending development sessions or workshops and instructed to act as “disruptors” on committees and outside bodies.
For officers already attempting to maintain services during a period of historic restructuring, the alleged message of the briefing is clear: prepare for turbulence, protect the official record and do everything possible to stop local government becoming collateral damage in a national political fight.
