Latest news with #wastefulspending
BBC News
16 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Elon Musk-style Doge audit planned for Durham County Council
A council is set to undergo an Elon Musk-style review into its UK, which took charge of Durham County Council following the elections in May, has set up a unit to look into "wasteful spending", inspired by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) in the United party said teams of software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors would "visit and analyse" local authorities it controlled, starting with Kent County Council this the party's scheme, Durham County Council leader Andrew Husband posted on social media: "Coming to a county near you." Party chairman Zia Yusuf has said that Lancashire and West Northamptonshire would be the next local authorities visited by the unit, but no timeframe has been confirmed for Durham yet."The taskforce will identify wasteful spending, increasing transparency and ensuring taxpayer money is spent solely on activity that benefits local people," a Reform party spokesman US Doge advisory body was created by an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump to cut federal boss Musk has since left the Trump administration and his role in the body. Reform said it would use artificial intelligence, advanced data analysis tools and forensic auditing techniques to "identify wasteful spending and recommend actionable solutions". The extensive review would consider contractual arrangements with suppliers and consultants, all capital expenditure, and the use of reserves and financial resilience, the Local Democracy Reporting Service recently played down a warning from Nigel Farage that council staff working on diversity or climate change initiatives should seek "alternative careers" and said staff should not be becoming leader of the local authority, he said the party would take its time to review council data before making any decisions."We have to work with transparency and we want to share as much information as we can with the public and do things differently," Husband said."We have to do the due diligence and take our time to make sure we have the right information to fulfil our objectives. It feels like we don't have enough raw data to start making some immediate decisions."Husband added that due to budget shortfall, there had to be "honest conversations" with the management team on "what is justifiable and can we spend the money better". Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Reform UK cost-cutting unit to scrutinise Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is being scrutinised by a team from Reform UK which has modelled itself on Elon Musk's controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the leader Stephen Atkinson said the group - made up of software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors - will help to root out wasteful spending so they can reinvest in frontline UK said the work will be carried out free of charge and will not be a drain on the council's Unions have warned the cost-cutting unit it will face a fight if it suggests sacking staff at the Reform-controlled authority. The party, which took control in May, hopes the DOGE-style audit will revitalise the council, which employs 32,500 told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It's important that we work collaboratively with our officers to look at the efficiencies that can be achieved and we are committed to doing this."We are confident we can deliver the savings and are well underway with the analysis. We expect the initial findings to be available over the next few weeks."We have been clear that we will be focusing our policies on what is most important to residents so we can make a real difference."Party leader Nigel Farage has said people working within Reform-controlled councils on climate change and diversity projects should should seek "alternative careers". 'Cupboards are bare' Asked if such staff in Lancashire should fear for their jobs, Atkinson said: "Staff know what our policies are – we will follow process, we will be respectful and we will be dignified, but we have an electoral mandate to deliver what we said we would do."Union leaders said they were sceptical of the plan. Mike Short, head of local government at UNISON, said: "Reform's auditors will find the cupboards are bare."People living in Reform-controlled local authorities want to know the vital services they rely upon will continue. That should be new councillors' top priority."Pete Billington, secretary of the Lancashire Association of Trades Union Councils, said the hundreds of millions of pounds saved during more than a decade of austerity rendered the DOGE process in Lancashire "meaningless".He added: "The only way they're going to [achieve their aim] is by sacking people and cutting services."I just can't see the unions taking any attempt to cut employment without a massive fight." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Reform UK to give West Northants Council Musk-style audit
Reform UK has planned to send its first Elon Musk-style Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) team into local authorities to assess "wasteful spending".West Northamptonshire Council has become the frontrunners to receive a visit from the party's new audit team, including software engineers, data analysts and forensic UK took 42 of the 76 seats in the council after the local elections on 1 party took control of eight authorities from the Conservatives, along with Doncaster from Labour and Durham, which was run as a coalition. The idea follows the US Doge, which was launched during Donald Trump's presidency to cut federal Musk was involved but has since left his position spearheading the Monday, Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf announced on X that West Northamptonshire and Lancashire were next in line to be visited by the audit team. Reform UK claims that the work will be completed free of charge. The party said that the unit would use artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis tools to find any a Reform UK spokesperson said there was not currently a timetable for the West Northamptonshire the DOGE team would be able to give the UK auditors tips and tricks, they did not have any power to implement councillors and leadership should decide whether to act on recommendations.A party spokesperson said: "The taskforce will identify and eliminate wasteful spending, increasing transparency and ensuring taxpayer money is spent solely on activity that benefits local people."Party leader Nigel Farage first committed to a "DOGE-style operation" for Northamptonshire during his visit to Kettering in Mark Arnull, Reform UK leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said: "Since forming the Council's new political administration we have been working closely with senior officers, building good relationships and meeting regularly as we start to shape our future priorities for communities across West Northants." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Lydia Moynihan: Sadly It Feels Like The Whole DOGE Effort Might Be Over
New York Post financial correspondent Lydia Moynihan joins Fox Across America With Jimmy Failla to give her take on Elon Musk's departure from the Department of Government Efficiency, and what this means for the future of the movement to try and cut wasteful spending in Washington D.C. Jimmy & Lydia Discuss The Scope Of The Biden Cover-Up PLUS, check out the podcast to hear Monday's full show!
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Reform UK to pilot Doge-style scheme to examine council spending
Reform UK has told council officers they will face 'gross misconduct' if they obstruct an Elon Musk-style department of government efficiency unit to examine all council spending in areas they control. The party will pilot the Doge-style scheme in Kent county council, led by a team including the Brexit donor Arron Banks as well as cybersecurity entrepreneur Nathaniel Fried. The move has been criticised as 'political theatre' by senior local authority figures and opposition politicians. The Conservative peer and pollster Robert Hayward told Politico he had written to the Electoral Commission arguing that the Reform volunteers should be scrutinised under political donation rules as a donation in kind. Lord Hayward said: 'Without full disclosure, the risk is that any donation could be buying access or influence election results.' Announcing the new initiative, Reform said the team would start to go through all council expenditure, beginning with Kent county council, to identify wasteful spending in the manner of the unit set up by Musk under Donald Trump with the aim of cutting wasteful spending. It said it would use artificial intelligence, advanced data analysis tools and forensic auditing techniques to 'identify wasteful spending and recommend actionable solutions'. It said all council officers should hand over all documents requested, including internal investigations or whistleblowing reports relevant to financial matters. It added: 'Should you resist this request, we are ready to pass a council motion to compel the same and will consider any obstruction of our councillors' duties to be gross misconduct. We trust this will not be required.' The instruction was signed by the council leader, Linden Kemkaran; the party chair, Zia Yusuf, and the Reform leader, Nigel Farage. Announcing the scheme, Yusuf said: 'For too long British taxpayers have watched their money vanish into a black hole. Their taxes keep going up, their bin collections keep getting less frequent, potholes remain unfixed, their local services keep getting cut. Reform won a historic victory on a mandate to change this. 'As promised, we have created a UK Doge to identify and cut wasteful spending of taxpayer money. Our team will use cutting-edge technology and deliver real value for voters.' Farage told GB News that all of those involved were doing it on a voluntary basis. He said: 'This is day one of Doge. The Doge team has gone into County Hall in Maidstone in Kent this very morning, a team of young tech entrepreneurs who are not being paid. They're doing it of their own free will, and we're going in to have a look at Kent, have a look at the contracts, to have a look at the expenditure. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion 'We hope that the Kent chief executive and the council will work with us because, of course, many of the decisions, decisions on spending, would have been political decisions. No, Doge is active, up and running as we speak.' Cllr John Merry, the deputy mayor of Salford who chairs the Key Cities group of 24 councils across the UK, said Doge was 'absolutely the last thing local authorities need right now'. He said: 'I hear daily from members facing mounting pressures across vital services like Send [special educational needs and disabilities], social care and homelessness. In this context, it is difficult to see how Reform's Doge initiative offers any meaningful solution. What councils need now is not inefficient cost-cutting at the margins, but a serious commitment to long-term funding reform – one that aligns grant allocation with local needs and supports a resilient foundation for economic growth.' Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said: 'If you're looking at Elon Musk's Doge and thinking that is how we want to have our bins collected and potholes filled – you might be learning the wrong lesson.'
