The media are not good at local elections. They want to turn them into referendums on the state of the government, and spend most of their time discussing national issues and following national party leaders. Much of this campaign has been about the chronic unpopularity of this let down government and its leader Keir Starmer.
There are important local issues to discuss which do often dominate the doorstep conversations and some of the candidate literature. Meanwhile national political debate and national media usually infantilises Councils, seeing them as victims of government requirements hindered by “ underfunding”.
The truth is very different. Every year government grants go up and Council taxes are jacked up more than inflation in most places. Every year Councils add to their huge debt piles, burdening future taxpayers. As I drive around the country I see many Councils spending on closing roads, installing cycle lanes, putting in 20 mph zones, narrowing carriageways and imposing congestion charges, reducing car parking and putting up the charges. Motorists are ripped off and pilloried. People who need vans and cars to get to work and to serve the local community are treated as villains and greatly inconvenienced.
I read about Councils who waste money on buying properties at high prices, then lose money on them. The dire Lib Dem misled Wokingham Borough wants to spend £20 m on a solar farm. It has recently spent £5.5 m on wrecking a local road junction and painting leaves on the roundabout against local wishes. It leaves Council property empty and draws up an expensive plan for new offices. Then it claims poverty when it comes to social care provision.
Councils spend huge sums, waste far too much and blame the government.Kent County spends billions yet the Reform Council could not find overall cuts and so it put the tax up by more than inflation. In Worcestershire Reform put the tax up by 9%.
These results did show how unpopular the PM and Labour are. The usual abstention of far more than half the voters shows many people do not think councillors make a difference. The trouble is when it comes to Lib/ Lab Councillors you know you will get ever higher bills and more potholes.
Government pretends to offer more devolved power but instead propose a new higher layer of bureaucracy and cost. This government is determined to prevent local people saying No to migrant camps, to building on greenfields or to solar arrays destroying food growing farms.
The first big saving should be to scrap their costly reorganisation with all the extra bodies and Mayors they want to grandstand over us. Far from devolving power they will thwart our wish to have less, cheaper and better government.
May 8, 2026
As i post it looks like 31 councils have declared. Reform are currently leading the herd with 250 new councillors, not looking good for never here Kier.
You have a pop at Kent but it’s their first year taking over an agreed budget. They have saved interest charges by rescheduling loans and have made some valuable savings especially on net zero matters.
They are the party with the lowest council tax rises at 3.9% on average. They are withdrawing from the migrant resettlement programme. Good things are happening. Let’s give them a chance.
Reply They accepted the first year budget because they could not find savings. Reform put up the Council tax by a completely unacceptable 9% in Worcestershire.
May 8, 2026
I switched tactics on the Liberal Democrat council leader who was stood outside my polling station. Instead of him asking to know the number on my voting card when I came out, I said ‘can I ask you a question?’
When he agreed I asked why there was no road sign at the end of my road, a few yards away. He said he was unaware of this and would look into it. I pointed out there was a sign but it was for a 12th century church at the top of the road.
There was no road name to be seen and it had been like this for some time. I had written to the council who said it might take 28 working days to reply – for a road sign. Nearly two months later answer came there none. We have the highest council tax in London.
May 8, 2026
Good morning.
A lot of Local Authority money and spending is designated by central government. So even if a party or councillor wanted to cut spending on a certain area they may not be able to. Also. A lot of spending is locked in due to contracts negotiated by the previous council body. We need root and branch reform of spending. I would like to see a shopping list of services I would like to be offered and so pay for. I do not have use for schools or adult care, so why should I pay for it. I also do not like to be charged for a London Mayor when I have a council to pay for and an MP for London in the HoC (Rachel Blake MP).