Reform UK Urges Voters to Judge Them on Dudley Performance, Not Distant Councils
As the nation prepares for local elections, Reform UK is riding high in opinion polls with significant gains predicted across the country. In Dudley, where twenty-five of the council's seventy-two seats will be contested, the party is fielding a candidate for every available position. Expectations are that Reform will increase its presence in the council chamber from its current three members, though it cannot take full control as a result of the May 7 elections.
Dudley Reform UK chairman, Marco Longhi, stated: "Whilst I think we are going to make some big inroads, I don't see us winning every seat. Our plans are focused on 2027, and one of the first things we intend to do when we achieve a majority in the council is to open the books. A lot will depend on the maths and the numbers behind the scenes; we want to return the council back to basics, delivering what people truly want."
Focus on Local Issues Over External Influence
Longhi emphasized that there has been too much influence from the Combined Authority and central government regarding how the local authority should spend its money. Reform's current leader in Dudley Council, Councillor Shaun Keasey, echoed this sentiment, challenging anyone to find residents who believe Dudley is better now than it was eight, ten, or twenty years ago.
Keasey explained: "It's all ridiculous. We need to focus on the things people expect their local authority to handle: potholes, bins, providing facilities for tips, ensuring grass is cut, and creating play areas for young people. On complex issues like social care, we will start by reviewing what services the council must provide by law."
Root and Branch Review of Council Services
Mr. Longhi detailed their approach: "We would conduct a root and branch review from a legal perspective. Every council has to provide services at a certain level, and clearly, some local authorities are performing better than others. Once we get in and assess what's being provided, we can benchmark it against the best in the country and explore what we can do differently."
Addressing Criticism of Reform-Controlled Councils
Reform UK already controls nearby councils, such as Worcestershire County Council, where it has faced criticism. This year, Worcestershire approved a nine percent council tax increase, described by Conservatives as 'scandalous'. Mr. Longhi responded: "If you look at Worcestershire, maybe they made promises in advance and discovered the level of incompetence left behind. It might not have been wise to make such commitments, which is why I'm not making specific promises—I'm outlining a direction of travel."
He urged voters to consider Reform councils that have saved money and performed well, with Councillor Keasey citing the recent meningitis outbreak in Kent, a Reform-run council, as an example of effective handling. Longhi concluded: "Shaun and I are ruthlessly focused on Dudley. Judge us by what we deliver when we manage to take control of Dudley Council. Why judge us on examples of councils twenty or one hundred twenty miles away? It's meaningless."
