Reform launch 'DOGE' role at first council meeting

Kent County Council leader Linden Kemkaran has been officially sworn in and will select her cabinet on Thursday

Reform UK has officially taken control of Kent County Council following the party's sweeping victory in May's local elections.

Kent party leader Linden Kemkaran was sworn in as council leader and told her councillors in a private meeting: "Today is about getting on with business."

In her first speech to the chamber, Ms Kemkaran announced a host of things, including a cabinet role inspired by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) office - a drive to cut US government spending overseen by Elon Musk.

To those critical of the lack of experience in her councillors, Mr Kemkaran said: "We stood because we believe this country of ours is in grave danger and time is running out to save it."

She continued: "It is the honour of my life. I'm a Kentish girl through and through.

"I promise you this with my honour, I'm going to do the best I can while I'm here and I thank you."

In her speech, Ms Kemkaran also confirmed there would be no Pride or Ukrainian flags flying at the county hall in future.

She told councillors the focus of the chamber should be to "serve those who elected us, the people of Kent".

This led to a protest with a Ukrainian flag being unfurled and boos emerging from the public gallery.

She then pledged support for banning phones in schools and said she would push back against "green policies" if they fail to provide value.

She also announced confirmed each councillor's spending allowance would be cut by 5%, saving more than £100,000.

A Ukrainian flag was unfurled from the public gallery

Reform took 57 out of 81 seats in the Kent County Council election at the beginning of May, wiping out the Conservative majority which had stood for nearly 30 years.

Richard Palmer has been elected as the new chair of the council and Peter Evans as vice chair.

Addressing the council after his appointment, Mr Palmer said: "It's a huge privilege and honour, and I will do all I can to do this job with the upmost ability."

Speaking to BBC South East after she was chosen as Reform leader for Kent, Ms Kemkaran said she wanted to try to lessen the impact of illegal migration on the county's residents.

Ms Kemkaran said Reform councillors were seeing what parts of policy related to migration they could control.

"We are looking at what we can do legally to say, 'no, we do not want to have our hotels and houses of multiple occupancy filled up in Kent'," she said.

She inherits a council teetering on the brink of bankruptcy that faces significant challenges in providing key services including adult social care, education and transport.