One Reform council leader told me they were “not planning to cut roles”, but warned: “We have four key focuses. If it doesn’t look after an elderly or vulnerable person, educate a child, clean a street or fill a pothole, we will question everything - and I mean everything.”

Reform’s drive to “cut council waste” and its renewed focus on frontline services could benefit planning departments, some people suggested

But some roles could be at risk. You may want to rebrand if you are a 'net zero officer' for example
www.lgcplus.com/politics/gov...

A bigger concern for some though is that the government’s “fear of Reform” will lead it “to knee jerk into their agenda to claw back disaffected Labour voters”

This may articulate itself in the gov watering down nature protections and climate targets in national planning policy

Again though, local plans have to follow national guidance” and be signed off by the Planning Inspectorate

“Plans will be refused if they do not conform to national guidance,” one commentator said. “So Reform rhetoric will eventually hit a proverbial brick wall.”

Reform politicians could wield influence over strategic planning

“If Reform are smart about this, they will make amendments to local plans,” said one observer

Both Northamptonshire councils are in early stages of preparing new plans, Doncaster and Durham due to review theirs

That said, councils have to adhere to national planning policy when deciding apps

Developers can appeal if their schemes are refused. If they win, costs are awarded against the council

If Reform councils go against national guidance, they could soon be in financial trouble

Where Reform councils do make decisions on schemes, expect lots of opposition to green belt schemes and renewable energy infrastructure, particularly in places like Lincolnshire and Doncaster, where Reform is now the largest party and energy secretary Ed Miliband is the local MP

Then again, county councils can wield influence through infrastructure development, one Reform county council leader told me

“County councils tend to do big infrastructure projects like highways,” they said. “It’s difficult to put up a new housing estate if there's no highways.”

But what can Reform councils actually do?

Most planning decisions take place at the district level and Reform only took two district councils. Reform councils therefore won't decide many applications

Nor do their mayors have the power to intervene on schemes like London's mayor

Reform have upped the ante since the elections, with deputy leader Richard Tice saying his party would wage “war” on net zero projects in the countryside

He said Reform councils would use “planning blockages” and “judicial reviews” to frustrate such plans
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...

Some Reform candidates opposed development over infrastructure concerns, others to protect the green belt

Some, of course, linked immigration and housing
x.com/darrengrimes...

What did Reform promise to do? Broadly speaking, they ran on anti-development and net zero scepticism

Greater Lincolnshire mayor Andrea Jenkyns, for instance, campaigned against new solar farms in the county
hopenothate.org.uk/2025/04/17/a...

…- Gained 2 mayors (Greater Lincolnshire, Hull & East Yorkshire)
-And a new MP in Runcorn & Helsby

This is the best result a party led by Nigel Farage has had in locals. Next best was 2015 when precursor UKIP took Thanet and became largest group in Thurrock.

Neither UKIP or Reform have had mayors

But first, how did Reform do?

- It won 677 council seats
- Seized 7 county councils (Durham, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Kent)
- Gained 2 district councils (West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire) …