Motion to establish a DOGE style role at council rubbished as Reform UK gimmick
Elgan Hearn – Local democracy reporter
A council has rubbished a Reform UK motion to establish a DOGE style role at the local authority.
At a meeting of Powys County Council’s on Thursday, July 10, Reform UK group leader Cllr Iain McIntosh brought forward the motion to establish a DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) role and called for a cabinet member to be assigned to oversee the council’s “efficiency agenda.”
Cllr McIntosh hoped that chief executive Emma Palmer could bring the proposal to fruition within three months.
Cabinet member for customers, digital and community services Cllr Raiff Devlin (Liberal Democrat) said: “This is a gimmick it’s simply a political stunt, the notion you can employ a single person who will oversee efficiency across an organisation of this size and scale is nonsensical.
“Are they going to be an expert in adult services, education, engineering, building control, leisure?”
‘Nonsense’
He added that paying a salary of £70,000 for this type of role was not efficient in itself.
“This is a complete load of nonsense, “said Cllr Devlin.
Chief executive Emma Palmer said: “We must have a focus on value for money, but I’m annoyed on the constant negativity around the organisation and ask you to balance it on the basis of the positive and great work being done by our staff.”
She read out the savings figures the council has had to produce in each budget since 2019 which includes the expectation for this year.
Mrs Palmer. said: “Over seven years that’s £83.4million, there is more we can and will do.”
‘Valid points’
Cllr McIntosh said: “In terms of savings you have made some valid points.
“I’m sure everybody outside this room will still make the point if these savings have been made: why are can’t we get our potholes repaired, why are residents being refused social services because they live too far out in the sticks, why are we closing our schools.
“Inefficiencies are costing us tens of thousands of pounds a week while Council Tax goes up all the time.
“These are all valid reasons why this motion was brought forward it’s not some political game or anything to do with what’s going on in America.”
He stressed it was to make sure that residents knew that their Council Tax is “spent wisely.”
The motion then went to a vote and 40 councillors voted against it, four voted for it and six councillors abstained.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
They are an absolute bunch of banana’s. Doge in the US has caused immeasurable harm. It has gutted departments and cost many times more (in billions) in cost. These departments gutted will take decades in some cases to get back on an even keel.
Any reform herbet trying to swing this “because musk” is an absolute tool.
How is musk anyway, the nazi saluter ex trump BFF?
All this is, is idiots suddenly thinking they can find something. Governance is hard, don’t be a musk. Don’t be farage and break it.
Given Audit Wales already do this job any new DOGE department would be “government waste” and could immediately abolish itself.
Cutting what Reform perceive as “waste” is one thing cutting services, which it will inevitably lead to, is another. Idealogical idiots.
Its performative theatre for farage. Nothing more. He probably has orders from across the pond to do this and using it to try to grandstand. And the suckers here think it is a thing. The one in Bridgend is also on this path.
They (reform) are not going to stop working from home in one council now because to re instate it means 15 million cost minimum.
WFH is a real winner but oh no, not for nige who doesn’t even know where clacton is and advertises for a reform rep to work from home.
‘Efficiency’ shouldn’t be something that is owned by Reform. All public bodies have a duty to be ‘efficient’ and not waste money. Curling up into a ball and pretending it’s not an issue is silly – just head Reform off and make sure you are ‘efficient’.
DOGE is proven to be an absolute wrecking ball that’s decimated essential services in the US and literally caused deaths as a result – see Texas and the frequent air traffic incidents. Anyone who thinks Welsh County Councils are splurging millions willy nilly hasn’t a clue. Council procurements are very thorough and safeguarded against corruption and negligence. Also funding is very stringent when grants are involved – ie can only spent on very specific niches. Appointing that moron Cllr or a DOGE minded officer to carry out a DOGE style slash and burn is just nuts. Whoever’s appointed can’t be… Read more »
Councils and government by there very nature can never be efficient.
Depends how you define efficency. In monetary terms it is not “efficient” to keep, say, old people in a care home, since they will never be economically productive, but we don’t abandon or kill them to save money. We pay to look after them, even if we don’t know them personally, because we are human beings, not adding machines.