The impact of Reform UK on Essex County Council

drafted 2026-07-27 · accepted

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This council: flagship · Adult Social Care · Asylum and Migration · Climate · Council Spending and Efficiency · Devolution and local government reorganisation

Reform UK has led Essex County Council since May 2026 (source).

The Leader has taken an urgent decision to mount a judicial review of the Secretary of State's decision on the reorganisation of local government in Essex.[1] Shortly after the May 2026 elections the Leader declared a 'Pothole Emergency'.[2] The council's 2025/26 provisional outturn, approved in July 2026, drew down children's reserves to cover placement overspends.[3] It carried forward a £24.5m high-needs schools deficit under the statutory override.[4]

Local government reorganisation

A judicial review of the imposed unitary geography

The Leader took an urgent decision, exempt from call-in, to pursue a judicial review of the Secretary of State's decision on the reorganisation of local government in Essex.[1] Published on 19 June 2026, it sets the council's formal position as opposition through legal challenge rather than acceptance of the imposed unitary geography.[1] The decision also appears in the Cabinet's list of decisions taken since the 7 May 2026 elections, marked urgent and exempt from call-in.[5]

The Hundred-Day Plan amended to oppose reorganisation

At its meeting of 3 July 2026, the Cabinet amended the 'Reforming Essex' Hundred-Day Plan before approving it.[6] The minutes record the wording 'We want Essex County Council to continue but not as it is today' being replaced with 'We are not against change – but we will not support these LGR plans'.[6] Cabinet then resolved to approve the plan as amended.[6]

Highways and potholes

A declared Pothole Emergency

The Leader declared a 'Pothole Emergency' shortly after the May 2026 elections, recorded as FP/113/05/26.[2] A July 2026 Cabinet report shows the declaration was funded by a £2m drawdown from the Transformation Reserve.[7] That reserve was replenished from the council's 2025/26 net underspend of £5.1m.[7]

A highways-safety motion amended

At Full Council on 28 May 2026, an opposition motion asked Cabinet to establish an urgent safety-related highways programme and to provide sufficient funding for it.[8] An amendment moved by Cllr Mark Webster and seconded by the Deputy Leader replaced that with a call to review all highways functions and explore funding opportunities, dropping the specific funding commitment.[8] The amendment was carried and became the substantive motion.[8]

Children's services

The 2025/26 provisional outturn report, approved by Cabinet on 3 July 2026, drew £7.8m from the Children's Risk Reserve to cover in-year overspends on children's placements.[3] It drew a further £2m from the Children's Sustainability Reserve for the same purpose.[3]

SEND and high-needs schools funding

The same outturn report carries forward a £24.5m overspend on the Dedicated Schools Grant high-needs block through the Dedicated Schools Grant Adjustment Account.[4] The report notes this statutory override ceases to apply after 31 March 2028.[4] It records a new government High Needs Stability grant that will cover 90% of Essex's accumulated deficit to the end of 2025/26, pending Department for Education approval of a local SEND reform plan.[9]

Spending and early decisions

The published register of decisions taken since the May 2026 election records the removal of library charges.[10] It lists no decision to cut, cap, or tighten reporting of consultancy or agency staff spending.[10]

References

1. Essex County Council's Leader took an urgent decision (exempt from call-in), published 19 June 2026, to pursue a judicial review of the Secretary of State's decision on the reorganisation of local government in Essex, the council's formal position being opposition through legal challenge rather than acceptance of the imposed unitary geography.
“19 June 2026 Leader Judicial Review of Secretary of State’s decision on the reorganisation of Local Government in Essex FP/127/06/26” Decisions, 14 July 2026 ↗
2. The Leader of the Council took a decision declaring a 'Pothole Emergency' shortly after the 7 May 2026 elections, recorded in the Cabinet's list of decisions taken since the election (FP/113/05/26), which the 3 July 2026 outturn report shows was funded by the 2m pound Transformation Reserve drawdown.
“FP/113/05/26 Declaring a ‘Pothole Emergency’” Decisions, 3 July 2026 ↗
3. Essex County Council's 2025/26 provisional outturn report, approved by Cabinet on 3 July 2026, records a £7.785m withdrawal from the Children's Risk Reserve and a £1.982m withdrawal from the Children's Sustainability Reserve, both to mitigate in-year overspends on children's placements.
“Children’s Risk Reserve - £7.785m withdrawal to mitigate in year placements over spends (Appendix D 1(xi))” Decisions, 14 July 2026 ↗
“Children’s Sustainability Reserve - £1.982m withdrawal to mitigate in year placements over spends (Appendix D 1(xi))” Decisions, 14 July 2026 ↗
4. Essex County Council's 2025/26 provisional outturn report (Cabinet, 3 July 2026) records a £24.494m overspend on the Dedicated Schools Grant high needs block, carried forward through the Dedicated Schools Grant Adjustment Account under the statutory override, which the report notes ceases to apply after 31 March 2028.
“That the £24.494m over spend on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is carried forward through the Dedicated Schools Grant Adjustment Account. This is a statutory account that enables the Council to carry forward the over spend on the DSG high needs block to a later year, to be financed by grant and/or to be offset by future savings on the DSG, or failing that, from the general fund. The statutory override that permits this ceases to apply after 31 March 2028” Decisions, 14 July 2026 ↗
5. The same judicial review decision is also recorded in the Cabinet's list of decisions taken since the 7 May 2026 elections, listed as urgent and exempt from call-in.
“FP/127/06/26 Judicial Review of Secretary of State’s decision on the reorganisation of Local Government in Essex” Decisions, 3 July 2026 ↗
6. Essex County Council's Cabinet approved the 'Reforming Essex' Hundred-Day Plan on 3 July 2026, amending the report during the meeting to replace an earlier line accepting reorganisation ('We want Essex County Council to continue but not as it is today') with an explicit statement opposing the government's Local Government Reorganisation plans ('We are not against change – but we will not support these LGR plans'), then resolved to approve the plan as amended.
“1. Cabinet approves Reforming Essex and endorses the commitments set out in the plan, as amended.” Minutes, 31 July 2026 ↗
“the wording of ‘We want Essex County Council to continue but not as it is today’ was changed to ‘We are not against change – but we will not support these LGR plans.’” Minutes, 31 July 2026 ↗
7. A July 2026 cabinet report shows the pothole emergency was funded by a 2m pound drawdown from the Transformation Reserve, replenished from the 2025/26 net underspend of 5.050m pounds.
“Agree That the net under spend of £5.050m is appropriated as follows: • £2m to the Transformation Reserve to replenish funds drawn down for pothole emergency decision.” Decisions, 14 July 2026 ↗
8. At Full Council on 28 May 2026, an opposition motion moved by Cllr David Loxton calling on Cabinet to establish an urgent safety-related highways programme and 'provide sufficient funding for this programme' was amended by Cllr Mark Webster (seconded by Deputy Leader Cllr Russell Quirk) to instead call only to 'review all Highways functions' and 'explore all funding opportunities', removing the specific funding commitment; the amendment was carried and became the substantive motion, which was then carried.
“1. Establish, as a matter of urgency, a programme for safety- related highways projects. 2. Provide sufficient funding for this programme to include projects that include new pedestrian crossings, built-out pavements, and other traffic-calming measures; as well as line-painting and signage.” Minutes, 14 July 2026 ↗
“1. Review all Highways functions of this council including safety related matters. 2. Explore all funding opportunities with which to improve the Essex Highways function.” Minutes, 14 July 2026 ↗
“The amendment moved by Cllr Mark Webster and seconded by Cllr Russell Quirk was put to the meeting and was carried and became the substantive motion. Having been put to the meeting the motion was carried.” Minutes, 14 July 2026 ↗
9. The report also notes a new High Needs Stability grant, announced by government, that will cover 90% of Essex's accumulated DSG deficit balance up to the end of 2025/26, pending Department for Education approval of a local SEND reform plan.
“A new grant, the High Needs Stability grant, has been announced by government, that will cover 90% of the accumulated deficit balance up to the end of 2025/26, pending approval by the Department for Education of a local SEND reform plan (Appendix D 4(iii))” Decisions, 14 July 2026 ↗
10. The published register of decisions taken by or in consultation with Essex County Council Cabinet Members since the 7 May 2026 local elections (published 3 July 2026) lists Leader and portfolio decisions including a 'Pothole Emergency' declaration and library-charge removal, but contains no decision to cut, cap, or tighten reporting of consultancy or agency/interim-staff spend.
“The following decisions have been taken by or in consultation with Cabinet Members since the local government elections on 7 May 2026: Leader of the Council FP/112/05/26 Removal of Self-Serve Reservation Charges in Libraries FP/113/05/26 Declaring a ‘Pothole Emergency’ FP/114/05/26 Appointments to Cabinet and Portfolios Etc” Decisions, 3 July 2026 ↗