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I wish any councillor of any party well when it comes to cutting wasteful spending - so how is Reform’s cost-cutting DOGE programme doing? This from County Councillor Jamey McIvor, director of local government at Reform UK at the Local Government Association conference in the Q&A following his speech. (Don’t know about you, but I was expecting some numbers? 💴 🤔) Sarah Keen from Local Government Chronicle. just want to ask a bit more about Doge because it's been about a month now that um you've certainly been in Kent. Can you give us any more specific examples of waste that you found beyond the social care one you mentioned before? [JM] Well, first of all, and this is what's quite ironic about how the press have been handling this entire topic. Um we have such a significant legal apparatus to complete before the doge initiates. We've had initial meetings in all of our councils are very productive ones where I've been and and had an opportunity to be a part of. Um because of course this is significant. It's our residence data. Obviously there is a significant legal apparatus that has to go alongside DOGE and that is all in progress. So these opposition parties that are making a fuss about GDPR and data. I mean, it's just so laughable. And again, it reminds me why these people are in opposition because if they read their papers and listened, perhaps they wouldn't find themselves in opposition. So, to answer your question, Doge has begun in all of our councils. Those initial conversations are happening. We're working closely with officers to make sure there's robust legal apparatus there so that when DOGE begins we ensure that the data that's found is only shared within those part of the data sharing agreement which of course is the political leadership of the council and it's down to the political leadership of the council. What then happens and what next steps are taken. This is a democracy and doge will be working with the democratically elected counselors to ensure that the people that voted for them are able to learn about the inefficiencies. And of course with the budgets being so tight, let's be real, there's never been a better time in local government. I think the chief executive of West Northampton she made this point very eloquently. There's never been a better time for DOGE to happen in Britain in our local councils than right now when the budgets are so difficult. I was just going to add to that that um it's not uncommon for councils to bring in third parties to look at data we do that every year with the audit you know it's it's a standard process but some of the data is sensitive and and reform UK is really alive to that and wants to do this professionally and properly and that's why we're going through such detail in these agreements.