West Northamptonshire Council has become the first local authority to approve a mechanism for sharing sensitive information with Reform UK’s cost-cutting unit.
The Reform UK-controlled council approved the legal framework for data sharing after a request by the party’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
Cllr Mark Arnull, leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said: ‘The proposed arrangements approved by cabinet ensure that the council is fully complying with the law when sharing data with the Doge team.’
However, critics have expressed concerns about local authorities sharing sensitive financial information with Doge.
Shadow levelling up secretary Kevin Hollinrake has previously warned Doge was a ‘cyber-security disaster waiting to happen'.
Jonathan Harris, the Liberal Democrat group leader on West Northamptonshire Council, told the BBC he had ‘lots of uncomfortable concerns’ because it's a ‘PR exercise’ for Reform.
To learn more about Reform UK, check out: Reform UK: What Britain’s fastest rising party stands for and Reform UK’s ‘Doge’ witch-hunts will achieve little.
