"It’s beyond belief that Kent are cutting services that vulnerable people rely on"
A Labour MP in Kent has criticised the local Reform-run council for approving plans to cut mental health and older people’s services.
Jim Dickson, the MP for Dartford, said that despite Reform’s promise to improve services and cut taxes in run-up to the local elections in May this year, that Nigel Farage’s party plans to cut these “vital services”.
Dickson said: “Before May’s election, Reform in Kent promised they would improve services and cut taxes.
“Instead, vital services to older people and those with a mental health condition provided by great organisations like Imago and Involve is to be cut and taxes are going up”.
MPs shouted “shame” in response to Dickson’s statement.
“Would the prime minister agree with me on two things? Given the additional money for the county through the fair funding review, it’s beyond belief that Kent are cutting services that vulnerable people rely on,” the Labour MP added.
Dickson continued: “And their so-called Doge unit, that we were told would eliminate waste, actually stands for deluded, overconfident, gormless and embarrassing.”
In October, Kent County Council approved a decision to stop commissioning ‘Community Navigation services’ delivered by local charities.
These services help people aged over 55 find and access support in their local communities.
The council also approved a decision to reduce funding and redesign older people’s wellbeing services.
Scrapping Community Navigation services will save the council around £0.85 million. Redesigning mental wellbeing services contracts will make a cost saving of £2.24 million by 31 March 2027.
The authority says adult social care needs to deliver total savings and income of £63.1m in 2025-26.
Kent County Council argues that cutting the contracts will help to remove “duplication” of services, but local MPs and council leaders say the cuts will adversely affect vulnerable older people.
Prime minister Keir Starmer responded: “He sums up very well how his community has been utterly let down by Reform.”
“Whilst the member for Clacton is making excuses about his behaviour at school, look at what his party are doing across the country. Chaos in Kent.”
Starmer went on to reference other scandals that have hit Farage’s party in the last week. The PM said: “In Hampshire their mayoral candidate says the deputy prime minister, a black British man born in this country, should go back to the Caribbean.”
“In Staffordshire, Reform’s leader has been exposed as a white supremacist. It’s not a coincidence Mr Speaker, because chaos and division is the member of Clacton’s life work.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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