Political opponents have accused Reform leaders of "sabotage" and a "tremendous gamble" for ripping up a £6.3m contract with consultants hired to oversee the axing of all Norfolk's councils.
The decision by Norfolk County Council deputy leader Robin Hunter-Clarke to serve notice on London-based Inner Circle over the contract, signed before his party took control of County Hall, has been slammed by other political parties.
Brian Watkins, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, branded it "sabotage", while Conservative leader Kay Mason Billig, leader at the council when it was signed, accused Reform of "gambling" with Norfolk's future for the sake of "political grandstanding".
The consultants were appointed in March to assist with the process which will see all Norfolk's councils abolished under Labour government plans to replace them with three unitary authorities.
Inner Circle were appointed by Norfolk County Council's then chief executive Tom McCabe, using powers delegated by County Hall's previous Conservative administration - which had wanted just one council - on March 24.
That was the day before the government announced it was backing three councils for Norfolk: One for Greater Norwich, one for the east, centred on Great Yarmouth, and another in the west, centred on King's Lynn.
Reform is trying to halt those changes - which would see elections to shadow forms of the replacement councils next May and the new councils officially vested in April 2028 - through the courts.
But, while a judge considers whether the council's case should go to judicial review, Mr Hunter-Clarke has opted to cancel the consultants' contract.
He said it offered "poor value for money" and that officers within the council would be able to pave the way for changes - should Reform's challenge not succeed - without external assistance.
But Lib Dem leader Mr Watkins said: "I think it is a case of them trying to sabotage the process, so councils are not ready in time for the creation of the new councils, which could have serious implications.
"I appreciate the contract was for a lot of money and that in other circumstances, I would not be in favour of spending on external consultants.
"But without them, all of the work will fall on council staff, who are already under pressure, with something which is a huge undertaking."
"I think Reform probably feel the chances of them winning the judicial review against the government are receding and this is the last roll of the dice."
Mrs Mason Billig hit back at Mr Hunter-Clarke's claim over a lack of scrutiny, saying the council's corporate select committee had discussed the contract - albeit after it had been signed.
She said: "The contract was commissioned on the advice of Mr McCabe, the highly experienced former chief executive, who had already taken a council through local government reorganisation.
"He understood both the complexity of the process and the extremely demanding government timetable.
"When it comes to the professional judgement needed to deliver reorganisation safely, I trust his experience over Mr Hunter-Clarke’s political rhetoric."
She said consultants would have provided "specialist support" to existing officers already delivering "vital services".
She said scrapping the contract could see those officers diverted from that work, with potentially "serious consequences" for vulnerable people.
Mrs Mason Billig said: "Other areas facing local government reorganisation have engaged professional consultants because they recognise the scale, complexity and specialist nature of the task.
"Is Norfolk now to be the only area expected to struggle through without that expertise and, if so, what will be the cost of getting it wrong?"
"Cancelling specialist support while gambling everything on the outcome of a judicial review is not prudent leadership.
"It is playing fast and loose with vital council services, taxpayers’ money and Norfolk’s future. This is a tremendous gamble."
Maxine Webb, Green group leader, said: "I’m astounded by the hypocrisy of the silence about the decision back in March, from our now council leader and chair, who were both county councillors at the time.
"It was published in the normal way and could have been called-in for the scrutiny they’re now complaining about never happening.
"There’s no way the workload of local government reorganisation can be absorbed by officers on top of their existing duties, and that’s without the cuts to staffing levels we know Reform are looking at."
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