Elon Musk: Conservative Coventry councillor says UK city 'needs an Elon Musk' as Tesla CEO 'roots out waste with DOGE'

Lapsa made the remarks during the council budget meeting on Tuesday, 25 February. Members of the ruling Labour group claimed the council is financially responsible and spends most on services for the vulnerable. But those in the opposition slammed council "vanity projects" and called for a range of savings, Coventry Telegraph reports.

In a speech supporting the Conservative group's alternative budget, Councillor Lapsa told the chamber: "Trump and Elon Musk is rooting out waste with DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] in America. What we need is a Coventry version of Elon Musk. The focus must be on frontline service delivery, not vanity projects”.

But Labour councillors hit back and defended the group's financial management. Councillor Dave Toulson told the chamber: "Listening to the members opposite it's very clear they'd like their own version of Elon Musk's DOGE. But I have to say on the basis of their amendment it's more dodgy than DOGE."

One Facebook user slammed the Conservative councillor for saying Coventry “needs an Elon Musk”. The user said: “Someone who captures your government and tears up all your services whilst ensuring his company is benefitting and not being accountable? Interesting”.

Lapsa had earlier highlighted a huge decline in the value of council-owned Coombe Abbey Hotel and estate. He said this was revealed in a council audit report last week. He also pointed to a reported £7.5 million "bailout" loan to council-owned waste company Tom White Waste, claiming it is "all wasted."

However, Ccouncillor Richard Brown told the chamber the council invests in "sound business case investments" that reflect its policy aims. He said most of the council's budget for public services - 83p out of each £1 paid in council tax - "must be spent" on social care and housing. "It only leaves a meagre 17 pence to help fund the other services that we offer," he added.