Let's face it: most people don't see local councils as the most thrilling of things. In fact, most see them as sluggish, administrative quagmires, struggling to get even the simplest of tasks over the line - from filling potholes to bin collections.

So perhaps that's why there'll be many who gave a shrug of the shoulders when they heard that Nigel Farage's party, Reform, has taken over However, anyone with an ounce of political nous knows this was no accident - and that Farage's was an absolute masterstroke that could be the game-changer that propels Reform to victory at the next General Election.

Contrary to popular belief, true political power isn't just held in Westminster. Local authorities wield vast influence. They manage multi-million-pound budgets, oversee huge workforces and make decisions that directly affect people's daily lives. As a councillor myself in Middlesbrough, I've known MPs who say they envy the powers held by directly elected mayors and council leaders. And Farage now has an absolutely perfect platform - in fact 10 of them - to really show what his party is all about.

I think, so far, his commonsense council checklist is great - from finally getting council officers back into the office through to axing silly DEI roles. But by far Nigel and Reform's biggest opportunity here is to use local councils in the battle to sort out migration.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that perhaps this kind of issue can only be solved by the PM and his pals - if they had the desire to do so. What's less well known, however, is the role that local councils play in the area.

My hometown of Middlesbrough has always had some of the highest numbers of asylum seekers in the country. This is no accident - it's because the Labour-run council has always accepted them. Yes, the Home Office is responsible for housing asylum seekers - and the key reason so many are housed in Middlesbrough is because it's where some of the cheapest houses in the country are located.

But while councils can't prevent this process from taking place, they can absolutely make things as difficult as possible - and stop rolling out the red carpet - as each local authority then has the responsibility of "settling" asylum seekers. If Reform councils push back on this in their new council areas, it'll ignite a national conversation and a thousand headlines.

Farge has already made a start with a fiery post-election success in Durham. He said migrants were being "dumped into the north of England, [and] getting everything for free". He added: 'It is unfair, it is irresponsible, it is wrong in every way and I don't believe Starmer has got the guts to deal with it."

Say what you want about Farage - but I know firsthand that what he's saying is absolutely true.

In Middlesbrough the deluge has led to huge pressure on local services - whether that be in schools - some with pupils speaking up to 40 languages - to getting yourself a GP appointment, which are like gold dust.

That's not to mention the unsettled societies it leads to: no sooner has a family moved into an area, than they move on. This leads to less pride in communities, which has an impact in all kinds of ways.

So, although the next General Election feels as though it's a lifetime away, if Nigel provides even some mild relief for locals in the council areas he now controls, it will gain him huge and widespread support. And trust me: on this he'll already be 10 steps ahead.