Postponing Local Elections Would Be ‘Abuse Of Democracy’

Opposition is mounting against plans to postpone local elections in Leicestershire in May.

The county council wants to delay them while talks continue on a potential shake-up of local government.

However, in just three days over 700 people have signed an on-line petition demanding the poll takes place as normal.

Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, has branded the idea ‘an abuse of democracy’ and ‘disrespectful to residents’ while Harborough MP Neil O’Brien is furious at the proposal.

Mr O’Brien has launched the petition together with MP for Rutland and Stamford, Alicia Kearns, who is also against postponing the poll.

Cllr Knowles spoke to HFM:

Neil O’Brien MP in Market Harborough

The government is set to decide in the coming weeks in which areas it will take forward plans for local government reorganisation, resulting in elections being cancelled.

Leicestershire County Council has put forward the idea of a single unitary council for the whole of the county, which would mean abolishing Harborough District Council and the six other district and borough councils.

It could also mean an extension of Leicester ctiy’s boundaries into parts of Leicestershire.

The move follows following announcements by the Government to create more unitary authorities, which would be granted additional powers and potentially extra cash.

Cllr Knowles has met with both MPs who are all calling for government minister Jim McMahon MP to meet them and ‘to stop riding roughshod over local democracy’:

Neil O’Brien MP said: “The Labour government want to abolish all District and Borough councils in England, and replace them with much larger councils covering bigger areas.

“The announced this without consulting anyone. They didn’t mention it before the election.

“In places where they take this plan forward they have also said they will cancel the local elections which are supposed to happen in May. So people’s vote will be taken away – and my constituents will have no say for several years, while a new giant single council for the whole county is created.”

Alicia Kearns MP said: “We had a full and frank meeting this morning and we agreed that the Government has to engage with districts and boroughs in Leicestershire about Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution. It is the democratic thing to do. I hope my letter helps to assist with the Minister agreeing to an urgent meeting.”

Leicestershire County Council says there is an expectation that reorganisation into large councils will produce significant financial savings to reinvest in services and adds government refers to a two-tier premium now being paid for by Council Taxpayers for two tier local government.