100 signatures reached
To: Leicestershire County Council
Leicestershire: Let The People VOTE
This petition is to call on Leicestershire County Council not to proceed with its request to postpone the local elections scheduled for May 2025.
At a crucial Full Council meeting, councillors will discuss whether Leicestershire should proceed with the Government’s devolution programme and the potential reorganisation of local government.
Leicestershire County Council has formally asked the Government to delay the elections planned for May 2025 until May 2026. The council claims this delay is necessary to accommodate local government reorganisation and create a single unitary authority, aligning with the Government’s English Devolution White Paper.
Why is this important?
We need to ensure elections are not delayed at the request of politicians. Cancelling elections with such short notice is harmful to democracy.
• Elections Are a Right: Politicians must not pick and choose when they face the public.
• Uncertainty for Voters: If elections are postponed, there is no guarantee when they will take place.
• A Democratic Mandate Is Needed: Any reorganisation of local government or changes to council structures must have the backing of the people through an election.
• Protect Democracy: The people of Leicestershire deserve the opportunity to vote on their local representatives without delay.
The Bigger Picture:
Deborah Taylor, acting leader of Leicestershire County Council, has argued that reorganisation would save money, simplify local government, and protect frontline services. However, these claims have not been fully scrutinized or endorsed by voters.
The Government’s White Paper proposes merging two-tier councils like Leicestershire into a single authority, possibly led by an elected mayor. This would mean abolishing districts and boroughs, expanding Leicester City’s boundaries into parts of the county, and creating a mayoral combined authority.
Leicestershire County Council argues that this approach is essential for unlocking devolution, economic sustainability, and housing growth. But without a clear democratic mandate, such drastic changes risk alienating voters and undermining trust in local governance.
The Real Issue:
Delaying elections only benefits politicians, not the people they serve. Smaller, more localized authorities are often more efficient, manageable, and accountable. Larger authorities risk becoming wasteful, overstaffed, and disconnected from the communities they represent.
Our Message:
Let the people decide. The elections scheduled for May 2025 must go ahead as planned. Democracy depends on it.
Let the people vote!
