Melton Borough Council 'disappointed' by government decision to pause councils' restructure

Ministers approved a new structure back in July to set up one super council for Leicestershire and Rutland and an expanded Leicester city authority.

District authorities, including Melton Borough Council, are due to be abolished under the plan with the new structure scheduled to begin from April 2028.

But Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner’s announcement that the proposals will be paused came as a surprise on Monday.

Councillor Ronan Browne, the Conservative leader of Melton Borough Council, commented: “We are disappointed by the government's decision to pause progress on Local Government Reorganisation while it undertakes a review of the programme.

"For the past 18 months, councils across Leicestershire have invested significant time, resources and expertise into developing proposals in response to the government's stated ambition for local government reform and devolution.

"This work has been undertaken in good faith and with the shared aim of creating strong, sustainable councils that can deliver for our local communities.

"Like many councils, we have been making plans based on the expectation that new unitary councils would be formed by April 2028.

"The uncertainty created by this pause makes long-term planning more challenging at a time when local government finances remain under significant pressure, especially in rural areas like Melton, where government funding has decreased.”

It leaves the borough council, along with other local authorities in the area, in limbo until the next step is announced by the government.

"Our immediate priority is the impact this announcement has on our staff, councillors and residents,” added Councillor Browne.

"Officers and councillors have worked tirelessly to support the reorganisation programme, and it is vital that this review is completed quickly and that we all receive clarity on what this review means for the future so we can plan effectively and ensure the best possible services are provided for our communities.

"Whatever the outcome of the review, Melton Borough Council remains committed to serving our residents, supporting local communities and ensuring that Melton's voice is heard in discussions about the future of local government in Leicestershire."

Fellow Tory, Edward Argar, MP for Melton & Syston, had been campaigning for the government to row back on the plans for Leicester and Leicestershire, particularly the expanded city boundaries which would see some of the communities he represents swallowed up by the city council.

Writing in his latest Melton Times column, Mr Argar said: “I have fought the government's Leicester city 'land-grab' from day one, so it's announcement that it is pausing and reviewing LGR, and pausing the 'land-grab' of communities like Syston, Queniborough, Thurmaston, Barkby, Barkby Thorpe, Beeby, and Thorpebury, in our area by the city is welcome news, and is also good news for Melton and the villages.

"Because even though Melton borough was not caught up in the land-grab, the taking into the city of these huge areas on its boundary would, as I have previously written in the Melton Times, have left those areas like Melton in the new county authority having to make up a huge gap in council finances, which would ultimately have fallen on local council tax payers in places like Melton.”