MP slams decision to absorb Charnwood villages into expanded Leicester city

Mr Argar described the move as a ‘land-grab’ by city Mayor Peter Soulsby and he said it went against the wishes of residents living in Charnwood villages in his constituency.

It will see Leicester’s population increase to 623,000 from the current 372,000 – Mr Soulsby (Labour) says it will reflect the rapidly growing city and was a ‘sensible’ decision.

The change will come in for April 2028 as part of the nationwide streamlining of local government – the rest of Leicestershire will be governed by a single unitary authority instead of a county council and district councils.

Mr Argar (Conservative) said the approved plan serves to ‘ignore the responses to the consultation; plans that ignore the representations of our local councillors, and of MPs like me challenging Ministers in Parliament’.

"Areas that are clearly of the county in their identity and geography, like Thurmaston, Syston, Queniborough, Barkby, Beeby, and a swathe of others across the county will be swallowed up by an expanded city,” he said.

"The Labour government's disdain for local peoples views will see our residents paying more tax and almost certainly getting less for it, with the exception of likely seeing huge swathes of new development on currently green fields.”

Mr Argar added: "This is the wrong decision, by a government out of touch with Leicestershire, and I will work with colleagues to continue to oppose it however I can."

The leader of Leicestershire County Council Dan Harrison (Reform UK) said he was ‘furious, shocked and bitterly disappointed’ by the decision.

He said: "We’ve always been clear that an expanded city would be costly and disruptive.

"Financially and strategically, this is madness and it’s not the right decision for Leicestershire.”

His colleague on the Reform UK ruling group at County Hall, Councillor Andrew Innes (Melton East), said it was an ‘outrageous decision’ by the government.

He told the Melton Times: “Despite the clear wishes of residents of Leicestershire wanting to remain within Leicestershire and not to be swallowed up by the city, the Labour government has ignored this and given the city County land to the largest extent.

"This means that the city will now have a larger population than the county, with vital county resources moving to support the city budget.

“This leaves the remaining county residents at a massive disadvantage and will surely have a detrimental effect on Melton residents.”

On the decision, Leicester Mayor Mr Soulsby said: “Leicester has grown dramatically over the last century, and the boundary extension confirmed by government will finally reflect that growth.

“This is by no means an exceptional measure. In the 1970s, many English cities had their boundaries extended. Leicester wasn’t one of them. As a result, we have been one of the most tightly constrained major cities in the UK.

“The government’s decision to extend the city’s boundary will belatedly bring us into line with other cities, removing the illogical and confusing split that exists in our built-up urban area.”