MPs and councillors hand in 40,000-name petition to Downing Street
MPs and councillors have handed in a petition with 40,000 names to 10 Downing Street to oppose plans to significantly increase the size of Leicester.
It follows the news that the government said it would pause Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Leicester city’s boundary was due to be expanded to include towns and villages previously served by Leicestershire councils, including Syston, Queniborough, Birstall, Glenfield, Narborough, Oadby and Wigston.
Two new unitary councils would also be made – one for the city and one for the county and Rutland as part of these plans, with existing councils all scrapped.
However, the communities secretary Angela Rayner paused plans for LGR in Leicestershire last week along with 14 other areas in the country following new legal advice.
At Downing Street to hand over the petition against LGR on Monday were Conservative MPs Dr Luke Evans, Neil O’Brien, Alicia Kerns (Rutland & Stamford), Alberto Costa, Edward Argar (Melton & Syston) and Peter Bedford.
They were joined by Cllr Deborah Taylor, Conservative leader at Leicestershire County Council, Market Harborough District Council leader Simon Whelband and Blaby District Council leader Ben Taylor.
Speaking about the petition, Dr Evans said it showed an ‘extraordinary demonstration of public concern from communities’.
“This isn’t about party politics. It is about standing up for the communities we represent. More than 40,000 signatures send a powerful message to the Government that local people expect to be listened to.”
A defiant Mrs Kearns said ‘we will not be forced into mega councils’.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Leicester City Labour mayor Sir Peter Soulsby previously said he was confident the city expansion would proceed despite the pause.