‘DEMOCRACY IS NOT AN INEFFICIENCY’
With local government reorganisation looming in England, Local Government Secretary Steve Reed controversially approved delays in 30 council elections in England until 2027.
However Reform UK launched a legal challenge to this decision, and the Government has now been forced to abandon plans to postpone elections after receiving advice that the move could be unlawful.
Florence Eshalomi, Chair of Westminster’s Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee commented on the Westminster Government’s decision to scrap plans to delay 30 council elections in England:
“I welcome this development. As I argued previously, democracy is not an inefficiency that should be cut out during local government reorganisation process.”
“Councils should not have been put in the position of choosing between frontline services or elections.
“I welcome the indication that the Government will provide additional resources to ensure that local council elections can take place and look forward to seeing more detail on this”.
