The Leader of Devon County Council, Councillor Julian Brazil, told a meeting of fellow Members today, Friday 9 January, that he hoped to find consensus so Devon can speak with one voice.
The comments came ahead of an impassioned debate in the council chamber about the Government’s proposal to cancel this year’s elections in up to 64 local councils.
Councillor after councillor, across all political groups, stood to express their dismay at the suggestion of cancelling this May’s elections.
The government says that it’s putting forward this option because of concerns about councils’ capacities “to deliver a smooth and safe transition to new councils, alongside running resource-intensive elections to councils who may be shortly be abolished.”
But Councillor Julian Brazil, last week, said that’s ‘poppycock’.
“When you get an announcement like this, it feels instinctively wrong,” said Councillor Brazil today.
“I haven’t deferred from that position myself and I would be interested to hear what others say.
“Cancelling elections is the main issue, but it’s triggered our feeling towards local government reorganisation and the whole devolution agenda.
“It appears to me that the government is descending into chaos.
“To me they’re doing it the wrong way around. They should be delaying local government reorganisation and not cancelling elections.”
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Leader of the Green and Independent Group, told councillors:
“The residents of 64 authorities will be denied their rights to determine who represents them. This amounts to thousands of residents across England being disenfranchised of their democratic rights.
“Democracy can only be truly represented by allowing a fair election process.
“Changing the rule to suit the government’s whim undermines people’s faith in politics.
“These elections need to go ahead as scheduled and let the people speak.”
Councillor Michael Fife Cook, Leader of the Reform Group at Devon County Council, said:
“The Leader of the council has my support. This meeting is about the truth. Plymouth has already decided to go ahead with their election. I have faith that Exeter will come to the right decision.
“I will support this motion because it’s something that we all should.”
And Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Leader of the council’s Conservative Group, said:
“On this matter, and I speak on behalf of the Conservative group, I agree with the Leader that we should resist any cancellation of the elections.
“Furthermore I agree with him totally, that we, as always, have been treated appallingly by national governments of all colours over the years. We’ve witnessed during this round short notices, working hard into the night to reach deadlines. Everything is done in a rush.
“We have waited many years for devolution and local government reorganisation. I’m not sure why there is such a rush now.
“I would certainly support his views. Let’s get this right and if that means slowing things down, that should happen.
“On this matter alone, Leader, I am firmly with you.”
Councils have until midnight on Thursday 15 January to submit their views on postponing local elections back to government.