Alistair Beales ‘deeply concerned’ that Norfolk County Council elections could be postponed in pursuit of devolution
West Norfolk Council’s leader is “deeply concerned” that county elections could be postponed as part of plans to secure a new devolution deal.
Cllr Alistair Beales says that while he supports Norfolk County Council attempting to fast-track a deal to request to join the Devolution Priority Programme, he does not believe this should impact the upcoming May elections.
He is worried that pushing them back could “deny people the right to vote for two and possibly three years”.
The county council is set to vote on a motion tomorrow which will ask members to note the possibility of election delays, but Cllr Beales says its cabinet will then vote on formally requesting a delay from the Government.
A report ahead of the meeting says that pushing the elections back would leave the county council “best placed to continue its devolution discussions”.
The drama comes amid Government plans to scrap district authorities, such as West Norfolk Council, and merge them with their county counterparts to form new unitary authorities.
Cllr Beales said: “In common with other council leaders in Norfolk, I am supportive of Norfolk County Council’s ambition to fast track devolution in Norfolk by joining with Suffolk County Council in making a request to Government to join the Devolution Priority Programme.
“However, I do not support any request to postpone county council elections due in May 2025.
“It was made absolutely clear by the Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government, Baroness Taylor on January 7 that a request to join the Devolution Priority Programme is an entirely separate matter from requesting a delay to elections.
“Government guidance states that a request to delay elections should unlock devolution in areas where it would not otherwise be possible.
“Given the support for devolution as formally expressed by all local authorities in Norfolk and Suffolk, any election delay is plainly unnecessary, and worse could prove divisive.”
Ahead of tomorrow’s county council meeting, Cllr Beales added: “I am also deeply concerned that on January 9 the full Norfolk County Council will be asked to consider a motion that merely notes the possibility of election delay whilst the following Norfolk County Council cabinet motion endorses an explicit request to Government to delay elections, claiming it is backed by ‘fellow councillors’.
“In my view that clearly implies the request would be made with the support of full council.
“And yet, as it stands, full council will not have been asked to support such a request. This lack of clarity over a fundamental change that could deny people the right to vote for two and possibly three years is regrettable.”
Keir Starmer’s Labour Party ministers are believed to be in favour of scrapping district councils as part of a new shake-up of local government.
This follows an in-principle devolution deal to bring more powers and funding to Norfolk being scrapped following the general election last year.
A report to the county council ahead of tomorrow’s meeting says: “Recognising the complexity of the changes proposed in the White Paper and the timescales developing relevant proposals, areas are given the opportunity to ask government to postpone local elections scheduled for May 2025 until May 2026.
“To successfully do so, government will need to lay secondary legislation before parliament early in the new year.
“Therefore, to enable that, Government has set 10 January 2025 as the deadline for any such applications. It is therefore critical that a decision is reached ahead of that deadline.
“Asking for the May 2025 county council elections to be delayed enables the council to be best placed to continue its devolution discussions with central government to evaluate the advantages of a new agreement to regain momentum in agreeing the best way forward for the county.”
