Staffordshire County Council leader speaks out about election delay requests
A council leader has said Staffordshire authorities asking to delay elections this year are “cancelling democratic right” for residents.
Martin Murray, acting leader of Staffordshire County Council, said the Reform UK-led authority opposed the postponement of elections in Cannock Chase and Tamworth.
The two Labour-run councils are due to hold elections on May 7 for a third of their seats. But both have written to the Government to ask for the elections to be postponed so they can focus on local government reorganisation work.
Staffordshire’s eight district and borough councils, as well as the county authority and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, are due to be abolished in 2028. They will be replaced by a unitary authority system as part of the national shake-up of local government, with details of the new councils yet to be finalised.
On Wednesday (January 22) Cannock Chase Council leader Steve Thornley explained to fellow elected members his decision to ask for an election delay. He spoke of the extra work council staff are already facing in the local government reorganisation process, as well as ongoing recruitment issues which have led to there being 45 vacant posts – 30% of the authority’s workforce – as of October 31.
But speaking at Wednesday’s Staffordshire County Council cabinet meeting (January 21), Councillor Murray – who represents Cannock Town at the authority – said he was disappointed to hear delays had been requested for the Cannock Chase and Tamworth elections. He added: “This is not a postponement, it is a cancellation.
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“Within two years, districts, boroughs and the county council itself will be dissolved by the end of 2028. They are cancelling your democratic right and we are fully opposed to any such action.
“I understand the pressures, but I do not support delaying elections. It risks undermining democracy, accountability and the public’s trust, that they can just pass judgement when it matters most.
“As council leaders, we represent our people and our place and that includes upholding the democratic process.”
The Conservative-run Newcastle Borough Council announced last month it remained committed to running elections on May 7 for all 44 seats however. Council leader Simon Tagg said: “First, the Government forces local government reorganisation on communities when there wasn’t any demand for it, now it suggests delaying scheduled elections while it tries to make the change work.
“Delaying a scheduled election is an action only to be taken in the most extraordinary circumstances. The council has consistently argued that the forced abolition of Staffordshire’s two-tier system in favour of unitary councils is unjustified, unwelcome and unwanted.”
In a letter to Alison McGovern, Minister of State for Local Government, the council said: “Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council remains fully committed to upholding the democratic process and ensuring a fair and timely election, irrespective of ongoing local government reorganisation discussions.”
