'We're not taking away democracy' vows Peterborough council leader amid election move
The council's agreed to delaying local elections to next year
The leader of Peterborough City Council has reassured local voters that democracy will not be taken away if local elections in May are postponed.
This week, the authority agreed that delaying this year's elections to 2027 would allow for time to prepare for local government reorganisation.
"It's very easy for people to say 'you're taking away democracy'; we're not taking away democracy," Councillor Shabina Qayyum (Labour), leader at Peterborough City Council, said.
"We've put forward a view and legally, we do not have the decision making capacity or the authority to cancel elections."
It's after Cllr Qayyum received a letter from Alison McGovern MP - minister of state for local government and homelessness - last month to ask for the council's views on the matter.
Ms McGovern will now decide whether to make an order to postpone elections for one year for those councils who raise concerns around capacity.
'Turning a page'
Cambridge city and South Cambridgeshire district councils both agreed they want to continue with local elections this year, while Huntingdonshire District Council is due to make a decision at a meeting tonight.
"We haven't made any decision to postpone elections, we have simply put forward a view in which we think it would be easier to sequence that democracy so we can deliver on the work intensive agenda of local government reform," Cllr Qayyum said.
"I think it's important to put that message out in terms of turning a page, our governance, building firm foundation the next authority is going to base itself upon is strategically important to make sure we have a water-tight approach to elections."
Elected councillors usually serve for four years, but as local government reforms are set to come into place from 2028, they will instead be in post for two years.