Paused city expansion will still happen - mayor

Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has said he is frustrated by the government's decision to pause plans to expand the city's political boundary - but he believes the move will still go ahead in the long term.

On Monday, ministers said they would review plans, announced in July, for a major redrawing of local authority boundaries that would see the city extended into areas currently served by neighbouring councils from 2028.

Opponents of the move said they hoped the government would now scrap the idea altogether.

However, Labour's Soulsby said the argument for an enlarged city authority, including towns and villages on the edge of the city, was still overwhelming.

"I'm very frustrated because there will be uncertainty over the next couple of years," he said.

"But I would stress that this has been paused, it has not been cancelled."

Ministers said the review of their plans to simplify and streamline local government across the country had been put on hold in light of new legal advice.

They wrote to council leaders telling them to cease preparations for the changes.

In Leicestershire, 10 existing local councils were set to be dissolved and replaced with two larger authorities - the expanded city and a second unitary council covering the rest of Leicestershire and Rutland.

Local officials had been planning for elections to the two new authorities to be held in May but ministers have said they will now take place based on existing council boundaries.

The government has not revealed the specifics of the legal advice that prompted the rethink.

Soulsby said: "There's no question about any of the proposals put forward. It's more to do with the process.

"As far as we understand it, it doesn't amount to legal advice for the case of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

"It's some of the other areas where they have had advice the criteria they took into account when they made their decision would not stand scrutiny in court.

"I think we have been caught up in that and we have been delayed along with the others but I'm very, very confident the case was so overwhelming and it will happen, just not yet."

Conservative and Liberal Democrat district councils in Leicestershire have threatened to launch a judicial review - a legal challenge to the process which is known as local government reorganisation (LGR).

They have opposed plans to extend the city boundary, as has Reform UK-led Leicestershire County Council.

County council leader Dan Harrison said he was pleased it had been paused.

"It's a dog's breakfast of a decision," he said. "I said it was dreadful for democracy.

"These disastrous plans have cost millions of pounds and have been a distraction from the job we have been elected to do."

Tory MP for Melton and Syston Ed Argar said: "I have fought the government's Leicester city land grab from day one, so its announcement that it is pausing and reviewing LGR, and pausing the land grab of communities like Syston, Queniborough, Thurmaston, Barkby, Barkby Thorpe, Beeby and Thorpebury, by the city is welcome news.

"Despite government chaos over its LGR plans, it may finally be listening to local MPs like me, councillors, and local people who've united to fight this."

The government has been accused of ignoring the result of its own consultation on the changes, which showed 87% of the 6,600 responses opposed city expansion.

Leader of the Democrat group on Leicestershire County Council Michael Mullaney said: "Residents know that the government plans for our area are a disaster, dragging hundreds of thousands of people into Leicester city against their will.

"Putting everyone else into one huge distant authority for the rest of Leicestershire is a step backwards too. Their plans are totally wrong.

"Whilst we welcome the government pausing to think again, this isn't the end of the battle.

"I and colleagues will continue to fight these plans until the government finally drops them for good."

A government spokesperson previously said: "Local government reorganisation in Leicestershire will put one council in charge of decisions in their area.

"This will speed up the construction of new homes and infrastructure, improve public services and boost regional growth to put more money in people's pockets."

On Monday, Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner told MPs that "in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law".

She added: "Secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new prime minister and any additional considerations."

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