Government u-turn over council election

The only Lancashire council that was set to hold elections this spring has now been told it does not need to.

Seven of the county's local authorities had written to the government saying they wanted to postpone over concerns about going to the polls ahead of the potential abolition of some of them.

Pendle was denied the request, but the government has now changed its mind.

Liberal Democrat Pendle Council leader David Whipp called it a "complete turnaround" by government figures "running around like headless chickens".

In a letter from the secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, said he had "considered further representations from the chief executive and deputy leader that provided further evidence of how postponing the election would enable the council to release capacity to support the delivery of reorganisation".

He went on to say that, as a result, he would "include the election to Pendle Borough Council in the legislation to postpone local elections".

Whipp said the initial refusal had been the government "playing politics" because Pendle - in contrast to other authorities in the county - did not have Labour members.

He added: "It really is a shambles, and I think that the government ought to be thoroughly ashamed of the way that they've handled this and the position that we're in."

Nationally, Reform UK is taking legal action against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to try and prevent the postponement of local elections.

Reform has accused Labour of running scared from allowing voters to go to the polls to potentially inflict heavy losses on the party.

A two day hearing is scheduled for February.

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