Elections could be delayed until 2027

Wealden District Council’s leader has urged the government to go ahead with County Council elections this May despite a request from East Sussex County Council to cancel them.

The letter from Councillor James Partridge was sent in response to Minister Alison McGovern MP writing to Councils to suggest that local areas may want to cancel elections due to the impact of local government reorganisation.

The government consultation closed yesterday, and a decision will be made in the next few weeks whether elections will go ahead or not.

Councillor Partridge has made it clear that Wealden council has the capacity and is completely capable of delivering the county council elections in line with the established election timetable.

In his letter he said, “Cancelling elections on cost grounds sets a terrifying precedent. Every level of government is short of money and so the suggestion that any level of government (e.g. ESCC) cannot afford an election sets a dire precedent for the darker forces waiting in the wings to erode our democracy.

“The suggestion that this election is pointless due to councillors only serving a two-year term is questionable. There is no guarantee that you might not decide to defer elections again, as the nature of local government reform in East Sussex is still undecided. I believe people are already lobbying for unitary elections to align with the Mayoral elections. This could therefore mean that we have a County Council, elected in 2021, sitting until 2029.

“Voters elected the current councillors for a four-year term. If councillors think they are the best people to continue in their current roles, then they need to have this confirmed by voters by election not by asking the opinions of a few friends and colleagues. Councillors voting to overstay their welcome does not improve the poor perception that the public has of politicians.”