Leicestershire County Council has requested that the Government postpones the elections planned for May this year - until May 2026.

The County Council says the request has been made in connection with areas where reorganisation of local government is needed to unlock or enable devolution. 

Deborah Taylor, acting leader of Leicestershire County Council, said: "This is about reorganising local government.

"It offers an opportunity to save money, simplify a confusing system and protect front-line services and has been a goal for a number of years

"I want to be clear that this is a fresh bid in response to Government proposals and not a county council takeover.

"We are in regular contact with the City Council, Rutland Council, district councils, partners and staff to ensure they are aware of, and involved in, shaping plans and wait to hear from Government on next steps."

Leicester's borders could be expanded into the county. Local leaders have said they intend to put forward proposals that would see city boundaries extended into Leicestershire off the back of the Government's plans to reorganise local government structures.

The English Devolution White Paper, published last month, set out the Government's intention to merge two tier councils, such as Leicestershire, into a single organisation, with preferably with an elected mayor to lead them. That would mean the county losing its districts and boroughs. 

The County Council says it has long regretted that it has not been possible for any devolution of powers, responsibilities and additional funding to Leicestershire since it was first asked to bid to the Government in 2021. 



County Hall at Glenfield. Photo: Instantstreetview.com

It adds that there is now a new opportunity to bid for devolution on a Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland footprint.

The council says that, once a new structure of unitary local government has been agreed for the area, the intention would be to have a mayoral combined authority. 

It adds that the Government has made it clear that it wishes to have all areas of England covered by a mayor and all two-tier local government reorganised by the end of this parliament.

A statement says: "The County Council, the City Council, the District Councils and Rutland Council are all in agreement that an extension of Leicester City's boundaries is required in order for the City Council to be economically sustainable and to meet the Government's requirements of housing growth. 

"A request to the Government to delay the County Council elections does not require any proposals at this time in regard to reorganisation of local government but those proposals would have to be made by May 2025.

"The County Council's preferred proposal is for a unitary City Council with extended boundaries and a unitary council for the surrounding Leicestershire."

• Additonal reporting by LDRS reporter Hannah Richardson