By Andy Mitchell
Local Democracy Reporter
THE leader of Warwickshire County Council is pressing ahead with plans to delay this year’s local elections despite being accused of a “powergrab”.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe (Con, Stour & the Vale) rubber stamped her intention to write to the government asking for May’s ballots to be put back by a year as part of the county council’s application to form a new unitary authority.
The new Labour government has asked for expressions of interest to be in the first wave of council areas currently covered by two tiers of local government – a county council plus districts and boroughs.
If the plans come to fruition, Warwickshire would have one new authority covering all services, leading to the abolition of the six councils – including the current county – that deliver those services.
Including Cllr Seccombe, 23 county, district and borough councillors and members of the public attended to make representations or hear her rationale in a meeting that lasted for an hour and 20 minutes at Shire Hall today (Friday).
Warwickshire County Council
Many accepted the inevitability of a unitary for Warwickshire but objected to the speed of the proposals, citing a lack of meaningful consultation with districts, boroughs and residents, suggestions that the West Midlands Combined Authority may not wish to enhance strategic links as planned, fears that areas will be forgotten and concern that budgets may be swallowed up by costly county-wide services like education and social care.
The most regularly mentioned issue, however, was that of delaying elections.
Waste of £1m?
Cllr Seccombe said that councillors at various levels had been told by the government in a recent online meeting that the target for seeing through these plans was “by 2028”, adding: “We have this decision on whether we want to go into the priority stream – do we go early or wait a year?
“There are a number of reasons why I believe it would be advantageous to move on at this stage.”
She estimated the cost of the 2025 elections would be “just short of £1 million” with a “likelihood” that they would be required again for the new authority in 2026.
“That is quite profligate at a time when budgets are really challenged,” she argued.
Resistance
County councillors weighed in from there with Liberal Democrat deputy leader Councillor Sarah Boad (Leamington North) stating any delay would be a “democratic outrage”.
“Look at the political landscape of Warwickshire in 2021, it was virtually all Conservative,” she said.
“Look at it now. The Greens, Labour and the Lib Dems have made huge strides electorally, yet it is a Conservative-controlled council from 2021 taking the lead on the reorganisation, not the proper democratic representation as it would be now if there were elections.”
Green leader Cllr Jonathan Chilvers (Leamington Brunswick) noted how it would leave the Conservatives in charge for two extra years – one carrying through to 2026 and another 12 months for the new unitary to complete its shadow spell before taking full charge.
“A six-year term would be an absolutely unacceptable democratic deficit,” he said.
“Indeed, from where I sit, I’m sorry to say Cllr Seccombe, it does feel like a powergrab.”
Cllr Judy Falp (Independent, Whitnash) said residents were “certainly not happy about having to wait six years”.
“I am lucky, I am in a fairly comfortable seat but I don’t assume. I like to go back to ask the question every four years as to whether my residents want me or someone else,” she said.
“We know there are quite a few county councillors who do not wish to carry on for different reasons, including health – are they going to carry on and just attend when their health allows?
“Yes, it costs a lot of money to stage elections but that is what is so great about this country – democracy is every four years.”
Labour deputy leader Cllr John Holland (Warwick West) supported the proposals but hedged his bets on the election issue.
“All views need to be taken into account,” he said.
“Normally, people who are standing for election are not allowed to decide when it would be. In this case it is a government decision but the different views certainly need to be considered, including the cost and also the cost of not (holding them in 2025).”
Better the devil you know?
Cllr Seccombe responded by making the case for the new trail being blazed by elected members with experience.
“I don’t see a six-year gap, I don’t see a lack of democracy,” she said.
“I see the councillors that we have within Warwickshire now, all experienced councillors who know their work, who would be part of shaping decisions that make a difference to residents in the future.
“Going into an election you have no idea what change comes forward, which is fine, that’s democracy, but you may have a load of councillors who are very new and don’t know the legacy or understand what four years in a council would have taught them.”
The final call
In delivering her final decision, Cllr Seccombe added: “There is right and wrong. The decision I have before me today is to weigh up the balance between the values of going early and delaying.
“On the basis of what has been said, my opinion and my experience, I am of the view that we should take the decision to put forward an expression of interest and request that elections be delayed.”
The government now had to sift through all expressions of interest and select areas to go in the first wave.
”This may be the start of a long journey,” said Cllr Seccombe.
“It will certainly be the start of a journey, whether that is now or a year from now I don’t know, that is down to the minister. I hope all of you will be part of that journey with us.”