Postponing election 'sets dangerous precedent'

Norfolk County Council elections are currently planned for 1 May, but could be halted

A plan to postpone elections for Norfolk County Council later this year would set "a dangerous precedent", an opposition group leader has warned.

The Conservative-run authority is expected to vote in favour of working with the government on a major shake-up of local authorities, announced last month, and has asked for May's election to be delayed.

Council leader Kay Mason Billig said that would be "a usual step for areas that are considering reorganisation".

However, Liberal Democrat Brian Watkins said while he agreed that discussions on devolution should take place, he was "concerned about the delaying of any elections".

"This sets a dangerous precedent and risks leaving Norfolk with another year under a failing and frankly desperate Conservative administration," he said.

Brian Watkins also said he wanted more details on the powers that a mayor for Norfolk and Suffolk would have

County council elections take place every four years, with the last set happening in 2021.

But elections for Cumbria, Somerset and North Yorkshire were postponed that year because proposals were submitted to create unitary authorities in those areas.

After announcing plans for new devolution deals, the government set a tight deadline - 10 January - for councils to say if they wanted to be part of its "priority programme".

The plan would see district and county councils replaced by unitary authorities, with a mayor overseeing Norfolk and Suffolk.

Norfolk County Council will meet next Thursday to discuss whether to express interest in joining the programme.

Ms Mason Billig said: "Any areas asking to be included in the priority programme are also requested to ask for a delay to the county elections this May, in order to provide time to develop the proposals."

She added it could lead to a mayoral election taking place in 2026. It is understood elections for the newly created authorities would then take place the following year.

Conservative council leader Kay Mason Billig said a devolution deal with a mayor could provide more funding for Norfolk and Suffolk

The Labour group leader, Steve Morphew, said if the council chose to pursue devolution, postponing voting in May "naturally follows".

"You don't want to spend a million pounds – because that's what the election costs - on electing people for a couple of years, whose only job is to close the body they've been elected to serve on."

Other parties have attacked the plan, though.

The Green's Jamie Osborn said: "The big parties are running scared of elections in May and are instead trying to stitch up an agreement that would keep them in power."

While Reform UK currently has no members on Norfolk County Council, its Norwich chairman Nick Taylor said the Conservatives were "frightened" of the party's growth, saying elections should take place before the local government reorganisation.

"The voices in the room should reflect the current electorate and not a mandate from 2021," he said.

A government spokesman said no decisions had been made on postponing elections.

"We will only consider postponing elections for areas where the council concerned have requested it and where it helps an area to deliver reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeline," he said.