Protest as council votes to oppose city expansion

Protesters have voiced their opposition to plans to expand Leicester's political boundary to incorporate nearby towns and villages.

The government has announced a major redrawing of local authority boundaries, which will see the city extended into areas currently served by neighbouring councils from 2028.

On Monday, about 50 people demonstrated against the political shake-up which will see communities, including Birstall, Syston, Thurmaston and Anstey incorporated in an enlarged Leicester unitary authority.

The protest took place outside Loughborough Town Hall ahead of a Charnwood Borough Council meeting where councillors voted by 29 to 16 to support a motion opposing the city expansion.

The motion was proposed by the council's Conservative and Green opposition who say some 45,000 people currently served by the borough council will find themselves become part of a larger Leicester authority.

Tory opposition group leader Jenny Boker said the vote was a "victory for people power".

The passing of the motion means Labour leader of Charnwood Borough Council Jewel Miah must write to the government to say the authority opposes the city expansion and is profoundly disappointed in the decision taken by ministers.

Miah said: "We had a good debate and Conservative and Green councillors were upset about the expansion of the city however we have to point out this was a decision made by the government, not made by Charnwood.

"We put forward a proposal for three unitary authorities but that wasn't accepted. The decision has been made and we have to make the most of it."

Other Labour councillors described the debate as a "waste of time".

The government has been accused of ignoring the result of its own consultation on the changes, which showed 87% of some 6,600 responses opposed city expansion.

"This was supposed to be a democratic process," Boker said.

"Quite frankly, none of our residents have been taken notice of. They strongly object to being pulled into the city."

Green councillor David Infield, who represents Syston, said the government had put forward a "very poor" justification for the change.

"I have not heard from one resident who would be happy with their absorption into Leicester city. They are very apprehensive and have concerns about rising council tax and lack of representation."

Michael Jackson, from Cropston, attended the protest.

"I don't believe in this land grab," he said.

"All I want is a vote on this. It should be democratic."

Fellow protester Tony Goodhew, from Birstall, said: "I'm really upset at what the government is doing. It's totally undemocratic and I don't want the city expanding into where I live."

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: "Decisions were considered on a case-by-case basis against published criteria.

"It clearly stated local people's views would play a part but were also taken alongside other important factors such as the creation of strong and sustainable councils and better value for money for taxpayers.

"Ultimately, reorganisation in Leicestershire will help communities by speeding up the construction of new homes and infrastructure, improving public services and boosting regional growth to put more money in peoples' pockets."

Leicester's Labour mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, who proposed the city expansion, said: "It's the right thing for the city and it's the right thing for the surrounding area as well.

"It's going to happen and I think what matters now is that we get on with making it happen in a way that enables the people of Leicester and the surrounding area to have their services preserved.

"I think it's also very important to say that what this does is to enable the people around Leicester, who are very much a part of the Greater Leicester area, to have a say in the governance of their city."

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