Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2025

Baroness Pinnock Excerpts

Monday 24th March 2025 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Baroness Pinnock]

That a Humble Address be presented to His Majesty praying that the Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2025, laid before the House on 11 February, be annulled, as it denies timely democratic representation to a substantial portion of the electorate; undermines local democratic accountability; disrupts established electoral cycles; lacks sufficient consultation; and erodes the democratic mandate for major restructuring of local government (SI 2025/137).

Relevant document: 18th Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (special attention drawn to the instrument)

[Baroness Pinnock (LD)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for a very detailed response putting the case, which she did very strongly, for the reasons behind the curtailment of elections this May. She has not, unfortunately, explained why those elections could not have been delayed until June. That has happened before. I am a councillor, and I remember voting in June for local elections to coincide with European elections. They could have been delayed to June, and that would have enabled those councils to have an up-to-date mandate to make those changes. That is at the heart of my concerns: 5.6 million people will not be able to vote this May in order to have their say on fundamental changes to local government.

On a happy note, we will need to have more controversial debates about local government. I have never seen so many people in this House wanting to be involved with local government, which I applaud. On that basis, I wish to test the opinion of the House.

[The Deputy Speaker (Baroness Garden of Frognal) (LD)]

I should inform the House that if this Motion is agreed to, I will be unable to call the Motion in the name of the noble Baroness, Scott of Bybrook, by reason of pre-emption.