The Worcester Liberal Democrats have today launched a petition calling for the May Elections to go ahead as scheduled after the leaders of the County Council applied to have them postponed.
Council Leader Simon Geraghty has faced an enormous backlash after it emerged he had written to the government to seek postponement of the elections with out consulting the rest of the Council, or the public. Many saw the move as an attempt by the Conservative led council to avoid another election in order to keep hold of power for longer after the party was wiped out across the country during the last General and Local elections.
Cllr Mel Allcott, as Group Leader of the Unity Group was forced in to writing a letter to the Government underlining that the proposal was not supported by the rest of the council. This was further backed by a letter from the group leaders on Worcester City Council (including Lib Dem Karen Holmes) saying the elections should go ahead as planned.
The groundswell of opposition was further bolstered when the Conservatives sole representative on the City council Alan Amos threw his support behind keeping the elections, calling the attempts at postponement as an ‘act of vandalism.’
Despite this, the governments Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon MP released a letter announcing the counties under consideration for delayed elections, with Worcestershire included on the 18 strong list.
Then in the last few hours it has been reported that the Council Leaders are considering selling off County Hall due to spiralling repair costs citing after devolution that the site would not be required.
In response Mel Allcott was not holding back. ‘Its a joke. The Conservative led Council have proceeded in a truly blinkered and undemocratic manner.
They have totally ignored the City and District Councils who have objected to the delay of the elections and are proceeding as if the matter is done and dusted when the reality is far from it. Its utterly unbelievable that they feel they can make decisions without consultation or mandate from the public. Its not a surprise that they wish to run from the ballot box having being embarrassed hugely in 2024, but this will not stand here.
We have therefore started this petition to give the people in Worcestershire a chance to be heard. We call on all of those who wish to have their voices heard to please sign and share this petition all across the county.
This is not a case of party politics. This is about ensuring that the democratic rights of every person in Worcestershire, as well as the rest of the country, is upheld and protected. No Council should be able to make huge decisions that affect peoples rights in such a manner. Its time that those who think they can undermine these principles learn that they work for their constituents and not the other way around.’
The petition can be found @ https://www.change.org/WorcestershireDemocracy or by scanning the QR code below.
