Harborough District Council writes to Government Minister to outline its firm opposition to expansion of city of Leicester
Harborough District Council has written to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook to outline their firm opposition to any expansion of the city of Leicester.
In a letter to Mr Pennycook, seen by the Harborough Mail, new council leader Simon Whelband writes: “As part of Local Government Reorganisation, there has been considerable discussion around proposals to expand the boundaries of Leicester city.
“I want to make the position of this administration absolutely clear from the outset - we do not support proposals that would see parts of the district absorbed into the city, nor do we support proposals that would place the whole district under Leicester city governance.
“The people of Harborough district do not want to become part of Leicester city. That has been made clear repeatedly through public consultations, petitions and representations from residents, parish councils and local MPs.
“Our towns and villages have their own identity, character and interests, and we will continue to defend them.”
The Government is expected to make a final decision on the structure of local Government in the county this summer, and Cllr Whelband added that before those decisions were taken: “I strongly urge you to reject any proposal that would remove any part of Harborough district from the county of Leicestershire.”
During a Government consultation on local Government reorganisation in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland earlier this year, Harborough District Council was part of a group of eight district and borough councils that proposed three unitary councils.
Under these proposals Leicester city would be unchanged, while Harborough would fall under the governance of a council covering the south of the county.