Harborough MP’s petition to block Leicester city expansion hits over 3,000 signatures

The headquarters of Leicestershire County Council (left) Harborough District Council (right).The headquarters of Leicestershire County Council (left) Harborough District Council (right).
The headquarters of Leicestershire County Council (left) Harborough District Council (right).
A petition, launched by Harborough MP Neil O’Brien, to block a move to ditch local councils in Leicestershire has gained over 3,000 signatures.

Earlier this month, Leicestershire County Council announced it would be requesting the 2025 local elections be postponed so it could look at creating a new political structure in the county, meaning the end of the district and borough councils.

The proposals are being put forward in response to the Government’s plans to reorganise local authority structures across the country. The English Devolution White Paper, published in December 2024, set out the Government’s intention to merge two-tier council areas, such as Leicestershire, into a single organisation, preferably with an elected mayor to lead them.

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But the controversial plans have been met with fears over development and soaring council tax rates.

Last week Harborough MP Neil O’Brien along with fellow Leicestershire MPs Peter Bedford and Alicia Kearns launched their petition titled ‘Stop Leicester taking over surrounding areas’.

Neil said: “The response to this petition in just a couple of days has been incredible. There is a lot of feeling against this locally. Leicester mayor Peter Soulsby wants to bring surrounding areas under the control of Leicester City Council. Areas like ours would transfer from neighbouring councils and come under the city council instead. This would mean higher council tax for people transferred into the city and would likely also mean more development. One of the main reasons the city wants to expand is to build here and not the city centre.

“Labour mayor Peter Soulsby has put forward this proposal without consulting a single local person. This is completely wrong and unfair on people living in these areas.”

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Mr Soulsby has accused Mr O’Brien of taking ‘political potshots’.

He said: “Instead of taking political potshots, Mr O’Brien would be better off talking to the district and county councils. They have taken responsibility for drawing up local government reorganisation proposals, and it is they who have put forward the extension of the city’s boundaries.”

Mr O’Brien says residents in affected areas have raised concerns about being moved into city boundaries as people in Band D properties in the city pay £80 more than in Harborough district.

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