Voters are threatening to withhold council tax payments in protest at the postponement of local elections in some parts of England by Angela Rayner.
The deputy prime minister confirmed on Wednesday that people will not get to cast their ballots during this year’s local elections in nine areas on May 1.
They will instead go ahead next year.
Sir Keir Starmer’s right hand-woman claimed that holding the votes would be an “irresponsible waste of money” due to the fact that it is likely that some bodies “won’t exist” after changes.
The move has sparked anger.
@CromwellStuff said on X: “I have just informed my county council I will not be paying council tax as we people in Hampshire are not being permitted to vote in May!”
@tws4042 replied: “Same here….Hampshire! They will not get a penny from me!”
Steve Poole wrote: “Good shout. I’ve not paid last years as a protest for various reasons. West Sussex also no local elections so will join you for this years.”
Another user said: “Let us know what their response is crom, might do the same here in West Sussex.”
A different account said: “Done the same for my county council…”
Ms Rayner confirmed this week that votes for the following authorities are to be postponed for a year:
- Norfolk County Council
- Suffolk County Council
- Essex County Council
- Thurrock
- East Sussex
- West Sussex
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Surrey
The local government secretary also told the House of Commons that she has invited all two tier areas to send proposals for their conversion into unitary authorities.
She added that these are the “right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks”.
The deputy prime minister added that proposals would be developed with “extensive” local engagement with communities, and claimed that district councillors had told her that “the two tier system isn’t working” after 14 years of a Conservative “doom loop”.
Ms Rayner added: “While devolution can sound techie, the outcome is simple – it’s a plan for putting more money in people’s pockets, it’s a plan for quicker, better, cheaper transport designed with local people in mind, a plan for putting politics back in the service of working people.”
