Agenda item

South Kesteven District Council Defends Local Democracy and the Right to Vote

Council notes that:

·       Local democracy is founded on the regular, lawful, and timely election of councillors by the communities they serve;

·       The right of citizens to choose their representatives through free and fair elections is a cornerstone of British democracy;

·       The cancellation or postponement of scheduled future local elections whenever they may be scheduled, undermines public trust in democratic institutions, weakens local accountability;

·       It has been suggested that local elections may be cancelled or postponed in up to 60 local authority areas.

Council believes that:

·       Whilst South Kesteven are not part of those councils presently considering cancellation scheduled elections, the general principle of cancelling local elections for reasons of political convenience rather than genuine necessity represents a serious democratic failure;

·       Elections should never be suspended or avoided simply because legacy political parties fear electoral defeat or voter dissatisfaction;

·       The current unpopularity of both Labour and Conservative parties reflects years of policy failure, mismanagement, and a perceived managed decline in national governance. Fourteen years of Conservative government have coincided with rising taxes, strained public services, weakened border control, and declining living standards;

·       Since the last General Election, the Labour Party has demonstrated poor governance, broken promises, rising taxes on working people and an increasing disconnect from the priorities of the British people;

·       Voters must not be denied their democratic voice simply because the electorate wishes to hold political parties to account for years of failure.

Council resolves to:

·       Publicly reaffirm its commitment to the principle that local elections should not be cancelled or delayed except in the most extreme and unavoidable circumstances;

·       Request that this Council will not support, request, or acquiesce in the cancellation or postponement of its own scheduled local elections at some date in the future;

·       Call on all political parties to respect the electorate and allow voters to pass judgment at the ballot box rather than avoiding democratic accountability;

·       Request the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to express this Council’s opposition to the cancellation of local elections and to request the protection of local democratic rights;

·       Request the Chief Executive to circulate this resolution to the Local Government Association and neighbouring authorities for information.

Note:  Councillors Emma Baker, Pam Byrd and Robert Leadenham left the Council Chamber and did not return.

Councillor Kyle Abel moved the following motion:

South Kesteven District Council Defends Local Democracy and the Right to Vote

Council notes that:

1. Local democracy is founded on the regular, lawful, and timely election of councillors by the communities they serve;
2. The right of citizens to choose their representatives through free and fair elections is a cornerstone of British democracy;
3. The cancellation or postponement of scheduled future local elections whenever they may be scheduled, undermines public trust in democratic institutions, weakens local accountability;
4. It has been suggested that local elections may be cancelled or postponed in up to 60 local authority areas.

Council believes that:

5. Whilst South Kesteven are not part of those councils presently considering cancellation scheduled elections, the general principle of cancelling local elections for reasons of political convenience rather than genuine necessity represents a serious democratic failure;
6. Elections should never be suspended or avoided simply because legacy political parties fear electoral defeat or voter dissatisfaction;
7. The current unpopularity of both Labour and Conservative parties reflects years of policy failure, mismanagement, and a perceived managed decline in national governance. Fourteen years of Conservative government have coincided with rising taxes, strained public services, weakened border control, and declining living standards;
8. Since the last General Election, the Labour Party has demonstrated poor governance, broken promises, rising taxes on working people and an increasing disconnect from the priorities of the British people;
9. Voters must not be denied their democratic voice simply because the electorate wishes to hold political parties to account for years of failure.

Council resolves to:

10. Publicly reaffirm its commitment to the principle that local elections should not be cancelled or delayed except in the most extreme and unavoidable circumstances;
11. Request that this Council will not support, request, or acquiesce in the cancellation or postponement of its own scheduled local elections at some date in the future;
12. Call on all political parties to respect the electorate and allow voters to pass judgment at the ballot box rather than avoiding democratic accountability;
13. Request the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to express this Council’s opposition to the cancellation of local elections and to request the protection of local democratic rights;
14. Request the Chief Executive to circulate this resolution to the Local Government Association and neighbouring authorities for information.

In moving the motion, Councillor Abel highlighted the following points:

·       The motion was designed to assure that all residents that under no circumstances would SKDC cancel future elections.

·       SKDC did not have any district council elections in 2026; however, residents in Aveland ward wanted reassurance that elections in 2027 would not be cancelled.

·       Elections should not be cancelled because political parties fear electoral defeat. Previously cancelled elections in 2026 were a denial of a democratic right to vote.

The motion was seconded.

An amendment was proposed to remove bullet points 7, 8 and 9. This amendment was seconded, and subsequently supported by the original proposer and seconder of the motion; therefore, it became the substantive motion.

A further amendment was proposed and seconded to remove bullet points 4 and 5, as local elections across England were no longer being cancelled. Debate ensued on this amendment:

·       Once a local election was called the Council’s Returning Officer had to administer it. If elections were postponed by government, then the Returning Officer had to adhere to this instruction. If a Structural Change Order was placed before Parliament, it was not a decision of this council as to whether to hold an election or not.

·       The previous postponement of elections in 2026 was a decision of government, following a request from various councils. The government were overseeing a legislative change to reverse the postponement of local elections.

·       The spirit of the motion was asking members whether they believed local district elections would still go ahead in 2027, and to not postpone elections where this could be avoided.

Note:  As the meeting had reached three hours in duration, members voted to extend the meeting until 5:33pm.

Following a vote, it was AGREED that the motion be amended to remove bullet points 4 and 5. This motion became the substantive.

The substantive motion, having previously been proposed and seconded was put to the vote. Following the vote, the motion was LOST.