Last week, draft plans were announced that would see large parts of the County of Leicestershire come under the control of Leicester City Council. Areas would transfer from neighbouring councils and come under the City Council instead. This means that places such as Oadby and Wigston would cease to be a borough in their own right, and instead be part of the City of Leicester.
This would mean higher council tax for people transferred into the City. For a typical Band D property with two adults in it, being absorbed into the City would mean they would pay £69 more compared to Oadby and Wigston, and £80 more than in Harborough. The bill increase would be bigger if you live in a bigger house (£138 or £160 for band H). It would likely also mean more development - one of the main reasons the City wants to expand is to put more development in the surrounding areas, not the City centre.
The City Mayor, Peter Soulsby, has put forward this proposal, but other local councils are going along with it and have put a submission into government proposing this - without consulting a single local person.
I have launched a petition with neighbouring MP, Alicia Kearns, to say NO to this proposal.
Sign our petition by clicking the link below.
