Leicester’s mayor has said it is too soon for the council to start “laying claim” to county towns and villages after the possibility of a city expansion was unveiled. Discussions on what any new boundaries could look like for the city and which areas could fall within them are still needed, Sir Peter Soulsby told LeicestershireLive.
When pressed by LeicestershireLive on which areas he would be hoping to have within the possible new borders, he added it he did not “think it would be at all helpful” for him to “start laying claims and drawing lines” on maps at this stage. The comments come following an announcement made last night (Thursday, January 9) that the edges of Leicester could move to take in some parts of the county.
The proposal is a response to the Government’s Devolution White Paper, published in December. The paper calls on two-tier authority areas like Leicestershire to reduce these to a single political organisation. For Leicestershire, this is expected to mean the end of the district and borough councils – as well as the potential incorporation of Rutland into a new unitary authority.
READ MORE: Leicester’s borders could expand into the county
Leicester could get bigger as it grows into parts of the county
(Image: Bill Allsopp/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
However, last night’s announcement also revealed that Leicester could remain separate. But, for the city to remain a viable authority, particularly in terms of its current difficult financial situation, local political opinion is that it needs to grow in size, expanding into the county.
Sir Peter spoke to LeicestershireLive as we sought to find out what this expansion could look like, and what it would mean for residents. The city mayor said conversations thus far have only revolved around the “principle” of the plan, rather than the precise details. Decisions around which areas would join with Leicester need to first be discussed with the district and borough councils, and Leicestershire County Council, he said.
He added: “I just don’t think it would be at all helpful for me to start laying claim and drawing lines on a map in advance of those discussions […] I have been very, very careful not to draw any lines, even for myself, and certainly not to get any officers drawing those lines. It’s honestly going to be a matter of discussion over the weeks and months ahead.”
So what would it mean for residents in any county areas which ultimately are incorporated into the city? The city mayor told us those residents would “be part of the city in every sense”.
They would have Leicester City Council providing their services and would be able to vote on who they want representing them on the authority. Their council tax payments would also go to the city.
This last point, Sir Peter said, would be “very helpful” in combatting the tricky financial situation faced by the city currently. The authority revealed last month its budget for the coming years, saying it would need to make “painful cuts”, alongside land sales and big council tax rises, to stave off the threat of effective bankruptcy.
Sir Peter said discussions will take weeks and months
(Image: PA/ Joe Giddins)
The boundary changes would not be a “short-term solution” to the council’s monetary woes, however, as it will take time to implement, but could provide one for the longer term, Sir Peter said. This is because many homes just beyond the city boundaries would fall into higher council tax bands, meaning they pay more to the authority compared to the current high rate of low-valued homes in the city.
A second benefit for the council would be the extra land for building on. The city declared a housing crisis in November 2022, saying it just did not have enough homes to meet local demand.
Latest housing figures showed thousands of Leicester residents were also stuck in unsuitable homes as of the end of March 2024 with many expected to wait five or six years to move. Meanwhile, the number of individuals and families in temporary accommodation is the “highest for decades” with the number of people sleeping rough in the city’s streets also rising.
But the city has long said there was not enough room within its borders to build the housing it needs – or to meet Government set housing targets. Moving the boundaries of the city would give the city more land to allocate for developments.
Sir Peter said: “Particularly at a time when housing is in such desperately short supply, the city council having [the ability to] provide housing on land beyond its existing boundary is doubly important.”
LeicestershireLive asked the city mayor if he had a message for any county residents who might be concerned about their areas joining Leicester. He said: “Most people who live either side of the boundary will tell you that the levels of service that they get are broadly comparable.
“In a number of parts of the city, I think even the people who live there, have difficulty of of telling, telling you where those boundaries are and it’s certainly not any difference in services that mark them.”