Council leaders meet Minister to discuss local government reform

The Leaders of Leicestershire’s district and borough councils, together with the Leader of Rutland County Council, met Baroness Sharon Taylor, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government on Tuesday, 11 March 2025.

The meeting was requested by the district councils to discuss the approach being taken in Leicestershire and Rutland regarding devolution and local government reform.

The Leaders provided the Minister and civil servants with an update on their current thinking and interim plans due to be submitted to Government later this month. 

Speaking afterwards on behalf of the Leaders, Councillor Pip Allnatt, Leader at Melton Borough Council, said: “We were all delighted to have the opportunity to meet with the Minister and explain our current thinking prior to submitting our joint interim plan for local government reform and devolution on 21 March.

“We also discussed the initial engagement we have carried out and our plans for full and wider engagement with the public prior to submitting our joint final proposal in November.

“It was an extremely helpful meeting, and we were all encouraged to hear that our general ideas for unlocking devolution and establishing a new regional strategic authority, supported by three local unitary councils, represented a serious and credible proposition, and that we are on the right track in how we are approaching the response to the White Paper.  

“We are all extremely positive about the next steps, and are clear that it is up to us to make the case, backed up by data and evidence, and demonstrate strong local support, as well as the way our proposals will drive economic growth.

“Preserving local identity is central to our approach, and so it was also helpful to receive a commitment to further explore how we can retain Rutland’s ceremonial status as part of any change.

“We look forward to continuing the discussions and building our proposals over the coming months.”

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Notes to editors

The leaders of the district and borough councils and Rutland County Council are listed below.

• Cllr Terry Richardson, Leader of Blaby District Council
• Cllr Jewel Miah, Leader of Charnwood Borough Council
• Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council
• Cllr Stuart Bray, Leader of Hinckley and Bosworth District Council
• Cllr Pip Allnatt, Leader of Melton Borough Council
• Cllr Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council
• Cllr Samia Haq, Leader of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
• Cllr Gale Waller, Leader of Rutland County Council