First-timers protest over proposal to drop election

2 days ago

Vikki IrwinSuffolk political reporter

About 60 protesters gathered outside Endeavour House calling for elections to go ahead in May

Jamie Niblock/BBC A group of about people standing in front of a glass building hold placards and protesting. The placards are feature both Reform UK and Green Party logos/colours — About 60 protesters gathered outside Endeavour House calling for elections to go ahead in May

First-time protesters have been among those who gathered outside Suffolk County Council headquarters calling for local elections to be held in May rather than be postponed.

The Conservative-run council met inside and debated the question of whether the elections should be ditched so it could focus on local government reorganisation.

Protester and Reform UK supporter Barbara Seglie said: "We have to have our vote. We are not dummies, we are not a banana republic and it is our right to have a vote."

Council leader Matthew Hicks said: "There is only one realistic answer... and it is very simple. Yes, a postponement would clearly release significant organisational capacity."

(Left to right) Barbara Seglie, Garry Debenham and Carolyn Verbrugge are Reform UK supporters and for Verbrugge it was the first time she had come to a demonstration

Vikki Irwin/BBC Three people outside a glass-fronted building. The woman on the left holds a union jack flag and is wearing glasses and a purple coat. A man in the middle is wearing a dark blue jacket and a woman on the right is wearing a light blue jacket. They are all smiling at the camera. — (Left to right) Barbara Seglie, Garry Debenham and Carolyn Verbrugge are Reform UK supporters and for Verbrugge it was the first time she had come to a demonstration

Councils across Suffolk are currently undergoing a restructuring process.

The current two-tier system of county and borough/district councils will be combined into a one-tier system of single unitary bodies.

The ongoing process meant county council elections were also postponed last year.

Protesters started gathering an hour before the full council meeting.

Carolyn Verbrugge, from Rendlesham, is a Reform UK supporter and said it was the first time she had felt the need to protest.

"I've never been active politically. I was sitting on my couch, shouting at the television and realised I've got to get up and do something for myself," she said.

Fellow Reform UK supporter Garry Debenham said: "We're all trying to have our voices heard; it is absolutely disgraceful what is happening.

"This is our way, the ordinary person, if I can say that, to vent our feelings."

Seglie, from Felixstowe, said: "We want a say; we want a vote."

Anna James felt it was important to demonstrate to "defend democracy"

Vikki Irwin/BBC A woman is smiling at the camera and standing outside council offices with a demonstration going on behind her. She is wearing a green hat with a green badge on it which says Green Party. She is also wearing a blue roll neck and with a coat over it. — Anna James felt it was important to demonstrate to "defend democracy"

Anna James, a retired teacher from Stowmarket and campaigner for the Green Party, said she did not normally go on demonstrations.

"I really believe these elections must happen because we have to defend democracy and, in not having them, we would not have had an election for seven years and that is way too long," she said.

This was the first time Chris Parrott had been to a protest and he said he had only recently become politically active

Vikki Irwin/BBC A man is holding a Reform UK sign outside a council building. He is wearing glasses, has a beard and is smiling. He has a dark grey hooded jacket with a fur lined hood. — This was the first time Chris Parrott had been to a protest and he said he had only recently become politically active

This was also the first demonstration for Chris Parrott from Great Blakenham. The 38-year-old had recently joined Reform UK.

"I have never been to a protest, never shown any real activism, not really been particularly political up until very recently and, yeah, I find this an incredibly important," he said.

Teenager Dylan Roques has previously stood as a Green Party candidate and said he wanted the chance to vote for a new councillor

Vikki Irwin/BBC A young man is standing outside a council building with protesters in the background. He has long hair, wears glasses and is smiling. He has headphones around his neck. — Teenager Dylan Roques has previously stood as a Green Party candidate and said he wanted the chance to vote for a new councillor

Dylan Roques, 19, has previously stood as a Green Party candidate in Bury St Edmunds.

"I'm someone who believes that my local area has been failed by both the current administration and by the county councillors we have at the moment, and I want the ability to vote for a new councillor," he said.

"I think my residents, my neighbours, should be given the opportunity to vote for change and to vote for basically a better community."

Matthew Hicks said the vote was not about postponing elections and that decision rested with government

Laura Foster/BBC Matthew Hicks is standing high above the Gull Wing bridge in Lowestoft. He is wearing a blue suit, blue shirt and pink tie. He is wearing glasses and smiling. — Matthew Hicks said the vote was not about postponing elections and that decision rested with government

At Monday's meeting inside Endeavour House, all councillors were asked to vote on whether a delay in elections would release resources to focus on the reorganisation process.

The motion was passed with 39 votes for, 17 against and seven abstentions.

Hicks said: "A better system of local government is worth the hard work. But it will not be without significant capacity challenges, which is why the government has posed this question, and the answer is simple.

"We have a golden opportunity to deliver the most ambitious programme of local government reorganisation in Suffolk.

"The scale of the change required to modernise and improve public services is substantial, and freeing up capacity would accelerate that progress."

He also wanted to make it clear any final decision on postponing elections would come from government.

Local government minister Alison McGovern told Parliament when she announced the potential delay to elections that "should a council say they have no reason to delay their elections, there will be no delay".

"If a council voices genuine concerns we'll take these issues seriously," she said.

After the full council meeting, Suffolk County Council's cabinet voted to respond to the minister by 15 January.

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