A number of people have raised with us a question about whether local elections due next year are going ahead in Gateshead. The answer is, “Yes they are!”
The government have announced that they are likely to cancel the elections in shire districts – these are smaller councils normally in more rural areas which have a larger county council above them. The aim of the government is to scrap the 2 tiers in those areas. There would therefore be one council dealing with all local government functions in county areas.
Gateshead went through a similar process 20 years ago. Tyne and Wear County Council was scrapped and its functions handed down to the metropolitan district councils of Gateshead, Newcastle, Sunderland and North and South Tyneside.
This is a much better arrangement than the confusion of 2 tiers of councils. However, the shire restructuring won’t take place for a number of years so the existing district councils in the shire areas will be extended beyond their normal four years. And without elections in mid term, the government avoids the embarrassment of large scale council losses.
The local elections due in May this year have not been cancelled and will be held on 4th May.
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