23 May 2024Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has announced a general election to be held Thursday 4 July.
To assist all members in considering the impact of this on the business of their council, we would like to highlight the SLCC advice note on Election and Pre-election Period which is available here.
The time frame for the election is as follows:
24 May – Parliament Prorogued
30 May – Dissolution of Parliament
4 July – General Election
9 July – New Parliament Formed – Election of Speaker
17 July – State Opening of Parliament
Cllr Shaun Davies, Local Government Association (LGA) Chair, said, “This election comes at a pivotal time for the country. Securing the future of our public services must be front and centre of all political party manifestos. As we lead up to July 4, the LGA will be making the case that, with the right powers and adequate long-term funding, it is councils who can provide the answers to so many of the issues any incoming government will face. This includes building more affordable homes, boosting economic growth, improving support for children, vulnerable adults and older people, and creating a better future for everyone.”
The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) is calling on all parties and candidates to make a commitment to safeguard the future of local government in England. The 2024 State of Local Government Finance report, shows that half the councils in England told the LGiU that if nothing changes they could go bust over the lifetime of the next parliament. At the same time, half of the residents surveyed in their latest polling on public attitudes towards local government see local services getting worse, and only one in four trust the government to act in the best interest of people in their local area. Together, these multiple crises – characterised by financial fragility, uncertain status and declining levels of trust, represent an existential threat to local government. Click here to read the LGiU report on the First 100 days to save local government: General Election 2024 – LGiU
