EXETER City Council’s political leaders have been urged to follow Plymouth’s example and press ahead with May elections after the Government indicated it would allow some local polls to be postponed.

Devon County Council’s leader last week called proposals to delay elections in up to 64 local authority areas as ‘deeply dangerous’ and today (December 22) Plymouth City Council announced it would not be asking for a postponement.

Devon County Council leader Julian Brazil praised Plymouth’s decision and suggested that Exeter should also honour voters’ democratic rights.

‘Councillors are elected to office for a specific term and should not seek to extend that without a mandate’ Cllr Brazil said.

‘Plymouth councillors have done the right thing. In this context it would be a disgrace if Exeter residents were deprived of the chance to choose who represents them in the Civic Centre.

‘This ramps up pressure on Exeter but the city council could easily make a firm and positive decision on this matter before Christmas so Devon residents’ faith in local democracy is maintained.

‘If the Government is worried about councils being able to deliver services it should fund us properly and postpone a reorganisation project which is costing millions of pounds and stretching both local authorities and civil servants’, Cllr Brazil added.

Deputy Devon County Council Leader Councillor Paul Arnott said Plymouth’s stance should be a wake-up call for Exeter.

‘This latest move to offer councillors the chance to stay in power longer than they were elected for comes in the context of increasing uncertainty about democracy across Devon,’ Cllr Arnott said.

‘Plymouth has done the right thing.

‘Exeter needs to do the same’, Cllr Arnott added.

Councils affected by the next tranche of reorganisation have until January 15 to request an election delay.

A special meeting of Devon County Council will be held on January 9 to allow all members an opportunity to debate and respond to the letter received from Ms McGovern.

Devon County Council’s proposal for local government reorganisation would be the cheapest and easiest proposal to implement and does not break up improving children’s services.