Dear Editor,

DESPITE thousands of residents objecting to the proposal, last January, Councillors at Essex County Council voted to cancel the elections due to take place in May 2025, using the excuse that the County Council is going to be dissolved in 2027 following Devolution and reorganisation of Local Government.

Such action was taken without any consultation with residents and has left Councillors in post years after they needed to have stood for election again.

More information about how the changes will affect Harlow will become known later in the year.

Despite what is being said now, there could be a call to postpone District Council elections in May 2026.

The Harlow Alliance Party along with others do not believe that Councillors should be able to pick and choose when elections take place and want residents to be given the choice of who will oversee any changes in 2027.

A petition has been set up which can be found at
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/vote

Whatever your political views If you feel that democracy could be under threat, I would urge you to sign this petition.