This week we have had some positive news — but we are not out of the woods yet.

On Monday, Hampshire County Council held an Extraordinary Meeting and the majority of councillors voted not to seek a further postponement of last year’s county elections which are currently scheduled to take place this May. That is an important step forward and reflects the growing pressure from residents across Hampshire who want their democratic rights respected.  Certainly this is a big success for everyone who has signed this petition.

However, the Council’s response to the Government was complicated by an amendment by the cabinet. While expressing support for elections to go ahead, their letter also states that holding the election this May is likely to delay Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). This puts the decision firmly with the government, but entices them to cancel the election as they will not want a delay to LGR. In effect, it creates a political trap. They will not want to delay LGR until the year of the next general election, and could fall into the trap of delaying the local elections to avoid this. This would be a mistake for many reasons, not least it would show a disdain for democracy.

So while we can acknowledge progress, we cannot yet declare full success. The decision now sits with the Minister of State, and it is essential that they hear clearly and directly from residents that elections must go ahead as planned without caveats, delays or excuses.

For that reason, we are redirecting the petition to the ultimate decision-maker - Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern MP.  The objective remains exactly the same: to send an unambiguous message that the people of Hampshire expect the right to cast their votes and choose their representatives this May.

We have now passed 500 signatures, which shows the strength of feeling. Please keep sharing the petition and encouraging others to sign - momentum matters at this stage. Continued pressure is essential.