Plans for devolution in Rutland are becoming mired in confusion as the area's MP has hit out at an announcement made by a Leicestershire council. 

Councils across the country are responding to the government today to indicate whether they want to be considered for fast-track devolution and also whether they wish to postpone any elections this year in order to take part in local government reorganisation. 

The Labour government is going at breakneck speed to push through the changes and arguments and fall outs among neighbouring councils are starting to happen, as they jostle to make agreements. 

Yesterday, Leicester County Council announced it had been in talks with Rutland and other district councils within Leicestershire and its preference was for two unitary councils – one to cover the Leicester city area with extended boundaries and the other to cover the rest of Leicestershire. 

However, on X (formerly Twitter) Rutland MP Alicia Kearns (Con) said she is 'bemused' about the statement, saying that neither she nor fellow MPs were consulted and that she will now hold a public meeting. 

She accused Leicester City's Labour Mayor of using reorganisation to gain more power. 

She said: "The reason Peter Soulsby wants to expand the city boundaries is not just so that he can have more power – but so that he can dump his housing requirements onto the edge of the city." 

The leader of Rutland County Council Gale Waller (Lib Dem) has remained tight-lipped on the talks, only saying that the council will work constructively with its neighbours and be proactive. 

The issue has not been discussed at all as yet by the wider council, and a working group of leaders of Rutland's different parties has been set up to discuss the issue and will meet for a second time next week. 

This morning, following its neighbouring county council's statement, Rutland County Council issued a statement saying discussions were ongoing and nothing had been decided as yet. 

Cllr Waller said: "We believe it's important that equal weight and consideration be given to all options, as we consider things like boundaries. It's also important that clear evidence is weighed up around the benefits of these options, before adopting any new arrangements. 

 "Reorganising local government has the potential to deliver efficiencies and there is a need to ensure councils are sustainable. However, the success of a council is heavily influenced by the critically important relationship between scale and physical geography. We cannot dismiss this. Councils work best when their boundaries reflect the way people live their lives, where they go to work, learn, shop, spend their leisure time and get healthcare."