MP for Rutland and Stamford Alicia Kearns has described the Government's Local Government Reorganisation plan as 'the worst outcome on the table,' saying the decision will 'entrench a neglect that will see us treated as a cash cow.'

In a statement published shortly after the Government's decision was announced, Kearns said: 'Today the Government has rewarded the cities of Lincoln and Leicester in their landgrabs and handed our rural communities and market towns the worst outcome on the table.

'Rutland will be forced into a giant Leicestershire Council, albeit thankfully not controlled by a much enlarged Leicester.

'Rutlanders made clear throughout this process, at my public meetings, in thousands of emails and through out Save Rutland petition, we wished to remain as we are or join with our neighbours in South Kesteven.

'The democratic deficit throughout this process has been shocking, with the Government confirming today that our communities were never truly listened to, not that we had any chance when Rutland County Council blindly obeyed every Government diktat and excluded opposition councillors from any say.

'Today's decision will entrench a neglect that will see us treated as a cash cow. Our communities made our views clear at every stage.

'At my public meetings residents in Stamford and Rutland alike wished to join together. Instead, we face a distant authority with fewer and more remote Councillors, and years of upheaval to come

'I will scrutinise this decision at every stage as the Implementation Orders come before Parliament, and I will fight for our communities: fighting so Council Tax is equalised fairly for our residents, fighting for a fair share of funding across the whole new Council area so that one area is not favoured above another, and fighting for smaller wards so democracy stays close to our market towns and villages.'

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