‘Woke’ street name changes to face votes

ALL councils in England will have to hold mini referenda before changing street names, under government plans to stop roads being renamed under pressure from campaigners.

A consultation due to be launched this week will set out plans to give residents an automatic right to vote on proposals by their local council to change the name of the street in which they live. Those in neighbouring roads could also be allowed to take part in the votes.

The plans are intended to help prevent councils erasing centuries of local heritage without properly consulting residents. The proposals have been drawn up by Michael Gove’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Ministers say the changes are needed to block local Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians from changing street names at the whim of campaigners who want to remove names that pay homage to controversial figures, or that are otherwise deemed offensive.

The move comes weeks away from council elections across England on May 5.

Oliver Dowden, the Conservative chairman and former culture secretary, said: “Labour and Liberal Democrat councils across the country are hiking council tax while squandering hardearned local taxpayers’ money on these woke pet projects that nobody wants.”