Residents in Leicestershire have urged ministers to "scrap" plans to expand the city's boundary for good after the major project was paused by the Government.

The initiative, known as Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), would have seen a host of county towns and villages swept up inside a new wider Leicester border, but the plan was officially paused on Monday (September 7) after the Government had new legal advice.

The pause affects 14 areas, including Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

News of the pause was welcomed by many councillors within Leicestershire, while city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby called it "very frustrating", but said he was confident LGR would still go ahead.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) went to Blaby, one of the many towns and villages that would have been included in the expanded city boundary, to see what residents thought of the pause.

Gary and Louise Owens, 68 and 62, both called on the Government to "scrap" the plans altogether.

Mr Owens added: "Nine out of 10 people didn't want it to happen after an MP did a poll – but the Government said 'Oh we'll do it anyway'.

"When I first heard about it, I thought 'Oh dear'. I just couldn't believe they were going to do it, to be honest.

"We would have no local council anymore, so there would be a central one. The queues are bad enough now when you try and get anything done so imagine if there's just one?"

Similar thoughts and feelings were had by Markfield resident Anthony Coltman, 65, who felt the new plans would cause "confusion".

He added: "Everything should stay as they are. It will cause confusion around council tax and whether or not people are going to pay more.

"I think it is unfair for one person or mayor to make all the decisions. It's best kept separately – just like it is now.

"Keep it as it is".

The LDRS also spoke to Leicester resident David Christie. The 76-year-old said he empathised with people living in the county, but felt a mayor for all of Leicestershire could work.

He said: "People living in these areas have shown why they protest. They don't want to be swallowed up by the city and they want their own community to stand as it is.

"On the other side of it, I like the idea of a mayor for a whole area, which could include the whole of Leicestershire, because it has worked in other areas.

"But let the people decide. I think it's great that they [residents] have held their hands up and said 'We want our community as it is'.

"You've got to take people's feelings into this because they are the ones who are going to have to deal with it in the end".

Communities secretary Angela Rayner told MPs in the House of Commons on Monday: "As we are now more determined than ever to devolve power closer to the people we represent, it's only right that as a new Secretary of State I make sure that everything we do is working towards that plan to change Britain, without delay.

"The Prime Minister told the House last week he was 'prepared to look at local government reorganisation' and he asked me as his Communities Secretary to 'do that'.

"In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law.

"And, secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new Prime Minister, and any additional considerations.

"I do not take this lightly. I recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into progressing reorganisation in each of these areas and I am very grateful for it."