Twenty-one local authorities in England have formally requested to postpone their local elections, originally scheduled for May, amidst a significant government initiative to restructure local governance. This represents approximately one-third of the 63 councils eligible to defer polls. The requests are primarily attributed to concerns over the short tenure of elected councillors and the resource implications of holding elections shortly before the introduction of new unitary council structures.
Widespread Requests for Deferral
The deferral requests come as the government advances a major restructuring effort, aiming to replace the current two-tier system of district and county councils with new 'unitary' councils. These unitary authorities are designed to be responsible for all local services within their respective areas. The government indicated that delays would be authorized for councils demonstrating "genuine concerns" regarding the feasibility of delivering elections concurrently with this restructuring process.
Councils seeking postponements have frequently cited that elected councillors would serve for a limited period, approximately one year, before their existing structures are absorbed into the new unitary councils, anticipated to be established in 2027 or 2028. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed stated that holding elections for these short-lived structures would be costly and could divert resources from essential front-line services.
Out of the 63 eligible councils, 21 have requested a postponement, 34 will proceed with their elections, and 8 have yet to confirm their decision. Ministers are expected to approve the postponement requests in the coming days. Councils that have requested delays include East and West Sussex County Councils, Suffolk County Council, Exeter City Council, Preston City Council, Peterborough City Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Hastings Borough Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Ipswich City Council, and Redditch Borough Council. While a majority of the councils requesting delays are Labour-led, three are Conservative-led, and one is Liberal Democrat-led, with some also run by multiple parties or independents.
Case Study: Cheltenham Borough Council
Cheltenham Borough Council, a Liberal Democrat-controlled authority, is among those requesting a 12-month postponement of its local elections, which were set for May 7. Cllr Rowena Hay, the Liberal Democrat leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, cited "major under-funding of local government" and "pressure to safely streamline local government across the county" as primary reasons for the decision. She also noted the resource-intensive nature of elections and expressed that proceeding with polls did not seem responsible given that elected councillors might serve for only 12 months.
The proposed delay in Cheltenham occurs within the broader context of discussions regarding three potential models for council reorganization in Gloucestershire: a single unitary authority, an East/West split, or the Greater Gloucester model. Residents are scheduled to be consulted on these proposals in the spring, with a government decision anticipated in the summer. Under the current timetable, new councillors would be elected in May 2027 to oversee the implementation of the new system and manage the existing seven councils, with full elections scheduled for May 2028 when the new council structure would be fully active.
Political Responses and Perspectives
The decision to allow postponements has elicited various reactions from political parties. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey had previously urged the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate suggestions of election delays, citing Article 3 of the first protocol of the Human Rights Act, which he stated protects the right to free elections. Both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats have expressed disapproval of the government's approach to allowing these delays.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice suggested that authorities seeking delays might be apprehensive about his party's potential electoral success. A Conservative shadow local government secretary has accused the government of avoiding voters and emphasized the importance of upholding the democratic system by proceeding with the elections.