More than 20 council elections in England scheduled for May are likely to be postponed, as councils say they cannot run them properly while major local government reforms are under way.
Around a third of eligible councils have asked the government for permission to delay their elections, arguing that ongoing restructuring has stretched their capacity.
Under the reforms, many areas are moving from a two-tier system of district and county councils to single unitary authorities, which will be responsible for all local services.
In total, up to 63 council areas could delay elections until 2027, following earlier postponements in some areas until May 2026.
According to reports, 23 councils have formally requested a delay, 33 have decided to proceed with elections, and seven are yet to confirm their plans. Ministers are expected to approve the requests in the coming days.
Councils seeking postponements include East Sussex, West Sussex and Suffolk county councils, as well as city councils such as Exeter, Preston and Peterborough. Smaller authorities including Cheltenham, Hastings, Ipswich, Nuneaton and Bedworth, and Redditch have also asked for delays.
The reforms will also create six new elected mayors covering areas such as Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Sussex and Brighton, and Norfolk and Suffolk. Several of these mayoral elections have already been pushed back, with first contests now planned for 2028.
If approved, the delays would mean some councillors remain in office for more than an extra year. An estimated 600 councillors, including about 200 from Labour, would not have to defend their seats as scheduled.
The proposals have sparked strong reactions in some areas. Critics say delaying elections undermines democracy, while tensions boiled over this week at a Redditch council meeting, where police were called after heated exchanges between councillors and members of the public protesting the delay.
Defending the move, Local Government Secretary Steve Reed said the public would support cancelling what he called pointless elections for councils being phased out. He argued that holding elections during the reorganisation would divert time and resources away from essential services such as social care and road repairs.
Ministers say delays will only be approved where councils have genuine concerns about their ability to manage both elections and reorganisation at the same time, describing the changes as a once-in-a-generation overhaul of local government.
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