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Research by the BBC has found that around one-third of councils in England eligible to hold elections this May have requested postponements. The government had informed 63 local authorities last month that it would permit election delays if they raised “genuine concerns” regarding the feasibility of carrying out polls amid an ongoing reform of local government structures. As the deadline for these requests passed on Thursday, 21 councils formally applied for a delay, 34 confirmed they would proceed as planned, and eight have not yet announced their decision. Officials are expected to approve these postponement requests shortly.
The current reorganisation will transform the existing two-tier local government system—comprising district and county councils in many areas—into single-tier ‘unitary’ councils responsible for all local services. Because some councils facing elections this year are set to be absorbed into these new unitary bodies in either 2027 or 2028, any councillors elected now might serve as little as one year in office. To gauge the extent of postponement requests, the BBC contacted all 63 councils eligible to make such demands. Those requesting delays include East and West Sussex County Councils, Suffolk County Council, Exeter, Preston, and Peterborough City Councils. Smaller councils such as Cheltenham, Hastings, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Ipswich, and Redditch Borough Councils have also sought delays. The majority of these councils are Labour-led, although three Conservative-led and one Liberal Democrat-led council have also applied, and some councils are governed by coalitions or independent members.
Government officials argue that the planned local government overhaul is the most significant in decades, aimed at streamlining administration and eliminating redundancies. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed emphasized in a piece for The Times the challenges posed by holding elections for temporary councils, describing them as “short-lived zombie councils” and warning that such elections would waste resources better spent on essential services like road repairs and social care. Yet opposition voices dispute this rationale. Both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties criticized Labour’s enabling of election delays. Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice claimed those requesting postponements were “terrified” of electoral losses. The Conservative shadow local government secretary accused Labour of “running scared of voters,” particularly as government polling figures weaken, and called on ministers to “treat voters with respect,” insisting elections should proceed as scheduled to honor democratic principles.
The issue has provoked significant controversy. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, despite his party’s official opposition to election delays, has called for legislative reform to prevent ministers from unilaterally postponing elections. He condemned both Labour and the Conservatives for being “scared of the electorate” and criticized extended councillor terms without democratic renewal. Interestingly, some Conservative-led councils in Suffolk, West Sussex, and East Sussex, as well as the Liberal Democrat-controlled Cheltenham Borough Council, have nonetheless applied for delays. The topic has sparked protests in some locations, including Redditch, where police were called to a council meeting discussing a postponement. While some councils remain undecided on whether to request delays, the Conservative leader of Essex County Council acknowledged significant pressure on local systems alongside the reorganisation but chose not to seek a postponement, leaving the ultimate decision to the government
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