Millions could see council elections delayed again

Elections to section councils serving millions of radical could beryllium delayed for a 2nd twelvemonth running, arsenic the government's efforts to reorganise section authorities hits different velocity bump.

The Conservative-held councils of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Surrey, East and West Sussex, and Hampshire had initially seen their elections delayed by a twelvemonth until May 2026 to let for the reorganisation process to instrumentality place, Sky News understands.

While Surrey and Hampshire are apt to spot their elections spell ahead, those successful Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and East and West Sussex could beryllium postponed by different twelvemonth until 2027, arsenic the process is taking longer than expected.

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As archetypal reported by The Times, ministers are expected to inquire the region councils if they privation to hold their elections, and if so, the decisions volition beryllium confirmed successful January.

This comes aft Local Government Secretary Steve Reed said successful the House of Commons successful November that the elections were expected to spell ahead, and 1 of his ministers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said earlier this period that "local elections volition spell up successful 2026".

This latest hold to elections comes aft the authorities postponed the elections for the caller mayoralties of Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Sussex and Brighton, and Norfolk and Suffolk until 2028.

As portion of its pledge to grow devolution, the authorities is combining immoderate smaller territory councils into bigger "strategic authorities" with much sway implicit their areas.

It follows Labour's manifesto committedness to "deepen" and "widen" devolution, with much areas expected to instrumentality connected the mayoral combined authorization (CA) exemplary similar that headed by Sadiq Khan successful Greater London.

But this latest hold to elections has triggered fury from absorption parties, with Reform UK accusing the Labour authorities of "colluding with the Tories" to fastener them retired of power.

Party person Nigel Farage said: "Turkeys don't ballot for Christmas. Tory County Councils look acceptable to collude with Labour to support their power until 2027.

"Only a banana republic bans elections, that's what we person nether [Sir Keir] Starmer. Kemi Badenoch indispensable instruct her assembly leaders to let elections to spell ahead."

Liberal Democrat person Sir Ed Davey echoed that sentiment, saying: "This is looking similar yet different Labour and Conservative stitch-up to contradict radical their votes successful May.

"Kemi Badenoch indispensable halt her Conservative assembly leaders from delaying elections yet again conscionable due to the fact that they are moving frightened of the Liberal Democrats."

But Tory shadiness section authorities caput Sir James Cleverly deed retired astatine the authorities for "blaming section leaders for not being ready".

He added: "Labour promised assembly elections would spell up arsenic planned arsenic precocious arsenic past week. Now they're saying they won't. Another breached promise.

"Voters volition present beryllium denied the close to elite their ain representatives - and not for the archetypal clip nether this Labour government.

"Labour are frightened of the voters. They thought they could wholly overhaul section authorities and stack the platform successful their favour. They were wrong. Earlier this month, Labour cancelled mayoral elections and present they are astatine it again with assembly elections, fiddling the antiauthoritarian process to service their ain governmental interests."

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been contacted for comment.