"Local elections could be delayed again as merging councils lack the capacity for reorganisation, the government has announced, triggering claims from opposition parties that Labour is scared of the voters. Sixty-three council areas could opt to postpone elections until 2027 after some were already delayed until May 2026 as two-tier authorities are being combined into single unitary councils. Elections for new mayors in four parts of England are already being postponed, it was announced earlier this month,"
"In recent weeks, as final proposals have been submitted, the number of councils voicing such concerns have grown. Many councils across the country, and of all stripes, have expressed anxiety about their capacity to deliver a smooth and safe transition to new councils, alongside running resource-intensive elections to councils proposed to be shortly abolished. They have expressed concerns about the time and energy spent managing elections to bodies that won't shortly exist, only to run an election a year later."
Up to 63 council areas may postpone local elections until 2027 because merging councils lack capacity to complete reorganisations while holding resource-intensive votes. Some elections were already delayed until May 2026 as two-tier authorities are combined into single unitary councils. Mayoral contests in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton are scheduled to be first contested in 2028 under current plans. Councils have expressed anxiety about delivering safe transitions while also running elections to bodies proposed to be abolished. Opposition parties have characterised the postponements as politically motivated.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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