Local Government: Reorganisation
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with refence to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, col 1130, whether his Department plan to ask Parliament to vote on cancelling any May 2026 local elections before a Statutory Instrument is made.
Answered by Alison McGovern
The Secretary of State has adopted a locally led approach. He has asked councils to set out their views on the postponement of their local elections and is minded to only make an Order to postpone elections for those councils who raise capacity concerns. Parliament has given the Secretary of State the power to make an Order to change the year of council elections. The Secretary of State will decide whether to make such an Order having regard to any views councils provide, together with any other representations received. There are Parliamentary procedures for MPs and Peers to debate and vote on an Order. This is in line with previous local election postponements.
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