In a major shake-up of local government in England, nearly 30 councils will no longer hold elections this year due to a reorganisation process. This means that around 250 councillors could now serve seven-year terms in office, nearly twice the usual term.
The decision to postpone these elections has drawn criticism from the Electoral Commission, the UK’s elections watchdog. They have stated that “scheduled elections should, as a rule, go ahead as planned, and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances.” However, the government has insisted that the delays are necessary to allow for “once-in-a-generation reforms” to the two-tier system of local government.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has dismissed the councils that have requested postponements as “outliers,” stating that the party’s policy is for local elections to go ahead as scheduled in May. Yet three Conservative-led councils have asked for their elections to be delayed.
The postponements will affect over 650 councillors, with the Conservatives benefiting the most, with 238 of their councillors remaining in post. Labour follow closely with 206, while the Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Reform UK also have councillors affected.
Steve Reed, the minister responsible for local government, has argued that the reforms will lead to “faster decisions on housing, simpler access to services, and more money going to potholes, tackling crime and caring for older people instead of being lost to duplication.” However, the Electoral Commission has expressed concern over the impact on the democratic process.
As the local government reorganisation continues, the debate over the merits of the reforms and the decision to delay elections is likely to intensify. Voters, campaigners, and electoral administrators will be closely watching to see how these changes unfold.
