The Government has confirmed plans to postpone local elections for 29 councils that are progressing through local government reorganisation, where those authorities have provided sufficient evidence that delaying polls would free up capacity and help deliver reform.
A further 34 councils undergoing reorganisation will hold local elections in May, meaning the majority of elections will go ahead as planned.
The reorganisation forms part of a once‑in‑a‑generation programme to end the two‑tier system in many areas of England and establish stronger, more efficient unitary councils. Ministers say the changes will speed up decision‑making, reduce duplication and improve local public services, while empowering communities and supporting economic growth.
Under the plans, elections at the 29 identified councils will be deferred via forthcoming legislation, with the intention of enabling focused work on implementing reorganisation. Where elections are postponed, existing councillors will have their terms extended to ensure continuity.
Elections to the new unitary councils are expected to take place in May 2027, with the new authorities expected to be up and running in April 2028.
The Government notes there is clear precedent for postponing local polls to support reorganisation: between 2019 and 2022, the previous Government also deferred elections to protect the delivery of structural changes. As now, the rationale was to prioritise implementation and avoid diverting staff and financial resources into election administration at a critical time.
Currently, around one in three people in England live in areas covered by two local authorities, which can create duplication and confusion — such as two chief executives, two sets of councillors and two finance directors spanning district and county levels. The Government argues that streamlining to unitary councils will remove this duplication so that more money can be directed to frontline services, including:
- Adult social care and support for older people
- Highways maintenance and pothole repairs
- Housing, planning and regeneration
- Creating great places to live and work
As part of the reform, the number of councillors is projected to be reduced by around 5,000, alongside the elimination of certain highly‑paid senior roles, with savings intended to be reinvested in local priorities.
Bringing critical services under one roof — from housing and planning to roads and transport — is designed to speed up decision‑making and provide a more joined‑up experience for residents and businesses. The Government says residents will benefit from better, more efficient public services delivered by single, accountable unitary authorities with clearer responsibilities.
Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said:
“This is a once-in-a-generation reform that will transform local government for the better.
“Cutting through two-tier bureaucracy means 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. That’s what residents want and that’s what reorganisation will achieve.”
What happens next?
- The Government will introduce legislation to postpone elections at the 29 councils that evidenced a clear benefit from deferral.
- The remaining 34 councils going through reorganisation will hold elections in May as usual.
- Existing councillors in affected councils will continue in post until elections to new unitary bodies in May 2027.
- The new councils are expected to begin operations from April 2028.
The Government emphasises that the approach is intended to maintain momentum on local government reform while ensuring most local elections proceed as planned this spring.
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