Opposition parties say Labour is ‘scared of voters’ but government says merging authorities have voiced concerns
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, with newly created mayoralties in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton to be first contested in 2028 under the plans.
On Thursday, the local government minister, Alison McGovern, told the Commons she and colleagues have heard from councils which said they do not have the capacity required for the reorganisation during the current timeframe.
