County councils across England will decide this week whether to ask the Government to postpone this year's elections in order to reorganise and pursue devolution.
England’s 21 county councils are set to hold elections in May, but at the end of last year the Government unveiled plans to reorganise authorities into larger unitaries, usually serving 500,000 or more residents, and devolve more powers to them.
Local government minister Jim McMahon has told the leaders of county councils and neighbouring unitary councils that they must make a ‘clear commitment’ to devolution and reorganisation and a request to postpone elections by this Friday (10 January).
He said this was an option for councils wanting to progress with reorganisation and devolution simultaneously on the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme, as well as councils who wish to pursue reorganisation quickly and then receive devolved powers.
Mr McMahon said he was minded to lay secondary legislation to postpone elections until May 2026 where necessary.
Councillors in areas including Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Surrey, Norfolk, East Sussex and West Sussex will be considering whether to request postponed elections at meetings this week.
