Government abandons plan for election delay

In a pivotal move, the UK Government has scrapped plans to postpone 30 council elections from May 2026 to 2027, a decision that legal expert Laura Hughes believes will have substantial effects on the local government reorganisation programme. Hughes, a Partner and Head of Public Law at the law firm Browne Jacobson, stated, “This shift in position has significant ramifications for direction of travel and timetabling for the local government reorganisation programme (LGR).”

Hughes further remarked on the implications of this decision, indicating that it is feasible to create new unitary authorities without the need for a year-long shadow period. “This approach has been used before, particularly where the ‘continuing council’ model is adopted, though this could also be used where councils will not continue on the same geographies.” Despite this flexibility, she noted that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government was expected to rely heavily on previous models of local government reorganisation to streamline the process.

“This change will undoubtedly slow things down as alternative approaches are explored,” Hughes explained. She also raised concerns that any transition period marked by the absence of elected members based on new boundaries could hinder progress, as members might lack investment in a smooth transition if they risk losing their seats in upcoming elections. “We await with interest the government’s next move.” As the situation develops, local authorities and stakeholders will keenly observe how this decision shapes the future of local governance.

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