More than half of the county councils in England scheduled for elections this May are considering requesting a delay, the BBC can reveal. At least 12 out of 21 county councils are poised to ask the government to postpone the upcoming ballots to explore new options set out in a major local government overhaul announced in December.
The government has set a Friday deadline for areas to express interest in the first phase of devolution plans, which aim to transfer powers from Westminster to local communities. However, the District Councils Network, which represents smaller local authorities, has warned that a delay in elections would deprive millions of voters of their local democracy.
The elections are set to take place across 21 county council areas, along with some unitary authorities and regional mayoral elections. When unveiling the devolution plans, the government suggested that some county council elections might be delayed by a year or more, although scheduled mayoral elections will remain unaffected.
Several councils have indicated that they may request a postponement of up to one year, with the possibility of holding elections for new “shadow” authorities in 2026. In some regions, the process of establishing new council structures could take longer, leading to even further delays.
The government’s proposed reorganization, outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, involves merging smaller district councils with larger county councils to create single bodies responsible for managing all local services. Ministers view this restructuring as a critical element of their devolution strategy.
Local government minister Jim McMahon wrote to affected councils asking them to express their interest in participating in the first phase of the restructuring. Several councils have called urgent meetings to decide whether to request the delay.
Among the councils that have expressed interest in postponing elections are Devon, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, and Worcestershire. The final decision on whether to delay the elections will rest with ministers.
However, critics have expressed concerns about the potential impact on local democracy. Conservative shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake warned that restructuring local councils should not come at the expense of voters’ voices and local democracy. He emphasized that devolution should empower local decision-making, not be imposed from the top down by the government.
Despite the concerns, leaders of some councils, including Cllr Kevin Bentley of Essex and Cllr Tim Oliver of Surrey, have endorsed the proposed changes, calling them a “once in a lifetime chance” to improve outcomes for their counties.
