"Ministers have indicated they will agree to postpone elections due next May until 2027, if authorities request it by mid-January. Polls in nine such areas have already been postponed once, having originally been scheduled for May 2025. It has sparked a huge row, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage accusing Labour and the Conservatives of working together to stop his party making further gains."
"The government plans to get rid of the two-tier system of district and county councils, creating a swathe of new authorities that will be responsible for delivering all local services in their areas from 2028. Ministers have now asked all 63 councils affected by the reorganisation that are due to hold elections in May to say whether they require a delay."
"In a statement, Local Government Minister Alison McGovern said "multiple" authorities had asked for a postponement, after expressing concerns about their ability to run "resource-intensive" elections alongside the transition. Others had questioned the cost to taxpayers of holding elections for councils that are due to be abolished, she added. Speaking in the Commons, she added that those seeking a suspension were only a "minority" of affected councils, without offering further details."
Ministers have signalled they will postpone elections due in May until 2027 if affected authorities request delays by mid-January. Nine areas already had polls postponed from May 2025. Multiple councils have raised capacity concerns about running resource-intensive elections alongside the transition and questioned taxpayer costs for councils scheduled to be abolished. The government plans to replace the district and county two-tier system with new single authorities that will deliver all local services from 2028. Ministers have asked 63 affected councils due to hold May elections to state whether they require postponement. Reform UK has accused major parties of collusion to limit its gains.
Read at www.bbc.com
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