More than a third of the local authorities offered a postponement for their May 2026 elections have formally requested one, according to a new Sky News analysis. The move, driven by the cost and logistical demands of a major government restructuring programme, has sparked significant political controversy.
Which Councils Are Seeking a Postponement?
Sky News contacted all 63 councils that were offered the option of a delay by the government. Of those, 24 have confirmed they have written to ministers asking for their elections to be postponed by a year. A further 31 councils stated they would not seek a delay, while two could not reach an internal agreement and six had not responded by the deadline, which passed at midnight on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
The political breakdown of the councils requesting a delay is striking. Eighteen of the 24 are led by the Labour Party, either with a majority or as the lead in a coalition administration. Two are Conservative-led, two are Liberal Democrat, one is Green, and one is independent.
All councils citing the reason pointed to the significant resources required to deliver the government's Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) programme. Many argued it was financially illogical to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on an election for councillor roles that would exist for just one year before the restructuring.
Government Justification and Opposition Fury
The potential delays were announced unexpectedly by the government just before Christmas. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed defended the policy on Sky's Politics Hub, stating that the "vast majority" of elections would proceed as planned. He explained the offer was made specifically in areas undergoing the "biggest reorganisation of councils in decades," where having two tiers of local government diverts funds from frontline services.
However, the final decision rests with the government, and opposition parties have reacted with anger. The Conservatives have publicly stated they want all May elections to go ahead. Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride argued it was "not right" that millions might be "denied the democratic right to seek change," adding, "We don't want to see councillors serving seven-year terms."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage went further, labelling the potential cancellations "monstrous" and announcing he is preparing a legal challenge against the plans. He has previously accused Labour and the Tories of colluding to lock his party out of power.
Electoral Watchdog Raises Serious Concerns
The Electoral Commission has also voiced strong criticism. Its chief executive, Vijay Rangarajan, said in December he was "concerned" about further postponements, noting some elections had already been deferred from 2025. He emphasised that scheduled elections should only be postponed in "exceptional circumstances."
Rangarajan warned that "capacity constraints" were not a legitimate reason for delaying long-planned votes, a move that risks "affecting the legitimacy of local decision-making and damaging public confidence." He also highlighted a "clear conflict of interest in asking existing councils to decide how long it will be before they are answerable to voters."
The situation leaves voters in dozens of areas in limbo, awaiting a final government decision on whether their local democracy will be paused for another year.
