Overview
- Exeter City Council’s Labour leadership voted to ask the government to cancel this May’s elections, arguing a delay would save more than £250,000 and free staff for local government reorganisation.
- Norwich’s Labour cabinet agreed to seek a postponement, citing capacity and cost concerns linked to restructuring, while Green and Liberal Democrat councillors warned the move undermines accountability.
- Ministers asked 63 authorities to state their preference, and reports indicate about 27 — covering roughly 3.7 to 5.2 million residents — intend to request delays that, if approved, would defer contests for nearly 600 councillors.
- Local government secretary Steve Reed argued elections to short‑lived “zombie” councils would waste resources and said he is minded to approve requests following the deadline for submissions.
- The Electoral Commission cautioned that capacity issues are not a legitimate basis for delaying long‑planned polls, as Reform UK prepares a judicial review to challenge any ministerial approvals.