Overview
- Alison McGovern asked up to 64 councils to state by January 15 whether they want to postpone May 2026 elections, with a minister to make the final decision.
- Devon County Council adopted a cross-party position opposing any cancellation and is preparing a formal response urging that polls proceed as planned.
- Exeter City Council is debating whether to seek a delay, with leader Phil Bialyk citing capacity pressures from potential service transfers and noting the city’s elections were postponed in 2010.
- Plymouth has confirmed it will hold its May elections, while Hampshire county councillors from multiple parties publicly urged that their polls go ahead on schedule.
- The Times reports that 27 councils are expected to ask for delays, including 21 Labour-run authorities, as the Electoral Commission warns that capacity constraints are not a legitimate reason to defer long-planned elections.