A third of local councils that were offered a delay to their May elections have requested one, according to a Sky News analysis. Twenty-four councils have officially requested the government to postpone their local elections by a year, citing the resources needed for the local government reorganisation (LGR) program and the expenses associated with holding elections. Of these councils, eighteen are led by Labour, two by Conservative, two by Liberal Democrat, one by Green, and one by an independent party. Six councils have not yet made their positions public, even though the deadline for requesting a delay has passed.
The government unexpectedly announced before Christmas that it would consider delaying 63 local council elections next year due to challenges related to the LGR plans. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed explained on Sky’s Politics Hub that the majority of elections are proceeding as scheduled. However, councils have been asked to indicate if a delay or postponement is necessary due to the significant reorganization of councils taking place.
It was noted that a third of the country has two councils instead of one, resulting in additional costs that could otherwise be spent on local services. As a result, councils have the option to postpone elections this year to prevent delays to elections next year. Out of the 63 councils offered a delay, 24 have confirmed they will be requesting one, while 31 have declined. Two councils were internally divided on the decision, and six had not responded at the time of reporting.
The decision to delay an election ultimately rests with the government, leading to frustration among opposition parties. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage expressed his discontent with the cancellations of elections for millions of people across the country. He announced his intention to challenge the government’s plans and accused Labour and the Tories of collaborating to prevent his party from gaining power.
While the Conservatives have publicly stated their desire for all local elections scheduled in May to proceed, Labour and other parties have raised concerns about the potential delays. The chief executive of the Electoral Commission, Vijay Rangarajan, criticized the postponement of elections, emphasizing the importance of scheduled elections taking place as planned. He highlighted the impact of late changes on parties, candidates, and local government administrators, expressing concern about the legitimacy of decision-making and public confidence.
Rangarajan also pointed out the conflict of interest in allowing existing councils to determine the timeline for when they will be accountable to voters. The debate over delaying elections continues, with various parties and stakeholders expressing differing views on the matter.
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