17 March 2020Local government elections due to take place on 7th May have been postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Government’s announcement, a U-turn on its previous position, follows calls from within the sector and the Electoral Commission.
A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: ‘We will bring forward legislation to postpone local, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections until May next year.
Among the elections which are postponed are those for new Unitary Councils in Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire as well as associated first elections to new local councils, such as Wellingborough and Northampton town councils, created as a result of those reorganisations, plus normal parish elections and by-elections due to have been held at the same time. Whilst the Government announcement says the election is postponed until May 2021, the full details wont be known until the necessary order implementing the decision has been laid before Parliament.
