Local Elections: Cancellation

Baroness Shephard of Northwold Excerpts

Wednesday 21st January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

My noble friend is quite right to say that there is a precedent for cancelling elections. I have been involved with local government for a very long time. At many times in the past, there has been tinkering at the edges of reorganising local government. If we do not reorganise local government, it will not be sustainable for the future. This is the biggest reorganisation of local government for over 50 years. We have asked the councils, if they wish to postpone their elections, to let us know about that. We are now considering their responses.

[Baroness Shephard of Northwold (Con)]

My Lords, later today, the House will debate the children Bill, which proposes an enormous increase in the duties and responsibilities of local authorities. How will postponement of elections help the preparation for those changes, given that they will be working while hoping, but not knowing, that the structures necessary for them to be implemented will exist?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

As the process of reorganisation and devolution has gone forward, a key aspect that the department has focused on with our colleagues in local government has been a smooth transition of key public services such as children’s services. We are reassuring ourselves as we go through that process that all the areas where reorganisation is taking place have a clear plan for the transition of their service from one organisational structure to another.