Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2026 to Question HL325 on Local Government: Elections, if he will make it his policy to bring the other new combined authority mayoral elections forward to May 2027.

There are currently no plans to bring forward the mayoral elections in Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, or Sussex and Brighton.

As previously stated, the government remains committed to the indicative timetable for local government reorganisation set out in July 2025, which will see new unitary authorities created in April 2028. We intend to hold inaugural mayoral elections in the four new combined authority areas in May 2028 to allow them to first complete the reorganisation process and ensure there are firm institutional foundations in place before the mayor takes office.