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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the terms of office for Town and Parish Councils will be aligned with the proposed five-year terms for shadow authorities, so that future election cycles coincide.

The Government values the important role that town and parish councils play in supporting their communities.

As the Secretary of State set out in her oral statement to the House on 7 September 2026, the Government has paused the local government reorganisation programme for further consideration. We will consider the programme overall including the four withdrawn decisions, the further decisions taken in July, and the two places where decisions have yet to be made. We recognise the need for clarity and will set out next steps as soon as possible.