The Government has today (Thursday, 18 December) written to Peterborough City Council inviting it to set out its views on postponing its upcoming Spring 2026 Local Elections until 2027.
Councils – including Peterborough City Council – now have until midnight on Thursday, 15 January to set out their views on the postponement of local elections and if this could release essential capacity to deliver Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in its area. The Secretary of State would then decide whether to make an order to postpone elections for one year for those councils who raise capacity concerns. Town and Parish council elections would continue as normal.
Peterborough City Council will now be considering its response in relation to the forthcoming elections in May 2026, in which 18 councillor seats would be voted on by the public
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “We welcome the opportunity to set out our views to Government on the postponement of a local elections in Spring 2026, to free up essential capacity to get on with the job of LGR.
“It is a busy time for all councils in England and Wales with the LGR fast approaching, which is a fundamental change to how councils will operate and the geographical areas they will serve.
“We will now be spending time with both officers and our Councillors to consider what is best for Peterborough, to go ahead with an election in 2026, or to postpone to 2027.”