Councils consider election delay

Councils in Cambridgeshire are considering a government offer to postpone next year's local elections.

Ministers have indicated they would agree to delay elections due next May until 2027 on the grounds that most councils are being re-organised into unitary authorities which are expected to be up and running by 2028.

Cambridge City, Peterborough City, South Cambridgeshire District and Huntingdonshire District councils all have scheduled elections in 2026.

They have until 15 January to tell the government if they want to take them up on the offer.

Cambridgeshire's councils announced their preferred options for re-organisation last month.

A public consultation is expected in early 2026.

A spokesperson for Cambridge City Council said. "We acknowledge the government's position regarding the 2026 local elections.

"We will need to consider the detail of the announcement and reflect on the implications before reaching a view in the New Year."

Shabina Qayyum, Labour leader of Peterborough City Council, which is already a unitary local authority, said: "We welcome the opportunity to set out our views to government on the postponement of local elections in spring 2026, to free up essential capacity to get on with the job of LGR [local government review].

"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."

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