NALC urges the government to consider parish and town councils in election postponement plans

We have been clear that England's 10,000 parish and town councils are essential to the success of devolution and local government reorganisation. As new unitary authorities are created, a genuine partnership with the tier of government closest to communities is not optional but fundamental to good governance and better outcomes for residents.

In our response to the government's letter to principal authorities seeking views on the potential postponement of local elections scheduled for May 2026 in areas where local government reorganisation proposals are under consideration, we highlighted the significant implications of the government's intention not to make any provision to postpone scheduled parish or town council elections. We emphasised that several issues should be carefully considered before final decisions on the timing of local elections are made.

We expressed concern that if parish and town council elections go ahead in May 2026 while principal authority elections are postponed, the full cost of those elections would fall to the parish and town councils concerned, rather than being shared, creating a significant financial burden for many.

We stated that holding parish and town council elections in isolation risks lower voter participation and reduced visibility of local democracy at the most local level.

We also expressed disappointment that the government's letter does not require, or explicitly encourage, principal authorities to engage with parish and town councils in their area when considering whether to defer local elections.

We have pointed out that 343 parish and town councils across 15 county association areas (excluding Greater London) are due to hold elections in 2026. Of this total, 38 parish and town councils are due to have their elections in areas where the government has approved the deferral of principal authority elections. This total is 11% of all parish and town council elections due to take place in 2026, and these councils will have to consider how to fund their elections if they still proceed in 2026.

We call on the government to continue discussions with the sector, and we have offered to provide further evidence and insight to aid the government's decision-making.