Which local elections are being cancelled in May 2026?
The Government has announced that it may cancel elections in 63 local authorities in May 2026.
Governments shouldn’t be able to cancel elections like this.
To many, it looks like they are trying to avoid potentially embarrassing election defeats.
What the Government has done so far is write to Council Leaders asking them if they want elections to go ahead in their area.
The 63 local authorities that may have their elections cancelled in May 2026 are -
Adur District Council
Basildon Borough Council
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Blackburn with Darwen Council
Brentwood Borough Council
Broxbourne Borough Council
Burnley Borough Council
Cambridge City Council
Cannock Chase District Council
Cheltenham Borough Council
Cherwell District Council
Chorley Borough Council
City of Lincoln Council
Colchester City Council
Crawley Borough Council
East Sussex County Council
Eastleigh Borough Council
Epping Forest District Council
Essex County Council
Exeter City Council
Fareham Borough Council
Gosport Borough Council
Hampshire County Council
Harlow District Council
Hart District Council
Hastings Borough Council
Havant Borough Council
Huntingdonshire District Council
Hyndburn Borough Council
Ipswich Borough Council
Isle of Wight Council
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
Norfolk County Council
North East Lincolnshire Council
Norwich City Council
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council
Oxford City Council
Pendle Borough Council
Peterborough City Council
Plymouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council
Preston City Council
Redditch Borough Council
Rochford District Council
Rugby Borough Council
Rushmoor Borough Council
South Cambridgeshire District Council
Southampton City Council
Southend-on-Sea City Council
St Albans City and District Council
Stevenage Borough Council
Suffolk County Council
Tamworth Borough Council
Three Rivers District Council
Thurrock Council
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
Watford Borough Council
Watford Borough Council Mayor
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
West Lancashire Borough Council
West Oxfordshire District Council
West Sussex County Council
Winchester City Council
Worthing Borough Council
Source: Letter from the Minister for Local Government 18/12/25
We’re calling on Sir Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Sir Ed Davey to tell their Council Leaders to say NO to cancelling elections in their area.
Please will you add your name to our letter?