Cheltenham Borough Council’s scheduled elections for 2026 could be postponed due to the ongoing local government reorganisation across Gloucestershire. The Government is moving to replace the existing two-tier structure—which includes Gloucestershire County Council and six district councils—with new unitary authorities. Three proposals for these authorities have been submitted to ministers, with the aim of establishing new councils by April 2028.
In light of this, Cheltenham Borough Council has formally requested postponing their half-council elections planned for 2026. Historically, Cheltenham holds elections every two years, electing half of its 40 councillors each time. However, a boundary review prompted an all-out election in 2024 to elect the current councillor cohort.
Council leader Rowena Hay (Liberal Democrat, Oakley) addressed the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, explaining that holding elections in 2026 would be an inefficient use of public funds given the recent 2024 election and the pending transition to new unitary councils in 2027.
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Hay emphasized, “Standard council terms are four years. Councillors elected in 2024 have a strong democratic mandate, so postponing the 2026 election represents better value for taxpayers.” She also noted the government expects local authorities to bear the full cost of the reorganisation without central funding, making savings—no matter how small—an important consideration.
Cheltenham Borough Council seeks a clear government response on their proposal for the current councillors to serve until the new unitary elections in 2027, avoiding the expense and disruption of a 2026 election.
Responding to similar concerns nationwide, the Government has invited 63 councils involved in local government reorganisation to submit feedback about postponing the May 2026 local elections. Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness Alison McGovern acknowledged the challenges councils face managing election preparations alongside reorganisation efforts. The deadline for councils to provide representations is January 15, with ministers scheduled to announce their decision early next year.
If approved, the 2026 elections would be delayed by a year, followed by elections to the new unitary councils in May 2027, which would officially take effect from April 2028. Notably, Surrey’s reorganisation is on a faster track, so elections there will proceed as planned in May 2026.