The upcoming Cheltenham Borough Council elections have been postponed following a government announcement to delay polls across 29 councils undergoing local government reorganisation. This move aims to free up resources and capacity for councils managing structural changes.
Cheltenham’s scheduled elections for May 2026 will be deferred, as confirmed by the Government’s recent legislation. The borough last held an all-out election in 2024, when boundary changes led all 40 council seats to be contested. At that election, the Liberal Democrats secured 36 seats with 51% of the vote.
Typically, Cheltenham elects half of its councillors every two years, but the 2024 all-out election was a unique adjustment due to boundary revisions. Now, the Government’s plan to eliminate two-tier local authority structures—like Gloucestershire’s current setup—means the Cheltenham Borough Council is set to be abolished in the coming years.
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Three proposals for new unitary authorities have been submitted to ministers, intending to replace Gloucestershire County Council and the six district councils. The Government anticipates new councils will be operational by April 2028.
In light of this, Cheltenham Borough Council requested the postponement of next year’s scheduled half-council elections. This decision has sparked debate locally, with opposition voices expressing differing views.
The Green Party, holding three seats, argues that postponing elections denies voters the opportunity to hold the Liberal Democrat-led council accountable. Meanwhile, People Against Bureaucracy councillor Stan Smith, whose seat was not up for election, supports postponement, calling it a prudent budget-saving move given another election is slated for 2027 in preparation for the 2028 transition.
The Conservative Party, which lost all its seats in 2024, has criticized the postponement. Former councillor Tim Harman accused the Liberal Democrats of “running scared” and reversing their previous stance on election scheduling—a model once proposed by the Tories to save money.
Reform UK, the largest opposition group at Gloucestershire’s Shire Hall, claims polling indicates they would win all 20 seats if elections proceeded, describing the postponement as a “desperate stitch-up to avoid a drubbing at the polls.”
Council Leader Rowena Hay (Liberal Democrat, Oakley) stated the council’s decision to return to half-council elections predated the government’s plans for reorganisation. She emphasized that councillors’ four-year terms will not be extended due to the postponement and highlighted Cheltenham’s consistent democratic engagement with 12 local elections over 15 years.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed defended the reorganisation, promising that cutting through bureaucratic layers would lead to faster decision-making, improved services, and more funds directed to local priorities such as pothole repairs, crime prevention, and elder care—outcomes the Government says residents desire.