The same day, the government wrote to all councils in remaining two-tier areas to set out plans for a programme of both devolution and local government reorganisation - see Local Government Association - Devolution Deals.
On 5 February 2025, the government made a statement about English Devolution and Local Government. The Minister - (then Angela Rayner MP) - said
that the Devolution Priority Programme would apply to Cumbria; Cheshire and Warrington; Greater Essex; Hampshire and Solent; Norfolk and Suffolk; and Sussex and Brighton.On 4 March 2025, secondary legislation came into force delaying certain elections for 1 year - until May 2026 - see The Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order. The Order was made using powers granted to government by the Local Government Act 2000 section 87.
There is weak Parliamentary control over the making of such Orders. They are 'laid' in draft before both Houses of Parliament and are subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
The Order delayed election of councillors until 2026 for (a) East Sussex County Council; (b) Essex County Council; (c) Hampshire County Council; (d) Isle of Wight Council; (e) Norfolk County Council; (f) Suffolk County Council; (g) Surrey County Council; (h) Thurrock Council; (i) West Sussex County Council.
On 4 December 2025, the House of Commons was informed that the inaugural mayoral elections for Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Greater Essex are to take place in May 2028 and not May 2026 (as announced in July 2025).
The announcement was preceded by media comment along the lines of 'government cancels elections.' This caused accusations that the government was acting in a dictatorial manner and seeking to avoid embarrassment at the polls.
The actual reason for the delay was said to be that time was required to enable those areas to have the opportunity to conclude their local government reorganisation, build strong and effective unitaries, and establish their strategic authorities before their mayors take post.
An English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill is now before Parliament. This merits closer examination in a further post. Explanatory Notes accompany the bill.
The Bill will revert all mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections from First Past the Post back to the supplementary vote system. Hence, it is likely that first past the post will not apply to any such elections held in 2028.
*** A bit of history ***
The Local Government Act 1972 entirely reconstructed the local government system in England and Wales. Separate Acts for Northern Ireland and Scotland, driven by similar aims, followed in 1972 and 1973 respectively.
The Act is considered in a House of Commons Library - Long shadows: 50 years of the Local Government Act 1972.
The Act established some new counties (Avon, Cleveland, Humberside); merged some smaller counties with their neighbours (Huntingdonshire, Rutland, Herefordshire); and introduced the metropolitan counties in England’s large urban areas (Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Tyne & Wear).
The general pattern for Councils became "two-tier" with County Councils and District Councils.
The system introduced by the 1972 Act has seen numerous changes. In the 21st century there is a steady spread of unitary authorities replacing two-tier structures.
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