This year as virus on council seats
mouth crisis in 2001 and the decision could potentially mean that half of the council will be up for election in 2021. A government spokesman said: “We will bring forward legislation to postpone local, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections until May next year.
“We will also work with the devolved administrations to ensure that they have the necessary powers to do the same.”
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the local authority membership organisation the Local Government Information Unit, welcomed the announcement as “regrettable” but ‘clearly the right decision’.
He said: “The LGiU along with many across the sector have called for this measure due to fears about capacity to deliver in the midst of a public health crisis.
“Of course this does raise difficult questions and it’s important that the government moves quickly to answer these.
“What will happen where councillors were due to stand down? What will happen in new authorities that were due to be elected for the first time? What about vacant seats and by-elections?
“Elections are a vital part of democracy, but they are not the whole of it. We need elections, but they have to run flawlessly and electoral services in councils across this country have a fantastic record of making that happen.
“If we can’t guarantee that elections can be delivered securely, safely and accurately. It’s better to postpone and decisive action was needed earlier rather than later.”