local council elections cancelled
The government wants to widen devolution, giving areas new powers, putting them on the fast track to deliver growth, opportunities, transport and housing for local communities.
The programme – one of the largest ever packages of mayoral devolution in England – will support the areas to move towards devolution at pace, becoming mayor-led strategic authorities by May next year if they proceed.
The government wants local government to have simpler and more effective structures and a reduction in unnecessary layers of bureaucracy. To achieve this, all councils in two-tier areas are now being formally invited to develop unitary proposals – which will bring together lower and upper tier local government services in new unitary councils.
In order to allow areas to deliver devolution to this ambitious timetable, the government has agreed where there is strong justification set out by the local authority from local councils to postpone a number of May 2025 local elections.
The government has agreed to postpone elections due in May 2025 until May 2026 for Norfolk & Suffolk local councils.