Council leaders across the region are in agreement that they have no plans to ask for May’s local elections to be postponed.
The Labour Government has been accused of running scared of the electorate, with one civic chief labelling the situation an ‘absolute democratic disgrace’.
As previously reported by Island Echo, Local Government minister Alison McGovern wrote to 63 local authority chiefs in England asking for their views on deferring May’s polls for a year.
Ms McGovern said the offer had been made due to concerns it would be difficult to manage ongoing work on the major restructure of councils, known as local government reorganisation (LGR), alongside preparing for and holding elections.
Across Hampshire, 11 councils are scheduled to have elections on 7th May 2026 – plus the Isle of Wight. Of the 10 that have responded to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, all have said they do not plan to ask for a postponement.
Councillor Alex Winning, Labour leader of Southampton City Council, said:
“I can confirm that I have not asked for, and do not intend to ask for, any postponement of next May’s elections.
“I will, of course, be responding to the letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, but it’s important to stress that decisions on whether elections are postponed rest entirely with the government.
Article continues below this advertisement “This is not something that councils or council leaders decide upon and nor should it be.
“It is also worth noting that, unlike some other areas, Southampton has not previously had any local elections cancelled.”
Southampton Conservative group leader Councillor Peter Baillie said his party was totally against cancelling elections. He said he has asked for a full council meeting to be scheduled so the matter can be discussed in public before the Labour administration makes its decision on what feedback to give to government.
Here on the Island, Councillor Phil Jordan has also scheduled a meeting for 6th January to formally discuss the matter. But councillors here have already made their views clear, saying ‘no more delays’.
Back across the water, Hampshire County Council leader Nick Adams-King, Conservative, has said:
“I have been clear that county elections are vital for local democracy and accountability.
“They ensure strong local representation for our 1.4 million residents across Hampshire in how we use over £3billion of public funds to serve our local communities each year.
“The government have set the timeline for local government reorganisation, it is they who need to decide whether their plans can be delivered to that schedule.
“I have not, and will not, ask for an election postponement.
“We are working towards our elections taking place, as planned, in Hampshire on May 7, 2026.”
Liberal Democrat leader of Winchester City Council, Councillor Martin Tod, said the situation was ‘such a mess’. Cllr Tod said:
“Two weeks after the mayoral elections were put back by two years, the Labour government is now asking councils if we want to delay county, district and unitary elections as well.
“In practice, this means they will be cancelled.
“County elections have already been delayed by one year and if they don’t go ahead in 2026, I don’t see how they ever will.
“County councillors would end up serving seven-year terms without facing the voters: an absolute democratic disgrace.
“I and my Lib Dem colleagues oppose any cancellation or delay to elections anywhere in Hampshire and the Solent – and I certainly won’t be asking the government to cancel or delay elections in the Winchester City Council area. I want them to go ahead.
“Regular elections are one of the most important ways that the public can hold councils and councillors to account.
“If people don’t like what we’re doing, they can vote us out – and quite right too: that’s democracy.
“Winchester City Council has only ever suspended elections in the event of war or pandemic – and I see no reason to change this now.”
Eastleigh Borough Council’s Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Keith House said:
“Only corrupt dictators cancel elections.
“They must go ahead. This year’s should not have been axed. Next year’s must go ahead.
“Democracy is the only way for voters to hold councils to account. Let voters decide, not politicians.”
Councillor Simon Martin, leader of Fareham Borough Council, said the local authority had never engaged with the government asking about the delay or cancellation of local elections. He said the government had imposed LGR on councils at the expense of progressing the mayoral combined authorities.
Councillor Peter Chegwyn, Liberal Democrat leader of Gosport Borough Council, said:
“We have no plans to cancel next year’s elections in Gosport.
“Assuming the Hampshire County Council elections go ahead as planned next May I would expect our Gosport Borough Council elections to do so as well.”
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council voted at a meeting on 18th December to tell the government that it did not want to postpone elections.
Councillor Steve Pitt, Liberal Democrat, said Portsmouth City Council was ready to deliver council elections in May 2026 and it was firmly opposed to any government delay to local democracy being delivered…
“Portsmouth continues to work closely with neighbouring councils to progress both devolution and LGR at pace, which is not impacting on our preparations for holding elections next year.
“No previous Portsmouth City Council elections have been postponed because of devolution or LGR and we fully expect next year’s voting to go ahead on May 7 as planned.”
Councillor David Neighbour, Liberal Democrat leader of Hart District Council, said:
“Local democracy matters, especially at a time of change.
“Our message is straightforward: Hart can do both – prepare for the new governance arrangements and run excellent elections in May 2026.
“Residents deserve continuity, certainty and a say at the ballot box, and we are ready to provide exactly that.”
At the time of publication, the Local Democracy Reporting Service had not received a response from the leaders of Havant and Rushmoor councils.
I bet the elections will be postponed, they are running scared.
Bet the Deformers will be getting their k nickers
in a twist, bless them.
Lol