Elections are set to go ahead in Preston in 2026 after the government abandoned plans to cancel them in 30 authorities.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had approved delays for the ballots for the councils until 2027 to help deliver a reorganisation which will see some local authorities – including Preston City Council – abolished.
Ministers invited any councils that are due to be abolished in 2028 – and which also had what would be their last ever set of elections scheduled for this year – the opportunity to make the case for cancelling the votes.
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Preston, Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley, Hyndburn and coalition-controlled Burnley and Pendle all did so – after formal votes in their councils or cabinets.
Cllr Matthew Brown, leader of Preston City Council, said at the time that the process of restructuring authorities was going to be ‘very intense’ and that it was important to get it right.
He told Blog Preston on Monday (16 February): “From a Preston Labour perspective we are pleased this will at least bring speculation to an end.
“From our perspective we have been looking to the future as next May we will have new unitary authorities with budgets exceeding £500m and a whole host of powers not available to district authorities. I hope opposition parties will outline a vision of the future in their manifestos.
“We are looking forward to putting our case to the people of Preston of that future vision.”
Local elections are set to take place on 7 May 2026. In Preston, a third of council seats will be contested.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said “following legal advice” the government had “withdrawn its original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May”.
This follows a legal challenge against the plans, brought by Reform UK, which was due to be heard in High Court on Thursday (19 February).
In a letter to council leaders, Steve Reed said the government had written to the High Court to confirm he had decided to withdraw the original decision.
The statement said: “The secretary (of) state invited the housing minister, who was not involved in the initial decision-making, to reconsider the position afresh on a very urgent basis recognising the pressing timescales involved.
“The housing minister has decided that the elections should proceed in May 2026.”
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