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Written Question
Local Government: Elections
Wednesday 25th March 2026

Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local election pilots in May 2026 will take place in any of the localities which had their May 2026 local elections postponed and then reinstated.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In August 2025, local authorities were invited to apply to pilot a range of flexible voting methods at the May 2026 elections in England, with a deadline of 22 September 2025.

In December 2025, council leaders in local government reorganisation areas were invited to make representations on the potential postponement of local elections and whether this would release essential capacity to deliver local government reorganisation, with a deadline of 15 January 2026.

Three local authorities that had submitted applications to pilot flexible voting methods for the May 2026 elections subsequently requested that their May 2026 polls be postponed. These authorities were Tamworth Borough Council, Stevenage Borough Council, and Redditch Borough Council. These three authorities are not taking part in the pilot scheme in May 2026.

Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"It would be churlish of me to criticise these proposals. We have had a detailed debate on the principle about votes at 16, with which we vehemently disagree, but there is no reason why we should be difficult about the implementation of the system if the Government get their way. …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"It has been a while since I have done one of these Committees, Dr Allin-Khan, so forgive me if I do not say what I am talking to or anything like that. We are learning on the job, or I certainly am anyway.

The Minister emphasised that the Government amendments …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"What I think is fairly obvious is that if there was consistency from the Government, someone’s being allowed to vote for their representatives would enable them to stand as a representative themselves.

I am a big fan of the hon. Gentleman’s and I want this Committee to be good tempered—as …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"I agree with my hon. Friend. I was a Conservative at 15—maybe that means I have just been completely stupid all through my life. [Interruption.] I said it—there is no need for an intervention on that! We know the reason why the Labour Government have brought this …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"Which is the point, the Minister says from a sedentary position, but it is our contention that we then need to look at the age of majority across the whole of the United Kingdom...."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"What an interesting idea from my hon. Friend. It is one of his more radical suggestions, but he raises a serious point. The inconsistency of this Government’s approach to the age of majority is about to be made worse by this Bill.

If the Minister had come to the Committee …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"I do not think a 15-year-old should be allowed to be Prime Minister. The hon. Gentleman is advocating for a 16-year-old to be able to elect a Prime Minister and their Member of Parliament, but does not want them to have the equal right to stand as a candidate for …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"That goes to show the picking and choosing attitude of the Labour party when it comes to enfranchising younger people. They want to allow them to elect Members, but believe that 18 is the right age to vote their candidate selections and internal processes, so why are we suddenly discussing …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 24 Mar 2026
Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)

"The hon. Gentleman is entitled to his view, but I do not think, if he looks inside himself, that he genuinely believes that 16-year-olds should not be allowed to stand in an election but should be able to vote in them. In his intervention, like many on the Government Benches, …..."
Paul Holmes - View Speech

View all Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley) contributions to the debate on: Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)