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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he consulted (a) Cabinet and (b) the Prime Minister prior to the decision to (i) postpone the 2026 local elections and (ii) reverse that postponement.

I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349). It is a longstanding principle that government does not comment on or publish legal advice.

Councils are being supported to deliver elections. The administration and cost of running local elections remain matters for local authorities, with wider costs handled in the usual way.

We are also making available up to £63 million in new capacity funding for areas undergoing reorganisation.