Question

To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether any local government boundary restructuring exercises have been (a) cancelled and (b) paused by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England as a result of potential unitary local government restructuring; and whether the Commission has had discussions with the Government on the potential (a) cancellation and (b) postponement of scheduled local elections in May 2026.

In February 2025, following the issuing of a statutory invitation to submit unitary proposals to all two-tier authorities, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England took the decision to pause all live reviews in those areas.

In total, 40 reviews have been paused as a result. No reviews have been cancelled as a result of local government reorganisation.

The Commission has had no discussions with the Government on the potential for cancellation or postponement of the local elections scheduled for May 2026.